Some people wouldn't be satisified if we swept the regular and postseason. This team was supposed to be a transition/rebuilding squad, no way was it looking like we'd repeat what we did last year. Now they've gone further than any Astros team in history. And people are pissed off and through with the team. Buy some perspective. Fact is, our hitting has been a major weak link all year (and cost Clemens the Cy Young without a doubt) and is catching up to us. We can't give our pitchers leeway, and when you face a team like the White Sox, you can't expect to shut their bats down. Garner was right - poor hitting cost us the game. We've escaped several games this post-season from similar droughts but not this time. We're the NL Champs, and are in position to grow behind a bunch of young players in the next few years. I can hang my hat on that. Evan
Very true, this is how I see it. On the other hand we can just as easily win the next 3 to get to a game 7. And you know what they say about game sevens?
Yeah, but... Though our hitting sucked, our players were trying to hit the ball as best as they could. Though our pitching struggled, at least our pitchers were trying to get the strike outs. The same can't be said about the squeeze plays. We didn't try to squeeze. And twice in this series we could have won games with squeeze plays (both of which we didn't try a squeeze). Garner has cost the Astros two games for his brainless choices, and this article is 100% correct about him.
squeeze plays are most definitely not guaranteed. we were second in the entire league last year and we had what seven total? i think the mistake was letting taveras bat instead of a great contact guy like palmeiro. that's the only time i can think were a mistake by garner might have directly cost us the game. in game 1 with a runner on third we had ensberg, lamb, and bagwell on deck. if the heart of your order,sans berkman, can't get the job done that's on them. game 2 is completely on the bullpen.
I'd rather see Garner pissed than to see him doing the Dale Carnegie routine that Dom Capers is pandering every week. You think those guys came into the clubhouse afterwards last night knowing that was their best game? Not saying they quit, just that they didn't do what they were supposed to... or needed to. Too late in the year to not execute.
Does this mean threads won't be interrupted by your drivel? If so this is great news. Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.
Yeah, players pressed and had a lot of bad at-bats, but Garner made a lot of managerial mistakes as well. I was reading ESPN Page 2's second guessing, and I definitely agree that there is no reason to send Astacio up there when he has proven he can't pitch. He shouldn't even be on the playoff roster with the kind of number he had in the regular season (5.67 ERA, .301 opponent's batting average and .584 slugging). He is the only pitcher in the roster who is capable of giving up a homer run to Blum. Garner should have tried everything to win last night's game, whether it means to use Clemens, Backe, or like Sox did, bringing in Game 2 starter Pettite, and stop worrying about Game 4.
Not that Wandy would have done any better than Astacio, but I would have thought there would have been a reason that they kept Wandy initially and not Astacio. You go backwards in order with your relief pitchers in extra innings, best to worse.
It's so easy to criticize Garner and the team in hindsight. Forget the fact that this is the closest 3-0 Series in history and if a few breaks had gone our way, we could be up by that margin. As for last nights game, I'm stickin by my manager, because his decisions have gotten us this far. *not PH for Willy w/ Palmeiro in the 8th - All we needed was contact, and Willy has been hitting the ball good all series. And with Wily's speed, even a infield grounder could have scored the run (he could have very possibly beaten a dp) *no squeeze in the 8th - the infield was in, it would be very difficult to execute a squeeze in that situation *going to Astacio - It was either Astacio or Wandy, pick ure poision. There's no way any manager trailing 0-2 in a series is gonna bring in there game 4 starter, that's just nuts. No late inning heroics for Clemens this time cause he's nursing his hamstring. And who know what the situation was w/ Pettite. Bottom line, a team that is leading 2-0 in the series has a lot more wiggle room to manuever and take risks like that. You have to play each game as if its your last, true, but not at the expense of the next game. *going straight to Wheeler in game 2 - game 2 was setup to be a short bridge to Lidge, with him pitching 2 innings. Seeing as how Wheeler is your setup man, that move made sense. What wouldn't have made sense if Garner had intended to use Wheeler, then Qualls, then Lidge. He didn't intend to do that, but had to after Wheeler uncharacteristically lost control. This is just a classic case of the manager not getting enough credit for the decisions that worked, but taking all the blame for the decisions that didn't. How quickly we forget his move to Wandy in game 1 (which kept the game w/in reach, the Viz PH, the decision to keep Roy in the game after the 5th (he didn't give up another run), and his trot to Burke. And as for seeing this emotion emenate from him, well it's a different side of him, but who can blame him. He's obvisously frustrated, as is the whole team. He's only echoing what every one of those players I'm sure feels. And maybe it'll light a fire under them to keep them focused. But he's still behind his guys for sure, especially after what I saw last night (his war of words w/ C. Everett and the emotion displayed after Burke got to second)
