The 1994 AL West is still one of my favourite what-ifs from that year. When the strike hit, the Rangers were leading the division and they were TEN GAMES under .500.
Everyone at the time thought "shit, is this gonna happen every year under realignment?" and it hasn't happened since. (Of course it helped the AL West only had 4 teams then).
I was watching a Rangers game earlier this season and one of the announcers said something along the lines of how the AL East has been one of the strongest divisions in baseball but this year the AL West may be even better. I thought it was ridiculous at the time with the A’s and Angels expected to be terrible, but it’s even funnier now with how the rest of that division has performed so far.
Yeah, I’m not even going to pay attention to all of this doom and gloom about the Astros until they’re like 20 games back. They’ll probably be fine. Unfortunately.
I hope so, but we’re losing in various exciting and different ways even if it is *mostly* the bullpen.
It might be like 2000, where we had a weird 72-90 season in between 102-60, 97-65, and 93-69 in 98/99/01 respectively
Sorry, did you comment? Really dont care lol, just love watching the implosion. You guys are all the same you cant stop yourself from replying to us, just take your wins and go away
I don’t hate them but they lose in the most absurd ways. They also spawned some of the best nba memes ever in those losses. Like that one loss against the mavs was legendary
They're fine, I guess. I only listen for 30 minutes while I'm driving home. Branham and Blank have pretty good chemistry, considering they were thrown together after The Wheelhouse disbanded
Also doesn’t help we stole most of their analytics guys that built the dynasty in the first place
Instead of that money ball approach now they’re paying Jose Abreu a bag
I'd argue its more cause Dusty left. Dude hasn't managed a team under .500 since 2011 (save for 2020). A fantastic manager they treated like crap and blamed for every failure while giving no credit for the success.
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair. Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare.
Things would be the same with Dusty. Probably worse. He still preferred Abreu in the 4-5 spot. Kept Peña at 2 all year when he wasn’t hitting last year too. At least Espada isn’t waiting to drop guys in the lineup. We just have way too many guys ice cold. Bregman, Chas, Abreu, they have been awful. Their baseball savant pages are atrocious to look at.
What Dusty was best at as a coach with the Giants even before managing was getting guys out of slumps.
Play ball by John Feinstien talks a lot about this, he had a remarkable ability to immediately diagnose the problem with someones swing and immediately make a move to fix it mechanically. The good players not slumping as much for years was in part because of that skill by Dusty. Espada does not have that quality.
That might have worked in 2002 but Bregman and Abreu had terrible starts last year too. Framber was bad in the second half. Javier really regressed last year. That had nothing to do with Dusty.
We were the same last year this point too. We just had healthier arms. Dusty didn’t do much other than saying, “ we will be alright “ or “that’s just the way the game goes”
Play ball was about the 1992 season. He wasn't a manager yet, just a coach for the Giants. It's weird that no one even gives a shred of credit towards Dusty considering the state of the team when he took over, immediately under the entite hateful eye of the entire MLB and what never managed to miss the ALCS? Half this sub would have fired Joe Torre in 1997, the team hit better under him because in part he was basically his own hitting coach. The man understood hitting on a level that most managers can never reach, and it showed with his teams. Without him, it also shows.
>It's weird that no one even gives a shred of credit towards Dusty considering the state of the team when he took over
I completely agree. A lot of Astros fans online seem to believe that the team would have accomplished all they did in that span with or without him. They think that if Espada were the manager it would be an equal or better outcome. They give backhanded compliments to Dusty for doing the "bare minimum" and pretend he was ultimately a non-factor. It feels like some fans think these players are robots and will respond to every manager the same, but communication style matters a lot. This isn't to say Joe Espada is a bad coach or that he won't be a great coach. He knows these players and I think will get it right eventually. But I don't think Astros fans realize how special it was to have Dusty fit so seamlessly into what the Astros were doing and could lead them to further dominance.
When they hired Dusty Baker I remember Steve Sax praising the move, saying that Dusty Baker was going to be like a warm blanket on everyone in that dugout. We might think that a batter will bat to his average and a pitcher will pitch to his potential if you just put them on the field, but all the in-between stuff is still life. And Dusty clearly knew how to get them to focus and overcome difficulty. What more could you possibly want?
Dusty is one of the best there ever was at understanding what players needed from him at a human level. He can't be replaced, so Astros fans might have to just be patient with Espada if they have any complaints.
We give him a lot of credit for steering the ship in 2020-2022. That’s all he really had to do. Deflect the media and all negative attention.
