Altuve Pena Alvarez Bregman Tucker Abreu Diaz McCormick Julks/Dubon DH That needs to be our starting lineup 6 of the 7 games (or 5 of 6) every week after everyone comes back healthy. That's a championship winning lineup and honestly no need to get another bat IF Dusty can get his head out his anus.
Did this same manager inherit a team that made 3 LCS's and 2 WS's the previous seasons? Did this same manager have a career history of underachieving? Dusty is the trust-fund kid who didn't go broke. He and Hinch are average managers. Luhnow is a genius
As a fan, what many see, is that Maldy has started the last 3 games at catcher. He did hit a huge HR last night, but aside from that he has been even more inept the last 6 weeks. He is hitting ONE FIFTEEN since June 1 and is OPS is .445. In addition, Diaz caught Bielek in his last start. You may remember that one. 7 innings no runs.
If you watched only the postseason, you'd think he was one of the greatest tactical managers of all-time. If you watched the regular season, you'd think...well...not that.
What is your bar for success? Dusty *did* take over a successful team and has done about as well as any other good manager would have in the same position. Like are you upset we didn't with 3 WS rings in 3 years or something? There are plenty of bad managers who would have completely fumbled the team he inherited. Dusty didn't. I get your analogy of starting on 3rd base, but at no point did dusty reverse course and end up on 1st or 2nd base.
Fact, that's a given. JDB is middle of the road, mediocrity. Fixed for posterity. He was brought in (or as speculated here, forced) to throw ice on the fire. "Awwww he can do no wrong!" Any manager could've been plugged in and been gifted a ring from the house that Luhnow/Crane built. Ausmus could've been manager those seasons and gotten a ring. Don't think that Baker was some Michelin star chef who kept crafting the perfect palate with his creative decisions. Thats actually exactly what's been happening this season... noticeable regression and yet, with injuries considered there have been s̶o̶m̶e̶ A LOT of very questionable, hair-pulling, head-scratching, WTF, willfully ignorant decisions (ALMOST EVERY GAME).
Good chance the second half plays out the way we thought before the season where Seattle is the biggest challenger. Big game today.
More great news coming out of the Rangers camp. Dunning, who has been pitching by smoke and mirrors this season, struggled. Sborz now appears to be on the Montero train to nowhere. Yep, the Rangers are in big trouble and about to be 12-19 in their last 31 games. Losing to the lowly Nats like this, yikes. More great news coming out of the Rangers camp. Dunning, who has been pitching by smoke and mirrors this season, struggled. Sborz appears to be on the Montero train to nowhere. Yep, the Rangers are in trouble and about to be 12-19 in their last 31 games.