OK. The Astros have pitching woes. They have issues that might otherwise keep them from contending. When every game counts, how much longer can we afford to lose the odd game here and there due to Cooper poorly using a marginal bullpen and simply being out managed? I say he is gone at the break in July.
i have no idea... but i never would have guessed this bullpen would be this bad. most people thought their bullpen was their strength coming into the season.
Well last night it was Ed Romero who had some awful moves since Coop was out of the game. What are they thinking bunting with Pudge when Oswalt is behind him. Then we still have a man on Third with Oswalt at the plate and we keep Oswalt in the game to bat. That was probably the worst I have ever seen. Also, doing the old lefty on lefty crap when Fielder came up was rdiculous. Oswalt absolutely owns Fielder. His pitch count was getting up there and Fielder's hit was dinky but still. Let Roy face one more batter that he absolutely dominates and then you can go to the disgusting pen.
Well, pretty much no one in the bullpen has proven reliable up to this point, but you can't just ask starting pitchers to pitch 8-9 innings every game. You have to count on a bullpen arm at some point in just about every game. I don't think you can hold that against Cooper and I don't think our ownership will either. Unless the team overall starts to really **** the bed and we finish well below .500 I think Cecil sticks around at least another year.
Since it's from Richard Justice, take it for what it's worth, but anytime you hear "toxic environment" you know things aren't good. http://blogs.chron.com/sportsjustice/archives/2009/05/astros_could_le.html
Baseball's Pythagorean Theorem indicates that the Astros last year outperformed their expectations. Credit has to be given to Cooper. The Astros are lucky to have him. BTW the Astros are currently on pace to win ~75 games. Not great but given their team talent, it is where most people are projecting them.
Honeslty I thought about suggesting him, but then decided that one bonehead for another probably wasn't the answer. Though I like Garner better.
Quit caring about the manager. The real problem with this franchise is that the owner only listens to one person, and that one person is far removed from baseball reality. If you want this franchise turned around, you need Tal Smith to leave. He killed Hunsicker and the farm system. Purpurra never had a chance with that dude's hand up his backside making his lips move. I'm not saying Cecil is great, but this is a crappy team and in the deep recesses of your knowledgable sports minds, you know this. If they had any balls what-so-ever, they would ask the White Sox if they would revisit the Peavy trade with Roy O. Clearly the Sox are desperate, and you might actually get something out of Roy before it is too late. I was not a big fan of the Ed Wade hiring, but it has become apparent that it does not matter who the leadership team is as long as one of them is Tal Smith. That's why Nolan Ryan is running the Rangers and not the Astros, and if you don't believe me, ask Nolan, he will tell you. Nolan wanted a larger role with the organization, but it became apparent that they did not share similar philosophies on how to put together a top-shelf organization. I would not be shocked to see Nolan heading a group to buy the Rangers from Tom Hicks.
Isn't that a gross simplification? Did Tal Smith demand Hunsicker/Pupurra draft crappy players? Did Tal Smith demand that we sign FAs and loose draft picks? Did Tal Smith demand that we not give the asking price salaries for the players that we did draft? Methinks the owner has a bit of the blame for the current state of the Astros state.
Of course he wanted a bigger role, but there was no room for him. Uncle Drayton was happy with Tal Smith as president. That's his boy. He wasn't going to give him the boot for Nolan. That's why Nolan took the Rangers job, because there was an opening. There's no doubt if the president's job was open, Drayton would of hired Nolan.
whatever. not one single quote from any one within the organization, so it's all rj opinions and any person with half a brain knows what to say about his opinions. when they win a couple games in a row, he'll talk about how great the clubhouse is.
Jim Deshaies. He's a former astros pitcher and has been doing the Astros color commentary for their tv broadcasts for the past five or so years. Very insightful, charismatic, and likeable, and it is apparent that he has brains and a great baseball mind (IMHO, at least).
Ok. I only get to watch the Astros during ESPN, WGN, TBS, or Peach South broadcasts, so its hard to know/care who does the commentary. I would certainly be excited if he could match Dierker's success, just minus Kevin Brown or Walt Weiss.