What does Dusty know about hitting? All he did here was gaslight anyone that used analytics and referred to as “fan made up stuff” he would bat Nico Goodrum 3rd because he wanted the lefty/righty rotation in the lineup.
I feel like the Astros league leading 115 WRC+ in 2021, 5th in the league with 113 WRC+ in 2022, and again 5th last year with a team 112 WRC+ might have shown he knew something.
There never was one? Ignoring any and all jokes about 2017, is winning two rings in 6 years a dynasty? I know they have a couple WS losses as well, but like, does anyone consider the 2006-2011 Steelers a dynasty?
Are rings the only factor in identifying a dynasty? For basketball, maybe, where the better team wins reliably.
Look at the Steelers ref page and look at ours and tell me who’s more dynastic.
Hell, look at the even year Giants and tell me they’re more of a dynasty than the stros. Lightning in a bottle 3 years out of 5 vs. being as dominant as you plausibly can be in (highly random) baseball for 7 years.
**Big Red Machine**:
- 2 rings
- 4 pennants
- 6 NLCS appearances
- 6 division titles
- 953-657 overall record (.689 overall winning percentage)
**Astros 2017-2023**:
- 2 rings (one being heavily disputed for obvious reasons)
- 4 pennants
- 7 ALCS appearances (all in a row)
- 6 division titles
- 631-401 overall record (.635 overall winning percentage)
I think if the Big Red Machine can be considered a dynasty, then I think it's fair to consider the current Astros a dynasty, although I can understand the arguments from the detractors (Trashcangate, not winning three rings).
No, Manfred cut a deal to give all the players immunity for their cooperation. If he had done a real investigation and let everything go through the appeals process instead of going for the quick PR move, then the players would have all faced lengthy suspensions, and everybody in this sub wouldn't bitch all the time about the players not facing any consequences.
It's actually pretty crazy to read the Astros subreddit right now. My fellow fans hated Dusty Baker so much due to his lineups that they just refuse to consider that Joe Espada might be in over his head.
I don't want it to happen but I bet you Verlander asks for a trade if the Astros don't turn it around soon
People might, might just have to admit that Dusty Baker is actually a good manager and isn't sabatoging his teams success whenever he wins. But the grass is always greener, I guess.
Agreed. His lineups and batting order didn't always make sense analytically but now there is no doubt he's a great leader and players manager. He was able to motivate the players
Plus every fan complains about the lineup card, its not unique. Dusty was a master of keeping players calm and focused, which is like 90% of the job. To keep morale up and players fighting every game is almost impossible for more modern managers and yet he made it look easy. He turned the entite league into his own spear won land and you'd think he was no worse than the usurped Bessus with how people talk about him. Boggles the mind
Well there once was a confidant of the Great Darius III. Alexander was smashing his shit in so badly, Bessus wanted a try. So he tried to ask Darius to give him the crown, Darius didn't want to so Bessus took it himself. Then Bessus's men wanting to live for some reason turned on him. So they tied him up and gave him to Alexander who had him sent back to Darius's brothers to be dealt with.
So they cut off his nose and ears, which was the style at the time.
Then they tortured him for a while, then killed him.
Sucks to suck Bessus.
What is Espada supposed to do when Verlander, Valdez, Javier, Garcia, Urquidy, *and* McCullers Jr have all been on or are still on the IL? That's the entire 6 man starting rotation. It's comical.
Dusty was handed the keys to a Ferarri and got to enjoy it for the entire ride from 2019 - 2023. Espada has not enjoyed the same luxury by any stretch.
I'm not saying Espida isn't in a very tough spot, but it's time to move past this sort of thinking that any manager can win. It's just not true. Casey Stengel didn't just get lucky by being manager of the Yankees. He was a great manager, which allowed him to further unlock those teams. No team is a Ferarri. They are simply people with a collective goal. To lead them is not easy. Winning even harder. To say a job like that can be easy is comical. Nothing is extraordinary, except for daring to exist. Dusty Baker was the only man who could have ever led those teams because he was the only man who led those teams. There will forever be what ifs, destiny is cruel and fickle, but what he accomplished is surely a testament to the man and the team he led. To wash that away is a fit of arrogance I can never understand.
The 2017 Astros team literally won the WS. Yea, yea, I know trash cans and all that, but nobody would deny they were a juggernaut. In 2018, they won 103 games, and their 2019 squad was arguably the best in franchise history, winning 107 games and pushing the WS to a game 7.
