Death , Taxes , And The Fact That The Houston Astros Cannot Hit ….
By tophatal ….. 06/13/2012 …………. 11:35 PM (EST)
Well last night , in between “Skyping” with an Army buddy stationed in South Korea , and watching a baseball game on television (ESPN) it suddenly struck me that we now have one more certainty to life . And that would be that the Houston Astros are not only one of the “ worst performing teams offensively “ , in the NL but they might be , one of the “very worst “ in all of baseball .
=========================================================================================================================================
=======================================================================================================================================
Slide show for your perusal .
The Astros were the guests of the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park , San Francisco , California in a sellout game televised before a national television audience . Taking the mound for the Giants was starting pitcher Matt Cain , who this season has been outperforming the team’s two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum .
San Francisco Giants players celebrate after pitcher Matt Cain pitched a perfect game during a baseball game against the Houston Astros in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. Cain pitched the 22nd perfect game in major league history and first for the Giants, striking out a career-high 14 and getting help from two spectacular catches to beat the Houston Astros 10-0 . AP Photo/Jeff Chiu …
Considering the pitching feats this season , with “ no-hitters” and a “perfect-game” you simply knew it would be only a matter of time before another pitchers’ name would be recorded in the record books. Last night would be the night in question , as Matt Cain out-dueled his counterpart A J Happ . Cain pitched a complete game of hitless ball, on his way to the first perfect game of his professional career . For the woefully inept Houston Astros I do not believe that this will sit well the team’s front office and in particular team owner Jim Crane . The Houston businessman spent $775 million for this ball-club in 2011 and has seen a poor return on that investment since acquiring the organization from Drayton McClane .
With that 10-0 defeat of the Houston Astros , the San Francisco Giants inched themselves one game closer the NL West leading Los Angeles Dodgers (39-23) , who were hosting crosstown rivals the Los Angeles Angels in an interleague game at Dodgers Ballpark , Los Angeles , California.
Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy and his coaching staff , have to be entirely pleased with what they witnessed from their pitching ace , especially in light of the problems , that Lincecum has faced this season . It would be an understatement to suggest that Tim Lincecum has not lived up to expectations but such as been the inconsistency of the player that it is hard at present to justify the Giants’ decision to reward the player in his recent deal with the organization . There was a compelling reason for GM Brian Sabean to sign the player to a long-term deal , rather than quite possibly lose him to free agency . There are very few players of Lincecum’s caliber pitching in the game today , and though this season appears to be a down year for the pitcher . There is no denying that at his very best , Tim Lincecum must be considered one of the best starting pitchers in game .
For the Houston Astros it is very hard to see where this team now goes from here , as the only way is up. The Astros already find themselves 7 games behind the division leading Cincinnati Reds (33-27) within the NL Central . And with only the ” languid “ ; Chicago Cubs beneath them within the division , I would have to say that the Astros should be thankful their problems parallel those of the Cubs ! God knows , these two NL teams are bringing the game of baseball into disrepute .
Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer may may well have been brought by team owner Tom Ricketts in to reverse the fortunes of the Cubs but as we have seen this season that is not going to be happening anytime soon . To say that this will be a work in progress for Epstein and Hoyer would do the term a travesty . Cubs’ manager Dale Sveum and the coaching staff have simply been unable to get this team playing with a modicum of consistency . Having posted a mark of ( 20-40 ) the Cubs are only marginally better than baseball’s worst team the San Diego Padres (20-41) from a record’s standpoint . As things now stand , I do not envisage that things are likely to get better for Bud Black , his coaching staff and the team for that matter . The roster is so flawed in an all aspects of the game . GM Josh Byrnes has an extremely tough task ahead of him as he tries to disseminate the good from the bad amongst the playing personnel . The payroll ($55,244,700) for the organization is amongst the lowest in baseball (MLB) . Problems abound for the San Diego Padres beyond the playing field , with their being growing uncertainty concerning as to the ownership of the team . Jeff Moorad and John Moores , as the senior managing partners , it is rumored have a very lukewarm relationship . Moores is now interested divesting himself of his majority shareholdings in the team , and there is said to be several willing and prospective buyers for that stake . Final approval however , would have to come from the league hierarchy led by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and team owners within the game .
Matt Cain , Phil Humber and Johan Santana this season have joined a select band of pitchers to have achieved one of the game’s “ hallowed feats” (no hitter & perfect game) . Over the remainder of the season, we may well perhaps see one or two more players actually achieve that distinction or come close to it . Between now and the MLB All Star Game (10th July) , baseball’s midseason showcase event , there is still a great deal to play for , with a number of teams seeking to position wildcard”> themselves for the second-half of the season .
A scoreboard recognizing a perfect game thrown by San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain against the Houston Astros is displayed in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. Cain pitched the 22nd perfect game in major league history and first for the Giants, striking out a career-high 14 and getting help from two spectacular catches to beat the Houston Astros 10-0 . AP Photo/Jeff Chiu …
While I am in no doubt that the final month of last season , wherein , some of the most amazing baseball was being played in the climax of the schedule , and specifically the final day of year . Those of us who witnessed those events would no doubt like nothing better to see that situation repeated once again at the culmination the 2012 MLB regular season schedule . In all likelihood , that premise will not play out , in a way to heighten our expectations even more so but just about anything is possible if the teams are still competitive at that point of the season .
