A few simple questions as the Astros fade

Simple questions as the Astros have lost perhaps the biggest series of games of the 2015 season.

  • Do the Astros deserve to make the playoffs period?
  • Can the team recover and still make a late run?
  • Finest hour or worst disaster?
  • Should Jeff Luhnow start to plan for 2016 now?
  • Are you ready to give up on the season?
  • What’s the biggest reason for the pending implosion of this team?
  • Finish the sentence: The season might have been different if Luhnow had…
  • Finish the sentence: Make me GM for a day and I’d…
  • Name the movie title of the 2015 Astros.
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101 responses to “A few simple questions as the Astros fade”

  1. I think the Astros make the playoffs, but it will be as a wild card team. The Rangers have that look of a team on a mission and now that they have first place I don’t see them letting it go, even if the Astros find a way to win tonight.

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  2. As to making the playoffs it all depends on the upcoming home stand and final games on the road. If we go 8 and 7 I think we’ll survive. Anything less will result in watching it on TV wondering what could have been. As for the 2016 season, yes start looking forward and figure out how we can get to the top and more importantly stay there. Lot’s of holes to plug in the offensive dike. I actually think the team has just run out of gas and we have not had two or three guys who have gotten hot down the stretch run. In fact the opposite has happened. Luhnow’s biggest failure was not addressing the corner infield problem. I believe that has been the biggest contributor to our downfall. We just never had anybody to go out there and rally the troops. I’m not talking about a cheer leader but a player who takes no prisoners. How many more games would we have won with some key situational hits. We would be talking about our 7 game lead and looking to the playoffs rather than our fading hopes.

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  3. 1. Shouda Coulda: If it were 6th Century BC and we played at the Pythagorean stadium and not MMP – we are 83-63. So perhaps the Astros over-performed or under-achieved. 2. Yes, they can, but probably will not. 3. Hour: Actually neither. 4. 2016: more to follow . 5. Season: Not just yet but hopes are fading quickly. 6. A one dimension batting order which fell on hard times. 7. Different: Again the corner spots, but at least he tried at 3rd. He thought he had 1st covered based upon 1 hot month by Carter. 8. GM: Look for more true “Moneyball” players. I see that as a philosophy that you adopt for the entire team. Not just your minor leaguers. 9. Movie: “Sink the Benchmark” “The Averagers” “A J Hinch and the Deathly Hallows” “Lord of the Rings: Regress to the Mean” “The Hobbit: The Expected Journey” “The Dark Night” “Losing Nemo” “The Hunger Games: Extinguishing the Fire” “2015” “The Matrix Unloaded” “Mission Impossible: Toast Protocol” “Gone with the Wind-Redux” “2nd Place in the Sun” “From Here to Oblivion” “Bonzo Goes to the Front Office” “Errors in the Outfield” OK – enough…………

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    • 2016: I do not want to assume the mantle of Bopert, but it is quite possible this team wins fewer games in 2016. A. First, we have solid players at the top of the order. But right now we have no Fielder/Beltran, Trout/Pujols, Miguel Cabrera +1, Posey +1 or Bryce Harper +1. Players that on their normal game can and do carry a team. We have several that may develop into those types but right now, ours are solid but spotty performers. B. We need to find a DH that improves on Gattis et al. C. We need one flamethrower in the bullpen with decent control. In the series on the Houston Texans “Hard Knocks” – O’Brien hammered “consistency.” That is the trademark of a winning sports team. It serves no purpose to gain 500 yards one game and then 50 the next. That shows up in the Pythagorean of this team. Yes, they scored a lot more runs than the opposition but how many games did they lose 3-2 or less. One advantage that I saw in this series, Fielder had the ability to hit a home run but lost in the stats was his willingness to ruin the shift and take a single to left when it plated a run. As I have stated before, it is easier to score from 2nd than it is from home plate. And finally, I am not stating “mediocrity.” But as an example, the Angels have drawn 900,000 more fans than the Astros. Using a guesstimate of $100 per fan to include ticket and gross profit on beer, food and clothing, they have $90 Million more to spend and they will spend it. Attendance lags performance normally. So the Astros need to rebuild their casual fan base. Those are the ones each night that occupy seat number 20,001- 40,950. Look at the extra money generated by the Giants with an “average” of over 41,000 per game. They won the WS in 2010 but that was not their highest attendance year. Until the return of the casual fan base, the Astros will continue to have much less to spend.

      http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/sfatte.shtml

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      • I agree with everything you say.
        I think the biggest mistake Crane made from the beginning was thinking he could tank the team and then expect the fans to come back when they started winning again. Houston fans (for the most part) are very fickle. A lot moved their loyalty to the Rangers simply because they were winning. Most probably won’t come back for a long time. And to raise ticket prices after a few months of winning, just not a good idea.
        I guess we’ll see.