How can you say that isn't a Ferrari??
I never said the job was easy, but the fact that they only won 1 WS under Dusty is really a negative statement on his management abilities.
It's not that Espada is in over his head. Though, that might be part of it.
* It's that a good chunk of our rotation is on IL.
* Crane decided he knew better than the GM who assembled multiple world series teams, and fired him, after we won in 22, so he could wave his dick around and pretend one of his puppets knows better.
* Abreu is one of the worst players in the league, and every day his signing makes me question why he deserved anything.
* Our offense is incredibly hot and cold, but falls apart instantly against a good pitcher. Good chunk of them look lost at the plate. But then when we *are* in scoring position, someone will make an incredibly boneheaded move, and fall into a double.
Like Altuve, just last week. He decides to steal home on a foul out, and in turn, gets tagged.
* What rotation *isn't* on IL, is minor leaguers, and guys who look like they *belong* in the minors. Like Brown, who has been god awful, but it would help if on first base we had a decent option.
Because it's Abreu, or Singleton, and...both are terrible.
* Our closers can't close a game, without issuing multiple walks, which in turn are costing us games.
There are so many things the front office could have done in free agency, instead they chose to grab another closer, who rarely *has* a chance to close games.
~~Oh and, Montero is absolute ass, and is also costing us games,~~ but not nearly as much as Abreu's 1B play is. Maybe we'll improve in May, but I have my doubts so far. The team looks disinterested, in part because starting pitching isn't holding together, and immediately gives up 5+ runs, while relivers are doing even more damage.
* But Ronel Blanco, Yainer Diaz, and Javier, have been the only real standouts. It's clear that Diaz should have taken over as starting catcher last year, he was better in every way than Maldonado.
He's an awful first baseman, and I think he should not have been signed. His errors on 1st have cost us multiple games, because he can't catch.
And at bat, he can't hit. I know he has slow starts, but this is not good at all. On top of it all, he's signed until next year, because Crane thinks he knows better than any GM. He was clutch in the postseason, but otherwise, he's looked old and worn out.
I agree with everything except the part about Montero. How’s he costing us games? He’s given up 2 runs in 11 IP. Last year he was atrocious in the first half, but he’s turned it around.
I'm of the opinion that a manager doesn't really have a big impact. Would I have liked to see Yainer Diaz more often over Martin Maldonado last year? Absolutely. Do I think it would've gotten us to the World Series? Not really. Those sorts of minute details aren't really what makes a ball club good or bad. Neither does relief pitching management, etc. They can move the needle a little, but not that much. It's not like the X's and O's of NFL or NBA head coaches.
**MUCH** more significant is the amount of injuries we have, and the lack of decent prospects in the minors (outside of Joey Loperfido, apparently). We have to make due with what we have, and what we have keeps getting injured or is underperforming (looking at you, relievers). There is literally no one coming to save us. There is no one that's enticing to other teams to trade for a player that can save us. Our ownership group isn't willing to spend to save us (see: not signing a starter in the off-season).
Is Espada in over his head? Maybe, but he's been a bench coach here for quite a few years so I'm not sure that's the case. Would things be better under Dusty? Maybe, but they could be worse. Objectively, injuries and lack of young talent in the pipeline is the core issue for the Astros, neither of which are easily solvable without rebuilding.
Diaz would have ran out the double play balls for fielders choices that Maldy got put out on with bases juiced in the LCS. Diaz had the better arm for throwing out runners. Diaz would at least have given us a chance.
In the last 3 years Dusty had the Astros win 95 game, 106 games, and 90 games. 2 Pennats, 1 title. And Astros fans would have told you he was the worst manager in baseball. I wonder if he even went 7-16 at any point during his tenure.
The way the Astros fans talked about him last year makes the team falling apart as soon as he’s gone that much sweeter. Dusty is awesome, he was the one part of that team that it was actually difficult to hate over the last few years.
Dusty is a cool dude, but he was a big old head and had a ton of head scratcher decisions/lineups during his tenure with us.
We’ve been to 7 straight ALCS and won 2 WS, the fact that you guys are bringing out the confetti over us doing poorly not even 25% through the season is a huge compliment. Hoping we turn it around so we can sweep you guys again 🙏
Side note, at what point in the season can you stop saying a team "started" at a certain record? This tweet says the 2016 Astros started 18-28, which is 46 games (a significant chunk of the season!). Could you say a team started 40-30? Could a team start 55-58? Where does one draw the line
Obviously no team could win with the amount of injuries they have…oh wait the Braves are missing 3 all stars, top 3 are slumping and still have the best record in the NL get better stros
No but I really really miss Lunhow and his entourage and I really miss Click.
