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Post by Hunter McCormick on Sept 6, 2023 6:27:29 GMT -6
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Post by Ashitaka on Sept 7, 2023 0:36:07 GMT -6
I'm not disappointed. There's really nothing to lose. |
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Post by Saint on Sept 7, 2023 9:43:16 GMT -6
So according to Chandler Rome, the Dusty-Chas thing is still real. Supposedly it has something to do with Chas' weight....? Isn't Maldonado the fattest f*ck in the league outside of Vogelbach? Did I miss something? Is Chas even overweight? He runs very well...
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Post by bearbryant on Sept 7, 2023 9:51:51 GMT -6
So according to Chandler Rome, the Dusty-Chas thing is still real. Supposedly it has something to do with Chas' weight....? Isn't Maldonado the fattest f*ck in the league outside of Vogelbach? Did I miss something? Is Chas even overweight? He runs very well... It may be that Dusty will never give Chas and Yainer their due. Doing so would be admitting Click was right about Straw, and Dusty was wrong, and he'll probably never admit that |
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Post by unionstation82 on Sept 7, 2023 10:01:47 GMT -6
So according to Chandler Rome, the Dusty-Chas thing is still real. Supposedly it has something to do with Chas' weight....? Isn't Maldonado the fattest f*ck in the league outside of Vogelbach? Did I miss something? Is Chas even overweight? He runs very well... It may be that Dusty will never give Chas and Yainer their due. Doing so would be admitting Click was right about Straw, and Dusty was wrong, and he'll probably never admit that This ego and inability to cede power to the front office is a wonderful thing Crane decided to rehire. |
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Post by unionstation82 on Sept 7, 2023 10:02:59 GMT -6
So according to Chandler Rome, the Dusty-Chas thing is still real. Supposedly it has something to do with Chas' weight....? Isn't Maldonado the fattest f*ck in the league outside of Vogelbach? Did I miss something? Is Chas even overweight? He runs very well... All the weight Maldonado lost in the offseason has come back with a vengeance. |
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Post by Saint on Sept 7, 2023 10:12:38 GMT -6
It may be that Dusty will never give Chas and Yainer their due. Doing so would be admitting Click was right about Straw, and Dusty was wrong, and he'll probably never admit that This ego and inability to cede power to the front office is a wonderful thing Crane decided to rehire. Where did Crane hurt you, son. |
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Post by ɮօʀȶǟʐ on Sept 7, 2023 13:23:21 GMT -6
So according to Chandler Rome, the Dusty-Chas thing is still real. Supposedly it has something to do with Chas' weight....? Isn't Maldonado the fattest f*ck in the league outside of Vogelbach? Did I miss something? Is Chas even overweight? He runs very well... I told yall what it is... |
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Post by unionstation82 on Sept 7, 2023 13:52:03 GMT -6
This ego and inability to cede power to the front office is a wonderful thing Crane decided to rehire. Where did Crane hurt you, son. Same place Dusty hurt you. |
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Post by unionstation82 on Sept 7, 2023 13:53:07 GMT -6
So according to Chandler Rome, the Dusty-Chas thing is still real. Supposedly it has something to do with Chas' weight....? Isn't Maldonado the fattest f*ck in the league outside of Vogelbach? Did I miss something? Is Chas even overweight? He runs very well... I told yall what it is... This seems too farfetched to believe. Like Todd said, Maldy is tripping over blubber running the bases and Chas has a weight issue? |
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Post by Saint on Sept 7, 2023 13:55:46 GMT -6
Where did Crane hurt you, son. Same place Dusty hurt you. Dusty doesn't hurt me. Dusty hurts the team. |
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Post by Ashitaka on Sept 7, 2023 14:17:53 GMT -6
The full Athletic article about it:
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ARLINGTON, Texas — On Sunday afternoon, before his team struck seven singles, scored one run and suffered a sweep-clinching loss against the New York Yankees, Dusty Baker detailed the “tough situation” he encounters every day. His team is whole again, but center field is still unsettled, forcing him to choose from among three players for what sparse playing time remains.
