It's gotten to a point with Espada where him in the dugout just totally turns me off to the team. I simply can't enjoy an Astros game for so long as he is manager. Not once has the team gotten off to a good start with him, his entire tenure is this team trying to crawl out of a big hole. I don't want to hear about injuries either, he overused Brown in his first start this season, overused Hader...and he's still doing the same stupid crap he did as a first year manager, still pitching his closer in non-save situations, using pinch runners too early too late in games. And why the F*** is he still using Abreu in critical situations?? We are sooooo beyond that as an option, I can't believe he is still doing it.
As soon as I saw Abreu I didn’t even watch the rest. I knew it was a lost. Espada has cost the team so many losses with his dumb decisions, it’s beyond past time to fire him.
Abreu's fall should be studied. Went from one of the better bullpen arms in the majors and now batting practice.
I never expected it from him but should have. Relief pitchers are just notorious for have terrible off years. He is going to be great for somebody next year on a cheap one year deal.
I've been trying to find a guy who I think would be a perfect Joe Espada replacent. My current suggestion: Darin Erstad.
I don't know if there is perfect option available but if we focus on the word REPLACE and think who we are replacing we can realise that person with pulse and some experience managing is step forward. Or smart young guy who has MLB folk respect. From known options somebody like Rocco Baldelli would be huge upgrade even if he would't be the tough love guy the clubhouse needs to sort out basic baseball stuff and fighting spirit. He was also few years in Rays org in multiple positions, have won manager of the year and is familiar with AL, fought terrible health problems playing himself and tried and tried to play until could't. Every post game speaks actual things not Joe glazing players gibberish. I really do not know about Baldelli situation but it's crazy that we are still with Espada. We are saying window is open but our actions says otherwise giving on field advantage to oppo nightly bases. We put rooks like Cam (like him too and ne needs to come through) on pedestal before even proving himself one bit (not a miracle that our vets got annoyed) and at the same time some teams are telling what is expected of players from the getgo and the job is to play the right way and help team win.
The window to fire him is long gone. Now you pretty much are stuck riding it out and hoping he doesn't cost you a playoff spot.
I was on the Derosa bandwagon for a while. I guess he should still be a solid choice but his managing in WBC didn't impress me.
That’s not real. It’s spring training and all star stuff mixed together. His hands are undoubtedly massively tied.
It is funny how much better a manager looks when the starting pitching isn't getting us blown out every game by the 5th inning. Managers in baseball more than any other sport are slaves to how well their players play. He isn't responsible for Yordan being the best hitter in baseball or our OFers and catchers not being able to hit at all. Basically every game that is winnable, we are winning this month. Whatever the magic "buttons" that fans believe managers can press he is pressing them. I don't think he's the reason we're winning, but then again I don't think he was responsible for the losing either. Fans love to pick and choose what managers contribute when it supports whatever their argument is.
He's cost the Stros games. His misusage of Hunter, Hader blowing out their shoulders has cost them at least 5 games and he let Hunter throw over 100 pitches 3 games after Hunter finally made it back from his shoulder injury.. Joe SMH
A managers best qualities should be assessing the current state of the players available to see who has it and who doesn't at any given time. He should have the ability to look into his players eyes and come to a conclusion whether a certain player is battling or is about to break out. Mind you, most are crap shoots, but those observations could give them a broader insight into situational play. A player on a 10 game hitting streak will most likely come through in a crucial situation than a player off the bench who is 0 for his last 8. That's what the stats tell you. But maybe the manager saw something in the bench player where it clicked, their attitude changed when they hit a hard line out in their last AB and instead of sulking, that player held his head up and nodded to himself like he got this. It's a managers job to recognize these nuances from their players and incorporate that into his gut instinct. This may very well be why they choose certain options that others don't see, but of course some people are just better at assessing people's thought processes than others. Today, I saw Cam take a strike 3 fastball right over the middle of the plate because he was most likely thinking there's no way the pitcher would throw him three straight strikes to start an AB. Instead of reacting, he assumed and got punched out. It's a managers job to see that and assess whether it was a one off or a pattern that needs to be addressed. So far, I've not seen Espada to be that good at assessing the current state of his players, and being lucky a few times doesn't outweigh that fact.
I have been calling for Joe's head long time. But gotta give some positives here too. Last 2 games finally rested Yordan and Altuve and he did go and get Abreu before Abreu blew it. Tigers broadcast was saying about Abreu along the lines "one can see breaking ball off the hand right away and FB is't strike". Was't sure about using Hader and it worked nicely. Also it might benefit mentally Hader that he had to really fight to get out of that jam hitting 97mph multiple times. Team is mirror of Joe. Lot of times don't have a clue but even after horrible losses they bounce back mentally next day like it never happened. I would still prefer a leader that corrects the mistakes and learns rather than one who forgets them quickly. Also the PH stuff is always such 4D random chess that probably would have better results just going with starters from start to finish.