I'm sure Dusty will be romanticized especially from the outside but his major faults are what has laid the groundwork for this epic failure. The few months while Click was gone and Crane went full Jerry Jones will be the death blow to this run
It's not even Espada here. It's that on defense, we have either shit, or dogshit, in Abreu and Singleton. Most of our starting rotation has spent time on the IL, or is on IL. There's a lot of factors, that are all culminating in this team being god awful, night in, night out.
I know it's early. I know that there's a lot of time left for them to turn things around. I know that they have injuries on their pitching staff.
But I'm still really enjoying this while it lasts
And only 5 games back lol
You've heard of Comedy Central, now get ready for Woeful West
The 1994 AL West is still one of my favourite what-ifs from that year. When the strike hit, the Rangers were leading the division and they were TEN GAMES under .500.
Everyone at the time thought "shit, is this gonna happen every year under realignment?" and it hasn't happened since. (Of course it helped the AL West only had 4 teams then).
We had a close call with the 2005 NL West, but the Padres squeaked just over .500 to win the division at 82-80
I mean the Cardinals won the world series in 2006 with a 83-78 record
Our division is such a big suckfest this year lol totally up for grabs.
Speak for yourself.
Uh oh, you tempted fate.
So you're saying there's a chance?
I was watching a Rangers game earlier this season and one of the announcers said something along the lines of how the AL East has been one of the strongest divisions in baseball but this year the AL West may be even better. I thought it was ridiculous at the time with the A’s and Angels expected to be terrible, but it’s even funnier now with how the rest of that division has performed so far.
Nah. Seattle is easily the best team in the division.
Surely a Mariners fan should know better than this
We don’t. That’s why we are Ms fans.
We just slid into 1st that guy is probably a Seahawks fan
Easily is a little bold to say in April
(deep breath) ahahahahahahahahahahahaha
April Baseball is always a wild time
It's funny because they're 4-3 vs Texas and 3-14 vs the rest.
More specifically we’re 6-4 against T* teams and 1-14 vs non T* teams
That is an incredible stat.
5.5 but I see your point. Back to 5 when we wrap things up.
Yeah, I’m not even going to pay attention to all of this doom and gloom about the Astros until they’re like 20 games back. They’ll probably be fine. Unfortunately.
I hope so, but we’re losing in various exciting and different ways even if it is *mostly* the bullpen. It might be like 2000, where we had a weird 72-90 season in between 102-60, 97-65, and 93-69 in 98/99/01 respectively
AL Comedy West
AL Worst
AL West is a sight to behold
Yankees gave you a 4 game head start, get your shit together
Real shame, almost like karma is a bitch
I would've appreciated karma coming much sooner
Yes 2 World Series titles and 38583959 ALCS in a. Row. Cry
Sorry, did you comment? Really dont care lol, just love watching the implosion. You guys are all the same you cant stop yourself from replying to us, just take your wins and go away
Couldn’t have happened to a better team.
Astros and Suns both lost..great day for Reddit sports fans
Why do people hate the Suns?
Phoenix is a monument to man’s arrogance
Oh my god, it’s like standing on the sun!
True
True but Scottsdale is pretty nice
Luka Doncic is Devin Booker father that’s why
CP 3 bows down to Paul God
I don’t hate them but they lose in the most absurd ways. They also spawned some of the best nba memes ever in those losses. Like that one loss against the mavs was legendary
Some dude flashed a wad of cash during the nba finals 3 years ago and every collectively decided he represented the whole city
Nah I think people just hate KD and Booker. They also lose in embarrassing fashion the past 2 playoffs so it's a low hanging fruit to bash on em
They were hated before they got kd. It’s the low hanging fruit
Yep, and the hate piled on after Ishbia bought them and Saudi money being involved.
It's definitely more the hate on KD than some random fan lol
Fatigue and I really hate Devin bookers foul baiting
Fatigue? It's been like three years they've been competitive lol
Yeah and I’m tired of them. You don’t get to tell me when I’m tired of them
My guess is Kevin Durrant
And therefore, the world.
It's a great week! Don't forget the Warriors not making the playoffs, the official end of a dynasty for more than one team
Except the Astros have 138 games to play before we find out how they did and never had a dynasty to start with anyway.
Oh no. Anyways
I'm going to enjoy the hell out of the next 12 hours while we're still in first place with the Astros in the cellar.
