I would also like to point out that it might be time to move Morgan back to the 3 spot. It might give him more pitches with Berkman behind him. With Lane behind him, he isn't getting sh*t to hit.
There has been a lot of negative talk about Everett. Everett did hit the ball that Sanders got hurt on. It was an RBI tripple. In the Atlanta game Everett is the one who threw LaRoche out at home. We might even be playing now if LaRoche had scored. I believe he also had a hit and was one base when Berkman hit the home run in Atlanta. I am not opposed to putting someone who will help us out in at SS over Everett, but we should still appreciate the huge role he played in the Astros being where they are now.
Chris Burke can play right field. If he can play center, right field is a piece of cake. Right Field at MMP is not that much territory. Jason Lane sucks. Have you noticed that everytime he swings the first pitch, its a ball and everytime he doesn't swing, its a strike. I think he is no BB this playoffs other than a couple of IBB.
I actually see the possibility of Vizcaino getting a start at SS for a game in MMP. As for Burke or Lane, I doubt that's what it's going to come down to. I do see Garner taking advantage of using Mike Lamb in MMP because of the novelty of playing Berkman at the short left field at MMP. If that's the case, I don't really see Burke starting at all unless Garner gets creative and put Berkman at Right field. This Cardinal Offense is dangerous. I see it as critical that we get all the outs that could be gotten. Giving them extra outs because of a slow outfielder could be very problematic. The only time I would experiment that possibility is Backe's game at game 4, where you could attempt to stay in the game by loading up your offense. When it's one of your "big 3" pitching, I feel that the Astros must stick with the conservative approach, and that's having Lane at RF (or Palmiero) and Taveras at CF.
I think Taveras has to stay at center. In a game likely to be low scoring defense and ability to manufacture runs have to be the 1st priority, which Taveras in center does. Which of Lamb, Burke and Lane gets left out of the starting lineup is more difficult. I have to say based on Lamb and Lane success on Morris and their better overall success versus righties, that counts more than the "hot hand" of Burke in the big picture. Burke looking lost on an easy ball last game didn't help, if he made defensive plays like Edmunds I'd stick with him even with the inexperience. Also consider you don't want Garner to overmanage. He should have confidence in his guys, even those who are struggling like Lane, and more or less stick to what was worked to get the Stros to be on of the last teams in the league the last 3/4 of the season. Thus I think Burke starts on the bench. Next option is Lamb on the bench, Berkman at 1st. If Lane or Lamb struggles badly and/or there is a pitching change, Burke needs to be ready though.
Don't forget lane made the diving catch and Taveras got the bunt single. These guys are playing their hearts out.
my point was mainly that i want tavarez out of the top of the lineup and in the bottom of the lineup. willy t can hardly get the ball out of the infield and maybe i have selective memory but willy t loves to suck whenever he needs a hit with a man on base. if biggio gets on base it might as well be an automatic out for willy t. we need willy either batting 1st or 8th. so i guess what i am really arguing is we need to put willy in situations where he is batting with no one on base. the numbers prove that to be true since his best hitting comes with the bases empty and his worst hitting is when there are RISP. i love willy t but we just can't hope that he will start performing with men on base since he has no history of it. biggio burke berkman ensberg lamb/palmiero/lane (god i wish lane could hit against lefties) ausmus everett tavarez pitcher
awwwww.... hopefully, at this stage, that goes without saying. it's certainly not a reason to keep trotting lane out there. it's a short series; you ride the hot hand. lane is a cold hand. he's been abysmal. AE has been about what you'd expect, but he has hit the ball hard.
You know what we are 1-1 going home....I will take my chances and dance with what got us here. Burke to the bench... DD
two different positions, entirely. we're not talking about his ability to field the position...we're talking about the importance of arm strength for a RF as compared to a CF.
isn't burke responsible for getting us here? won game 4; won game 2.... i can't stomach another jason lane at bat this postseason. he looks like the worst kid on a little league team that, by rule, is required to play. so he stands there, takes his three pitches and then sits back down while he his dad sits in the stands, eats his cap and punches anyone who dares to ask, "why is the reatarded kid in the game?"
Lane and Taveras won more games for us then Burke did throughout the season... that is the way it is. Burke has come up big of late, but you have to go with the whole story. Most of the ideas here are moot because no manager in their right mind would ever make them.
ok thats great justification for leaving in lane since he is prone to slumps and we don't have 40 games for him to work out his problems. we have to win now and burke is red hot and lane is looking horrible out there. and what stupid manager would put in the hottest player on your team to replace the crappiest one...gee that would just be stupid.
Burke is showing he can step it up in the post season, while Lane has not. Many times there are players that perform well under pressure like in the post season. While others just do it in the regular season. We need to utilize the streak Burke is on and give him another opportunity to shine. Either way I am enjoying this experience and loving every game. GO ASTROS!
If Burke could play right field, then by all means put him in for Lane... but HE CAN'T so discussing it is just stupid! Taveras is producing and even if Burke could play center (which he can't) he shouldn't replace Taveras considering he has the second best numbers on the team behind Berkman in nearly every offensive category. Getting Burke into the game is probably a good idea, but putting him in a position he can't or shouldn't play is just stupid. At this point putting Burke anywhere other then second or left is a ridiculous notion in the middle of the NLfreakingDS especially when tied at 1-1 and coming home for 3 games.
no you don't. this isn't about accumulating large sample sizes. lane is an automatic out right now; burke isn't. and teams have a reason to not fear burke, but certainly respect him until he proves otherwise; he adds punch to a line-up that needs it. in october, you play the hot hand. if burke cools down, then you adjust again on the fly. i don't care what happened in june, july, august or even september. the problem with lane is that he's doing ZERO at the plate. ensberg is struggling, but at least he's hitting the ball hard. edmonds robbed him of a gapper last night; you could even say the same for AE. lane is frozen.
The problem with your wacky idea of playing Burke for Lane or Taveras is they are the only true outfielders on the team. Taveras is the only person we should have in center and Lane is the only person with the arm to START at right. Palmeiro is the only other player that has near the arm that Lane does, and if Lane doesn't start look for Palmeiro to start in right... there are no other options in right in a starting role.
it's the NLCS and where did berkman play in last year's NLCS? or NLDS, for that matter? i mean, why is everyone turning this into a physics equation? burke in left; berkman in right; lamb at 1st; lane on the astrodome floor helping evacuees. and then you cross the lefty bridge when you come to it.
I'm all for wanting Burke in the lineup, but center field? Hell he misplayed a pop up in LEFT last night, transforming an easy out into a ground rule double. And suddenly some of you guys think he has enough skills to cover center? HELL no. They'll just bloop it out into the outfield all night long.
