There are lots of ways you can blame Hinch for some of these games, but the Astros often need just one hit to blow the game open, and they can't do it.
Oh he gets those groundouts on the first or second pitch he sees. Once down 2 strikes he is good for the strikeout. He has to have the worst approach at the plate. He just randomly swings from his heels at everything and anything.
you wanted him to...stay in the game an PH against the lefty...and still not be available in the 9th since he wouldn't have stayed in at 1B? Or did you want him to never be a PH option there and have Carter bat against the RH RP?
Can't lay this on McCullers. He had a quality start. If the Angels pitchers were dealing maybe, but they walked 9 people. Should have been able to overcome three runs with that.
Don't forget poor base running and poor strategic decisions by the manager and you just about have it. "No... Won't go to Harris or Neshak in the 8th... Already burned Gregerson screwing around last night. I will go to Qualls...err Thatcher. Okay Neshak... doh 4-2 now... Okay, I will go to Harris in the 9th.... We lose 4-3, hmm wonder what that Rangers score is?" - Hinch and his deep thoughts
Well..you know who I would have liked to pinch hit there. But hey, at least Fresno won the championship.
In my opinion fwiw....once the Astros extract all the 1 run games this year and study those games inside and out during the offseason and solve this dilemma to the point where the astros not only win the majority of these games but by wider margins they will be extremely dangerous no matter if other teams improve or not in the AL. This is all within their control as to how "efficient" they can become in this area turning this into a strength
I'm suggesting he has to manage his rotation according to possible need, yes. That's his job. I'm going to say this, I hope, for the last time; lord knows I've said it enough: the priority is making the postseason. If he has to start Keuchel in a must-win in order to accomplish that, then Hinch has done exactly what I've been advocating. Why is this so difficult? This is exactly the type of strategic thinking Hinch has to consider... If Friday falls on Keuchel's normal day to pitch, and the team has three chances to clinch the wild card spot, then you absolutely pitch him on Friday because the likelihood is high that, as your ace, he'll clinch it for you and provide the opportunity to properly line-up your rotation for the postseason. Again, this isn't that hard... managers have been, well, managing these types of scenarios for decades.
I don't want to distract from all the other responders but.... I've bolded the difference - we're not discussing gameS, cardpire - we're discussing a game; the must-win game - whenever that might occur (if at all). Hinch has to, as the manager, manage his rotation in order to allow him to have his ace available if a must-win game presents itself. I mean... this is what they pay managers to do: manage. There are, broadly, three possible avenues where he needs to have Keuchel available: a must-win to clinch the postseason; a wild card game; game 1 of the ALDS. I think you might be under the impression I'm suggesting Keuchel has to pitch all three?... He needs to be available to pitch the first one to present itself as viable. Does that make sense? If he has to pitch game #162 because it's win-or-go-home then he obviously can't pitch the wild card game and/or game 1 of the ALDS.