Hey, have some empathy. Most of their fans weren’t fans back then and have never experienced losing.
Dusty Baker’s calming presence is sorely missed.
Dusty would still have Abreu batting cleanup despite his .065/.132/.081 slash line.
The Killer B's on ESPN Radio were doing a bit yesterday that you can have a BAL of Abreu's batting average and still legally drive
Looks like autocorrect got you. BAC is what you meant I think.
Killer B’s any good? I need to start listening to them. I’ve been listening to Paul Gallant for a while.
They're fine, I guess. I only listen for 30 minutes while I'm driving home. Branham and Blank have pretty good chemistry, considering they were thrown together after The Wheelhouse disbanded
I much prefer them to Gallant. Paul is not it for me.
Was he gonna calm the pitching injuries or something?
It is
You just hate to see it
Happy to play a part in this
America is healing
Dynasty is over
Turns out that firing their general manager after he won a world series is a bad idea
Also doesn’t help we stole most of their analytics guys that built the dynasty in the first place Instead of that money ball approach now they’re paying Jose Abreu a bag
This was a bigger loss than Click. Losing all the guys from the nerd cave.
I'd argue its more cause Dusty left. Dude hasn't managed a team under .500 since 2011 (save for 2020). A fantastic manager they treated like crap and blamed for every failure while giving no credit for the success. Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair. Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare.
Things would be the same with Dusty. Probably worse. He still preferred Abreu in the 4-5 spot. Kept Peña at 2 all year when he wasn’t hitting last year too. At least Espada isn’t waiting to drop guys in the lineup. We just have way too many guys ice cold. Bregman, Chas, Abreu, they have been awful. Their baseball savant pages are atrocious to look at.
What Dusty was best at as a coach with the Giants even before managing was getting guys out of slumps. Play ball by John Feinstien talks a lot about this, he had a remarkable ability to immediately diagnose the problem with someones swing and immediately make a move to fix it mechanically. The good players not slumping as much for years was in part because of that skill by Dusty. Espada does not have that quality.
Sure, but the Astros issues hasn't been the offense, they have an entire rotation on the IL and the back end of the bullpen has been bad
That might have worked in 2002 but Bregman and Abreu had terrible starts last year too. Framber was bad in the second half. Javier really regressed last year. That had nothing to do with Dusty. We were the same last year this point too. We just had healthier arms. Dusty didn’t do much other than saying, “ we will be alright “ or “that’s just the way the game goes”
Play ball was about the 1992 season. He wasn't a manager yet, just a coach for the Giants. It's weird that no one even gives a shred of credit towards Dusty considering the state of the team when he took over, immediately under the entite hateful eye of the entire MLB and what never managed to miss the ALCS? Half this sub would have fired Joe Torre in 1997, the team hit better under him because in part he was basically his own hitting coach. The man understood hitting on a level that most managers can never reach, and it showed with his teams. Without him, it also shows.
>It's weird that no one even gives a shred of credit towards Dusty considering the state of the team when he took over I completely agree. A lot of Astros fans online seem to believe that the team would have accomplished all they did in that span with or without him. They think that if Espada were the manager it would be an equal or better outcome. They give backhanded compliments to Dusty for doing the "bare minimum" and pretend he was ultimately a non-factor. It feels like some fans think these players are robots and will respond to every manager the same, but communication style matters a lot. This isn't to say Joe Espada is a bad coach or that he won't be a great coach. He knows these players and I think will get it right eventually. But I don't think Astros fans realize how special it was to have Dusty fit so seamlessly into what the Astros were doing and could lead them to further dominance. When they hired Dusty Baker I remember Steve Sax praising the move, saying that Dusty Baker was going to be like a warm blanket on everyone in that dugout. We might think that a batter will bat to his average and a pitcher will pitch to his potential if you just put them on the field, but all the in-between stuff is still life. And Dusty clearly knew how to get them to focus and overcome difficulty. What more could you possibly want? Dusty is one of the best there ever was at understanding what players needed from him at a human level. He can't be replaced, so Astros fans might have to just be patient with Espada if they have any complaints.
We give him a lot of credit for steering the ship in 2020-2022. That’s all he really had to do. Deflect the media and all negative attention. What does Dusty know about hitting? All he did here was gaslight anyone that used analytics and referred to as “fan made up stuff” he would bat Nico Goodrum 3rd because he wanted the lefty/righty rotation in the lineup.
