And this is where exactly I’m at as far as the Astros. It’s clear we’re not the juggernaut team of old. We’re not in the golden era anymore. So with what we’ve got for our team, we need a manager that can maximize what we have. Espada is not that guy. Can he be someday? Maybe. Doubtful. Put a competent, above average manager on this team and my confidence soars. As of now? Wishful hope. Not impressed at all.
Not easy, but I will take a shot. Daily Lineups: He ain’t Dusty at least. I can go a little further than that. i give him a B-. For the most part, I am fine with his lineups. My main gripe is that Dubon shouldn’t be getting any starts in the OF. Those should go to Dezenzo. I am tempted to complain that Caratini should see more time behind the plate, but we need Diaz to come around so I am fine with continuing to pencil him in almost daily. Ask me again after 100ABs though. Pinch hitting: Caratini should be used more period. I’d give him a B-. Bullpen usage: Taylor Scott shouldn’t have come in as a trusted/leverage arm. The numbers under the hood show he wasn’t as good last year as his ERA suggested. We should have known better. No using Hader with a 4 run lead, that is idiotic. I actually didn’t fault Espada for leaving Contreras in to load the bases that game last week. Abreu ended up blowing a 2 run lead in the 9th and Espada had to give that opportunity to Abreu, especially this early in the season. Giving King, Gusto and others some run is the right thing to do. I’d give him a B Interpersonal skills: players seem to like him. That cringey Cam smith call up with his parents was a stupid idea. Uninspiring in front of a microphone/camera. Seems like a guy who wants to be liked by his players, rather than a motivator, connector, tactician or guru who offers baseball/life wisdom. I’d give a C He isn’t great, he isn’t terrible. What is most important to me is that he isn’t Dusty. But that’s not the right benchmark. He ain’t AJ Hinch or Bruce Bochy.
And that’s the thing- where you are giving him B- I’m giving him C’s maybe you are right and I’m wrong but even at that, B- isn’t being “good” at anything right? Just be good at something as a manager. Dusty, as much as I disliked him, at least was good as a story teller/legend of the game/guy the players seemed to mostly genuinely like. And that matter sharing a work environment either way guys for 7 or 8 months every day.
yeah, my B- could have been Cs easily. Maybe they should be. As for Dusty, you are dead on. But man, that legend storyteller stuff didn’t mean crap to me when I saw the lineup. I would take Espada over Dusty every day of the week. Espada is simply just a guy. We could do worse, no question. We could certainly do better.
B- for his lineups ?? Dubon is on pace to start 110 games. With Rodgers hurt, Altuve should be at 2B -- which allows our 3rd highest OPS guy to play the OF, plus he's a better fielder than Jose. Instead, #3 is sitting on the bench. Espada's lineups are a D at best.
If Rogers were hurt is probably go caratini at catcher or dh, yainer st the other spot, Altuve at 2B and Yordan in LF.
The AL west doesn't have a team with a positive run differential but the combined record is currently the best in the AL. The central is the worst as usual.
I can understand dubon at 2B instead of Altuve when Framber and Brown pitch. I would rather go your way give our offensive struggles, but I get it. Dubon starting anywhere at any other time is dumb
So Jed Hoyer of the Cubs was told by his shitty ownership group to trade for a star player. Hoyer wanted to keep payroll flexibility and targeted Tucker. Hoyer in trade talks made it clear Matt Shaw was off the table and untouchable. So Brown insisted on Shaw - when he wanted Smith all along. Hoyer didn’t budge on Shaw and Brown said he would take Smith instead but he then wanted a third player. The Astros and Cubs couldn’t agree on the third player. Brown said he would agree to a player in the group the Cubs offered but he also wanted a minor league pitcher. Hoyer balked at that but expanded his list of players to include Wesneski - who the Astros wanted. Later - Brown traded Pressly for the minor league pitcher he wanted. So - the Cubs ended up over paying all because Jed Hoyer wanted Matt Shaw to be his third baseman - he wanted him to start so bad that he traded Paredes and Smith to gift Shaw the starting third base job. Well…. Today the Cubs sent Shaw back to the minors and don’t have a starting third baseman. Also - people can criticize Brown, but on the Tucker deal he not only identified the right prospect and players to get, but out manuvered the Cubs front office to get more players.
Tucker is a 10 WAR potential player entering his prime. the Astros knew they wouldn't be able to afford him They were not real contenders in 2024 or 2023 Shopping him earlier would have demanded a kings ransom This trade's success depends on how Smith turns out... a trio of 2-3 war players doesn't cut it.
It was an uninspiring season where they lucked into a late season collapse by division teams and squeaked into the playoffs (due to everyone else sucking), then lost to the Rangers after leading (the worst world series winner in league history). Teams get hot and win, it's BASEBOLL, but a very deflating regular season both years and the unbiased know it. When the writing's on the wall and you want to extend your window, you make the moves to ensure dominance.
Jake Meyers is on track to reach a career high in steals by the end of April. I don’t expect him to keep up his luck punching singles through but if he can steal 2B most times he gets on base that’ll increase his value quite a bit over previous seasons.
