I think Larry Dierker deserves to go, but so do a lot of the players. I can't think of the last time I saw a playoff team go out with such passivity, such weakness and with such little heart. Burkett is throwing up meatballs and the Astros are waving their sticks as limply as John Wayne Bobbitt after his was cut off. For me, the Astros have now become just as bad as the Oilers were in the early '90's.
I agree, the players have to shoulder some of the blame as well. However, I think if they don't belive the manager is going to help them by making sound decisions, I think their pyschy gets hurt as well. The Astros are too damned nice, they don't have that TOUGH and MEANESS that you need to win. When was the last time you saw an Astros pitcher back someone off the plate, or knock down another teams players after a big hit? I think Oswalt does a bit of this, hopefully we can get a baseball strategist in there. That Squeeze play by Cox was a thing of beauty. DaDakota
On DD comment. I am not watching but I pulled up a game log: ATLANTA 4TH -Surhoff flied out to left center. -A Jones singled to left center. -Sanchez singled to center, A Jones to third. -Bako sacrificed A Jones scored, Sanchez to second. -Burkett struck out swinging. That run sure looks big now. Someone recognized how important picking up 1 run can be in a playoff game, even if it reduces your chance at that big inning. And that person ain't Dierker (or Brenly for the matter). And yes, the killer B's and Alou are choking pretty bad. Go figure with Alou, he was clutch elsewhere
Alou was 3-16 in the 1998 playoffs with Houston and was hurt in 1999. With Florida he was 4-29 in their first 2 series and finally picked it up with a 9-28 performance in the World Series.