“It’s easy if you got a Julio Rodríguez, you just put him out in center field,” Baker told reporters.
Baker does not boast anyone with Rodríguez’s generational talent, but does have someone authoring a similar offensive season. Chas McCormick entered Wednesday with an OPS 50 points higher than Seattle’s superstar center fielder, though in 38 fewer games. McCormick has a higher batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, and defensive metrics even put the two in the same general range.
Yet nothing about McCormick’s playing time this season suggests any of that. Six Astros have taken more plate appearances than him. Seven have appeared in more games. His sporadic playing time is a constant source of frustration for some within the organization, who spoke on background because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Curiosity remains as to why McCormick doesn’t play more, with few answers to be found and the issue seemingly one that goes beyond just matchups and defensive alignments. This week, four people with knowledge of the team’s inner workings said that McCormick’s weight has become a talking point for Baker.
On Wednesday, before starting another game on the bench, McCormick said he has not spoken to Baker about his playing time this season. Asked to characterize his relationship with Baker, McCormick replied, “Right now, we’re OK. It’s really all about winning each game here on out (with) no distractions. We’re good.”
Asked on Wednesday whether McCormick’s weight is a concern for him, Baker replied, “No, why (would) you even ask that?”
“That’s something that you’re always aware of, you know what I mean,” Baker continued. “As long as it doesn’t affect your performance, then it’s not really that much of a concern.”
Baseball-Reference lists McCormick at 6-foot, 208 lbs. He acknowledged on Wednesday he is playing heavier this season, but by design. McCormick said Baker has not confronted him directly about his playing weight, nor has any member of the team’s staff.
“I feel stronger. I like being this heavy,” McCormick said. “I guess if I was a little lighter it’d be easier, but easier to move a little better. I feel stronger. I feel healthier. I feel I can do more being at 220 (lbs). Usually I’m at 216. When I’m 210, I’m too light. I was 214 last year, I think, and I felt too light again. I kind of like being where I’m at right now, at 220.”
McCormick said most of his weight gain arrived after his stint on the injured list. He is slashing .292/.372/.526 in 331 plate appearances since being activated on May 8. McCormick is covering 28.1 feet per second when he sprints, down slightly from the 28.6 clip he boasted last season.
“Usually, I vary. I’ve been 218. I’m at 220 right now,” McCormick said. “Usually I’ll lose a lot of weight in the season, but I’m kind of happy I haven’t lost a lot of weight … This year I’m pretty happier about being heavier at the end of the year. I just feel healthier. I feel I can do more. I feel like I won’t get hurt as easy.”
Only two Astros hitters awoke on Wednesday with a higher OPS than McCormick: Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez. According to Baseball-Reference, only three were worth more wins above replacement: Alvarez, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker. McCormick is not a superstar, but is authoring a breakout season and has morphed into something more than a complementary piece of Houston’s superteam.
Yet Baker clearly sees him as a cut below those other contributors. Wednesday, McCormick began on the bench before entering in the seventh inning and delivering a ninth-inning home run.
“He ain’t a big boy yet,” Baker said before Wednesday’s 12-3 bludgeoning of the Rangers. “It’s hard to be a big boy right out the gate. What is this, Chas’ third or fourth year? The big boys are Altuve, Bregman, Tucker, those are the big boys. The other boys are approaching big boys.”
To suggest McCormick doesn’t play at all would be disingenuous — he’s started 42 of Houston’s 50 games since the All-Star break, taken 186 plate appearances and boasts a .970 OPS — but the questions persist about why he isn’t playing more from those inside and outside of the team, and the recent lag in time does invite questions about where he fits now that this team is at full strength, even for McCormick.
