.214 .239 .349 with a 56 wRC+ and -0.7 fWAR as a DH. I would say FanGraphs gushes over Diaz as a catcher and a 1B (best defensive 1B on the team according to FanGraphs..in other words he's less bad) with 2.6 fWAR in 203 PAs (a.k.a. He's played like a top 20 player in the league when playing at C and 1B this season according to FanGraphs), but thinks he's sucked as a DH. I expect some regression between his hitting at the various positions. My guess is that the bWAR is inflated by quality of opponent data which has a ton of noise (i.e., it is less useful in smaller samples of 3 years or less, but is excellent for really large samples [think HoF voting] when the noise of quality of opponent averages out).
Are they going to bring in a bunch of smart people and let Dusty continue to manage by his guy. I heard about a month ago (not from a principal but from a guy who talked to one) that the decision to come back was going to be Dusty’s.
Are they going to bring in a bunch of smart people and let Dusty continue to manage by his guy. I heard about a month ago (not from a principal but from a guy who talked to one) that the decision to come back was going to be Dusty’s.
You can't ignore the fact that a DH has no positional value whatever they do. I have always hated watching DH's "play" more than I ever hated watching pitchers bat. at least a pitcher is a baseball player.
The decision to comeback is likely going to be Dusty's unless something drastically changes - I think I had said something similar before this season had even starter. Dusty is nearly 75 years old, and it is tough to know what he will decide to do. I would say he is probably a little above 50% to comeback. Whoever joins the Astros front office and PD/Scouting department will have to fit that type of culture. Having said that, ultimately the fate of players like Maldonado, Stanek etc. will depend on what Brown and Crane want to do........ Adding someone like Stearns would allow Crane to take a step back on the baseball decisions, as right now Crane is operating as the President of Baseball Operations and would rather not. In other words, someone like Stearns would be who would settle disagreements between the GM and manager. I am sure Brown and others would be okay with Baker stepping down and being replaced by someone that will take orders from the front office more easily.
I don’t know man. It’s time you think like a media mogul - nothing would be better for “content” than another season of Dusty. (Seriously though, I don’t know if my heart could take it.)
Cool. Another year of maldy playing over an all star and Chas treated like a second rate punk. And 2B has to hit leadoff and all the other stuff that’s made us tied in the loss column right now rather than 6 up.
See my post on meet in the middle. It’s really not all good if we end up blowing this chance due to decisions every single sentient being knew were garbage in real time. That’s an unforced error. You can’t have those at 4:00 in this game. It’s too hard.
Even if Baker comes back, there are things that front office can do to neuter some of the moves he wants - such as taking Maldonado away from Baker.
Isn't Stearns a heavily data driven guy? I would imagine if someone like him was the president of baseball operations and he got to be the deciding voice between a Dana Brown and Dusty disagreement he would side on the data driven opinion, which is really what most of the anti-Dusty crowd is asking for.
Sure. He gonna take away Dubon and Meyers and anyone else that could play CF for Chas. And Singleton and Abreu and and and. I mean, Dusty has proven over the 4 years he's been here that he's not going to embrace logic or math. We don't need to make it harder than it is, I guess, but brining back some of the guys that he thinks are good that are not will be a death sentence if he's back.
Stearns uses data and a traditional approach, he is very good when it comes to evaluating pitchers. Yes - if we assume that someone like Sterns is brought in to oversee baseball operations, he will decide disagreements between the GM and the manager. Could Baker go straight to Crane? Yes, but from what I have been told, usually it was Crane sitting in on the discussions between Baker and Click in the past - so I don't think that we are as likely to see Baker jump straight to Crane.... also, Crane in the past has conferred with select players when Baker and Click had issues, and then Crane decided.
In my humble opinion the only way Dusty is back next year is if they win it all (and he decides to go for a threepeat). Anything less than repeating he's not going to be asked to come back (it won't be left up to him). And if they do win it all, and he comes back, as frustrated as I'll be having to put up with his crazy @$$ decisions I'll keep reminding myself we're World Champs and to enjoy the journey and if it means having Dusty as the Mgr I'll chalk it up to the price of again being World champs.
