National media pushing unsourced Astros, Dusty Baker narrative in part by revising history
STONE COLD 'STROS
01 May
Do the Astros miss Dusty Baker? Composite Getty Image.
One of the big stories across MLB this season has been the Astros shockingly slow start. It's the first day of May, and the 'Stros are nine games under .500 and in last place in the AL West.
With so many Astro haters across the country and in the national media, it's no surprise they are enjoying Houston's struggles in 2024.
However, it is fair to question why a team with such high expectations is not living up to them. One of the first things to consider is, what's changed since last year?
Enter the Dusty Baker narrative. USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote about the Astros slow start out of the gate and how the loss of Dusty Baker is having a negative impact on the club. He also stated that Baker retired because of “the constant media criticism and interference” from the Astros’ analytics team.
Which as an Astros fan sounds odd. Baker was known in Houston for not following the analytics by starting Martin Maldonado over Yainer Diaz. He also took heat for not using Chas McCormick enough, despite him being one of the team's best hitters in 2023. Baker was also constantly asked about Jose Abreu hitting in the heart of his batting order, even though he would finish with the ninth-worse OPS in baseball.
Since there weren't any quotes in the article, it makes us wonder. Is this something Nightengale believes, something he heard in passing, or was he told this by a current or former member of the organization? Hard to know.
Nightengale also said in the piece that “the Astros now are recognizing just how much they miss the future Hall of Famer.”
Here's something else to keep in mind. Baker was in the news just last week for winning a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Baseball Digest. Nothing against Nightengale, but this does feel like convenient timing at the very least.
Also, a Houston media outlet recently published a piece about when Baker leaves an organization, the team falls off. The article does a fine job of pointing out how that was the case in some circumstances. But if you dig deeper, you'll see that's really not the whole story, or true for that matter.
Be sure to watch the video above as we examine Baker's role in the Astros' 2024 woes, and analyze if teams really take a step back when Baker is no longer their manager.
Lawrence Butler hit one of the Athletics’ five homers, fell a single short of the cycle and made a tremendous throw from right field to cut down a runner at the plate as Oakland beat the Houston Astros 8-2 on Tuesday night.
Brent Rooker, Seth Brown, Zack Gelof and Shea Langeliers also connected to help the A’s hand the AL West-leading Astros a second consecutive defeat.
Butler tripled and scored on Rooker’s two-run drive in the first inning, homered in the third and doubled in a run in the sixth. The longball was his eighth in July, and the A’s leadoff hitter leads the majors with 24 RBIs this month.
Needing a single to complete the A’s first cycle since 2007, Butler drew a five-pitch walk against Rafael Montero, raising a smattering of boos from the crowd of 5,896 at the Oakland Coliseum.
Victor Caratini and Jeremy Peña homered for the Astros.
Osvaldo Bido (2-1) struck out six in five innings in his second career start and first since May 8. Bido allowed four hits and one run.
The A’s, who entered the night tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the major league lead in double plays turned, added to that list when Butler caught a fly ball and made a no-hop throw to nail Alex Bregman, who tagged up and tried to score from third.
Butler rode that momentum into his first at-bat with a leadoff triple against Jake Bloss (0-1). Three batters later, Rooker crushed an 0-1 fastball into the left field stands.
Rooker’s homer was his team-leading 23rd. Brown and Gelof connected for back-to-back shots off Bloss in the fourth. Langeliers’ 19th homer came against Seth Martinez in the seventh.
It was the fifth game this season in which the A's have hit four or more homers, tied for fifth-most in the majors.
Bloss allowed five runs and six hits in four innings of his third career start. He had five strikeouts and one walk.
Scott Alexander, Tyler Ferguson, Michel Otañez and T.J. McFarland each retired three batters for the A's.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: OF Kyle Tucker (shin), sidelined since June 3, did some light defensive work Tuesday but is not yet ready for a rehab assignment, manager Joe Espada said.
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (8-6, 4.14 ERA) faces the A’s in the series finale Wednesday. Brown owns an AL-leading 2.15 ERA since May 22. Oakland counters with LHP JP Sears (7-7, 4.49).
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