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  4. -If the Astros make the playoffs, then they deserve to make the playoffs. That’s a weird question.
    -Yes they could recover and make a late run by sweeping their next home stand.
    -If they got rid of the Chucky Cheese Clubhouse atmosphere and grew up, this could be their finest hour.
    -Apparently the team has started planning for vacation, so Luhnow might want to start planning ahead
    -Apparently I’m not giving up because I made myself watch every moment of that shipwreck last night
    -biggest reason for pending implosion? nagging injuries to important players and too many .200 hitters in the lineup.
    – The season might have been different if Luhnow had brought up the right players in the beginning of August and jettisoned some garbage at the deadline.
    – Make me the GM of the Astros for a day and I would:
    a. make the transfers I suggested in yesterday’s post of players to various outposts around the world.
    b. Ask Correa to coordinate a massive offseason workout program for the top 50 players in this organization and the club would pay for it
    c. Tell Tyler White to forget about catching and be down to 205 lbs by Feb 1st, and he will have a legitimate chance at a job in spring training.
    d. Hire a batting coach who will teach contact
    e. Go to Nolan Ryan and ask him what I need to do to develop pitchers in our minor leagues.
    -Movie title for 2015? “Gone Phillips” The true story of a ship’s captain who traded his best prospect for a hot dog, and then watched his ship bat flip into the depths.

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  5. Yes, they deserve to make the playoffs. They were such a surprise this year and they deserve a happy ending.
    They can recover but I don’t think they will.

    Make me GM for a day and Conger, Carter Valbuna, Gattis, and Gomez are gone!
    Then I’d hire a good baseball mind, preferably, an ex-manager to be the bench coach. Like Hunsicker paired Virdon with Deirker. I’d do whatever it took to persuade Bagwell to be the hitting coach, even if only for home games.
    Then I’d put Duffy on third, I’d bring up White for first, get the best catcher in the minors. Put Tucker at DH against right hand pitching, use Lowrie against lefties.
    Marisnick, Springer, Rasmus, in outfield. Correa & Altuve at short and second.

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  7. – Yes – the job isn’t done though. Fail to win games here on out results in deserving to play Oct golf.
    – Recover – absolutely. A win tonight puts them .5 out of the division with 3 head to head at MMP. They have to take care of business the rest of the way though.
    – Neither. 2005 second half run has to be finest hour. Even if they miss the playoffs, you have to agree they overachieved based on the cast and injuries this year, right? I know…no such thing as a moral victory.
    – Luhnow started planning for 2016 months ago. He has about a month to decide how invested he is in Kazmir and convince Crane on some arbitration eligible.
    – Give up? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
    – Inefficiency. Recall me complaining about a no-OBP offense leveraging solo-HR for victories not being sustainable…
    – Season different if Luhnow had promoted Correa to CC in 2014 and given him a chance to start at SS in April. That allows Lowrie to be full time 3B and gives more options to keep Fowler (.349 OBP) or trade for different needs.
    – Sign myself to an eight figure contract. What?
    – Trouble with the Curve (and fastball, changeup, and sliders. But we hit knucklers OK)

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  8. Do the Astros deserve to make the playoffs period?

    – If you win more than the guys you are competing against, you get in. If you don’t, you don’t. We’ll see.

    Can the team recover and still make a late run?

    – Of course. They have been a bad road team all year. They have been a good home team. They have an all important homestand coming. I’m optimistic.

    Finest hour or worst disaster?

    – Neither. Sounds almost cliché overkill.

    Should Jeff Luhnow start to plan for 2016 now?

    – He is the GM, he should always be planning for the next season as well in 90% of the moves he makes.

    Are you ready to give up on the season?

    – Absolutely not. You play to win today. If you do that, tomorrow will be there.

    What’s the biggest reason for the pending implosion of this team?

    – I haven’t seen an implosion – I’ve seen a road team do what they have done all year long, play poorly on the road. They may come back from it and go 5-2 in this homestand.

    Finish the sentence: The season might have been different if Luhnow had…

    – Stabilized first base earlier. The season isn’t over, but Carter is.

