Somehow, the one Astro who almost never strikes out and you can always count on to make contact... strikes out at the most inopportune time. This team is snakebit.
he never should have been swinging the bat in the first place. it has nothing to do with being snakebit, and everything to do with awful managing.
Eh, I would've bunted too, but I see the case to be made for the other side. Cooper was playing aggressive, and wanted to go for the big inning (the lead) instead of settling for the one run. Now, is it worth the risk? Often times it's not, but with Loretta, you can almost count on him to hit a ground ball to the right side or a fly to RF -- something that can advance Ausmus to third. He's usually a reliable situational hitter like that... except today, when everything in the world goes wrong. Of course, I guess it wouldn't have mattered either way, given that Pence came up hacking and pounded a pitch into the dirt for an easy out.
Cooper's let guys swing away in sure-fire bunt situations TWICE today. As much as you guys hate managers who always stick to playing the percentages and making only calculated decisions (the Jimy Williams-type)... Its just as problematic to have a manager who has no rhyme or reason to his secisions, and simply is rolling the dice and going with "feel" each and every time (the Garner-Cooper type).
This team hasn't been able to string together rallies and score runs in 2 weeks. we just had all the air taken out of us last inning where they scored 5 after smooth sailing. it is the bottom of the 7th, and the bottom of the order gets a run home and a man on with 0 outs. you have mark loretta batting, a bench player. he is a bench player because he's not a very good hitter. what he is good enough at, is getting a bunt down. that 1 run is all that's important right now. you tie the game first, then go from there. get the team out of the climbing uphill mindset. you dont play for a big inning trailing by a run late in the game. JD was saying on the telecast, "loretta needs to get it on the ground to the right side." uh, why? hope he hits a ground ball to advance the runner, rather than taking all the risk out of it and doing the no-brainer thing and bunt? cooper passed up a crucial run for no explainable reason other than he's an inept manager. that was inexcusable, there's a good chance it cost us the game, and, if i was drayton mclane, i'd have a word with cooper after this is over.
Fail. Loretta is a bench player because of his age and average, at best, defensive abilities. If he was younger, he'd be a starter somewhere. In fact, the reason he is still a major leaguer is because he IS a good hitter. He doesn't hit for power but he is a great contact hitter who walks a lot and can give you clutch hits. He is also a versatile utility player who can play 1st, 2nd, 3rd and SS but, at the end of the day, it's his hitting that makes him valuable.
Fail. Also because of his average, at best, offensive player at this stage of his career. you argue just for the sake of arguing dude. i'm starting to side with every other poster on here who thinks you're a moron.
Yup, that's the groin again I'm guessing. Hopefully he'll be OK with an off day tomorrow, but I wouldn't be surprised if he sits a few games as a precaution. Just when it couldn't get worse...
I could care less what you think of me. Go find one other person on here who thinks Loretta is not a good hitter. That is basically the only thing he does well at this point.
Apparently the "go for it" mindset doesn't extend to Cooper's ancillary staff. If they were managing "consistently"... they should have been sending Abercrombie all the way there... but they're not.
go find one other person on here who thinks somebody who can play all around the infield in the Major Leagues is an awful defensive player. just another case where you are arguing out of your bumbum.
