And we're ahead of last year by a game or 2. I don't see how winning 100+ (possibly) 2 years in a row (something that hasn't been done since the 02-03 Yankees) would qualify as "managing for the post season".
I haven't seen much of it this year, but he certainly did last year. Midseason when the rotation was a mess, Hinch was happily throwing out his crappy AAAA relievers anytime we got a little behind and sacrificing games to save the key relievers. People here were routinely b****ing about how we weren't playing to win, but it was smart baseball because we had such a huge lead and those games just didn't matter that much.
This did not happen that frequently... and frankly, last year’s bullpen wasn’t all that chock-full of “key” relievers, and even then, Devo and Harris ended up still being fatigued due to over-use.
Perhaps I shouldn't say "underperforming our run differential". I forgot that Astros Clutchfans, like Astros twitter, is run by a bunch of lawyer-types. I mean that AJ Hinch, perhaps at the behest of Luhnow, serially slow-plays this team's talent. Whenever it seems like we are on pace for 110 wins he suddenly starts disrupting the rhythm of the team by sitting players, mixing up lineups, putting relief pitchers in during nonideal matchups or leverage scenarios, etc. We also saw this when Altuve, who has never had five hits in a game, got four hits and then was pinch hit for in a blowout game. These are fine attributes to have in a coach because it shows that he's using the regular season for experimentation. But my friends and I all know about it, and whenever we see it happening we call it a Belichek move. He just slow-plays the team. Can't have anyone hitting any career milestones and putting an undue target on our backs. Let the Dodgers take the highest wins mark last year, even though the Astros have never had the most regular season wins in their franchise history. Let the Indians take the diffy lead last year, even though we've never had the best diffy in a season before. This year we saw the same thing: historic run differential pace through the all-star game, then Hinch and Luhnow went locker to locker hunting for injuries. We've briefly taken the diffy title back away from Boston, but it would surprise me none if we let them have it in the final week. Again, I have no problem with this, it's just something that my friends and I have noticed time and again with Hinch. We're employing the Belichekian crouching tiger, hidden dragon strat. No one will see us coming.
But you do realize that part of sustaining a successful team is preventing/avoiding burn out, attempting to protect players from overuse injury, and ultimately having guys as fresh as possible and hitting their stride, when they need it most. Even then, guys did burn out last year (Devenski, Harris, and to some degree Springer). Altuve has hit all sorts of career milestones. The Astros would have obliterated their all-time win total had they not had a 11-17 August... and that month did not feature guys getting unnecessary rest or simply throwing games with a bunch of AAA lineups. There has never been a baseball team that had all their best players play 162 games without rest and or injury. You’re also accusing them of making up injuries, or hunting for injuries this year, which doesn’t take a lawyer type to consider that statement bullshit-like. You also think they’re losing leads or differentials because we’re “letting” those other teams off the hook, which is also total bullshit.
A "Belichick move"? Man I hope so. If not winning the non-existent award for having the best run differential means the Astros win 5 World Series titles in 16 years and is generally considered one of the most dominating dynasties of all time, I guess I can live with that.
Man this is so true, especially when we have a cushion in the division. He makes some of the weirdest decisions. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Like earlier this year he PH J.D. Davis for Kemp in a close game or something strange like that. It’s irritating yes, but I see why he does it. His bullpen moves often seem unconventional. I think a lot of it is analytics and then just wanting to see if something will work.
Nice, he's clearly a top 3 manager. Luhnow is a top 15 GM (with the handicap of 4 years of high draft picks and trading away an entire team for prospects) , Hinch a top 3 manager.
JD Davis has not pinch hit for Tony Kemp this entire season. And, even if he had, pinch hitting a RH hitter for a LH hitter is not "something strange". Sure glad he went "unconventional" with his bullpen moves in the World Series. Please detail some of the "weirdest" decisions.
What a silly take. Luhnow is top 15 GM? Ok. Sure. What ever. Anyone who doesn’t have them in their top 5 is probably wrong. Not in the top 10 is absurd. I’d have him #2, personally, behind Theo Epstein but there’s a handful of guys I’m not going to say you are wrong, merely you have your preference I have mine. But if you try to put 14 GM’s ahead of him I will shank you with the beer bottle I broke on the corner of the bar.
Hinch is exactly what you need in a baseball manager. He’s not perfect in his strategy but you won’t find anyone better at managing multiple personalities and getting the most out of people.
I have never heard a single person that is around him say anything bad about him as a man or person. He is great at handling egos and juggling a line up. He handled tough egos like LMC and Giles excellently. The complaints I have had about him are mostly no longer an issue. His strategy in game isn’t elite but has improved and he learned from his bullpen issues.... and didn’t stop Roberto “Whammy” Osuna from drilling the Angels.
Not that it matters, but I seem to recall this happening. It appears Davis did pinch hit for Kemp on May 25th according to box scores.
Aaron judge is the top 100 in home run power. Jose Altuve is better than all but 500 humans in bay to ball skills. James harden is a top 50 basketball player.
Game 7 is his best managing game ever. He stayed with Morton from beginning-to end. He didn't cave in to Verlander, or Keuchel, who both wanted to pitch an inning, or two in Game 7. He told the media that Giles will not close, but may pitch the last few games- he never came in for the rest of the series. 2018- letting Giles be knucklehead, didn't challenge him to his profane words. Let the players be themselves and have fun, the stares. And finally, he didn't blame anyone on that near historic many games home losing streak for a previous champion. If everything stays the same, Astros should have a few more titles. Being a one-timer is never going to change.
