Hi, guys! I missed you! Don’t think I haven’t been watching the games, because I absolutely have – and I am continually impressed by what I see from this team.
Who would’ve thought that we’d be this far into the season and Matt Garza would have the same number of wins and significantly better totals in pretty much every other category as Roy Oswalt? Well, that’s where we’re at right now as the ‘Stros come to the Trop for a three-game tilt starting this weekend.
What to watch for: The Astros are a significantly worse team than the Cubs AND they are riding an 8-game losing streak coming into the series. It could be very easy for the Rays to let up a little bit and get surprised by the Astros here. It’s up to Matt Garza to keep their bats silent and the Rays’ offense to keep Oswalt from getting into any kind of rhythm.
Scouting Report on today’s starters from MLB.com:
Matt Garza – Garza will be making his 13th start of the season and his first career start against the Astros. Saturday night at Tropicana Field, the 24-year-old right-hander earned his fifth win of the season after holding a tough-hitting Marlins squad to one run on three hits and one walk while striking out three in seven innings. Garza has a mid-90s fastball that sinks, a curve, a slider and a changeup.
Roy Oswalt – After turning his best start of the season on June 10, Oswalt took a step backwards against the Yankees in his last start, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings. Oswalt wasn’t helped by some of plate umpire Marty Foster’s calls, but he still threw too many hittable pitches and too often failed to put away hitters when he had the chance. Oswalt, 9-6 in 22 career Interleague starts, has never faced the Rays.
Check out the Rays’ career numbers against Roy Oswalt.
View the game preview from Baseball Reference.
| TAMPA BAY RAYS |
HOUSTON ASTROS |
| 2B – Akinori Iwamura | CF – Michael Bourn |
| LF – Carl Crawford | 2B – Kazuo Matsui |
| CF – B.J. Upton | SS – Miguel Tejada |
| RF – Eric Hinske | 1B – Lance Berkman |
| 3B – Evan Longoria | DH – Carlos Lee |
| DH – Cliff Floyd | RF – Hunter Pence |
| 1B – Willy Aybar | LF – Darin Erstad |
| C – Dioner Navarro | 3B – Ty Wigginton |
| SS – Jason Bartlett | C – Brad Ausmus |
Be sure to join us in the chat room for some good Rays talk during the game!!!
Tags: Astros
June 20th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Not sure why Gabe Gross isn’t in the lineup. He kills Oswalt.
June 20th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
It would be huge if we could get back-to-back good starts from Matt Garza. Let’s hope his visit with the shrink will help him some if things start to head south.
June 20th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Oswalt has given up 17 home runs this year!!! The most he has ever allowed in a season is 18. Here is to pushing him over that number tonight.
June 20th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Nice to see you Scott! It’s time to get Wiggy wit it tonight for the Rays and Astros (I know Ty is on the other team but I couldn’t resist…)