There were virtually no credible outlets that didn't think the Astros would be good. They had varying opinions of how good, but everybody expected us to be in the race for the AL West. Objectively there was no reason to expect otherwise. We still may be, it's a long season.
They didn't overachieve last season. Their advanced won/loss shows they should have won a number of more games. Hinch is fine as a manager when he doesn't have to do much...trot his line up out there and go to his pen with a set pecking order. Most of the Astros issues have nothing to do with Hinch, he just doesn't help the situation. Let's see if he can help them dig out of this hole. At this point his most important role is to keep them from imploding as a group. That is an intangible form of leadership some coaches have.
1986....the Astros are muddling along (albeit with a 47-41 record). Ace Nolan Ryan is on the mound. Astros getting destroyed. Craig Reynolds comes in to pitch the 9th. Team loosens up and is laughing and enjoying the moment rather than fretting over getting blown out with a stud on the mound. Astros finish the year on a 49-25 run.
does anybody have kuechel's quotes from last night? heard it on the radio, sounded like he was calling unnamed players out.
1969....Astros no-hit on April 30 to finish the month with a horrible 4-20 record. Don Wilson turns around and throws a no-hitter on May 1 propelling them to a 8-4 stretch and an eventual 11 game winning streak. They got to 10 games over .500 before eventually fading to an 81-81 record but it was their first non-losing season and pennant race. "But when we win the game each day, then what the F%$* can Harry say, It makes a fellow proud to be an Astro"
Please note that I said they are hot garbage right now. True that the players you listed were better 2 years ago, but that's not exactly helping us right now. If your argument is that they'll trend back to what they were, I can go along with that. But they are providing exactly squat to help this team now. Other than the top 4 hitters, White, Keuchel (amidst his struggles this year), Luke G, Devenski, and to some extent Tucker and Marwin, not too many other guys are contributing at the moment. That's the point I was trying to make.
This is concerning to say the least. His quotes are the first time in a long time that I can recall a hint of clubhouse drama from this team. Maybe it is a good thing and will light a fire under someone, but at the same time I would hate for this to turn into another Rockets like situation where the players clearly do not like one another. If I had to guess, he is probably talking about Gomez, who is obviously one of the major problems right now. Should be interesting.
I know gomez has been trash, but i wonder if moving him up in the lineup would be beneficial. Maybe have him hit leadoff or second, and tell him just to focus on making hard contact and not swinging for the fences. I wouldn't mind batting altuve 3rd, this team needs a mix-up.
Neshek and Harris are doing great, but for some reason we have Hinch pitching Harris in games we are losing instead of games we are tied like the one in Boston that Giles screwed. Tony Sipps is not doing as bad. Devenski, instead of been used in important situation was more on games already decided. So the bullpen, with exception of Giles and Fields, other have done their jobs. Now, the rotation is awful, thats why i said from day one we needed 13 relievers, Hoyt should be in the majors. Now, Hinch, if the guys that hitting are top 4, why don't you make changes???? Is that so difficult???? What about this: 1. Altuve 2b 2. Gonzalez 3b 3. Correa SS 4. Rasmus LF 5. Springer RF 6. Tucker DH 7. White 1b 8. Gomez CF 9. Castro C What can you say about that lineup, that only number 8 and 9 are not hitting??? Others have done, or shown this year they are able to hit. Maybe you don't want to blame Hinch, but I DO. He can do many things to change things on this team, but he does not do it.
The reason i don't move Altuve from 1st spot, and believe me, last year i mentioned him as clean up hitter for the same reasons you guys are giving, is this year he is walking a lot. He is having a real MVP season, and this improvement is real and great. I think that all things he is doing as a leadoff hitter is awesome. Lets move Springer to hit 5th, he is more of a .275 hitter with power.
I like that lineup. Much better than the one he is using now, which essentially makes a third of the game a nearly guaranteed waste of time. He needs to try something different before the season gets completely away from him.
Springer should drop in the lineup, need someone right behind Altuve who can give you consistently productive ABs.
Marwin has a .265 OBP He is in no way the Answer here CangreOuch Keep posting but for the love of God post SOMETHING a little different than the same damn spew over and over and over and over And yes everyone I know I shouldn't be quoting this idiot
So WHO would that be? That is the problem, people can squeal about the order of the lineup all they want...the true problem is we don't have guys producing Altuve himself, who numbers wise is having an MVP type of season, has been thrown out on the bases 5 times, so count those 5 stupid running mistakes as outs and he would be hitting .253 (which says a lot about not playing stupid baseball, and about early season stats) Marwin who oucho wants to play everyday, has a horrendous .263 OB% White got off to the great start, but is going through the type of struggles almost all young players go through You could move Correa to 2nd, but then who hits 3rd? The guys who are the top 4 everyday, and White are the only guys on the team hitting above .250! The only other one with an on base % of .300 or more is Valbuena who is striking out more than anyone on the team on a per at bat basis. This is a team wide failure right now, you can arrange the order however you want but you would just be putting one struggling piece in for another struggling piece Hinch deserves a lot of blame for the lack of discipline this team has and just the way they are going about their business everyday But the criticism of his lineups is pure stupidity
I was kind of thinking the same, looking around the league a lot of teams have no name guys hitting in the 2 hole that have success. Obviously he would have to change his approach and he seems pretty reluctant to do that but it may be worth a shot.
I mentioned putting him leadoff a few days ago....while I don't think the order of the lineup is in anyway the problem right now, I do think that most players look at spots in the lineup in a certain way, and maybe if he went to leadoff his swing would relax a bit...but if he gets on base and runs himself into an out, which is his mantra, then it wouldn't help