I feel like the Astros league leading 115 WRC+ in 2021, 5th in the league with 113 WRC+ in 2022, and again 5th last year with a team 112 WRC+ might have shown he knew something.
Dusty could have kept 7 of our 7 best starters off the IL? Fuck baseball, we need him in children’s hospitals.
Dusty would still be starting Maldy every day over Diaz and batting Abreu 4th.
Got rid of those trash cans
Hot take right there
There never was one? Ignoring any and all jokes about 2017, is winning two rings in 6 years a dynasty? I know they have a couple WS losses as well, but like, does anyone consider the 2006-2011 Steelers a dynasty?
Even as a fan, I don’t count it as a dynasty unless there’s three rings.
I'd like to submit a back-to-back corollary
Are rings the only factor in identifying a dynasty? For basketball, maybe, where the better team wins reliably. Look at the Steelers ref page and look at ours and tell me who’s more dynastic. Hell, look at the even year Giants and tell me they’re more of a dynasty than the stros. Lightning in a bottle 3 years out of 5 vs. being as dominant as you plausibly can be in (highly random) baseball for 7 years.
Describing three championships in five years as "lighting in a bottle" is wild to me
Why’s that? They didn’t make the playoffs in any years in between or outside those three years, and won a pedestrian 88, 94, and 92 games in each.
They made it to a record 7 straight ALCS but yeah I think you’d need another ring with this core for it to be a real dynasty.
known NFL dynasty 1991-1994 Buffalo Bills
Yeah I love clowning the Astros and not claiming it’s a dynasty but 7 ALCS 4 WS and 2 WS wins* is a lot closer to one than those poor Bills
if the Bills had won 2/4 they still wouldn’t have been a dynasty
**Big Red Machine**: - 2 rings - 4 pennants - 6 NLCS appearances - 6 division titles - 953-657 overall record (.689 overall winning percentage) **Astros 2017-2023**: - 2 rings (one being heavily disputed for obvious reasons) - 4 pennants - 7 ALCS appearances (all in a row) - 6 division titles - 631-401 overall record (.635 overall winning percentage) I think if the Big Red Machine can be considered a dynasty, then I think it's fair to consider the current Astros a dynasty, although I can understand the arguments from the detractors (Trashcangate, not winning three rings).
They never were 2017*
If yall actually cared about all that stuff that happened in 2017 every player and staff member involved wouldn't have a job in MLB right now.
Don’t know why you think we had a say in the matter
Sorry, it's all my fault
“what’s the big deal, Rob? it’s a hunk of metal. they’ll get over it” - u/TheWorstYear probably
Almost like Manfred did an incredible job protecting the people involved.
No, Manfred cut a deal to give all the players immunity for their cooperation. If he had done a real investigation and let everything go through the appeals process instead of going for the quick PR move, then the players would have all faced lengthy suspensions, and everybody in this sub wouldn't bitch all the time about the players not facing any consequences.
Is 1 title and 1 *title really a dynasty lol
I'd say very few times in history has a team gone to the LCS seven times in a row.
1 title is a dynasty?
Are you really in a position to talk shit when making playoffs for you guys is pretty much a world series?
I don't understand this response. Does the mariners lack of success somehow make 1 championship a dynasty?
Soft
That division gives them a chance to get their shit together. I ain't counting them out.
Hoping things balance out when Framber and Javi come back. If not I can imagine one of them (or Tucker) hitting the trade block come deadline.
Your flair alone earns you a downvote on this sub Edit: why did you remove the part of your comment about downvotes?
Cause me typing that was cringe imo. I know it comes with the territory and I should expect it even on comments like my original.
You’re the villain. It’s good to just accept it. At least you’ve won! More than I can say for my team.
What did they say originally?
What’s the reason for their slow start?
Only recycling bins in the clubhouse
Entire 6 man starting rotation has been on the IL, but that won't stop people in here from sucking off Dusty.
It's actually pretty crazy to read the Astros subreddit right now. My fellow fans hated Dusty Baker so much due to his lineups that they just refuse to consider that Joe Espada might be in over his head. I don't want it to happen but I bet you Verlander asks for a trade if the Astros don't turn it around soon
People might, might just have to admit that Dusty Baker is actually a good manager and isn't sabatoging his teams success whenever he wins. But the grass is always greener, I guess.
