I love the Houston Astros, anyone who wears the uniform I also know Diaz isn't going to play tonight, but still feel the need to post some factual numbers At MMP this year Diaz .328/.973 OPS, 13 doubles and 14 HR in 186 at bats, that's an extra base hit every 6.8 at bats (for reference, Yordan in all situations has an extra base hit every 7.5 at bats) Maldanado .215/.645 OPS, 7 doubles and 7 HR in 177 at bats, that's an extra base hit every 12.6 at bats Vs RHP Diaz .307/.931 OPS, 15 doubles and 20 HR in 257 at bats, that's an extra base hit every 7.3 at bats (again better than anywhere Yordan) Maldonado .175/.538 OPS, 7 doubles and 9 HR in 274 at bats, that's an extra base hit every 17.1 at bats The difference between these two is so enormous that EVEN IF Maldonado was the defensive wonder that Dusty and a few others try to make him out to be, it isn't nearly worth the difference offensively. I know a lot of fans will also look at an individual at bat and say "see, he struck out" or whatever, but given at bats in MMP vs RHP, all the dude has done is produce at Yordan freaking Alvarez levels....and in those situations, which are the two that we struggle the most in, his ass is parked on the bench Sorry to anyone who comes to defend this decision which has been made over and over, but it's simply idiotic. Now do I know for a fact that it has cost us one of our three losses in this series, absolutely not. But I do know the overall chances of us winning would have been much higher in those games if we had another high producing bat in the lineup in place of the worst hitter in mlb
Hell bro, I will sacrifice a chicken if I need to. Kyle Tucker needs to sacrifice something to the baseball gods before tonight's game I have been thinking about this for a few weeks now. The Duster basically moth balled both Diaz and McCormick for the last week of the season and the Astros first playoff series. Players play better when used in a consistent manor. Chas had one good game but was not the Chas we saw throughout the season. Same with Diaz, sans the good game. Only uncle Mike can roll out of bed and hit. Rust is a real thing. IMO Duster killed any mojo these guys were building throughout the season. I want Dusty to head off to Florida and take up residence in a Margaritaville complex just for the dwarfing of Diaz's rookie campaign. LF, 1B, Catcher, DH. No way he could have got him more at bats????? I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO THANK HIM LATER.
Dubon is trying to do too much, and Brantley is struggling the last few games. Let's start Chas and Diaz today. Altuve Bregman Yordan - LF Abreu Tucker Chas - CF Diaz - DH Pena Maldy
But.... is it frustrating? The 8th would certainly qualify as frustrating - but only Dubon and Pena hit with runners on at any point during the game's first 7 innings, and Dubon did deliver with an RBI sac fly in the 6th. This underscores the point I've been making over and over and over again throughout these many pages: fans are going to jump up and down about the 8th inning - and it was certainly a crucial moment. But they'll (too) casually just ignore: - Abreu and Tucker leaving runners on in the 1st; - Abreu leaving runners on in the 3rd; - Altuve + Brantey + Bregman going 1-2-3 after the gift of a HBP on Maldy in the 5th; - Tucker grounding into a fielder's choice with runners on and nobody out in the 6th (after which, Dubon picked him up) - Alvarez's atrocious AB in the 8th after a Bregman walk Brantley, Bregman and Tucker were 0-9. Sure seems like *that's* the problem - but no one is going to argue Baker screwed that up - so it's let's focus on the guys who had 10 of the team's 38 PAs. Sure, at the end, 7/8/9 factored into a critical 8th inning. But the guys this offense is actually built around came up WAY shorter than our 7-8-9 hitters. The very idea it came down to our 7/8/9 hitters is, really a stinging indictment of the guys hitting 1-6. They continually failed to cash in. But, sure - let's yell about who should've been the 9th hitter, I guess?...
I fully expect another 2, maybe 3 run meek offensive effort in game 7. If Rangers score 4 runs, this game is over.
2B Jose Altuve CF Mauricio Dubon LF Yordan Alvarez 3B Alex Bregman 1B Jose Abreu DH Yainer Diaz RF Chas McCormick SS Jeremy Pena C Martin Maldonado Tucker odd man out, literally a odd man
Well its the one thing that can be second-guessed... because it was a managerial decision (PH'ing Singleton). Yes, 1-6 does their job as they're supposed to, and yesterday is a very different game and a very different series. I was fine with giving Dubon that chance given his ability to make contact... but the worst case scenario happened. I was not fine with Singleton live, and even knowing how good a story it could have been (and how it was a quality AB), I was still not fine with it. On the flip side, given Dusty's reactionary style, he won't make those same decisions today should a similar scenario arise... and we can then postulate whether him doing things in this order actually 'inspired' the potential performance he may end up getting out of the guys he didn't use (trigger @Joe Joe alert...)
