Agreed he’s been bad, but it’s not like we would be 14-6 if he wasn’t playing. It’s bad, bad baseball and even worse managing.
Look I completely agree, but I can also point to **** pitching, a complete disaster of a bullpen, absolute mismanagement of the bullpen, and typical clown show bullshit from the offense, especially with runners on base.
Baseball is a team game where each player is less important than any other game. That said, every MLB has talent and the difference between winning and losing is frequently 1 or 2 plays, 1 or 2 inches. We can take every player on this team and find a play that contributed significantly to a loss but also one that contributed to a win. Example: Trey Mancini wasn't good for the 2022 Astros and terrible in the post season, but made a great play at 1B (we all know which one) that may have saved/won the series for the team. Winning requires more positives than negatives. Or at least more impactful positives. If I look hard enough, I can point to a play that significantly impacted a win and one that impacted a loss by each player. The best players have more of the former and fewer of the latter. I was simply talking about Abreu and how few positive and how many negative he has this year.
Wait, so apparently Dubin was mostly a starter in the minors. Espada made the exact right call pitching him a 3rd inning. The luck-meter just went Atlanta's way with a vengeance -- weak contact and deplorable umpiring. I know some posters refuse to hear it, but it is what it is.
Duh... I was just making an easily relatable back injury for the "back" of the baseball card reference. Astros would be 10-10 if Abreu was batting .335 like you mentioned, maybe better. They are 0-5 in one-run games. Your posts are so dramatic and lack any context of what's been happening this season.
Could not agree less with this. Dubin was a starter in the minors. This is not the minors. This is the best, most dangerous lineup in the MAJORS Giving those hitters a 2nd look at him after they watched video of their 1st one was the worst thing Espada could have done. The "luck meter" was decidedly in Atlanta's favor before the inning started just because of that decision. And sending Brown out for the 7th, or at very least not pulling him after 1 base runner was criminal. Confidence is crucial for pitchers, especially young pitchers. It would have been a stupid risk even if it had worked out.
Only seven batters had seen Dubin entering his 3rd inning and the bullpen was already brinking on overuse (partially due to Espada, and mostly due to injuries and schedule). The decision was so obviously stupid, yet no poster mentioned anything BEFORE the inning or even after the first batter reached. There has been complaints when Pressly and Hader pitched during one-run deficits at the beginning of the inning. I'm not saying whether those decisions were good or bad, just stating the fact posters voiced their disagreement BEFORE the potentially bad outcome. It's all a bunch of Monday Morning QB'ing. Atlanta's offense is always good, but you gotta play the games.
Man I’m so ****ing tired of hearing Astros peeps bring up “back of baseball card”. Who the *** started that? Astros should change their slogan from #Relentless to #BackofBaseballCard
Dubin was called up to the majors with the purpose of being in the bullpen. He was also throwing harder than in that game. He is a young player - barely up - he has a great outing, end it after two innings and build up his confidence. Few guys in relief should be going over two innings.
Not to mention he began the season on the IL and had two outings in AAA of ONE inning each. He’s not stretched out to be a starter right now so kind of ridiculous to say he’s been a starter in the past so that decision makes sense.
Decent points... But AGAIN, if the decision was so obviously stupid, why did no poster mention it BEFORE the outcome? This is the best argument. First time stated in 10 rebuttals. The fact still remains nobody had anything to say until AFTER Atlanta's baserunners, all of whom who reached on weak contact. Luck-meter on fleek
Well it’s hard to post about everything that the Astros do wrong in real time. Some of us have kids and jobs and dinners to cook and soccer practice to coach. Some of us may have been taking a crap when Dubin was left in. Some of us may have snuck to the shed for a hit off the 3 footer. Kinda hard to post after that.
I hear you, except there's never a shortage of "why is Pressly/Hader pitching in a one-run deficit" posts every time it happens -- or dozens of other plays/situations during a game that happen in real time. Dubin is without doubt a hindsight reaction.
I disagree with putting him back in. However, he pitched well and definitely was a victim of terrible luck.
I remember back in the day when a starter would go 6 and Dave Smith would go 3 to finish. But your right, not common these days.
I don't understand pinch hitting for Abreu with Singleton. If you don't have faith in his bat at the end of the game, why do you at the beginning? You can't tell me it is a right left sorta thing. If you are going to pinch hit Singleton in place of Abreu, then Singleton should start.
