SPILLING INTO THE MAINSTREAM
Growing frustrations with Astros manager not lost on the national media
Aug 8, 2023, 5:15 pm
Are fans being too harsh when it comes to Dusty Baker? Composite Getty Image.
Daryl Morey was general manager of the Houston Rockets from 2007 to 2020. During Morey’s tenure, it’s true that the team never had a losing regular season record and won several division titles. But in the long run, the Rockets never won a Western Conference title or NBA championship while Morey called the shots.
Yet there was a saying around Houston media circles … “in Morey we trust.” Perhaps it was because Morey was a wisecracking quote machine, was always available for interviews, and knew how to work the room.
Now let’s have a look at Dusty Baker’s record as Houston Astros manager: three American League Championship Series appearances, two World Series appearances and one World Series championship (and aiming for another Fall Classic).
Yet nobody’s saying “in Dusty we trust.” In fact it’s open season for sniping and moaning about Baker’s stewardship of the Astros. Some sample comments from social media this past week:
“This Astros loss is squarely on Dusty Baker for putting out the stupidest lineup I have seen all season.”
“There’s a reason Dusty Baker has been fired four times in his career.”
“Another loss because Dusty Baker refuses to put our best lineup on the field.”
“Dusty Baker continues to set lineups like we’re in Week 2 of spring training.”
“Dusty Baker is the single worst decision maker in baseball. I’m actually speechless.”
“Goofy ass old man.”
Like I said, three Conference Championship Series appearances, two World Series appearances, one World Series title, and fans are still all over Baker’s butt. But why?
I’ll let Fox baseball play-by-play announcer Joe Davis explain why – straight from last week’s Fox national telecast of an Astros-Yankees game.
Davis said: “There may not be a wider gap in opinions of a player between a fan base and a manager than there is about Martin Maldonado. Astros fans are clamoring to have Yanier Diaz catch more. Dusty Baker is steadfast that Maldonado is his guy.”
You’ll never hear anything like that on a local Astros broadcast because Astros game announcers are employees of the Astros - and they’d like to remain employees.
But thanks to Fox and announcer Davis, now the whole country knows what’s been driving Astros fans batty all season. It’s Maldonado’s bat. He’s hitting an anemic .177 with lots of strikeouts and stranded runners. Diaz, a rookie, is hitting .276 with more walks, fewer strikeouts, more home runs and RBI than Maldy despite having fewer plate appearances.
Baker’s explanation: Yanier has trouble hitting lefties.
Astros fans might say that Maldonado has trouble hitting lefties, righties, pitching machines, tee ball, coed softball, whatever. His career batting average is .206 and he’s still having a down year.
For all the talk of Maldonado’s defensive wizardry, he’s leading the league in passed balls and the man they call Machete is below the league average in cutting down base stealers. So far he’s thrown out 13 of 67, or 19 percent, of steal attempts.
Diaz has no passed balls and has thrown out 10 of 28, or 36 percent, of potential base stealers in his limited action behind the plate.
But what about Maldonado’s genius for calling a game? Pitchers Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez love the guy.
Fans wonder, though, if Astros pitchers love watching Maldonado bat in late innings of close games and striking out with runners on base. As for calling a game, there’s no rule in baseball that says only catchers can call for fastballs and sliders.
In fact, when Roger Craig was managing the Giants to the National League pennant in 1987 he called pitches from the dugout. It’s not that rare, actually. You often see young or inexperienced catchers peering into the dugout for pitch selection. Maldonado could call the pitches from the bench.
Here’s one I’ll bet you didn’t know: One season late in his career Cal Ripken called pitches for some Baltimore Orioles pitchers from his infield position. Ripken knew opposing hitters’ habits and tendencies better than anybody on the O’s coaching staff.
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The phrase most associated with the late former Oakland-Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis was “Just win baby.” One has to think Al would strongly approve of the Houston Astros. Going to the fifth inning Sunday against the Mariners the Astros were facing a 3-0 deficit and staring at the prospect of being swept out of Seattle and having their American League West division lead slashed to just two games. Now after roaring from behind with 11 unanswered runs to take the series finale in the Emerald City, and then sweeping three games from the Diamondbacks in Phoenix, the Astros stand six games up with 60 games to go. So, if the Astros play just .500 ball the rest of the way (which would have them finish with 90 victories), the Mariners have to play .600 ball to catch them. If somehow the Astros are to maintain their season long win pace to the finish line they’d close with 95 wins, and the race is already over unless someone thinks the M’s are poised to uncork a finishing kick of 41-19 or better. It’s quite a pleasing perch from which the Astros survey the standings. Coupled with the freefalling Detroit Tigers having dropped nine of their last ten games, the Astros amazingly start this homestand sporting the best record in the entire American League. On the homestand they follow four games against the team with the second-worst record in the American League (Athletics) with three versus the team with the second-worst record in the National League (Nationals). I know, I know. There is fear of the Astros playing down to the competition, but that is not the way to look at it. A bad Major League team can beat a good team in a series at any time. If it happens it happens, but it wouldn’t mean it happened only because the Astros didn’t take their opponent seriously. This isn’t the NBA.
Trade deadline looming
Of course, It hasn’t been all good news with Isaac Paredes badly injuring a hamstring Sunday. Paredes could be back in three weeks (doubtful), he could miss the rest of the season. GET WELL SOON JEREMY PENA! Lance McCullers’s latest Injured List stint could be considered addition by subtraction for the Astros’ starting rotation. Whether impacted by his blister issue, Lance was lousy in four of his last five starts. So, one week from the trade deadline, if general manager Dana Brown has the ammo to get one deal done, where does he make the upgrade? The left-handed hitter everyone knows the Astros can use regardless of Yordan Alvarez’s status is a natural priority. With the Astros’ weak farm system it would seem difficult for Brown to put forth the winning offer for the top bats that could be in play. That probably rings even truer now, since if he wasn’t already untouchable, Brice Matthews may have cemented untouchable status by darn near winning the first two games of the Diamondbacks series by himself. Matthews is going to struggle mightily to hit for a good average if he can’t make notable improvement in the contact department, but the power is obvious, as is the athleticism in the field. The 23-year-old Matthews and 22-year-old Cam Smith (though presently mired in a three for 36 slump) are the clear (and right now only) two young shining beacons for the lineup’s future.
You can't have enough pitching
While Brandon Walter has been a revelation, a starting pitcher would make sense unless the decision is to hope Spencer Arrighetti and/or Cristian Javier can contribute meaningfully upon return to the big leagues, likely sometime next month. Going after a reliever or two may make more sense in terms of availability and transaction cost. Overall the Astros’ bullpen has been excellent, but Bryan Abreu is the only trustworthy right-handed option for Joe Espada. Back to Walter. Barely two months ago no way Walter himself would have believed he’d be where he is now. Nine starts since being summoned basically out of desperation, Walter has a 3.35 earned run average, and a stunning 13 to one strikeout-to-walk ratio with his 52 strikeouts against a measly four walks allowed in 53 2/3 innings. Walter has pitched fabulously in seven of his nine starts. He only has two wins, but that’s because in five of the six Walter starts the Astros didn’t win the game they failed to score more than two runs. Walter turns 29 years old in September. His only prior big league experience was 23 innings in relief with a 6.26 ERA for the Red Sox two years ago. The Bosox released him last August, the Astros signed him basically as minor league depth. Look at him (and the Astros) now.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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