Hou underrated, Minn overrated

[JoeDirt]

I agree with your line up, Gantry....that's pretty close to what I'd use in curve...

I sometimes just leave Lombardozi in, though--not at all because he's good, but more becuase I'll bring a PH in that spot as soon as a runner is on base and the spot is up...oh, and also it kills Riley when I hit a homer with him. 

[Ryno23]

Joe Dirt loves it when I beat his ass with 3 homer games from HrBek!

[Gantry]

I sometimes just leave Lombardozi in, though--not at all because he's good, but more becuase I'll bring a PH in that spot as soon as a runner is on base and the spot is up...oh, and also it kills Riley when I hit a homer with him.

I can see why you would in curve, especially since the SP it tough to hit the first inning or two.  You should use the PH for chances when it's needed.  We honestly don't do this enough in straight, we pretty much sub all our guys on their 1st AB.  THe only exception is the Bergman-for-Lemon sub with a runner on...

[JoeDirt]

I can see why you would in curve, especially since the SP it tough to hit the first inning or two. You should use the PH for chances when it's needed. We honestly don't do this enough in straight, we pretty much sub all our guys on their 1st AB. THe only exception is the Bergman-for-Lemon sub with a runner on...

Generally speaking, I do not subscribe to this practice.  I agree with the straight pitch theory--get the best hitter in there from the get-go. 

But I just sometimes leave Lombo in because all of the Minn PHs suck (especially since Bush is usually in the line up by the time the 8 spot rolls around).

I also sometimes just say F it with Gladden and leave him in and try to foul off as many pitches as possible.  He sucks.  I think he's the worst "hitter" on the team.

[fknmclane]

Great discussion.

While I love playing with Houston because they suck and it's extremely fun beating your opponent with a shitty team, I would take Minnesota every time if the game actually meant something.

I'm probably as big a Lopes fan as anybody as well, but their offense just doesn't stack up.

My lineups for both teams:

Minnesota

1) Bush
2) Spaghetti
3) Kirby
4) Fat
5) Burnzky
6) GagMe
7) Laudner
Larkin

Minnesota is nothing but bashers.  Their offense can be anemic at times, but I tend to explode with homers every now and then.  If you're able to tire out a pitcher or catch your opponent sleeping, big innings are always a possibility with this team.

Fat and Burnzky are an extremely formidable duo and can hit bombs all day and night.  If they're having an off game and don't get going, the chances of winning are nil.

Their weak spots are obviously the 6 and 8 spots and perhaps even the 3.  While I'm like everyone else and expect a lot more from Kirby, he's at least serviceable and can produce when least expected.

Their pitching staff is in my opinion one of the best.  Frankie V is a crafty lefty with a nice changeup and Bert can pitch all night and drop his changeup consistently in the late innings.  The bullpen is definitely better than average and provides a hard-throwing contrast to the starters.

Houston

1) Lopes
2) Cruz
3) Garner
4) GDavis
5) KBass
6) Doran
7) Reynolds
DThon

For me, Houston is strictly a small ball team. I prefer to slap the ball around and take extra bases at every opportunity since most of their team has above-average speed.  While this is fun to do it unfortunately does not equate to a large amount of wins.

I think Nolan is far too predictable and his changeup is subpar at best.  Add in the fact that they have ZERO bullpen, and the Astros get me into trouble more often than not.  I do have to mention Mike Scott, the king of the nasty changeup.  Sometimes I think he has a tool chest hidden in the mound somewhere.

Having said all that, there isn't a team in RBI that makes a win more enjoyable than Houston.

[Gantry]

Good writeup mclane,  I agree with the houston synopsis... that is pretty much my lineup except for the eighth (or as you would call it, smiley) hitter.  History has me using Puhl there but now I leave Assby in there and see what he can do.   He has been servicable lately and has gotten more TP as a result...

The "fun factor" you touch on is also important.  Houston and Stl and small ball teams and fun to play with.  Minnesota is middle-of-the-pack, has few enjoyable hitters and to be honest is not that fun to play with.  They are the Mets are my least used teams...

[Ryno23]

The summer that I was 12, every weekend saw my best friend and I play World Series sets with Hou / SL.

We kept stats, named MVPs --- everything.

It seemed like Tony Pena always got clutch hits for us.

Glenn Davis sucked monkey nuts.  Dickie Thon and Terry Puhl were clutch.



I've always hated playing against Min.  I absolutely hated facing Viola.

[BeefMaster]

He has been servicable lately and has gotten more TP as a result...

You reward your players with toilet paper for good play?  So, if a guy's sucking it up, you make him wipe with his hand or something?