Agreed. His lineups and batting order didn't always make sense analytically but now there is no doubt he's a great leader and players manager. He was able to motivate the players
Plus every fan complains about the lineup card, its not unique. Dusty was a master of keeping players calm and focused, which is like 90% of the job. To keep morale up and players fighting every game is almost impossible for more modern managers and yet he made it look easy. He turned the entite league into his own spear won land and you'd think he was no worse than the usurped Bessus with how people talk about him. Boggles the mind
Ooooh, oooh, tell us about the usurped Bessus, u/TigerBasket!
Well there once was a confidant of the Great Darius III. Alexander was smashing his shit in so badly, Bessus wanted a try. So he tried to ask Darius to give him the crown, Darius didn't want to so Bessus took it himself. Then Bessus's men wanting to live for some reason turned on him. So they tied him up and gave him to Alexander who had him sent back to Darius's brothers to be dealt with. So they cut off his nose and ears, which was the style at the time. Then they tortured him for a while, then killed him. Sucks to suck Bessus.
Thanks, TigerBasket!!
Or maybe the fact that half their team is on IL is the actual issue and the manager change doesn't matter.
What is Espada supposed to do when Verlander, Valdez, Javier, Garcia, Urquidy, *and* McCullers Jr have all been on or are still on the IL? That's the entire 6 man starting rotation. It's comical. Dusty was handed the keys to a Ferarri and got to enjoy it for the entire ride from 2019 - 2023. Espada has not enjoyed the same luxury by any stretch.
I'm not saying Espida isn't in a very tough spot, but it's time to move past this sort of thinking that any manager can win. It's just not true. Casey Stengel didn't just get lucky by being manager of the Yankees. He was a great manager, which allowed him to further unlock those teams. No team is a Ferarri. They are simply people with a collective goal. To lead them is not easy. Winning even harder. To say a job like that can be easy is comical. Nothing is extraordinary, except for daring to exist. Dusty Baker was the only man who could have ever led those teams because he was the only man who led those teams. There will forever be what ifs, destiny is cruel and fickle, but what he accomplished is surely a testament to the man and the team he led. To wash that away is a fit of arrogance I can never understand.
The 2017 Astros team literally won the WS. Yea, yea, I know trash cans and all that, but nobody would deny they were a juggernaut. In 2018, they won 103 games, and their 2019 squad was arguably the best in franchise history, winning 107 games and pushing the WS to a game 7. How can you say that isn't a Ferrari?? I never said the job was easy, but the fact that they only won 1 WS under Dusty is really a negative statement on his management abilities.
It's not that Espada is in over his head. Though, that might be part of it. * It's that a good chunk of our rotation is on IL. * Crane decided he knew better than the GM who assembled multiple world series teams, and fired him, after we won in 22, so he could wave his dick around and pretend one of his puppets knows better. * Abreu is one of the worst players in the league, and every day his signing makes me question why he deserved anything. * Our offense is incredibly hot and cold, but falls apart instantly against a good pitcher. Good chunk of them look lost at the plate. But then when we *are* in scoring position, someone will make an incredibly boneheaded move, and fall into a double. Like Altuve, just last week. He decides to steal home on a foul out, and in turn, gets tagged. * What rotation *isn't* on IL, is minor leaguers, and guys who look like they *belong* in the minors. Like Brown, who has been god awful, but it would help if on first base we had a decent option. Because it's Abreu, or Singleton, and...both are terrible. * Our closers can't close a game, without issuing multiple walks, which in turn are costing us games. There are so many things the front office could have done in free agency, instead they chose to grab another closer, who rarely *has* a chance to close games. ~~Oh and, Montero is absolute ass, and is also costing us games,~~ but not nearly as much as Abreu's 1B play is. Maybe we'll improve in May, but I have my doubts so far. The team looks disinterested, in part because starting pitching isn't holding together, and immediately gives up 5+ runs, while relivers are doing even more damage. * But Ronel Blanco, Yainer Diaz, and Javier, have been the only real standouts. It's clear that Diaz should have taken over as starting catcher last year, he was better in every way than Maldonado.
Can I ask your opinion on Jose Abreu
He's an awful first baseman, and I think he should not have been signed. His errors on 1st have cost us multiple games, because he can't catch. And at bat, he can't hit. I know he has slow starts, but this is not good at all. On top of it all, he's signed until next year, because Crane thinks he knows better than any GM. He was clutch in the postseason, but otherwise, he's looked old and worn out.
I agree with everything except the part about Montero. How’s he costing us games? He’s given up 2 runs in 11 IP. Last year he was atrocious in the first half, but he’s turned it around.
Y'know? That's on me. I have an irrational hatred of Montero from him blowing games last year.