    Finish the sentence: Make me GM for a day and I’d…

    – Call up Kemp and White, insert Kemp in the leadoff spot and LF, and White at the bottom of the order and 1B, and see how it rides out. I would release Grossman and Carter from the 40 man outright.

    Name the movie title of the 2015 Astros. “Without a Paddle”

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  10. Milo had a great announcers voice and was a good baseball game broadcaster, when…..he actually chose to broadcast the game.
    I don’t know if he was always this way, but by the time he got here he was a super self promoter and a shill for every sponsor, every one who stopped by the booth etc.
    There were times when I wondered if the game was getting any attention at all.
    But yes RIP Milo. He was here through some of the best times of Astros’ baseball.

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  12. ■Do the Astros deserve to make the playoffs period?
    The heck with the Astros. The fans deserve for the Astros to make the playoffs.
    ■Can the team recover and still make a late run?
    It is so weird, but the answer is yes. But they really need to win tonight and come home within 0.5 game and more home games than road games coming up.
    ■Finest hour or worst disaster?
    Somewhere in between. Unless they make a World Series run this will never be their finest hour. If a flawed team that has hung on to first place because no one made a real charge until now, loses the division that is not a disaster.
    ■Should Jeff Luhnow start to plan for 2016 now?
    NO! But he seemed to have done that when he did not bring up a 1B in July.
    ■Are you ready to give up on the season?
    NO! This team has surprised me often this season and I will not let go until there is no chance of making the playoffs.
    ■What’s the biggest reason for the pending implosion of this team?
    The reasons in order:
    – Front office never addressing the worst of the offensive problems or bringing up someone or something – especially at 1st base.
    – Inexperience – they look like a team that finally realized they have never been here and maybe don’t belong
    – Injuries – this has been a consistent nagging thing and especially lately has really worn on a thin team.
    ■Finish the sentence: The season might have been different if Luhnow had…admitted that Carter was never going to warm up.
    ■Finish the sentence: Make me GM for a day and I’d…have A.J. Reed manning 1B.
    ■Name the movie title of the 2015 Astros. – As Good As It Gets was for the first half of the season – Somethings Gotta Give for the second half

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    • Dan, I’m ready for you to be GM since you would install A.J. Reed at first base. The guy is the real deal. Like I mentioned earlier, he reminds me of Joe Adcock, but I think he’ll hit for a higher average than Joe did with less strikeouts. And, while you’re at it, please release Conger and Carter.

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  13. I live up in the Dallas area, so you can imagine all the grief I’ve been getting the last couple of days after the way the Rangers have handled our Astros. It has not been fun

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  14. Do they deserve to make the playoffs…..yes
    Can they recover…..yes, at least I hope so.
    Finest hour or disaster….Lowrie hitting that Grandslam a couple weeks ago. Worst…..last night. HANDS DOWN
    Should Luhnow start plans for 2016……he’s been doing that by promoting guys that have had terrific years. Too late for the current team, as we SHOULD have seen Duffy up here when it was evident we had no one to play first base.
    Am I ready to give up….if they lose tonight it might be too late for them to get back, so I guess I have to say tonight will do it for me if they lose.
    Biggest reason for the implosion…..not addressing the black hole at 1st base, and not getting a closer to shut teams down.
    They might have been better…see above answer.
    Make me GM for a day…..park A.J. Reeds butt at first base, and let HIM show everyone how it’s done. (See Carlos Correa) let him show Singelton how to hit and field. Oh, and I would fire these coaches:
    Hitting coach
    3rd base coach
    Assisting hitting coach
    Base running/ infield coach
    Name a movie title for this 2015 team….”The way we were”.

    And sorry oldpro you and I agree on most everything, but letting these guys be a little goofy, instead of grinding their teeth and pressing too hard……I’ll take the goofy.
    It’s been a looong season, and they are tired, let um have Gummy Bears. Club Astros too!!

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    • Even the rookies get payed over a half a million dollars a year to play baseball for a living. They certainly are playing like five year olds, so I guess gummy bears seems about right.

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  15. This is what I have to say about Milo: after Clemens, and Pettit left this team, he had nothing good to say about them. He was allowed by Drayton McLane to run off Allan Ashby, and Dave Raymond, and Brett Dolen. Now we get to listen to Steve Sparks who has absolutely NO CLUE how to call a game…..thank God for Robert Ford.
    Milo was the most self serving self promoted self admirer self stroking old man I have ever had to listen to. He made listening to the game a bore. He hated it when Ashe would correct him on a player or position….he hated it when a Dave and Brett had fun and sometimes made fun of him….in a sweet way. So, no I had no use for the man. Am I glad he passed away? No. But I won’t miss him.

