Nationals @ Astros, Game 1

[houston-nat]

Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals: Game 1
Minute Maid Super Fun Family Bonanza Land, Houston, Texas
7:05 P.M. local time (8:05 P.M. D.C. time), July 9, 2009
A word to the wise: This is NOT the completion of the makeup game, but the full, brand-new game which will commence afterwards.



And now, the lineups!
Note: These are projected lineups, as the real things will not appear until several hours before gametime. The projection may or may not be a total fabrication by yours truly.

Houston Astros (41-42)
Michael "Kiss My Astro" Bourn
Miguel "Stubborn as an Astro" Tejada
Lance "Fat-astro" Berkman
Carlos "Smells Like Astro" Lee
Geoff "That's a Hot Piece of Astro" Blum
Hunter "Horse's Astro" Pence
Kazuo "Astro-wipe" Matsui
Humberto "Such a Badastro" Quintero
Russ "Flossing His Astro" Ortiz

Washington Nationals (24-58)
Nyjer "National Security" Morgan
Nick "National Enquirer" Johnson
Ryan "National Treasure" Zimmerman
Adam "National Highway System" Dunn
Josh "National Geographic" Willingham
Cristian "National Bestselling Romance Novel" Guzman
Ronnie "National Hot Dog Eating Contest Champion" Belliard
Josh "National Park Ranger" Bard
John "National Anthem" Lannan

     

Special "Deep in the Heart of Texas" Gameday Thread Contest: If you can name your favorite Texas-native beautiful female, and I verify her Texas birth and approve of the choice, and if the Nationals ever fall behind or take the lead by more than two runs, I will post photographic evidence of her good looks during the baseball game.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

That stadium blows.  It's like National Harbor with a grassy knoll and an idiotic toy train.

[PatsNats28]

That stadium blows.  It's like National Harbor with a grassy knoll and an idiotic toy train.

I think it's pretty cool how it's different from like every other stadium.

[PatsNats28]

btw we should unlock the other game thread for that game.

[hammondsnats]

god, houston you are in the WNFF Hall of Fame first ballot no doubt.

p.s. haha i think it'd be funny if we open the old thread for the first "game" tomorrow.

[sportsfan882]

what time does the shortened game start? 7 or 8?

[Galah]

what time does the shortened game start? 7 or 8?

yes

[CJames0569]

Special "Deep in the Heart of Texas" Gameday Thread Contest: If you can name your favorite Texas-native beautiful female, and I verify her Texas birth and approve of the choice, and if the Nationals ever fall behind or take the lead by more than two runs, I will post photographic evidence of her good looks during the baseball game.[/center]

Ok, I'll bite. In wake of her recent passing I'll name Farrah Fawcett.

[houston-nat]

what time does the shortened game start? 7 or 8?

According to MLB.com, "Houston 10, Washington 10" begins at 7:05 eastern and "Washington @ Houston" at 8:05 eastern.

[DPMOmaha]

Morgan - 8
Johnson - 3
Zimmerman - 5
Dunn - 7
Willingham - 9
Guzman - 6
Bard - 2
Hernandez - 4
Lannan - 1

[houston-nat]

Morgan - 8
Johnson - 3
Zimmerman - 5
Dunn - 7
Willingham - 9
Guzman - 6
Bard - 2
Hernandez - 4
Lannan - 1

That's basically our best possible lineup.

[sportsfan882]

That's basically our best possible lineup.

Swap Guzman with AlGo and it is.

[hammondsnats]

Swap Guzman with AlGo and it is.

give it a rest.  switch Hernandez with Gonzalez and we're fine.

[Minty Fresh]

That's basically our best possible lineup.

With Bard catching, I'd actually move him up one spot and swap with Guzman.

[ronnynat]

[spidernat]

We have a 3.3% chance of winning?    Not according to sportsfan.

[PatsNats28]

wow that's harsh. our winning % is like at 300... we should get at least 25%.

[houston-nat]

I watched Austin Kearns hit a home run at Minute Maid once. So our offense can do anything ... if it tries.

[ronnynat]

We have a 3.3% chance of winning?    Not according to sportsfan.

No, that's from The Streak.   People pick who they think will win.

http://streak.espn.go.com/

[spidernat]

No, that's from The Streak.   People pick who they think will win.

http://streak.espn.go.com/

sportsfan was probably voting his ass off against the Nats in that poll.

[ronnynat]

sportsfan was probably voting his ass off against the Nats in that poll.

You should try it out. I've gotten up to 13. It's freaking tough. Pretty damn good prizes, though.

[natsfan4evr]

I think we have a good chance. What makes the Astros that much better? Has anyone watched Lannan pitch lately? Dunn should go deep in that bandbox.

I'm shocked by the 96.7%

[houston-nat]

If Lannan throws a complete-game shutout today, he will be in the MLB's top 20 for earned runs average. (He's currently sitting tied at 28 with Johnny Cueto and Cliff Lee, one spot ahead of Carlos Zambrano and ten spots ahead of C.C. Sabathia.)

[tomterp]

We have a 3.3% chance of winning?    Not according to sportsfan.

That's not what that stat says.  It basically asks, who has a > 50% chance of winning, in which case it's fully understandable that nearly everyone would agree we're at less than 50%.

[Lintyfresh85]

Lets go Nats!

I'll be out tonight... but you'll always be in my thoughts you lovable bunch of losers!