Cooper Pulls Ortiz, For No Good Reez, Stros Fans Say PUHLEEEEZE

Ortiz didn't deserve what happened. He pitched GREAT, gave up 6 hits - 4 singles, a double and a solo homer - NO walks and 5 K and 2 GIDP and 2 runs. He was cruising in the top of the 8th, got the first out, after cruising through the 7th getting 3 quick outs on 8 pitches. For absolutely no reason I can think of, Coop pulled Ortiz in favor of Tim Byrdak. WHY??? Ortiz is at 90 pitches, not tired, throwing well. I mean, he just had him hit in the bottom of the 7th, and then pitch to 1 guy in the 8th??? Is this Coop's usual unspeakably stupid crap about the lefty/righty thingy? Who knows? Why not let Ortiz finish the game? WHY won't the reporters EVER ask Coop questions like that??? And with 2 out, and a 1-2 count, Valverde decided to replay the Brad Lidge Albert Pujols debacle and goodbye ball game. Yep, Inge sent that ball over the railroad tracks, just like Uncle (proving yet again that you don't have to be a large man to hit a ML fastball a LONG LONG way...) So, with no further ado (with apologies to R Kelly) what I think I just might could have heard Mr. Lidge say to Mr Valverde: "But you are not aloneThough I'm not there with youThough we're far apart (Thank God)And you got took over the tracksBut you are not aloneEarlier tonightI thought I heard you cryOh NOOO, not AGAINThe second in 3 GAMESI can hear your prayersYour burdens I understandEveryday I sit and ask myselfHow did that pitch get awayLet me whisper in your ear and sayLike, dude, you are SOOOO screwing up your trade valueThrowing mid plate belt high FBThey get hit far awayAnd you'll be there to stay..." Of course, I should also note that the Astros were darn lucky to get 3 runs off 6 hits, a sac fly and no walks. sigh Valverde has given up 4 homers over 16.1 IP (17 games), saved 6, blown 4 (and lost 2 of those.) Oh. By the way, the Cards went out and traded for Mark DeRosa, who is REALLY good and can play bout any position except pitcher and catcher. And all they gave up is a crappy middle reliever. We could have offered them Maysonet and Towles, seeing as how Cooper and the Astros regard them as about as good as a bucket of warm spit - something they should be reserving for Michaels and Kata. Gerry Hunsicker would have been ALL ovah that. Of course, he wouldn't have been signing/using the likes of Kata and Michaels in the first place, neither. We're off to play the Peavy-less Padres and game times will be starting at 9, so no writeups until the next day. Sorry. I GOT to get to bed earlier these days because I got to get up when it is a nice, frosty 75 degrees out to get stuff done because you know you GOT to be back inside before 9 AM.