News
Cooper hopes to be Astros' skipper in '10
Houston (70-78) at Milwaukee (73-75), 1:05 p.m. CT
By Vic Feuerherd / Special to MLB.com
09/20/09 1:35 AM ET
MILWAUKEE -- It was the sort of pedestrian question that every manager of a team playing out the September string gets, but it was Cecil Cooper's immediate reply that was different. Asked how much value he puts in a September callup's performance or if he waits until next Spring Training to make an evaluation, the Houston Astros manager bluntly responded: "First, I have to figure out if I'm going to be here next year," Cooper said. "I don't know. I hope so." Cooper's public questioning of his own job status was believed to be the his first public admission that his job security is in doubt. Cooper, who took over for Phil Garner late in the 2007 season, received a contract extension earlier this season through the end of next season. "I know I have a contract for 2010, and my plan is to fulfill that," he said. Houston owner Drayton McLane told the Houston Chronicle in late August that he would "evaluate" the entire baseball operation at season's end. "Management will have to decide what they are going to do, and that's their decision," Cooper said. "I take Drayton at his word." The Astros' September slide certainly isn't boosting Cooper's status. The Astros had lost five straight heading into Saturday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers and were 3-7 in the 10 games that followed a four-game winning streak earlier this month. The Astros appeared to right themselves just before and then after the All-Star break when they won 11 of 15 games to climb four games over the .500 mark. But they are 20-31 since. Making those numbers look even worse at this point is that the Astros are finding ways to lose close games. Four of the five losses heading into Saturday night's game were by one run, and the fifth was by two runs. "It's a passed ball, wild pitch, the other club gets a two-out hit," Copper said. "Just something happens." Pitching matchupHOU: RHP Felipe Paulino (2-9, 6.06 ERA)
Paulino has three losses in his last three starts, but the Astros did not score a run while he was on the mound in any of those games. In those three starts, he's allowed five earned runs in 17 innings and struck out 20. Paulino hasn't won since holding Detroit to one run and three hits in seven innings June 27. He's 0-2 with a 9.69 ERA in his career against the Brewers, including 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA this year. MIL: RHP Yovani Gallardo (12-12, 3.84 ERA)
Manager Ken Macha said he would give Gallardo one last start before shutting the talented young right-hander down for the rest of the season. He'll be on the hill with a pitch count, though Macha declined to say what the magic number would be. It hasn't been a disappointing season for Gallardo, per se, but the right-hander will aim to lower his pitch counts and limit his walks in 2010. Tidbits
Callup Chris Johnson made his second straight start at third base and carried an .067 average into Saturday's game. Cooper urged Johnson to relax and "let his talent take over." "He's feeling his way a little bit," Cooper said. Nonetheless, Cooper said he has to "let him go a bit" to see what he can do. Johnson picked up his first career RBI in the second inning Saturday, when he grounded out to short to score Carlos Lee. ... Rookie right-hander Bud Norris, who had a career-high eight strikeouts in Friday's no-decision against the Brewers, has 51 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings. That's 9.24 strikeouts per nine innings. Tickets
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• Monday: Astros (TBD) vs. Cardinals (Kyle Lohse, 5-8, 4.83), 7:05 p.m. CT
• Tuesday: Astros (TBD) vs. Cardinals (Joel Pineiro, 14-11, 3.31), 7:05 p.m. CT
• Wednesday: Astros (TBD) vs. Cardinals (TBD), 7:05 p.m. CT
Vic Feuerherd is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
