Great post!
And it also doesn’t mean the job that was done was good.
I doubt it was the fact Rome wrote an article.
It was more that Rome had sources tell him accurately about the disagreement.
Putting it out in public was a power play by someone, and at least made Dusty address it publicly.
Though he stubbornly kept doing the same shit.
6 Likes
Astros end of season press conference with Crane, Brown, and Baker.
That’s an outstanding point.
My non-analytical assessment, based on nothing more than what I saw and how I feel is that the Astros would have been 5 games better, at 95-67 for the regular season, and likely playing in the WS this weekend if he was not the skipper this season and replaced by a league-average manager.
4 Likes
Maybe, but it was not Dusty’s fault (I don’t think) that the hitters seemingly forgot how to hit for long stretches this year. I think this was just one of those years where a bunch of things went wrong instead of going right. But I’m ready to see somebody else at the helm.
1 Like
The flip side to this argument is: If the Astros manager had regularly played McCormick and Diaz (and maybe even Singleton some), then having those guys PH in the later innings when the boys needed a hit might’ve gone better.
It’s pretty fucking hard to hit in the Bigs. It’s a million times harder to do it with zero live reps for weeks at a time.
7 Likes
Obviously, Doyce. The premise of my post was seeing things from Dusty’s point of view and that “hating” him because he took exception to criticism is, frankly, nuts.
There is nothing Dusty Baker did as manager of the Houston Astros that deserves hatred. That’s fucking stupid.
1 Like
I don’t discount the fact that handling the clubhouse across a full season is a big part of managing.
I recently told my dad that I had no doubt of his ability to handle his finances, his home, and himself - but that before those would become in question, the day would probably come when I would have to take his keys and explain that he just couldn’t drive anymore.
If they could have just taken Dusty’s keys on game day, things would have been just fine.
3 Likes
What is fucking stupid is your apparent inability to recognize hyperbole.
If this hasn’t been linked here, it sure needs to be - this - all of this
4 Likes
Right. I’ll leave that to you.
Go fuck yourself.
I’ll help you, and maybe Santa will bring you a dictionary:
The definition of hyperbole is “exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally .” In practice, hyperbole is language that loads up on the drama.
You know, kinda like HH saying Altuve struck out on a pitch in the Astros’ on-deck circle. Get it now?
Thank you! Helpful!
ETA: The longer I think about this article, the more convinced it could have been written by an OWA guy… Wonder which one.
1 Like
My observation is that Dusty likely caused this team to be less than its best.
While this team won the division and earned a bye meaning its not likely winning any more games would have improved its position.
- playing Chas over Julks and Dubon (when he was miserable in mid-seaon) and giving Diaz 50-70% of the starts at catcher by the math should have added a few more wins.
A few more wins and the team would not have been playing with its back against the wall several games leading up to the playoffs. Maybe players are fresher from less stress and effort. Maybe pitchers got a bit of a break.
- Dusty had to rely too much on his main guys, which I firmly believe hurt the effectiveness of Diaz and Meyers the final weeks of the season, and into the playoffs for Diaz
Abreu, Tucker, Alvarez, and Altuve each started all but 1 game in September. Bregman and Pena started all of them. Maldy started the last 6 games and 10 of final 13.
Neris, Maton, Abreu and Montero each pitched 10+ games in September.
Verlander and Javier started 6 games and Framber and Brown started 5.
We will never know but some rest and less stress the final weeks of the season could very well have changed the outcome.
But that was impossible because Dusty had no sense of urgency the first 5 months of the season.
Starting with sitting Chas on the bench the 1st 2 games of the year despite Julks starting game #2.
2 Likes
Dusty has a very thin skin. He cannot simply retire. He has to imply the media made him decide to go.
5 Likes
More Manfred Meddling:
I don’t completely oppose this. I feel like some step to reduce the parade of relievers, and the five-and-dive starters, would be good for the game.
2 Likes
I think their only goal is to drive up scoring. Parade of relievers? 5 inning starts? All secondary. Fans want a shooting match. Dead arm pitcher grooving meatballs? It’s FANtastic.
2 Likes
I guess it’s option day around the league. Either by club or player option being declined, the following players are now free agents:
- Hector Neris (player declined)
- Tim Anderson (club declined)
- Cody Bellinger (p)
- Marcus Stroman (p)
- Eduardo Rodriguez (p)
- Joey Votto (c)
- Wade Miley (p)
- Mike Clevinger (p)
- Justin Turner (p)
- Lance Lynn (c)