We are actually better setup next season than this season with the depth we will have in pitching. Lots of guys coming back from injury and our rookies hopefully getting better. If somehow we make it to the world series, I don't see how Baker doesn't come back. If we don't make the playoffs or lose in the wild card, I think Baker is gone.
We are actually better setup next season than this season with the depth we will have in pitching. Lots of guys coming back from injury and our rookies hopefully getting better. If somehow we make it to the world series, I don't see how Baker doesn't come back. If we don't make the playoffs or lose in the wild card, I think Baker is gone.
Just curious... Would you rather: A) Our beloved 'Stros rise from the ashes like a cosmic pheonix and go back to back, and back to Bake, or... B) we run out of cosmic fuel and burn out like a supernova, but no mo' star Dust on the diamond in Houston.
The way this season has gone, I'd like to think Crane and Brown would have the common sense to separate another hot playoff run from a season clearly hampered by a manager's poor decision-making. Baker is ancient. No matter the outcome, he needs to ride off into the sunset. If they were willing to move on from Click, they need to be willing to do this.
Baseball is a long season, dude. Every team has an ugly stretch. It was frustrating that Houston's lowest point came at such a crucial point in the season, but if they'd had that stretch two months ago, would you be saying this? It's not about "deserve." If the Astros make the playoffs, they'll have earned it. It just wasn't the easy path we're used to.
I will sign the deal with the devil, and deal with Baker as long as we are winning pennants. I have no problem with playoff Dusty at all. My issue has always been with regular season Dusty and have been angry with the fact that we don't have the playoff spot wrapped up by now when we could have if Dusty wasn't so Dusty. I actually defended him last season.
The problem is with PR. If we win, somebody in the media will ask him what his plans are. If he yells out he wants to come back and try it again, I don't see how Crane could not bring him back and not get a huge backlash. Think of the backlash from Click and he was an unlikeable nobody. People love Dusty.
This isn't even worth thinking about. Gotta go back to back and if Dusty returns in 2024 so be it. But if that happens then: 1) Chas has proven himself to ge a "big boy" this year and Dusty will start him just like Pena or Tucker. He likely still swaps between LF and CF but starts 150+ games. 2) Maldy retires and Diaz is anointed the starting catcher, working with the veteran pitchers from the very day pitchers and catchers report in mid-February. I may be crazy but I actually think these 2 things happen in 24 with or without Dusty. If Dusty returns there will still be plenty of lineup decisions and pitching changes/non-changes we will b**** about but I will accept it.
The problem is with PR. If we win, somebody in the media will ask him what his plans are. If he yells out he wants to come back and try it again, I don't see how Crane could not bring him back and not get a huge backlash.
Yeah, but the bad PR didn't stop Crane from moving on from Click. And in that case, Click was actually doing a pretty good job. I think any reasonable baseball fan, even those who hate the Astros, would understand why they'd move on from Baker. There's a reason he's managed for so many teams.
Click is a nobody. Baker is one of the most loved people in Baseball coming off 3 straight world series appearances and 2 world series wins. Players other than Chaz and Diaz love him.
It’s not about Dusty anymore for me, it’s about the organization going from smart to embracing stupidity. I want us to be smart again.
I am totally happy to disagree, as I find that hypothetically-posed A/B to be a very quick and painless way to gauge one's sanity. Obviously we have to win, and if Dusty comes back - so be it. That is literally the very nature of a hypothetical question. Agree on all other points. This year was the perfect Dust Storm.
Dusty isn’t beloved anywhere he’s ever managed in the past. He’s beloved from afar. There is a difference.
How about the standings, would that work for you? How about the fact that we’ve pissed away a division by a series of idiotic decisions at 4:00 pm every day? If you can’t see it I can’t make you, that’s a you thing, but anyone playing a sub replacement player 120 times and a silver slugger at the same position 40 times clearly qualifies. It’s cool though, you keep doing you.
Sure, but it would be a PR nightmare because the press would love to eviscerate the cold evil Astros organization for firing the likable Manager that was friends with Hank Aaron. Crane would have no choice if we win again. I would gladly trade another season of frustration for another pennant and shot at a ring. That being said, we got to make the playoffs first.
I actually think I confused you with another poster who claimed - with enough detail to imply knowledge of the situation - that we had in some way overhauled our approach to defensive scheming (along with some other elements). I think it may have been @BlindHog? I don't know where I saw it... Anyway, my apologies for the mix up. Yeah you don't really need inside information or advanced statistics to back up your very, very unfortunate point. Go 'Stros.
Jesus Christ.... this is actually a question people think needs to be answered?..... Let me know how much fun you have at the THEY FIRED BAKER parade in November.
