Don't give up...

Sadly, it's been almost a month since my last post, and much has happened with my boys.

Update:

• We're still not playing .500 ball
• We still can't win a game for Clemens (even when we're up by 4 runs when he leaves the game)
• Lidge almost got traded
• There were rumors that Oswalt almost got traded (still trying to figure this one out)
• My new (second) favorite player Luke Scott is hitting .400
• Lidge managed to save a one-run game last night
• My boyfriend Biggio hit 2 homeruns tonight
• Backe looked good tonight, and Pettitte looked good last night
• They're 2-0 against the Padres at San Diego

I am still not convinced that Phil Garner is a good manager. He is a very nice man (one of my students wrote him last year, and he responded with a handwritten letter to her), and I've heard that he's a "good guy" (whatever that means), but I do not trust his judgment. He has made way too many bad decisions (or indecisions) this year that have cost us heavily. He bunts in situations that he shouldn't (like when his 4, 5, and 6 hitters are coming up...that's just giving away an out), and he doesn't seem to be doing a good job of judging his pitchers' abilities in tight game situations.

Watching the game tonight made me wonder something: how must Clemens feel when his team can win a one-run game that Pettitte pitches and then the next night score 7 runs to give Backe a win? I'm pretty sure I'd be pissed on the inside at least. I just have to believe that he's torn between being happy that his team is winning and irritated that they can't do it when he's on the hill. Oh well, at least I saw him smiling tonight.

And on that note, I love the way these guys act with each other; they're just fun. Mike Lamb has been interviewed a few times, and he is hilarious. He and Chris Burke get along great, and they're funny together. Multiple times I have seen Lamb randomly go up and hug Burke in the dugout...it's just good to know that even though they're below .500, they can still have a good time. That's ultimately going to play a big part in whether or not they stay alive in the race to the end of the season.

Things to look forward to:

• Pettitte always catches fire in the second half of the season
• Backe is back and looks good
• Ensberg is back and looks good
• Scott just rocks
• Lamb is hitting .300
• Everett always rocks defensively
• Only 3 of our starters are hitting below .250 (and Ensberg is one of them with .245)

Go 'stros!