“I’ve been with (Baker) for a couple years now so I know his agenda. I know that he likes to play everyone. Obviously I want to be out there every night. But he does a good job — obviously you want Yainer Diaz to play all the time, he hits the crap out of the ball — but I think he does a good job of sporadically putting in the best matchups,” McCormick said.
“I think that’s what he goes off, the best matchups and how he sets things up. I haven’t really spoken to him. He’s the manager. He does what he wants. I don’t think I have any right to ask what his deal is. He’s been in the league for a while and has a good plan,” he continued.
Championship teams have depth. For so much of this season, Houston did not. Baker routinely referred to his bench as the least experienced he’d ever managed. Starting lineups without Diaz or McCormick always draw outside ire, but having both of them available off the bench does afford the team an advantage it has not had for most of the season. If Houston’s lineup hits the way it did this week against the Rangers, most of Baker’s lineup decisions won’t draw near the current intrigue.
“It’s not all about OPS. It’s not all about hitting,” Baker said. “And I’m a hitter, but this is a total game if you’re going to win, you know what I mean? You want to give yourself as many options and categories to win the game. Now, hitting wins the game, usually. But other areas of the games is what loses you one-run games or don’t-do-this or don’t-do-that. I know everybody wants Chas to play.”
Diaz has already hit 21 home runs in his rookie season, but can’t find consistent time because of the team’s commitment to veteran catcher Martín Maldonado and struggling first baseman José Abreu. McCormick is limited to three positions: left field, center field and designated hitter. Michael Brantley’s recent return from a 14-month absence makes him a factor in both left field and at designated hitter, alongside Alvarez.
Throughout his Astros tenure, Baker has demonstrated loyalty to veteran players. That he would prefer the lefty-hitting Brantley to McCormick is not surprising, especially for a lineup that can tend to get too right-handed. Baker values Mauricio Dubón’s throwing arm and overall defense in center field, too. That Dubón entered Wednesday’s game with a .929 OPS in his past 86 plate appearances only furthered Baker’s desire to slot him in center field.
“Michael Brantley coming back has something to do with it,” Baker said, again denying McCormick’s weight is making an impact. “Dubón’s play in center field has something to do with it. We’re trying to win ballgames. This ain’t about any particular guy except the big boys on this team.”
It’s never been more apparent who those are.
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Post by Ashitaka on Sept 7, 2023 14:19:42 GMT -6
I loved the part where Dusty talks about how only focusing on hitting leads to one run losses. The Astros have lost 18 one-run games this year.
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Post by Saint on Sept 7, 2023 14:24:32 GMT -6
It's all ridiculous.
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Post by Saint on Sept 7, 2023 14:40:45 GMT -6
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Post by ɮօʀȶǟʐ on Sept 7, 2023 14:44:46 GMT -6
Baker sounds slightly retarded. Like, IQ juuuuust above 100.
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Post by unionstation82 on Sept 7, 2023 14:58:50 GMT -6
Same place Dusty hurt you. Dusty doesn't hurt me. Dusty hurts the team. So, we agree on Dusty, yet…I’m wrong? Draw me a diagram and explain. |
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Post by Saint on Sept 7, 2023 15:43:32 GMT -6
Dusty doesn't hurt me. Dusty hurts the team. So, we agree on Dusty, yet…I’m wrong? Draw me a diagram and explain. You're wrong to throw Crane in Everytime someone complains about Dusty, yes. |
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Post by unionstation82 on Sept 7, 2023 17:09:25 GMT -6
So, we agree on Dusty, yet…I’m wrong? Draw me a diagram and explain. You're wrong to throw Crane in Everytime someone complains about Dusty, yes. If your dog shits on your rug, is it the dog’s fault or the fact you didn’t let him out? |
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Post by thomasj13 on Sept 7, 2023 18:33:43 GMT -6
You're wrong to throw Crane in Everytime someone complains about Dusty, yes. If your dog shits on your rug, is it the dog’s fault or the fact you didn’t let him out? Might be a shitty rug, and your dog is trying to tell you something (pun intended) |
