I'm beginning to think that maybe Backe doesn't want to pitch next year.

I didn't watch the game yesterday, and, from what I read, it was pretty brutal. Backe got it to 9-0 Braves in the 2nd before being pulled. Josh Anderson got two homers off of him.

Over the summer, I played MLB 2K8 (it was pretty awful; they really need to fix the graphics engine in that game, because everything would slow down for no reason). I had an Astros franchise where I actually won the World Series (I did a lot of trades and hired a lot of starting pitching). Throughout the season, I had Backe in the bullpen where he couldn't fuck too much up. At the end of the 2008 season, the game always had him retire. I think the game realizes something I didn't.

Backe is pretty fucking awful this year. He has given up way too many homers, walked too many, etc. Essentially, he's done all that he could to fuck up. Last night's game was an illustration of that.

I don't know if Backe will be back next year. He's just as hittable as Moehler (actually, he's slightly less hittable if you look at his K/9 rate), but at least Moehler doesn't walk hitters and usually keeps the ball in the yard.

Maybe Backe will be better next year. We can only hope, because the Astros don't have much else.