I agree with the majority here - Minnesota is overrated but still better than Houston.

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

Excellent discussion.

1, I picked up some valuable info from this thread- that Reynolds Wrap can actually play.  I had no idea he was even serviceable, never mind a stud.  I will use him and report back once I have a large enough sample to comment.  (should be by noon)

B, someone commented that IBB's can tire pitcher out which is true, but you can also hit the batter instead so you don't waste pitches (plus I derive pleasure from drilling Puckett).

3, as I said before, I love Bruno, and because of my IBB strategy, he bats a lot with men on.  So Minn can certainly explode.

Bottom line though- everyone seems to put Minn over Houston, yet they still acknowledge that 6-7-8-9-1 are terrible (with possible exception of Laundro).

Re: pitching, I think Kerfeld is a stud if you can effectively use sidearmers.  I think bullpens are basically the same.  Starters I prefer Minnesota because I like curveball artists better, and Ryan seems to have a full tank until the 5th and then just burn out and have nothing.  There is nothing gradual about his loss of heat.

[Nails]

Re: pitching, I think Kerfeld is a stud if you can effectively use sidearmers. I think bullpens are basically the same. Starters I prefer Minnesota because I like curveball artists better, and Ryan seems to have a full tank until the 5th and then just burn out and have nothing. There is nothing gradual about his loss of heat.

I like Kerfeld, and sidearmers in general.  They can be very effective in jamming hitters and hitting outside corners if you know how to maneuver them.  Both teams have great starting pitching for different reasons.  It would be hard for me to pick which one I liked better.  I'd probably go with Houston.  I've been into right-handed power pitching lately.

Side note: what does everybody think about hitting against sidearm pitchers?  Saberhagen when on his game can often give me trouble.

[Gantry]

I face a sidearmer so infrequently that everytime I do face one, it throws me off for a little while....

[BeefMaster]

B, someone commented that IBB's can tire pitcher out which is true, but you can also hit the batter instead so you don't waste pitches (plus I derive pleasure from drilling Puckett).

It's not too horribly hard to avoid a beaning, though, especially if the pitcher is the same hand as the batter.  It'd have to be a fastball to get there quick enough to be dodged, and in that case it may not have enough curve to get to the hitter.

Side note: what does everybody think about hitting against sidearm pitchers?  Saberhagen when on his game can often give me trouble.

I've always liked using sidearmers and hated hitting against them, but I played slurve & straight pitch growing up (and more RBI 2 and 3 than the original), so I don't know how effective they are in anything-goes games.  I do know that the few in RBI 2 and 3 can be vicious - with a good player pitching, Eck's slingshot 100 MPH delivery is tough as hell to hit.  RBI 2 changed the style of the sidearm a little, though (it's harder to tell when the ball is released), so I don't think that's a relevant comparison.

[ericdavisfan]

Am I alone in liking Billy Hatcher?  I usually leave him in, but I really don't have a great reason for why.  Maybe it's personal bias, because of his presence on the '90 Reds.  Do most of you sub Hatcher?

[ultimate7]

I don't sub Hatcher

[Gantry]

Hatcher is out of there everytime for me.  Lopes is the perfect replacement (and there leadoff hitter) - a healthy power increase, lefty and slightly faster.  I consider him Hatcher to be the worst starting Astro, and that's saying something...

[Nails]

I sub Hatcher every time.  I can see why someone may want to leave him in and then use Lopes for a late-game pinch-hit.   But I always felt Lopes was too good of a hitter* to leave him out.

*good, meaning compared to the rest of the lineup

[fknmclane]

Hatcher sucks balls.  He has decent speed but that's really about it. With the beast that is Lopes ready and waiting on the bench, I never let Hatcher get an at-bat.

Side arm pitchers can be a bitch...

[GreatScott]

Hatcher does suck ... but can everyone please get off davey lopes' cock?  Hes a got a 795 power rating!  Sure with a ph power rating boost he can hit bombs ... but so can mark sullivan. Statitically he is roughly the same player as GREG GAGNE (speed aside).  Please stop the Davey Lopes love fest

[Nails]

Hatcher does suck ... but can everyone please get off davey lopes' cock? Hes a got a 795 power rating! Sure with a ph power rating boost he can hit bombs ... but so can mark sullivan. Statitically he is roughly the same player as GREG GAGNE (speed aside). Please stop the Davey Lopes love fest

This cracks me up.  You're absolutely right.   He just a lot better when compared to others in the lineup.  But, his power-stache is sexy.

[fknmclane]

I will never get off Lopes' cock but I understand your point.  I like him not for his power but his speed and speed alone.  He's second only to Vince.