100% He's without a doubt our 3rd best starter and someone that would be our 3rd starter in the playoffs if it started today.
That’s good data/info. That’s a very impressive 3rd time through average… those are elite-prime JV/Cole/Scherzer/Framber type numbers. Don’t think they need to trade for more pitchers… Walter is it? (also curious how many times he’s gone deep enough to see a lineup 3+ times). Again, hadn’t watched him to that point and I know the D’backs don’t hit lefties as well. Sousa has been solid all year (including in high leverage/save situations) so sort of a bummer that he didn’t come through (but also was able to limit the mess he got himself into). Just frustrating when people say he overuses guys (starters, Abreu, Hader, etc.)… and now that he’s specifically trying not to do so, and calling on guys like Sousa who were deemed more trustworthy than most of the bullpen, and he’s an idiot? Similar contradictions when people were saying “not hard to manage when you just have to bring in Abreu/Hader and they dominate…” The back of the bullpen needs to stay sound/healthy no matter what. They also can’t afford to lose any more starting pitching. There either is (or should be) an organizational focus to try and curtail or build-in more off-days for the best of the bullpen guys going forward. I’ve already been impressed with how some of these guys have done, on the road, in tough situations… The mental game of the entire team is next level (and not sure who gets primary credit for that… but its palpable as far as their resilience goes).
Yeah, I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s an idiot for making the move. Sousa has been really good this season.
It was also basically the top of the lineup (still not sure why they bat Pedromo 9th). We know they don’t like bringing in relief pitchers with guys on base (especially in later innings)… which would have likely been the case had anybody gotten on base. Framber threw slightly more leverage yesterday and was pulled after 93 (when he’s pitched more prior). Again, maybe its just now being stressed to preserve/conserve all the arms given the decent division lead… until some reinforcements come back and stay back.
It sure is. and no matter what fans want to say about Joe’s decision making (yes at times it’s deserved) he’s obviously a leader of men that even when **** is about as bad as it can be, and it has been, he projects confidence to that clubhouse/dugout that he believes SOMEONE will get it done. Maybe one of our former MLB managers here on the board can tell us a story of how that works…….
Three games and not a ****ing PEEP from the AZ TV team when a bad call went their way but they couldn’t shut up about that strike, WE WAS ROBBED! Lol
This is unbelievable. Through all of the injuries and turmoil, I'm absolutely stunned by this. Extremely impressive!
With fans, it ALWAYS makes sense until it doesn't. If Joe stays with Walter and he pulls a Souza: "WTF are you doing you idiot"? If he goes with his gut, like today and wins "Joe got lucky". So, at 60 wins, leading the AL AND we have the most injuries of any team but thank god we have the LUCKIEST ****ing MLB manager on the planet!
I would've went with Walter in the 8th since he had thrown only 82 stress free and easy pitches. With this said, I had no problem with Espada bringing in Souza. He's been nails this year. Things just didn't workout. Now I did have a problem with Espada bringing in Abreu in the 8th inning a few days ago with a big lead.
AJ ****ing Hinch stressed me out also. We could have the almighty God in the dugout and he’d be second guessed!
Pay market rate, players sign. I do think things could actually change in that regard…. Given that every bit of Crane’s last big “discount” extensions/signings hasn’t really paid off (LMJ, Abreu, Montero, Walker). You could even argue that Altuve’s market rate one won’t age well (but was done for more than just those reasons). And Yordan’s, while extremely team friendly, starts to get slightly concerning if he continues to miss huge chunks of the season every year. I also don’t see agents advising players to take deals right now with CBA uncertainty looming.
Crossword puzzles just aggravate Espada because he keeps misspelling the words and gets frustrated and has Miller write the words for him. No - Espada is definitely more of a “word find” guy or a coloring book with biblical scenes from the Old Testament…. He loves coloring Samson’s long hair.
Right now he should be the favorite for manager of the year. I think his personality is perfect for what this team has gone through injury wise this season.
He wears down now. I’ve noticed it the last 3 or so years. Last year he pitched in 71 games and this year he is on pace for the same - his usage right now, the last two years, is the highest of his career. Espada recently had Hader pitch multiple innings in 3 out of 4 appearances. It isn’t a shock that in that span he showed dropped velocity and was roughed up some. He has been scored on half of the time he has gone over an inning this year.
He is far from a strategic genius and can sometimes be oblivious - but people that know him all say he has a very good heart, battles for his players and is a naturally positive person- and even if he is cringeworthy, players know his heart is in the right place.
