I do agree with most of the above. Crane does have an all-in mentality, for better or for worse. The next 60-90 days will reveal much. Either we get back into the race or we continue our slide.
I think it could be a lot less than 90 days. I don’t see how a team recovers from 10-30 or worse. They need a winning streak in literally the worst way.
I remember the days where we sent pitchers to Colorado so it seems like we didn't lose anything when they flamed out in that stadium... sooo let's send Framber to NYY
But here's the problem - you're assuming player performance is independent of the manager and that if a different person was managing the team, the players would be performing the same. The whole point of a manager is leadership and figuring out how to get the best out of their players. Dusty has a history where his teams routinely statistically outperform what they should be doing - in particular, with his bullpens, but also with defense and wins in general. The roster is essentially the same as last year. Offense is better: you have Diaz playing full time, Chas mostly full time (which everyone wanted), and Altuve is not on the IL. Maldy is out of the lineup. Those are really the only differences player-wise. This was what fans begged for all of last year. Starting Pitching: There are some guys on the IL, but many of those guys were there last year too. JV wasn't on the team at this time, and France and Brown pitched a ton last year (and Blanco and Bielak made starts too). They are worse off now than they were to start last year, but once Garcia/Urquidy got hurt, they were in worse shape last year given that none of the subs had any experience. Framber/Javier missing a few starts doesn't help, but Blanco being great has helped balance that. No one seemed to give Dusty's teams any grace for running a bunch of no-name starting pitchers out there last year. Relief Pitching: They lost some good middle relievers, but added an elite closer and Montero has regained his form. Should be weaker in the middle and stronger on the back end. So rosterwise, their offense is better, pitching is a little weaker than April 2023 - but not all that different. But there is one key difference no one wants to acknowledge. Amusingly, Espada is like a fan playing manager. He's doing everything people here asked last year - play Diaz and Chas a ton, move people down the lineup if they suck or up if they do well for a bit, tell everyone to play with more urgency and fire. This is why fans make such bad managers. Obviously we can only look in from the outside, but whatever buttons he's trying to push don't seem to work like they do when all the managers you mentioned are in charge.
I can't handle it now...we should discuss this over wings at Pluckers or at the restaurant of your choice, I'll buy.
who cares what yall do... just get this $hit off the front page (...yeah, I know...) I just want to know how a lackadaisical drunk imbecile was able to fire up these players to gel with eachoth....ohhell... yeah, wait, thats right-- he didnt. JDB didnt "lead this team to a WS title" period, end of story... he got one by proxy. helter skelter, to each their own, carpe diem, every man for them(contract)self. why is Jose Abreu still a Houston Astro?? I'll throw my hands up in submission if you can show me he's adopted Houston, causes/people/culture... if not, find some slickdick attorney/doctor to find a loophole & void tf outta that contractual agreement. how did we end up in the reality where Bagwell becomes the sheister-bro and not Bigg/Berkman/Roger or even Ensberg or Everett?? Hell, put Backe, Brantley or even Josh Reddick into that "go-get-em-recruiter!" role...
