OK Forget This Stop on the Trip

Arizona was hot and the Astros lost all three games. So, lets just forget the last three days on the field. (However, if you want to see some of the stuff behind the scenes, I recommend Alyson Footer's blog on Astros.com. Our sometime pre/post analyst has been clicking photos like mad and she has some interesting stuff.)

The Astros got OK pitching from Wandy Rodriguez, but no hitting again. They scored three runs and all were driven in off ground outs! Thats not much offense. No home runs by Houston. Heck, Lance hasn't hit one all month. The team batting average isn't horrid, but the run production continues to be and that is something that is not new to August. Even when the club was still in the race they were't scoring many runs.

This whole thing is causing those with hair to want to tear it out. Manager Cecil Cooper keeps what he still has so closely cropped he doesn'thave that option. Before the game Coop said he enjoys managing, but he hard time putting losses aside. This has been a very hard trip for him in that department although in most of the games there were no strategic decisions that he had to agonize over. The two losses in St. Louis were one runners, but it was the lack of hits that made the difference. In Arizona it was a lack of hits by Houston and way too many by the Diamondbacks in the first two games. And while Sunday was a 4-3 final there were no strategic holes that could really be criticized.

Maybe some thought 3b coach Dave Clark two conservative a couple of times. But if you had been able to see the whole field (which you can't on TV) you would have noted that the runners in question did not get great jumps.

Who would have thought a series between the Astros and Cubs at Wrigley Field as September dawned would have no bearing on the pennant race. Alas, that is the case for both teams starting Monday. No reason is still can't be a good one though.