I want to be very very clear. IMO Joe Espada makes some terrible in game decisions. Frequently, those decisions do not result in the Astros losing the game. 2 of the more prominent ones are : 1) THE ADDITIONAL RUN RULE: Joe considers a 4, rather than 3 run lead, a save sutuation and always pitches his closer if he is available. This overworks the leverage relievers. 2) THE LET HITTERS MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES: Instead of giving actual "take" or other signs that actually drive a strategy, Joe almost always just let's hitters make their own decisions in the batters box. This frequently results in letting pitchers off the hook when struggling with command by swinging early, frequently at pitches that can not end in a positive result. Now, I understand that Joe is liked and respected in the locker room. That has value, but he makes me nuts.
He'll be gone if they somehow miss the playoffs. Might be gone still if they dont make it through the wildcard series.
Even if we win the WS, I want him gone. He is a terrible manager. When we play teams that are well managed, it truly shows. Certainly, we have been reduced by the injuries, but he has added to the injuries with overuse of (up 4 non-save use of) Hader. Truth, we are competitive because we have leaders that happen to be all-time greats. If he was additive, we would be further away than tied. He's not the one. Hinch would have us 6.5 games up right now (after the slide). There’s a world whereTexas or Seattle might have sold at the deadline. Joe has to go. These last several weeks might be muscled by Correa but he’s swimming against the Espada stream in lack of preparedness, lack of approach, micro-managing a bitcoin market style line-up. It’s exhausting but I love the ‘Stros and will be here to the final out. Hopefully that is his last one as lead.
Being respected in the locker room is important Being liked is way overrated. Being respected is what's needed, being their friend makes the tough decisions too hard to make for many
Just curious but do you have inside info on the at bat strategy? Since you say “Joe almost always” I have to assume you’re just looking for your own tell tale signs that this is what’s happening. Otherwise when does almost come into play? I think we all know by now that Espada believes vets should know what strategy to use in each situation and he probably does have a long leash with them. Typically you’ll have the bench coach and others reminding a batter in the hole what’s going on with the guy on the mound. Joe is a huge issue but impatient hitters by nature is a problem in this lineup also.
lol One example from today is when Cole works a 2 out walk, and instead of telling Dubon to maybe take a pitch or 2 to give him a chance to steal a bag or 2 (Cole's got great speed)... Dubon hacks at the first pitch and grounds out to 2B
lol So was that Dubon being an ass or Espada picking his nose starng at the sunflower seeds on the dugout steps? I missed the game today but that sounds par for the course. This idea that Espada should have his hand in everything at every ****ing waking minute in a game is a fun exercise. When this team went 19-5 no one gave a flying **** if Espada was an at bat technician or recitng Shakespeare. NOW its a thing. Fans need to just admit a ungodly amount of injures coupled with FA losses aren't a managers best friend, much less a sophmore manager. He's in over his head and needs to go but the hand-wringing.....
Altuve, Diaz, and Dubon, a full 1/3 of the lineup will struggle to see 25 pitches between them in a game as they're up there first-pitch swinging/hacking so frequently. Couple that with another third (Peña, Correa, and Walker) starting so many counts 0-2/1-2, is just so feeble and frustrating.
Question for the peanut gallery, why does Dubon get the nod at 2nd over Urias? Urias is the superior hitter, especially situationally, which is a major weak point with this team, and there is no drop off in defense, perhaps even the opposite (at 2nd at least).
Dubon hits lefties better so he should play over Urias when there’s a lefty on the mound for the other team. But other than that I really do think Espada favors Dubon just due to familiarity.
This is part of it though. If you are a manager and your team is hitting the ball well, scoring runs regularly, you really don't need/want to get too involved. Let them hit. Hitting, even for most of the best, goes in streaks. You get hot, you get cold. It's when your team is struggling that you need to play a bigger role and try to help make something happen. And specifically on the Dubon situation, not only would you give Cole a chance to steal, and not only would it potentially put Dubon in a positive count since you have a pitcher struggling to throw strikes, sometimes taking that decision making off of a struggling hitter can help. Dubon is 21 for his last 106
Just another example of horrible situational/fundamental baseball and baseball strategy. You know, things a manager has control over.