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Post by bearbryant on Sept 7, 2023 18:38:47 GMT -6
This ego and inability to cede power to the front office is a wonderful thing Crane decided to rehire. Where did Crane hurt you, son. His dog shit on Sherwin's rug |
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Post by Saint on Sept 7, 2023 19:35:43 GMT -6
You're wrong to throw Crane in Everytime someone complains about Dusty, yes. If your dog shits on your rug, is it the dog’s fault or the fact you didn’t let him out? As someone potty training a new puppy, it could very easily be the damn dog. |
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Post by m240 on Sept 7, 2023 20:11:31 GMT -6
Baker sounds slightly retarded. Like, IQ juuuuust above 100. I am pretty sure Dusty has an IQ above 100 which is dead even average. He does have some interesting mental issues. Dusty is kind of like a drug addict, or a smoker with lung cancer, or a really fat person who eats two egg McMuffins and hash browns and orders the cinnamon roll for dessert. Someone as smart as him should know better but he does not seem to possess the ability to admit that he has an issue. Houston having won last year only solidified his beliefs when in truth the character played by Jack Nicholson in the shining as manager would have won it all in fewer games. Now we are stuck with him. Maybe the talent on this team allows it to repeat, maybe not. One thing is for sure though we are stuck with him to the end so let's hope he goes down as a two time winner and then we can be shed of him. |
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Post by paastrosfan on Sept 10, 2023 15:52:35 GMT -6
Yankees get bad news; the Martian has a torn UCL in his right elbow. Could be down for nine to ten months.
A week too late, after taking the smack for the sweep in Houston.
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talshill
Arbitration Eligible
Vini, vici, pavori.
Posts: 2,015
Likes: 1,114
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Post by talshill on Sept 11, 2023 2:55:29 GMT -6
Eh, I don't think Dusty is dumb; he's just obstinate. He makes bewildering decisions and doesn't make obvious ones. He kind of reminds me of Landry's last three years in Dallas in that the game is probably passing him by. I think the inevitable neural decline of age may also have something to do with it.
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Post by Ashitaka on Sept 11, 2023 13:19:39 GMT -6
Eh, I don't think Dusty is dumb; he's just obstinate. He makes bewildering decisions and doesn't make obvious ones. He kind of reminds me of Landry's last three years in Dallas in that the game is probably passing him by. I think the inevitable neural decline of age may also have something to do with it. Yes, "dumb" is too simple. It's more willfully ignorant and set in his outdated ways. |
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Post by abregmanfan on Sept 12, 2023 8:39:27 GMT -6
Eh, I don't think Dusty is dumb; he's just obstinate. He makes bewildering decisions and doesn't make obvious ones. He kind of reminds me of Landry's last three years in Dallas in that the game is probably passing him by. I think the inevitable neural decline of age may also have something to do with it. Yes, "dumb" is too simple. It's more willfully ignorant and set in his outdated ways. He did win the World Series last year... |
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Post by unionstation82 on Sept 12, 2023 8:49:46 GMT -6
Yes, "dumb" is too simple. It's more willfully ignorant and set in his outdated ways. He did win the World Series last year... I don’t like Dusty and a lot of others don’t either, but the logic that the Astros won in spite of him is as asinine as saying Click only succeeded because of Luhnow. Give credit where it’s due. |
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Post by Saint on Sept 12, 2023 10:16:09 GMT -6
He did win the World Series last year... I don’t like Dusty and a lot of others don’t either, but the logic that the Astros won in spite of him is as asinine as saying Click only succeeded because of Luhnow. Give credit where it’s due. No. |
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Post by unionstation82 on Sept 12, 2023 11:19:41 GMT -6
I don’t like Dusty and a lot of others don’t either, but the logic that the Astros won in spite of him is as asinine as saying Click only succeeded because of Luhnow. Give credit where it’s due. No. Hey, is Montero’s ERA in the 4’s yet? |
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