Based on your feelings for Dusty and how he's never won a world series, why would you want someone like Dierker?
Dierker was never handed teams with the potential ()usty was. Dusty started off well with the Giants getting them to another level. Dierker got the Astros to the point they competed regularly, but his health and the Braves interrupted the next step to playoff winner. I think Blum is capable of starting with this ream and taking it to the Championship level.
The 1999 team featured 3 Hall of Famers plus a 4th if Wagner ever gets in. A great starting staff. Plus, arguably, their best offensive outfield ever with Alou, Everett and Bell. That team had no potential?
It was top heavy like the current Angels without the depth needed. They worked on it and eventually got there about the same time Dierker's health failed. I loved Scrap Iron, but he was the Manager who was handed the premier team, not Dierker.
Still don't understand your point. Regardless of what team Dierker was handed, The 1999 was loaded. The depth included Billy Spiers, Russ Johnson (.800 OPS) and Daryle Ward (Plus a rookie named Berkman who didn't contribute much and wasn't on the playoff roster) So, then if the Astros fail to win the WS this year, it will be because of their lack of depth and not the fault of Baker?
100+ PA 1999____________________ 2022 Bagwell 164 OPS+_________ Alvarez 182 OPS+ Everett 143 OPS+__________ Altuve 152 OPS+ Caminiti 118 OPS+_________ Bregman 141 OPS+ Johnson 102 OPS+________ Tucker 129 OPS+ Spiers Ward 96 OPS+____________ Brantley 126 OPS+ Mieske 96 OPS+___________ McCormick 112 OPS+ Hidalgo 89 OPS+__________ Vasquez 110 OPS+ Eusabio 81 OPS+=_________ A Diaz 105 OPS+ Bogar 71 OPS+____________ Mancini 99 OPS+ Bell 67 OPS+______________ Pena 98 OPS+ Rotation Hampton 155 ERA+__________ Verlander 208 ERA+ Elarton 129 ERA+____________ Valdez 145 ERA+ Lima 125 ERA+_____________ McCullers 186 ERA+ Reynolds 117 ERA+__________ Javier 124 ERA+ Holt 96 ERA+_______________ Urquidy 103 ERA+ Bergman 84 ERA+___________ Garcia 92 ERA+ Yeah. Exactly the same.
Sorry I made you type all that. I mistyped 1998 as 1999. Plus I said the team was stacked, I never said they were exactly the same. So...to redo the work for you Ausmus 91 - Maldonado 66 (Vasquez 110) Bagwell 158 - Yuli 89 Biggio 139 - Altuve 152 Guttierez 79 - Pena 98 Spiers 100 - Bregman 141 Alou 157 - Hopefully Alvarez 182 Everett 121 - McCormick 112 Bell 125 - Tucker 129 Berry 136 - Diaz 105 Hidalgo 118 - Mancini 99 ERA+ Johnson 322 - Verlander 208 Hamtpon 123 - Valdez 145 Reynolds 117 - Javier 124 Lima 111 - Urguidy 103 (not sure where to put Lance and his 24 inning body of work) Closer Wagner or Pressley?