Certainly , if the teams can provide with that sort of suspense , then it bodes well for the postseason and the games to be played in the divisional rounds , league championship series and the World Series . Given what we have witnessed from the postseasons of 2011 , 2010 , 2009 , 2008 , 2007 and 2006 , respectively . Is there really much more , that we the fans could possibly ask for ?
================================== ============================================================================================
======================================================================================================================================
Picture gallery
As the MLB season has progressed which teams and players have been the biggest surprise to you ? What thoughts if any , do have concerning the plight of the Houston Astros and their continued struggles ?
😉
😉
Picture and slide show details below for your perusal . .
=================================== =======================================================================================================
(1) San Francisco Giants center fielder Gregor Blanco catches a fly ball hit by Houston Astros’ Jordan Schafer during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. Giants pitcher Matt Cain threw a perfect game , striking out 14 in San Francisco’s 10-0 victory over Houston. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu ….
(2) Home plate umpire Ted Barrett waits as San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain warms up before the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. Barrett was behind the plate Wednesday night when San Francisco Giants’ right-hander Matt Cain pitched a perfect game against the Houston Astros in a 10-0 victory. He also was the home plate umpire when David Cone threw his perfect game for the New York Yankees in a 6-0 win over the Montreal Expos on July 18, 1999. It makes Barrett the first major league umpire to call balls and strikes for two perfect games. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu …
(3) San Francisco Giants players celebrate after pitcher Matt Cain pitched a perfect game during a baseball game against the Houston Astros in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. Cain pitched the 22nd perfect game in major league history and first for the Giants, striking out a career-high 14 and getting help from two spectacular catches to beat the Houston Astros 10-0 . AP Photo/Jeff Chiu …
(4) Houston Astros’ Brett Wallace walks to the dugout after striking out against San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain, Cain’s 14th strikeout, during the eighth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. Cain pitched the 22nd perfect game in major league history and first for the Giants, striking out a career-high 14 and getting help from two spectacular catches to beat the Houston Astros 10-0. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu …
(5) A scoreboard recognizing a perfect game thrown by San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain against the Houston Astros is displayed in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. Cain pitched the 22nd perfect game in major league history and first for the Giants, striking out a career-high 14 and getting help from two spectacular catches to beat the Houston Astros 10-0. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu …
(6) J.A. Happ (30) of the Houston Astros talks to Chris Snyder (18) (right) after giving up a home run against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at AT&T Park on June 13, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images …
(7) Joaquin Arias (13) of the San Francisco Giants (right) scores a run ahead of a tag from Chris Snyder (18) of the Houston Astros (left) during the second inning at AT&T Park on June 13, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images ….
====================================== ===================================================================================================
MLB probable pitchers 14th June 2012
MLB team stats (overall) by leagues American League ………….. National League
=============================== ============================================================================================== ============================
Nas feat’g Amerie ………. “Rule “
—————————————————————————————————————————–
Jay z …………. “Lucifer “
Share this:
Tophatal's Blog 
Jim Crane the rest of the blowholes within the Astros’ front office had better get their sh#t together if they think that this team can compete in the AL West next year. If not then they’ll become everyones’ bi#ch within the division in more ways than one !
Phenoemenal performance by Matt Cain last night in literally blowing the Astros out of AT&T Ballpark , in San Francisco , California . It now makes the NL West all the more interesting , given the Dodgers and their recent lapses .
😉
;;;
😉
tophatal ………
LikeLike
Speaking of not being able to hit, Al, the Rays come home to sweep the Marlins then get swept by the New York Mets?
Back to the same old, same old for the Rays, huh? Team batting average of .235, 26th in the Majors?
18th in runs scored, 24th in the league in slugging percentage?
This team needs Longo back STAT! And not the Longo that bats .230 either.
LikeLike
Chris Humpherys (SportsChump)
Everything about the Rays at present would suggest that they’re heading in the wrong direction . They’re now 2 1/2 games behind the division leading .. New York Yankees (37-26) .
Maddon and the coaching staff have to get the team back on track in the coming months . If not then they could miss a playoff berth within the AL at season’s end .
Matt Cain’s performance was exceptional in pitching that “perfect game “ …. against the Astros . The NL Central … ballclub is simply hideous and terrible to watch . Once they move to the AL West (2013) , they’ll become cannon fodder for the likes of Angels and Rangers .
tophatal …………….
tophatal
LikeLike
Great job by cain.
LikeLike
Bobby Gee
As good a job as that was by Matt Cain , I get the impression that the Astros’ ….. woefully inept … offense will struggle through the remainder of the season ! Never mind what happens when they make that so-called celebrated move to the AL West in 2013 . They will prove to be “cannon fodder” for the likes of the Rangers and Angels .
LikeLike