Because....Scherzer? ....trying to come up with possible variables that equate to a freak home win. They've lost 3 at home already this series....they have to even things out and win at least 1.....if not, they don't deserve to move on. side note. F-you 2019.
Lol... if anything 2019 has to help this situation. Can't happen again after it never happened before, no? Let alone can't happen to the exact same team in the exact same stadium, no? 2020 was almost an epic 3-0 comeback against the Rays... but everybody was like no way this can happen again but lets just interview all the 2004 Red Sox guys just in case it does. It didn't and re-inforces how unlikely these statistical anomalies are. Yes... another view point that is easing up the tension for tonight. (to follow the previous one that they shouldn't even be here after getting swept by KC/Oakland etc. etc. etc.).
Can't put Dubon in the 2 hole vs a rhp I know the guy has had some moments this year, and I personally love the passion that he has for the game But vs RHP dude has a .291 ON BASE average, that's terrible. And it's not like he is going to give you the "quality at bat" that can move a runner over, make a pitcher throw strikes in front of your best hitter, and so forth. He literally goes up there hacking The way he has worn out LHP this year has really boosted his overall numbers to where they look good. But he isn't a good hitter vs RHP, and if he plays he shouldn't be high in the lineup Now, if we were facing a LHP, he has a .368 on base vs LHP, a .859 OPS, hell yea to having him in the 2 hole vs a lefty What really should (but won't) happen vs a RHP tonight is the most lethal lineup a pitcher could face Altuve Brantley Yordan Bregman Diaz Abreu Chas Tucker Pena Yes, Tucker and Pena are really struggling and Diaz has barely played, but there isn't a guy in that lineup that can't make you pay when you throw a mistake. That would be an extremely tough lineup to navigate for any pitcher
I was at my son's baseball tournament (they were literally getting their rings *during* Singleton's AB, lol - it was TENSE!) so I wasn't "in" the moment; I'm really only able to reflect on it. But I can see the thinking: 1) Diaz swings at everything, and with two outs, you have to make contact; 2) Chas makes the most sense - but, boy: he's had some abysmal ABs in this series, too - but, again: that would've been my choice; 3) Singleton had a terrific AB against Lecleric two nights ago & he's notorious for working walks - that forces Lecleric to throw strikes because he sure as hell can't walk him there, obviously. So I thought it was a defensible decision. Of course, the decision is only judged through the filter of results, and so everyone is both upset with it and 100% sure their choice would've succeed. But I will point out: Singleton did have a tremendous AB. He hit at least one rope down the line and worked a 3-2 count - which puts *a lot* of pressure on the pitcher. I think that at least speaks to it not being a *bad* decision.
Singleton did good at that at-bat. I didn't like the Dobby at-bat with bases-loaded, when you have an opposing pitching coach talking on the mound before your at-bat. You should think they are talking about your weakness. Yet Dobby let them dictated the terms.
This is a toss-up. Vegas odds reflect that with the Astros being a slight favorite. As others said, if we can't win one at home, then we don't deserve to go to the World Series.
I'd like to see them put Bregman 2nd and Alvarez 3rd; then Abreu, Tucker and Chas. If there's ANY chance Diaz plays tonight, I would lobby hard to bat him 2nd, which I know is radical - but between Altuve and Bregman, he's likely to see better pitches, and he'll destroy better pitches. His one weak spot - so far - is that he swings at EVERYTHING.
It wasn't bad... but its totally based solely on what he did Friday. Whereas Friday, he was not the first choice. Brantley had already PH for Chas and Diaz was the first PH option in the 9th (and got a hit) against this pitcher. Yes, Diaz does swing at everything... but he also actually does damage when he gets hits vs. the theoretical damage that Singleton could do if he puts the ball in play, despite his increased selectiveness (and his OPS of 500 against right handers?). I mean, Diaz getting a hit against Le Clerc doesn't outweigh Singleton drawing a walk? Or was it because Singleton drawing a walk was the least likely result on Friday... and because it did happen, and good things happened afterwards, it cemented that as a super positive reinforcing decision with a much more elevated feeling because it happened so unexpectedly. Again, managing based on recency, hunches, and looking for that decision to pay-off sometimes drives Dusty's calculus more than anything.