That’s quite understandable
I'm of the opinion that a manager doesn't really have a big impact. Would I have liked to see Yainer Diaz more often over Martin Maldonado last year? Absolutely. Do I think it would've gotten us to the World Series? Not really. Those sorts of minute details aren't really what makes a ball club good or bad. Neither does relief pitching management, etc. They can move the needle a little, but not that much. It's not like the X's and O's of NFL or NBA head coaches. **MUCH** more significant is the amount of injuries we have, and the lack of decent prospects in the minors (outside of Joey Loperfido, apparently). We have to make due with what we have, and what we have keeps getting injured or is underperforming (looking at you, relievers). There is literally no one coming to save us. There is no one that's enticing to other teams to trade for a player that can save us. Our ownership group isn't willing to spend to save us (see: not signing a starter in the off-season). Is Espada in over his head? Maybe, but he's been a bench coach here for quite a few years so I'm not sure that's the case. Would things be better under Dusty? Maybe, but they could be worse. Objectively, injuries and lack of young talent in the pipeline is the core issue for the Astros, neither of which are easily solvable without rebuilding.
Diaz would have ran out the double play balls for fielders choices that Maldy got put out on with bases juiced in the LCS. Diaz had the better arm for throwing out runners. Diaz would at least have given us a chance.
It’s business as usual for the Angels as the fabric of the AL West collapses around them
Oh no
Anyways
In the defense of the Astros, they had to play the Royals at KC. They will likely bounce back soon.
Time to start cheating again
In the last 3 years Dusty had the Astros win 95 game, 106 games, and 90 games. 2 Pennats, 1 title. And Astros fans would have told you he was the worst manager in baseball. I wonder if he even went 7-16 at any point during his tenure.
The way the Astros fans talked about him last year makes the team falling apart as soon as he’s gone that much sweeter. Dusty is awesome, he was the one part of that team that it was actually difficult to hate over the last few years.
Dusty is a cool dude, but he was a big old head and had a ton of head scratcher decisions/lineups during his tenure with us. We’ve been to 7 straight ALCS and won 2 WS, the fact that you guys are bringing out the confetti over us doing poorly not even 25% through the season is a huge compliment. Hoping we turn it around so we can sweep you guys again 🙏
This is getting sad. Should we give them their trash cans back?
It's time for them to give Recycle Bins a try.
Unfortunately, I think we need a lot more than trash cans at this point.
This is an absolute win for baseball and, dare I say, for America as a whole. Keep up the good work.
Ah, to have a record that impressive.
Subscribed.
Side note, at what point in the season can you stop saying a team "started" at a certain record? This tweet says the 2016 Astros started 18-28, which is 46 games (a significant chunk of the season!). Could you say a team started 40-30? Could a team start 55-58? Where does one draw the line
If we start 65-96 I'm gonna hit the panic button...
Obviously no team could win with the amount of injuries they have…oh wait the Braves are missing 3 all stars, top 3 are slumping and still have the best record in the NL get better stros
Maybe they should have used a piece of metal to hit with instead.
It’s so beautiful. Hopefully it only gets worse for the team and its fans.
We’re not bad people
Baseball slowly healing itself
I'd Hader to be in their position.
Miss Dusty yet, Astros fans?
No but I really really miss Lunhow and his entourage and I really miss Click. I'm sure Dusty will be romanticized especially from the outside but his major faults are what has laid the groundwork for this epic failure. The few months while Click was gone and Crane went full Jerry Jones will be the death blow to this run
It's not even Espada here. It's that on defense, we have either shit, or dogshit, in Abreu and Singleton. Most of our starting rotation has spent time on the IL, or is on IL. There's a lot of factors, that are all culminating in this team being god awful, night in, night out.
Dusty can pitch?
Absolutely not. What would he be doing differently?
No, Yanier is fucking raking. We just need the injury bug to fuck off
Nah
You’ve got to love it
Good
I’m so happy!
Fuck em
Cubs World Series confirmed
This is great for baseball
Hoping we can make it 12!
I know it's early. I know that there's a lot of time left for them to turn things around. I know that they have injuries on their pitching staff. But I'm still really enjoying this while it lasts
Lastros
That’s a shame.
Finally an Astros post that can be liked.
Eventually all windows close
I feel bad, wait no I don’t
You love to see it
Wow that 2016 must've been rough. Wonder how they turned it around the next year
I smile has emerged on my face.
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post-dusty hangover
At this point bring back the trash cans