My biggest gripe all post season long was this for Garner: Why on earth is Taveras hitting 2nd behind Biggio since right before the end of the regular season? How many times will you have to see Willy T up with runner on third base (and less than 2 outs) and need Willy T to drive the ball hit a sacrafice fly or in a bunting situation and we need him to sacrafice the runner over to second and was unsuccessful? Like someone said before the only logic I can think of for putting Biggio hitting leadoff is that the bottom of the order will see better pitches. Honestly, do you really think that pitchers are looking ahead and was so scared of biggio coming up that they give out bottom of the order better pitches to hit? There's a frickn pitcher after ausmus and everett. We want our #2 hitter to be able to drive the damn runners in and sacrafice hitters over...Willy T is the opposite of that. Biggio or Burke would be more ideal at the 2 spot IMO.
Because Willy T. went into the slump of a lifetime in the leadoff slot after a verruh nice April and early May--he was getting on base less than your average 8 hitter, which is not what you want leading off. As soon as he moved to the 2 spot, his production increased. One day Willy *might* become a great leadoff hitter, but that he ain't just yet. You do however, have a great leadoff hitter hitting leadoff right now in Craig Biggio.
I think it's more accurate to say that we've gotten this far despite our manager. Oh well.. at leas he's been better than Jimy.
do you REALLY think that???? no manager gets them all right...but he's made some damn good decisions down the stretch and in the playoffs. and for whatever reason, he kept this team together in two back-to-back years to come back from the dead....to have seasons with literally historic comebacks. that's not something that can be slighted so easy.
It's amazing. I heard someone call into 610 last night around 6:35 all hot and bothered about Viz pinch hitting the other night. Seriously, this town...
I do believe that. Look in game one Willy lead off two straight innings with doubles and no outs. Where were the fooking bunts squeezes to get him in. Last night, not trying to bunt or put Palmero in was just REDICULOUS. With the Thrird baseman not making any real effort to cut off a bunt, and trying to keep Burke close to third base, this was just hilarity. I turned to my woman at that moment and stated that this bonehead move was going to cost us this game. The ONLY person who shouldnt be asked to bunt is Berkman. Even Ensburg looks SICKLY as hell out there. I mean Feable. AND BTW, is Everett really any better then Julio Lugo?
i agree with you i the situations you mentioned. but i didn't agree with putting vizcaino in during game 2, either...but it worked. and he pushed some great buttons in the NLCS and NLDS. again..no manager gets them all right. they gamble. they're all second-guessed. but the bottom line is, his team wins games. and pennants, apparently. as for the Lugo question..do you mean overall? defensively? what?
I agree that all managers dont all get them all right. Its the PAINFULLY obvious ones that drive me nuts. But no way in HELL should Roy of been in that inning as long as he was. Once it they got one run, it was time to think or get someone throwing, after 2 runs it was definately time to replace Roy or think very hard of it. After the third run it was obviously time. You dont give up a four run lead in one half an inning with one pitcher. Thats just fooking ludicrous. Even the 18 inning game, it was r****ded to take your best hitter out of the game in Berkman. Just plain ol stupid. And yes I mean overall. Lugo had a crazy arm for a while, but his range was good, and at least he could hit a bit.
Some people...you just can' please I guess. I like Garner, I like how he has managed our team. And if these players weren't on board w/ him no way they make it this far. That is key. They gave up on Jimy, for good reason, but they have never given up on Scrap Iron. He's a great fit for this ballclub and I hope he's here for years to come.
So for everyone who thinks Oswalt should have left early, who exactly would you have brought in? Too early for Qualls, Wheeler and Lidge...so that leaves Wandy, Zeke or Springer.
