The biggest issue regarding Brantley is that he is a supplemental piece that lengthens and completes the lineup. When this team has Yordan, Altuve, Abreu, Bregman, and Tucker all hitting at their expected levels then Chas, Pena, and Meyers, etc can be league average or close to league average and the team will score plenty of runs. When Yordan and Altuve are hurt and Bregman and Abreu are slumping then Chas, Pena, and Meyers, etc suddenly have to be among the top 4 or 5 hitters on this team. Abreu and Bregman look to be back to an acceptable level, even if not star level (yet?) Once Yordan and Altuve are back the offense should he fine. Adding Brantley just deepens the lineup and takes the pressure further off of the role players.
Well it translates to under 47 rbi’s so that’s kinda my point. Whether his average is good or not in those situations it didn’t translate to an above average RBI total or even in his runs scored. You could make the argument that it kept the train moving and I would probably have to concede that a little. I always liked Brantley and he’s a good hitter. His injuries and power decline make me very hesitant to list him as one of the reasons we are underachieving. I think his production over the last 2 years is fairly easy to replace.
Any rational fan should be HOPING Brantley returns. No rational fan should be EXPECTING him to return. Astros didn't struggle without Brantley or McCullers last year. This year's team would likely be better off with either of them
Exactly. Somewhat minimum impact for this struggling team but sure it would be a plus, but probably not with a bum shoulder. Its not like we know what we are getting now, and what he gave us shouldn’t be impossible to replace. A consistent lineup from Dusty would probably help more.
you don’t know this. He had shoulder surgery and is struggling to get back. When he gets back they are talking about using him every other game. We are hoping he returns. Who the **** said they didn’t want Brantley back? You know nobody said that. Will it be the same Brantley? Who knows? He shouldn’t be on your litany of excuses list that you made or added to. He is an unknown at this point. He is 36. His power had declined dramatically before the injury.
Who DID say they wanted Brantley to return? The poster I quoted did not. His sentiment was trash talk and, of course, your d-riding ass tagged along.
They specifically brought Madris up to see if he can give the team a spark vs RHP. He can't do that from the bench. I wish he was DH with Chas was in LH and Diaz catching, but I'm going to root for him. I think he gets an extra base hit and RBI today !! I'm calling it first.
Madris is 20 for 117 in his career. A .171 average. I know it's a small sample size, but he was released by the Pirates lol. Astros 7,8, and 9 hitters tonight... Madris 0 for 4 on the season Meyers...... .226 Maldy........ .182 I'm sure that puts fear in the opposition.
LOL This one might be rough. Pena, Madris, Meyers, Maldy is a pitcher's wet dream bottom half of the lineup. The league worst cleanup hitter is a nice little break as well. Smart move by Dusty putting the hottest hitter on the team behind one auto-out and in front of four more. I might have tried Diaz at C, Altuve at DH, Dubon at 2B (he did save the only win in a week the other night with his D), with Chas in LF, but what do I know? Altuve is going to have to start mashing if they want any chance of scoring runs. The picture just keeps getting uglier by the day, and my hand is inching closer and closer to the panic button. If Dana doesn't do something soon to make an impact on this team, he's going to look like the biggest chump in MLB. Maybe he is a chump and that's how he got the gig, though.
Wtf in his past makes them think he will give them a spark. He has 52 career minor league dongs in almost 2000 at bats.
How f'n hard is it to slot: Altuve Pena Bregman Tucker Diaz Meyers <---> McCormick Abreu Maldonado* Madris ... seriously... how f'n hard can it be???? Diaz is C, McCormick/Dubon are DH's in this scenario. (an argument can be made to switch Meyers/Abreu... but he doesn't deserve to bat higher than 7th at this point.. thus, 7 or 8 is ideal & egregious as of today.) I'm rolling out my studs first, then the potential, then the "limit PA as much as possible" category of hitters. Use Maldonado as a pinch-catcher if Diaz needs replacement in the latter innings... ... it must be sacrilegious or the cause of a fallout of great proportions if anything like this would even be entertained... I'm kinda feeling bad for Dana Brown at this point... - all in agreement, they've written this season off and will continue to "market / sell" to the fanbase as "contenders" insuring their prep/plan for post-season (knowing the "blank slate" is on the horizon come 12/2023)... --OR-- - they're jaded and have a trifecta of fuuckery working at over capacity. ...Jim's hands are tied... he's pot committed to Baker, Montero, Abreu (smMFh), Brantley (fingers crossed)... ...DBrown... you were JUST hired and given the seal of approval... shake the MF boat, friend... but not doing ANYTHING of note coming here as the new GM hire is pussyfootin' round.... quit being "conservative" and put some of these fools on NOTICE. ...Mr. Pusherman Baker... quit playing every lineup like its a new crossword or sudoku puzzle. Highest BA/OPS hit higher up in the lineup (unless we're vs LHP-- then, well I'll be damned the same principle is applied here too!)... stick with the numbers relative to their heating-up / he's-on-fire powerup mode... if they're hot, why tf are you icing them??! These are simple "I give an actual Fck" actions/decisions that work for the greater good of "all our benefits/characters/future-legacy".
Dusty is one of many problems this season. He's on the top end of the spectrum regarding one single person/player
