We started 5-13 in 1-run games and I think we are now at 14-22 which is improved but still not close to 50-50 as one would expect. doesn't bode well for playoffs and for espada's situational management if he can't figure out how to utilize a man on 2nd especially at home.
I believe this is the first team in history to make the playoffs after starting 7-19 or worse. Given that and the overcoming of all the injuries sustained along the way, what are the chances Joe Espada wins Manager of the Year?
He was managing when they were 7-19, so I’m not sure they helps his case. The case would be despite all the injuries the Astros still won 86-90 games (not sure where they will land). However the Astros still had reasonably high expectations going into the season. He might get some consideration, but I would think Cleveland and KCs manager get voted ahead of him. Both those teams have exceeded initial expectations and Cleveland has a better record than the Astros.
I’m still ok with the thread title of we find the right guy in the offseason. I know that’s not going to happen. Hopefully he grows into the job.
And you're everything that's wrong with modern fans. I'll say it again -- if, at any point this season, you called for Espada's termination, you should be embarrassed. It's pitiful how little time people give new coaches/managers nowadays. These morons would have fired Jimmy Johnson after his first season with the Cowboys.
Espada managed last night's clincher like it was a playoff game, and I love the way he deployed the relievers. It shows he is capable of managing tight, high stress games. I was down on Espada hard earlier in the season, and to my defense, he did a lot of objectively questionable stuff. But he has come around and grown on the job tremendously. Great job skip.
Espada was a guy the Astros really liked. And even though he hadn’t been given a managerial job, he was on many team’s radar. With as often as teams ditch managers, it was only a matter of time someone scooped up Espada. I don’t think many thought Dusty would come back after the 2022 World Series win over the Philadelphia. But I think Dust surprised even the Astros brass, by his choice to go for two. Unfortunately, Dusty batted heads with the GM and other data oriented departments of the team; all that analytical data being wasted because Dusty was a stubborn old tyme coach. After gifting the Rangers a World Series, Dusty had to go, and Crane knew it. Dusty served his purpose, and exceeded expectations. He provided some reprieve from the sign stealing scandal, being that Dusty was and remains very popular within baseball circles; and he helped provide cover at the attacks on the Astros. Espada fit the bill the Astros had, and they didn’t seriously consider anyone else. It seems that Espada while still learning, makes valuable strides even when he botches decisions.
He has done OK, he might be a guy that grows into the role, the fact that they won the division with all the injuries and a declining ace pitcher, says a lot. DD
They lost Javier, Garcia, Urquidy, and McCullers again. They lost Verlander for over half the season. Brown didn’t come into his own until late May. Kikuchi not on the team until the deadline. JP France, who helped us last year was bad and then lost for the season. Rookie Arrighetti didn’t figure things out until halfway through the season. The pitching on the whole didn’t really start clicking until june. The bullpen gave up games all year too.
Looking like AJ is going to get that Detroit squad into the playoffs also, he deserves plenty of consideration
And? They've had good pitching most of the season. I look at a managers record in one run games as a main criteria for the job he's doing. Most don't agree with my philosophy and I'm ok with this.
He oversaw a 73-48 stretch… most of it without Tucker/JV/Javier/Urquidy/LMJ/Garcia. If anybody saw that on paper prior to the season, you’d take it 12 times out of 10. The clubhouse also looks pretty tight-knit and theres no shennanigans of manager’s favorite or giving some veterans preferential treatment. He also got the most out of this bullpen possible and stuck with some guys despite many wanting some players moved out of certain roles (or just left for dead).
I don't consider that many one run losses to be luck. I consider them to be a trend and that trend falls on the manager.
Get on board. Dusty is gone. We have a better manager now. Our pitching struggled mightily out of the gate, both starters and the pen. The pitching has been a work in progress most of the season. That is what I was pointing out. You can’t put it all on the hitters.
But it is luck/variance or whatever you want to call it, it’s why no team can be great or terrible in one run games every season. Unless the idea is the manager goes from good to bad?
