I couldn't agree more, but I'm hopeful this playoffs we can endure. He is too nice to F.Liriano, who should be pitching in only blowouts. Very few managers would blow a 7-3 lead in late innings.
Felt like hinch wasn't playing to win the game but rather to give martes, musgrove, harris,peacock, devo an extra day off. When you have a chance to lock up a win you do it and worry about the double header when it gets there. 5th time this year a 4 run lead has been treated like 8 run lead. time to start another streak. Dont really consider this game a loss just a managers off day.
I want to say Hinch got a little cute with his decision making but he's also got to use some of these guys. A four run lead may be too small to pop Fiers in there though. Sucks as a loss especially considering the opponent but get a couple today and it'll make up for it.
What a disappointing loss. I get that hinch needs to give some run to the bottom feeders of the pen but to trot out feliz, sipp, fiers and then especially gregerson w the runners on and no outs was essentially him conceding the game. Like others have said that was hinch managing like we have the top seed locked up when in actuality we are in real danger of losing it to Cleveland. Seriously, I'd love to know the reasoning for putting gregerson in at that juncture... why follow up one bad decision (fiers) w a terrible decision following a day off??? You can justify fires bc that's essentially the best scenario to give him some run out of the pen but when he starts struggling and you've already burned through two other struggling arms it's time to go to one of your aces out of the pen. We don't have that luxury and we wasted a solid offensive performance at a time when 8 run outbursts have become much much rare.
Hinch just sucks. Give me a Francona-like manager who's a ball-grabbing, chewing, spitting angry hard-ass. Look at the Indians pitchers: they know they will be washing his dirty underwear if they screw up. Also, Alex Bregman should never have a day off AFTER A TEAM DAY OFF when he's hitting so well unless it's from the infield and he's the DH. Beltran is just a blackhole; he should be carrying Encarnacion's luggage.
The biggest problem yesterday was mchugh gave the astros 3 uninspiring innings, so it was going to be a struggle from there on out. Combine that with the fact that the astros have a double hitter today, and hinch did the best he could not to blow through the bullpen. The other thing I'll say is that it is pretty clear that Giles is going to lose you a game that you don't want to lose. I know that this seems far-fetched but I would seriously consider (in the playoffs) to make our bulldog Lance Mccullers our pressure closer rather than a long reliever. Other than devo I don't trust any of our other guys to close. Will Harris isn't any better than giles.
HOT TAKE ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Giles has been money for a large majority of the season. Has 1 bad game and you're calling for Lance McCullers to be the playoff closer...even though he's never pitched out of the pen ever. This is only the 3rd time GIles has given up an earned run since the All Star break and first in a month.
And it was also an important game to win. I mean the 3rd time since the all-star break isn't all that great. I want Mariano Rivera back there. I don't want a guy that FEELS pressure and Ken Giles definitely does feel it. If I am not mistaken Lance was seen as a bullpen pitcher that we turned into a starter. He has the mentality that I want in a closer. Giles does not.
He's the guy that comes in when the game is close and the Astros need it ended. In which game is there not pressure? Are you going to ignore the multi-inning saves of late? You are mistaken. Lance has always been a starter. The only games he didn't officially start in the minors were when he was on teams using the tandem system.
I understand Hinch needs to figure out who at the bottom of the relief staff might be able to help in the playoffs. But why not sprinkle them in one or two at a time?
Astros have 2 games today...2! And their starter went just 3 last night. Prepare yourselves Hinch doomsayers, everyone in the pen will pitch in this series. Yuli's error didn't help and in the 7th the Astros had runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out with the middle of the order up but failed to score.
Honestly, my only problem was Gregerson. He's been fake good this year. He sucks in high leverage and should never see the field with the tying run at the plate. I'll take a split today if it equals CLE losing. Operation End The Streak
At the end of the day Hinch shouldn't be blamed for the loss. He has to give his guys work in the pen. His closer came in and coughed up a game. Simple as that. The results should further solidify that Fiers has no value on a playoff roster and Gregerson is not your most reliable option in a high leverage situation. And that Giles is prone to wilting when faced with adversity. One thing I've noticed with Giles is that if he gives up one hit he's likely to give up multiple hits. Maybe that is just my selective memory though.
One could make the argument that having the best record in the AL isnt so important. After all, we play better on the road than at home. But id much rather face NYY/Min than the Red Sox in the first round. That to me outweighs the above and should motivate us to win as much as possible. Last night didst convince me this is the case though.
