If this team continues its slide and doesn't get to the playoffs, I think the Jimy Williams experiment will be over. Thus, who is the best candidate to manage this team? A.) From within the organization (Tamargo, AAA manager, AA manager?... this is to soothe all the Tony Pena supporters there were). B.) Manager with past experience (nobody comes to mind except for Jim Fregosi... the guy we turned down for Jimy) C.) Jim Deshaies (the Dierker route). My choice? - Brad Ausmus (if he can be convinced by Drayton to retire and take the job). Brad would be ideal in a few years.... after the last vestiges of the Biggio/Bagwell era are gone, but he would be great as a manager.
Tony Pena would've been nice to promote within the organization, instead of going out and getting Jimy Williams. I don't say that in hindsight, I voiced my opinion on it many times when he was lured away by the Royals. McLane won't fire Williams, he will let him stay the remainder of his contract.
I don't blame Jimmy. It's the players fault they can't get clutch hits. It's Drayton's fault this team has no speed and running game. It's our powerful 3-6 hitter's fault they never learned to lay down a bunt. It's not Tim Redding's fault he has the least run support in the leauge. It's nobody's fault Oswalt was out for an eternity, but the Cubs manged w/o Prior when he went down, as did the Cards when Morris went out. The Cubs will be stronger next year while Oswalt, Miller, and Dotel will all be a step closer to free agency.
this team has no business competing for first place with a sucky wade miller...roy oswalt on the DL 3 times...and missing Kent for a month...nevertheless, they're one game out. jimy is not the problem.
it's amazing how much these "Fire Jimy" threads show up. You have no business blaming him for the loss to San Francisco, neither of them. Wade Miller was terrible and the game before Lidge, Dotel and Wagner all sucked. Quick Question - those who post the Fire Jimy threads or anything relatively close to it. Are you the same guys who continously post "Fire Chris Palmer" threads when the texans lose?
If Jimy Williams isn't to blame, then Dierker shouldn't have been blamed either. Dierker won the division 4 out of 5 years. Jimy is looking to be 0 for 2. Obviously, then the problem is our players, not the manager. Our players can't handle pressure!
The thing about Dierker is that he handled the pitching staff better then anyone else the Stros have had. And, Pitching is the name of the game, it is by far the most important part of managing in the big leagues. Jimy's quick hook just DESTROYS the confidence of younger pitchers....as soon as inning 5 rolls around, you can see their demeanor change....they have the "When is he taking me out" look. DD
Jimy's quick hook just DESTROYS the confidence of younger pitchers.... Yeah, Roy and Wade just totally get shaken up. Or are you referring to Jeriome and Redding, who tend to suck the most early?
If you are going to say anything about the 2003 astros, they overachieved. So, instead of bashing a great manager maybe some here should give him some credit for keeping the astros a top if not close to 1st place. The pitching staff sucks because of their play, not because Jimy pulls them.
Considering our starting rotation consists of nobodys like Tim Redding, Ron Villone, and Jeriome Robertson, I think it's a miracle that this team is only a game out of first.
Why is it that when the Astros win, it's because of the players and when they lose, it's because of the manager? If you would have told me at the start of the year that Kent and RoyO would spend significant time on the DL, Redding and Miller would be inconsistant, Biggio would be playing the whole year in CF for the first time ever, I would have predicted a .500 record at best. Jimy ain't the problem.
I'll never forgive Jimy for what he did to Roy's groin. Just think, had Jimy not intentionally hurt Roy's groin, we'd have at least 7-8 more wins and would be comfortably in the playoffs. The b*stard.
Sure....and the Cubs didn't lose Mark Prior too.... You guys go ahead and be happy to wallow in mediocrity. If you are happy just getting by, than so be it. Me, I want MORE from my team, and this team is completely capable of more. Jimy burned out Lidge & Dotel....he pulls pitchers as soon as the wind blows....NEVER let's them work out of their own jams. Major, So I guess you would say the Wade Miller that is pitching for Jimy is as good as the guy that pitched for Dierker? Hmmm, wonder why...maybe the manager doesn't exactly instill confidence..eh? This team has underacheived. Ensberg had a career year, Hidalgo is back, Bags had a solid year.....and Everett is playing better than ever. This team COULD have locked up the central, and JIMY is the number one reason they haven't done it....in my mind he has blown at least a half dozen games this year with his horrid managing. Couldn't get it done in Boston, so the old retread gets to try in Houston...where they replace a guy who went to the playoffs 4 out of 5 years. with a guy who NEVER goes to the playoffs. Now that is progress, if you like having a stick jammed up your anus. DD
This team has two black holes at the bottom of the lineup and a VERY sketchy starting rotation. There's no way you can honestly say the Astros look better on paper than the Cubs do.
Zac, The Cubs? Who do they have? Sosa? They have Prior, who is nails, but Kerry Wood has been almost as inconsistent as Miller. Zambrano has been great, but Redding might be close if the team could score when he pitches. Heck yes, the team is every bit as good as the Cubs, and our offense should be MILES better than them. Too much platooning this year. Ensberg should have played a LOT more then Blum..... DD
DaDakota, Do you have to be reminded <B>yet again</b> that Jimy Williams actually <B>won</B> a playoff series in Boston? That's something that Dierker could never do. Can you explain to us how the team not scoring when Redding pitches is anywhere close to Jimy's fault? In fact, could you please explain to us how Jimy has affected our offense at all this year? It's not his fault they've underachieved. He also didn't start platooning Blum and Ensberg as much until Ensberg started sucking in late July.
That doesn't mean anything. Jimy has not won a playoff series with Bagwell or Biggio. Jimy won a playoff series in Boston with a much bigger payroll and players who do not fold in the playoffs. Why does everyone get on Dierker for not winning in the playoffs? When no one on the team hits, you can't win. The manager can't hit for the players. If Jimy wins a playoff series with Houston, then you can put him above Dierker. Right now, Jimy hasn't taken houston to the playoffs, while Dierker did 4 times.
I was simply responding to this uninformed quote by DaDakota: Jimy has gone to the playoffs and he has won a playoff series. Simple as that. Dierker's never done that. I would also argue that our talent the last two seasons doesn't equal the talent this team had from 1997-2001.
