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Post by blcoach8 on Apr 12, 2021 21:36:28 GMT -6
Also, I don’t understand why Dusty never pinch hits for Maldonado. Dumb things like that is why I can't stand Dusty Baker as a manager. Any manager who hasn't given up on the game would have sent Diaz up to hit for Maldonado. Straw hasn't done much at the plate, but, why the hell did he pinch hit for Straw and not pinch hit for Maldonado? As I said earlier, if I could get Hinch back I'd tell Dusty to pack his bags and hit the road. I never would have hired him in the first place. I know we have some here who think he does a good job and he was what we needed after the sign stealing scandal. We should have hired an interim for last year when Hinch was suspended and then brought him back. We will NEVER win a WS with Baker managing the team........never. Straw is showing us why Click should have signed another outfielder who can swing a bat. All he does is draw walks to get on base and then doesn't run when he gets there so his speed is wasted. I don't know if McCormick can play CF but we need somebody out there who might get a hit. Having Straw and Maldonado at the bottom of the lineup kills anything we've got going when we get to them........Prime example was the 9th in tonight's game. |
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Post by bearbryant on Apr 12, 2021 22:13:32 GMT -6
Also, I don’t understand why Dusty never pinch hits for Maldonado. He doesn’t make contact and is the slowest guy on the team. |
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Post by blcoach8 on Apr 12, 2021 22:26:37 GMT -6
I now officially designate Dusty Baker as the Astros team dumbass.
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Post by Saint on Apr 13, 2021 5:06:55 GMT -6
I don't get it either, but Maldonado is not the reason we've lost three in a row. The offense has to start doing something.
The pitching hasn't been good recently, but the offense isn't doing anything other than a random solo HR.
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Post by Saint on Apr 13, 2021 8:18:06 GMT -6
On the plus side, Garcia looked fantastic and Gurriel continues to more than justify his extension. Plus, Tucker is waking up.
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Post by unionstation82 on Apr 13, 2021 9:15:24 GMT -6
On the plus side, Garcia looked fantastic and Gurriel continues to more than justify his extension. Plus, Tucker is waking up. I like Garcia as a reliever even though I really wish he’d develop as a starter. |
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Post by blcoach8 on Apr 13, 2021 9:16:39 GMT -6
I don't get it either, but Maldonado is not the reason we've lost three in a row. The offense has to start doing something. The pitching hasn't been good recently, but the offense isn't doing anything other than a random solo HR. I didn't mean to imply that Maldonado was costing us games.......most of our lineup is doing that. From Dusty to allow him to bat in the 9th was just plain stupid. I knew it would be a long night when I saw that Greinke was way off and wouldn't last long. Dusty left him in too long. I am not surprised when Dusty mismanages pitchers.....that is his history. Garcia was outstanding and should have earned his roster spot. |
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Post by unionstation82 on Apr 13, 2021 9:16:55 GMT -6
I don't get it either, but Maldonado is not the reason we've lost three in a row. The offense has to start doing something. The pitching hasn't been good recently, but the offense isn't doing anything other than a random solo HR. Oh, for sure Maldonado isn’t the reason they’re losing, but I don’t get the ‘ride or die’ approach with him when Castro is over there collecting dust on the bench. How does anyone expect Castro to not suck even more at the plate when he doesn’t get any reps? |
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Post by blcoach8 on Apr 13, 2021 9:17:58 GMT -6
On the plus side, Garcia looked fantastic and Gurriel continues to more than justify his extension. Plus, Tucker is waking up. I like Garcia as a reliever even though I really wish he’d develop as a starter. I think he will eventually be in the rotation, but, we need him in long relief right now. When Baez is ready, I trust that is the end of Joe Smith as an Astro. |
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Post by blcoach8 on Apr 13, 2021 9:19:12 GMT -6
I don't get it either, but Maldonado is not the reason we've lost three in a row. The offense has to start doing something. The pitching hasn't been good recently, but the offense isn't doing anything other than a random solo HR. Oh, for sure Maldonado isn’t the reason they’re losing, but I don’t get the ‘ride or die’ approach with him when Castro is over there collecting dust on the bench. How does anyone expect Castro to not suck even more at the plate when he doesn’t get any reps? Castro is not a good hitter but he is Mike Trout compared to Maldonado. I expect him to start tonight to catch Odorizzi since he caught him in Minnesota. |
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Post by Saint on Apr 13, 2021 10:17:37 GMT -6
On the plus side, Garcia looked fantastic and Gurriel continues to more than justify his extension. Plus, Tucker is waking up. I like Garcia as a reliever even though I really wish he’d develop as a starter. I don't know, there is a lot of value in a guy that can come in and give you multiple good innings when the bullpen is hurting. Still too early to judge with him. Outside of a game from Raley, a game from Taylor, and two games from Smith, the pitching has overall been fine. Greinke had a bad day but like you and I discussed, the defense wasn't exactly stellar. |
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Post by Saint on Apr 13, 2021 10:18:46 GMT -6
If they wanted to maximize what they can get from Castro and Maldonado, they would be starting them based on their strengths. Castro against righties and Maldonado against lefties.
