We are just not going to agree on this. In a year where every game counts, the manager has thrown away at least 5-10 expected wins. That is not worthy of just ignoring. And making the excuse that Diaz is starting 70% of games since July 1 is absurd. 1) the season didn’t start July 1, 2) 70% is at least 15% too low, 3) starting is not the same as playing catcher - replacing the worst catcher in the game OR the worst 1B in the game (for most of the season) is MUCH more valuable than replacing an average DH. You may find people questioning Dusty tiresome, but I guarantee it is at least as tiresome seeing someone just make up off-topic excuses. No one is saying injuries don’t matter - of course that is the big issue. But in a season when every game matters, he has thrown away many games by choice … unless you can argue against that, just stop deflecting.
I expect Abreu will be the primary 1B. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing (hoping good thing). I just think that Abreu at 1B, that yelling at the sun, and that Brantley are going to cost Diaz PAs.
As long as the source of complaining is still there, the complaining will still happen. Simple as that. It is just a shame we essentially a conceded a handful of games by benching players for non-fatigue/injury reasons because of a manager's whims. I like Dusty as a manager that keeps the peace... but Dusty needs to delegate. Taking over too many roles is what led to the downfall of many good coaches.
I will preface this by saying I do not agree with Dusty's handling of Chas, Diaz, Meyers, Dubon, Maldy, and first 2/3 of season Abreu. That said, the Astros are playing their best at the right time and have a great chance to get the 2 seed. The Astros match up very well vs Orioles in Baltimore so this could be a very good result. It's been frustrating day to day but looks like it just may work out.
Deadline for claims in 12 noon central, but results may not be announced till later (per mlbtraderumors)
This is irrational Dusty hate, but part of me suspects Dusty wants to use Brantley on back to back days often. I'm not a doctor and have no medical info on Brantley, but that scares me regarding Brantley lasting through the postseason. I will say that frustrations with Dusty were that he risked this point in time. If Brantley is able to hit well and play 1-2 times a series and Abreu's back is fine, the Astros lineup, besides yelling at the sun, will likely be one of the best.
Totally agree. The Stros have every Thursday off for the rest of the season, which is great but not enough rest in my totally expert medical opinion. It'll be interesting to see the balancing act they use.
There's no statistical evidence to suggest the Astros would have 5 - and certainly not 10 - more wins if there was a different/better manager. That's just made-up nonsense. This team is not winning 103 games with Altuve and Alvarez missing as much time as they have. Let me jump in here: that is not an "excuse" - it's a fact. You're worried he might bench a player that, for the two most recent months, he's been playing regularly? It's a silly, irrational strawman that allows you to fuel your Baker angst and ire. Every indication is that it sure looks like Diaz is going to be in the line-up a lot. They were 48-29 in games Corey Julks started. That's a 101-win pace. Where are all these games they threw away? *That's* the issue: you want to have a discussion on your terms, and those terms are... made-up. You also want to, "Yeah, yeah, moving on..." the injuries - but the vast majority of what I'm sure are your complaints with the line-up are firmly rooted in injuries. They are having to patch over unexpected holes. I've broken this down - but, by and large, Baker has managed based on results. Take David Hensley. With Altuve out, they very clearly had him pegged for significant ABs. He started 8 of their first 13 games. He, and his .399 OPS, were in Sugar Land by mid-May. He hasn't moved as urgently as fans want - but no manager does because he's not managing your fantasy baseball team. He's managing egos and emotions and feelings, and a dozen other things that affect chemistry and confidence, and, again, a dozen other things. I'm not going to scream Dusty Baker deserves Manager of the Year - but given the injuries and expectations/results from some of our assumed better players, it's frankly a miracle they're a virtual lock for the playoffs, especially in a year where the division is decidedly better than anyone expected. Screaming, "yeah, but they should win MORE!!" is, frankly, entitled whining. It is the greatest run in the city's 200 year history and all everyone wants to do is nitpick it to death. It must be exhausting to be this kind of fan. Whatever better result you think might exist in an alternate reality - it's going to end in the same place, with the Astros in the postseason.
And baseball really isn't - and never has been - conducive to day to day scrutiny. It's just too long a season.
Just perhaps without homefield advantage or a wild card bye because we essentially conceded a "marginal" 3-5 games with asinine decisions of playing Julks when Meyers/Chas were healthy and rested or starting your 25th/26th player at leadoff or 2nd.
And sure we may have won the games that we had Julks in, but not maximizing runs produced, means using more leverage arms, which means... a more exhausted bullpen that has been attributed to a couple more losses with Abreu/Neris/Pressly just being gassed.
This was always my point: we've been so spoiled, I don't think fans appreciate how rare it is to have more than 4. 5 elite bats. Look at other contenders, and universally (save the Braves), after their 4th, 5th best hitter, there's a drop-off. *Every* team is trying to figure out how to fill-out 6-9 in their line-up. It's just not something we've had to concern ourselves with much lately. And yet... if Brantley and Abreu are healthy - and, by extension, good - that's a six-deep line-up of certified proven bats. If Pena has figured something out, that's seven. Throw Chas in, and now we're 8-deep, which is, honestly, nearly embarrassing, in terms of riches. And yes, Diaz gives them 9 bats that sure do look well above-average. The Astros - when healthy - are a goddam nightmare for opponents.
They were 48-29 when Julks started, a 101-win pace, which far exceeds their overall pace. Where are these 3-5 games they threw away playing Julks? Also, you're upset about a scenario that doesn't currently exist. Per FanGraphs, they are the favorite to win the division (Astros 53%; Ms 32%; Rangers 15%) - if they do that, they will be the #2 seed, which gets them a bye, an Orioles loss away from HFA, and renders all your (collective) b****ing a gigantic waste of time and energy.
AGAIN intentionally limiting yourself to 5-6 impact bats when SEVEN TO EIGHT ARE HEALTHY AND RESTED IS SELF SABOTAGE. WHY HANDICAP OURSELVES?!?
They shouldn't be in a situation where it might just workout, if they didn't have a hard headed old man as their manager.
of course nobody knows what actually would have happened with different starting lineups - this isn't some Marvel movie- but statistics will tell you the probabilities and what is most likely to happen. And the probabilities - based on individual performance - is that every time better players play , the team has a better chance to win. Do that often enough and the law of averages always wins out and acteam gets an extra win here and there. It can easily add up to 5 in a 162 game season. As for the 48-29 record with Julks starting, it's just chance. His performance was below average. They won despite him and if he started 162 games that stat would catch up. It's just like the team being 18-7 in Javier's starts, but 14-12 in Frambers. Are you saying Javier is the better choice if either could start a game and Dusty should be starting him more frequently?
Two weeks ago, a manager benches his best/hottest hitter for a AAA player against a division competitor. His team loses that game by one run, which costed his team two games in the standings. So now, that manager's team is tied for the division lead instead of being 2 games ahead. THAT was just one *obvious* bad decision in one game in a season with 162 games that's already full of many questionable decisions. Injuries have played a major role this year but injuries happen and are basically unavoidable. But there are things that can be controlled that haven't been handled well due to personal preference, gut, stubbornness, and some times outright defiance. Astros now must scratch and claw their way into the playoffs. The pitching staff - starters and relievers - will be *more* overworked and pushed to the limit when things could've happened much easier by simply making obvious decisions.
Hopefully they make the playoffs. Are you saying the Stros wouldn't have a better record if Diaz would've started 60% of the games at catcher?
