I think Dusty has made it clear that Chas and Diaz have not earned starter playing time in his view. As soon as he got Brantley, Brantley was playing nearly every game against a RHP despite Brantley having issues with soreness all year trying to recover. Dubon has become the starting CF most of the time. Dusty, IMO, does not have a lack of urgency problem. It appears Dusty is trying his hardest to win the way he thinks one is supposed to win. If anyone has a lack of urgency problem, it is Crane and/or Brown. If what Dusty is doing is perceived to be wrong, it is their job to fix it as Dusty is just doing what he thinks is best.
I am in a weird place where I would rather miss the playoffs entirely than barely make it and get smoked by the Rangers in the ALDS, who are playing way better ball (assuming we even survive the WC round). Losing to the Rangers to end our reign would be unbearable.
Dusty attempting to squeeze every single out from his SP when it's obvious they don't have it anymore killed us in so many games. This is an re-occurring problem on every team he has managed. Javier, Brown, France..it's obvious they were fatigued half way through the season so why try to push them even further in their outings? He does this when he have a completely rested bull-pen. Several times it resulted it in the other team coming back and forcing us to use our best arms anyway. He gets greedy and has a reactive rather pro-active approach which stubbornly he never changes. Their was also many 1-2 run losses where Maldy came up to bat in the 7th, 8th inning where Dusty refused to pinch hit him. All this crap adds up.
Yep, I'd say these things also fall under how Dusty thinks a team wins. Dusty doesn't change because Dusty thinks what he is doing is the right way to win.
And how many times does he need to fired for doing it that way before he learns? Until people stop hiring him despite that history.
Wasn't their a quote a few weeks ago right after Royals beat us 1-2 in that road series where Dusty said he had no idea the Royals had been playing better ball lately? Almost as if we didn't do anything scouting on them beforehand or even watched footage of any of their recent games? Did the entire analytics department leave with Click? It feel like we've been going into every series wholly unprepared. Dusty with free reign thinks following his "gut" is good enough I guess.
This is why I have never thought he is a good manager. He is considered good because of the years he has. His coaching record is based on longevity not quality. He is a BS artist. He knows what to say, to whom, and when and he gets hired. Yet he never lives up to the reputation that he somehow has crafted. Yet he keeps getting hired. It is like he somehow convinces owners to not look at his record (especially playoff record). I am sure he is a nice guy and people want to hang around him and hear all of his stories, but that shouldn't be the reason you get hired. Owners, do some frigin research on him for a change.
I only wish the Astros pulled this crap earlier in the season before the trade deadline. They would have two more prospects in the minors that could be brought up over the next few years.
I wonder what Dusty's Facebook is like.... His Facebook groups: Big Boy Career OPS under 0.700, but loving them Starting Pitchers who Throw 6+ He gets annoyed with ads for wine, toothpicks, pain relief medicine, and arm surgeries. He does have a cool group of friends. Dusty's block list is obviously Chas Meyers Diaz Meyers Kessinger Chandler Chas's Brother
I have a feeling Dusty has had Chas's brother banned from MMP. You can probably find his photo at the gates along with other personas non gratas.
Astros have 3 guys easily better hitters than two of their Top 10 that didn't make the Top 10 with Yainer Diaz needing a good game to be able to pass those 2 in wRC+.