[Official] Astros @ Athletics

"Gut feeling"

or if you prefer the Jimy Williams explanation: "Manager's decision"

 

Brown: I want Diaz to catch more.
Dusty: Well since we are going to lose anyway by benching my catcher, I'll start Bligh to build his confidence. I can't keep wasting my bullets on games with Diaz catching.

 

I know they are typical Dusty moves - I was just wondering if there is some sort of reasoning behind it instead of doing my typical "wtf is this guy doing?". You know, actually try to be calm and give the benefit of the doubt in that perhaps I'm just too stupid to see what a savant Dusty is at managing.

But I'm pretty sure the answer is along the lines of Buck's response: "gut feeling".

 

That's exactly it. Nonsensical things done due to "gut feelings" is exactly what Dusty does.

 

Maybe he thinks he’ll induce better pitches for Bligh to hit by putting better hitters behind him? It’s bad logic and Bligh should never be in any lineup where he’s getting more AB’s than anybody else… but it’s also why some here think Pena is better (and only better) in the #2 spot, so?

Dusty getting it all out of his system vs. the A’s….

 

1 M was 15 years ahead of his time… constantly used OBP to formulate the lineup (vs. batting average), and now his early pulling of starters and having 6th/7th inning bullpen specialists is common place.

He even started shifting the infield drastically (which was always called out), and would do the 5 infielders or 4 outfielder configuration at times.

 

Weeeelll...there was also '04, when he fell in love with AE hitting 2nd (AE also had his best run at the plate hitting there, thought you'd like that factoid) and the sac bunt (AE was on pace for something like 40 SH per 162 games). So not totally progressive.

By multiple accounts 1M was a fine manager who simply hated talking to the press, and they resented him for it and let it be known to the public. He was also a fantastic teacher, especially for IFers

 

True.. albeit as soon as they got Beltran, that ended (as did 1 M’s job security).

 

Sorry Dusty. Madris should bat 9th. Come on. Don’t care if he’s left handed.

 

That would be me

And I’m just going by actual results over a pretty significant sample size

Carry on

 

Dodgers have scored 4 in the top of the first

 

Muncy slam in 1st off Perez.

 

Rangers have been no match for the Dodgers

 

It’s magic feather logic to say he’s incapable of batting anywhere but 2nd. Pena sees the same pitch type frequency at #2 as he does elsewhere. Granted, his hits there do mean more when he has better hitters behind him.

 

Dana Brown sitting on his hands is getting old.

 

Need dubon to be back to 0.300 hitter again.

Swinging too much at 1st pitch and too easy of an out for opposing pitcher.

 

Need Altuve to put Dubon back on the bench…

 

Dodgers got a young pitcher on the mound with command issues so could be competitive game today with Rangers