Fire Baker

Wasn’t clear. Meant to say I thought he’s been hitting better at 2nd than down the lineup, but they might just be bad memory and recency bias.

 

Pena's bottom 3rd of the order OPS is 0.759 (194 PAs). Pena's batting 2nd is 0.755 (190 PAs). He's had some hellacious hot streaks batting second to make up for that cold streak. Not sure why he sucks batting 6th or leadoff other than random variation.

 

Thanks. I remember the lately deal and it doesn’t match what I thought.

 

I gotta say when I looked at the split data when the Pena plays so well batting second propaganda started up recently, it didn't match up with what I though either, but probably in the other direction. I had forgotten how hot and how long he was hot early in the season batting second.

 

He’s been consistent… even in his hot/cold streaks…

 

I hate Dusty baker, but that’s like blaming the dog for shutting in the house. What Dusty does is make idiotic decisions. I’ve decided I hate Jim Crane more. Look at Stearns, Luhnow and the Baltimore guys. And strommy. We were the smartest org in baseball and we’ve pissed all over that to choose to be dumb.

 

If your first baseman is so bad that you have to carry a dedicated back up 1st baseman it is time to trade or release him. That is the position the Astros are in this off-season.

 

When all hope is lost, all there is left is relief. We're close to relief.

 

I would say this is a given.

 

Abreu has been hurt most of the year and is basically back to his old self here since coming off the DL. Right in time to sit at home and miss the playoffs. I’m really not particularly worried about him next year.

 

So is it time for urgency yet...?

 

"Then, as the Reds drifted, then nose-dived late in the year, Baker insisted there was no need for urgency."

 

I disagree. Any player can be valuable but have limitations.

If Altuve signs an extension he will need to spend many of his games at DH. It can be argued that he should now. But that does not mean he doesn't have value.

Abreu is an older big man. Bigger guys tend to age faster in MLB than smaller/leaner guys. If he is given adequate rest he could be much more valuable in games he plays. And after a poor 2 month start has been good enough as a 5th or 6th best run producer on a team.

 

I am coaching my boy’s soccer team. He’s 7. It’s 5 vs 5. Somehow I got 4 girls and my son. Today we played a team stacked with boys and they were 8 deep, subbing in and out while my team was basically crawling on the field-completely gassed by the 2nd half. The ref actually ended the match like 6 minutes early because my kids were gonna pass out from exhaustion. They were completely wrecked. Also, it was like 8-0.

Anyway, I have a new appreciation for this coaching thing. It’s hard. I still think we should fire Dusty though.

 

The way those refs handled it, the way you handled it, the players will thank you, your kid will thank you and the soccer organization will thank you later.

 

They're not going to fire Dusty until 3 years from now when he has completely wrecked this franchise.

 

If we lose out, Dusty is gone.

 

my gut feeling is this team has seen the light and wants Baker gone.

 

Dusty is gone.

 

Dusty was given the keys to a Ferrari and drove it into the ditch. He is obviously the problem. Low IQ, stubborn moron.