I couldn't agree more.....Willie makes one big blunder and people are calling for his head. Yes, it cost us the game tonight but he has been one of the guys that has been a HUGE part of our success. What he lacks in technique he makes up for in enthusiasm and passion. I'll take WT over Carlos any day.
I think he's made about 3 ball misjudgements over the last 2 weeks, and this one was the worse misplay of them all. I love what Tavares brings at the plate but right now he's killing us in CF.
Willy T's defense scares me. Purpura said he was a "above-average major league defender" in spring. JD said in St.Louis that there in no guarntee that he will get better at reading fly balls. Example is Alex Sanchez who has had the same problem as Taveras. Hopefully somebody works with because he is still young and should have a bright future.
For those of you mad at Willie T, just remember we could be paying Carlos "I don't give half a ****" Beltran a hundred and twenty million dollars.
taveras may never be more than an average fielder but he'll never learn to read the balls unless he's out there. he's made some blunders for sure but i think tonight is the first one that's directly contibuted to a loss. biggio was a below average left fielder. putting him in center probably wouldn't make him better.
The strange thing is that, by all accounts I have read from people firsthand, his work at Round Rock last season was absolutely stellar. When he was being considered for the CF spot in spring training, everyone was kind of just assuming he would be more of a defense minded player who noone expected to hit much. Reality has been quite the opposite. I know playing in big stadium type venues can be different than a place like the Round Rock field, but it surprises me that his performance on defense has so dramatically changed from AA to MLB. Hopefully he regains that form someday.
John Patterson is going be real tough today. Hopefully Wandy throws more change ups because he is good when he throws them.
Went to the game last night. Apparently there was a BOy Scout Jamboree going on in DC this weekend because the upper decks were overrun with preteen and teenage kids in matching unis. In the first few rows of my section was a Houston-area troop wearing Astros hats and special Astros / Boy Scouts T-shirts. They were great. Everytime I ran down to intercept the beer guy, the scouts would go nuts over my Clemens jersey and yell "Give him a free beer!!" I actually saw a lot of Stros fans at the game, and one great classic Mike Scott jersey (still on my xmas list.) The Nationals fans are great...these people are really into their new team. RFK shakes when they jump up and down, which is a little disturbing but a cool effect. Fans would come up to me and say "I would give you **** for wearing that jersey, but Clemens OWNED us last night. He's amazing" Beers are cheap and the grilled chorizo sausage is much better than the dogs. Woulda been more fun if not for the 1st inning, but still a great time. Plus it didnt hurt that I was in a section surrounded by George Mason University A-O-Pis. Yummy.
They would have been floored if they knew that. We were up in the boonies, too (section 549, up above CF)
but he didn't have problems with it on other levels...so what is it?? all of a sudden the instincts have died?? it's not merely instinctual. it's learned.
Unless we miraculously get out of this without allowing a run, our defense has turned what should've been a 4-0 sweep into a 2-2 split that will have us exactly where we were Wednesday night. It's one thing to lose on borderline tough plays. It's another to botch two incredibly easy plays to cost you two consecutive games. Unreal.
Me too. That said, we have to give him credit on that last play for making the catch on a really high throw by Qualls. That looked like one that was going to sail into the stands. One more out...