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Post by unionstation82 on Apr 13, 2021 10:45:25 GMT -6
If they wanted to maximize what they can get from Castro and Maldonado, they would be starting them based on their strengths. Castro against righties and Maldonado against lefties. As old school as Dusty is, I don’t get why this hasn’t happened. |
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Post by Saint on Apr 13, 2021 11:06:25 GMT -6
If they wanted to maximize what they can get from Castro and Maldonado, they would be starting them based on their strengths. Castro against righties and Maldonado against lefties. As old school as Dusty is, I don’t get why this hasn’t happened. At this point in their careers, neither is really better defensively than the other. Maldonado has a better arm still, but Castro is the better framer. Just play to their offensive strengths. It should be cut and dry. And if it's late in the game, pinch hit for both of them. If we burn one and to have to bring in the other and the second one gets hurt, then we likely would have been screwed anyways. |
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Post by blcoach8 on Apr 13, 2021 11:20:59 GMT -6
As old school as Dusty is, I don’t get why this hasn’t happened. At this point in their careers, neither is really better defensively than the other. Maldonado has a better arm still, but Castro is the better framer. Just play to their offensive strengths. It should be cut and dry. And if it's late in the game, pinch hit for both of them. If we burn one and to have to bring in the other and the second one gets hurt, then we likely would have been screwed anyways. A platoon of using Castro against righties and Maldonado against lefties makes sense. Letting Maldonado hit in late game situations when we need runs driven in makes Baker look like an idiot. I never understood why we went with Garneau last year and ignored Stubbs. If they have no plans for Stubbs, and, it's fairly obvious that they don't, trade him and let him have a chance to play somewhere else. They have screwed him around long enough while playing old retreads who can't hit their weight. Maldonado has a good arm and that is where his usefulness ends. Castro frames pitches well. Neither can be counted on to hit. We have made it plain that we don't plan to spend money on a catcher who can actually hit. Gattis was a better hitter than either Castro or Maldonado, but, didn't have their defensive skills. I hope Lee isn't too far from being ready because we need to upgrade the catching position ASAP. |
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Post by Saint on Apr 13, 2021 11:39:25 GMT -6
At this point in their careers, neither is really better defensively than the other. Maldonado has a better arm still, but Castro is the better framer. Just play to their offensive strengths. It should be cut and dry. And if it's late in the game, pinch hit for both of them. If we burn one and to have to bring in the other and the second one gets hurt, then we likely would have been screwed anyways. A platoon of using Castro against righties and Maldonado against lefties makes sense. Letting Maldonado hit in late game situations when we need runs driven in makes Baker look like an idiot. I never understood why we went with Garneau last year and ignored Stubbs. If they have no plans for Stubbs, and, it's fairly obvious that they don't, trade him and let him have a chance to play somewhere else. They have screwed him around long enough while playing old retreads who can't hit their weight. Maldonado has a good arm and that is where his usefulness ends. Castro frames pitches well. Neither can be counted on to hit. We have made it plain that we don't plan to spend money on a catcher who can actually hit. Gattis was a better hitter than either Castro or Maldonado, but, didn't have their defensive skills. I hope Lee isn't too far from being ready because we need to upgrade the catching position ASAP. There must be something about Stubbs they don't like that we can't see. You would think with our limited OF depth and for 3rd catcher situations, that he would have had a spot on the team. He can also pinch run and would seem to have more defensive utility than Robel (who they aren't using hardly at all anyways). I wouldn't expect Stubbs to be GOOD, but he has a lot of defensive versatility and speed off the bench for basically the bare minimum cost. |
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Post by unionstation82 on Apr 13, 2021 11:39:51 GMT -6
At this point in their careers, neither is really better defensively than the other. Maldonado has a better arm still, but Castro is the better framer. Just play to their offensive strengths. It should be cut and dry. And if it's late in the game, pinch hit for both of them. If we burn one and to have to bring in the other and the second one gets hurt, then we likely would have been screwed anyways. A platoon of using Castro against righties and Maldonado against lefties makes sense. Letting Maldonado hit in late game situations when we need runs driven in makes Baker look like an idiot. I never understood why we went with Garneau last year and ignored Stubbs. If they have no plans for Stubbs, and, it's fairly obvious that they don't, trade him and let him have a chance to play somewhere else. They have screwed him around long enough while playing old retreads who can't hit their weight. Maldonado has a good arm and that is where his usefulness ends. Castro frames pitches well. Neither can be counted on to hit. We have made it plain that we don't plan to spend money on a catcher who can actually hit. Gattis was a better hitter than either Castro or Maldonado, but, didn't have their defensive skills. I hope Lee isn't too far from being ready because we need to upgrade the catching position ASAP. They must have decided that Stubbs, like Gattis, was a garbage option for catcher. Nothing else would make sense. |
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Post by ɮօʀȶǟʐ on Apr 13, 2021 14:05:39 GMT -6
The Astros and Martin Maldonado are finalizing a one-year extension with a vesting option. The deal would keep the catcher in Houston through at least 2022.
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Post by blcoach8 on Apr 13, 2021 14:20:06 GMT -6
The Astros and Martin Maldonado are finalizing a one-year extension with a vesting option. The deal would keep the catcher in Houston through at least 2022. Well, we are now guaranteed more automatic outs through 2022. I hope they aren't giving him a raise. |
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Post by bearbryant on Apr 13, 2021 15:49:02 GMT -6
A platoon of using Castro against righties and Maldonado against lefties makes sense. Letting Maldonado hit in late game situations when we need runs driven in makes Baker look like an idiot. I never understood why we went with Garneau last year and ignored Stubbs. If they have no plans for Stubbs, and, it's fairly obvious that they don't, trade him and let him have a chance to play somewhere else. They have screwed him around long enough while playing old retreads who can't hit their weight. Maldonado has a good arm and that is where his usefulness ends. Castro frames pitches well. Neither can be counted on to hit. We have made it plain that we don't plan to spend money on a catcher who can actually hit. Gattis was a better hitter than either Castro or Maldonado, but, didn't have their defensive skills. I hope Lee isn't too far from being ready because we need to upgrade the catching position ASAP. They must have decided that Stubbs, like Gattis, was a garbage option for catcher. Nothing else would make sense. |
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