To be fair, this is sort of a meaningless stat without knowing if those first pitches are strikes or balls. If he was throwing strikes, then not swinging first-pitch just means you're down 0-1 every at-bat. The problem is only if the Astros were swinging at would-be balls. The opponent was just a really good pitcher - it's not like they were getting hits in the 11 of 24 batters (at that point) where they didn't swing first pitch.
My gut and my eyes tell me that he's probably not a good manager and he's likely in over his head, but you can't fire him yet with all of the injuries. He deserves a chance to manage the actual team he was hired for, and that just hasn't really happened yet.
The lineup isn’t hitting. The team is not responding and this is with him being here since Hinch. He has got to go.
I don't like the way he got punked by the ump after the balk call on Abreu. Ump yelled at him and told him "don't come over here!" and Espada just cowered like a dog, it was pathetic. Whether the call is right or wrong, it's a manager's job to take command and at least get your shots in. The guy is a weakling.
F*** the Astros. An absolute mess of a franchise right now with no real leadership. And it starts at the top. Until pride is put aside and wholesale changes are made, this mess will continue.
