Just pretend the boos are being directed more at Crane and Bagwell. I mean Abreu deserves some boos too bc my god is he awful but the arrogance for Baggy to tell us we were “too analytical” and for Crane to have the stupidity to listen to him is what truly deserves our derision.
I was there and I honestly didn't hear any boos for Abreu. But, man, his and Maldy's ab's are about as non-competitive as you can be. What contact Abreu makes is late and cushiony soft. There's just something very off with his timing that he can get the bat to the ball...but he just can't get it there at the right moment. I think I saw that his average swing speed isn't bad. But at least he makes contact, unlike Maldy...who just looks like a pitcher up there.
Abreu is a really hard worker - worked really hard to get his body in shape… worked really hard to improve with the glove… has even totally redone his swing and launch angle when the White Sox and LaRussa decided all the Sox struck out too much and needed to make changes…. He was the team leader for the White Sox and never had any off the field issues and outside of being really depressed when his son was in Cuba - he has never complained or mopped in the big leagues. Having said that- he has asked to play every day and the Astros have accommodated him… he has wanted to hit in the heart of the order and the Astros have granted his wish. A bad month happens, he was bad to start last season as well and typically is bad for a couple months a year…. But this is going to be two months in a couple weeks and he has a 268 slugging percentage, the worst on a team that sports a 38 year old injured Martin Maldonado. Maybe he is done like some think, he didn’t look like it to me when I watched him in person, but I have been wrong before. I think some of this is that he isn’t in the same city and ballpark he played at for nearly a decade. He wouldn’t even go on vacation when he was with the White Sox because he really is a creature of habit. At this point I get the boos. He is playing a lot and poorly. Hopefully he turns it around, if he doesn’t, someone like Garret Cooper or another 110-115 OPS+ player will be brought in to play 1st.
First time this season we're 4 games over .500 Astros mash the Cubs' ace and Javier stat-pads his ERA Tomorrow could be the first 3-game winning streak at home and will be France's first pitches at MMP
The fact Abreu has already sh1tted the bed so far doesn't help, but after his feeble 2nd half production last season the Astros should've had a premeditated effort to either DH or DNP him twice a week this season starting from day 1. And Abreu should've understood that going in. He's not getting any younger and once his legs are shot this summer, they will likely stay shot. The Astros are accustomed to playing games long after the regular season is over
Why is everybody suddenly trying to replicate the failed philosophy of emphasizing HR rather than OBP and putting balls in play? Hasn't the last 6 years shown us anything about the long term success relying on the long ball when accompanied by swing and miss and strikeouts? Now we want to replicate the Angels and Yankees? I will not go along with this BS. Give me OBP and the hit train every day of the week.
Yeah, they are just waiting for Altuve to return and you will never see him again. Guy needs to build his confidence up. He goes up to the plate looking for a walk any time he gets in a hitter count and that just isn't going to get it done.