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  17. As far as fans go, we have some pretty good ones. Sure they boo a player every once in a while…….BUT the Dallas fans a pure and simple a h#les. They were chanting choke city making fun of the Crush City t shirts and yard signs. If they go on to the playoffs, I’m gonna go down in the part of Houston that some Katrina people reside and get them to make me a Rangers VOODOO doll, and poke pins in it the rest of the season. No joke!!

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  18. Well I already gave the movie titles for 2015, but I thought I would give you the ones for the last few years

    2011 – “The Lost Boys”
    2012 – “Less than Zero”
    2013 – “The Abyss”
    2014 – “Up”

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  20. Despite a surprising start, and fun young talent like Springer, McCullers, and Correa, THIS TEAM IS NOT A GREAT BALLCLUB. Nowhere close. They may even make the playoffs, but this team (and franchise, for that matter) is going nowhere.

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      • Of course, at the Astros darkest hour Bopert finally shows up. He was silenced all season, but decides to rise from the ashes when it looks the bleakest. I take this as a good sign the Astros will win tonight.

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      • I am actually a very nice guy. I just have opinions and make predictions that are not rosy for the few remaining Astros faithful. I will not make any comments on you or your character since I do not know you. But you know what? You are entitled to your opinions too! (:

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    • Glad to have you back. I can now be like the Astros. Move into 2nd place as the biggest jerk on the blog. Missed you and your sunny disposition. Try to keep it cool about the ownership. 🙂

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      • If people don’t LIKE your opinion, does that make you the jerk?

        My opinion of the ownership, and Crane’s impact on the quality of the franchise, will continued to be espoused. (Until Chip blocks me again, that is…)

        Sorry man,

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      • Opinions are like a**holes, everyone has them. It’s just ironic that when the Astros were winning all summer, which went completely against your pithy rants, you were nowhere to be seen. The minute they hit a road bump you show up claiming you were right all along. Welcome back.

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      • Blogs are where people go to espouse their opinions. It’s not wrong to freely spew forth your own thoughts and predictions.

        But, if you say things that others don’t like, then you might just get blocked (censored), So beware of that.

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    • Odd that you picked now to come back after all this time away.

      And by odd, I actually mean ‘not surprising in the least’.

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      • I tried a number of times earlier this summer. My posts were blocked. However, the blocked posts would’ve been somewhat embarrassing, as I predicted the fade to happen a heckuva lot sooner.

        At this point, I predict them to hang on and make the playoffs, but I do think they will get smashed by more legit teams.

        Another thing I will admit — I can’t help but watch this team play. I catch a couple games a week. I used to watch them all, and frequent MMP. But I just cant give Crane any of my hard earned money.

        And the paltry attendance IS troubling. Chipalatta faithful aside, this franchise is hurting for a fanbase (as predicted).

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  24. Never thought I’d be glad to see Castro in the lineup. Of course, Stassi should’ve gotten more than 1 start in that period, and I doubt he’ll get into a game the rest of the season, but at least it’s not Conger.

    We’ll win tonight 4 to 2. That’s my gut talking

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  25. It’s the original bopert folks. Chip, the Minister of Propaganda, blocked all my posts after last summer’s amateur draft. I guess he lifted his censorship?

    Regardless, this team is doomed for ongoing mediocrity, and pi$$-poor fan support.

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    • Dang Bopert, you are back for less than a day and well that work “mediocrity” shows up. Hats off to Chip for lifting the ban (assuming he did so). You need to be like McCullers tonight. You get to be in the park, but start off by warming up in the bullpen. Don’t waste all your ammo before the game starts.

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      • Sorry. I didn’t mean to taunt. I’ll actually be rooting for McCullers to have a good game tonight, and for the team to pull off a much-needed win.

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    • What exactly did Crane do to this ‘once great franchise’? It appears, to me, he turned around a moribund franchise and has them set up with a strong farm system and a contending team for years to come.

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  27. Tony Randazzel is calling a pretty good game so far, but there have been more than a few guys getting in his face….along with Castro. Rangers just hit a 3 run home run, but McCullers has his own self to blame. You can’t walk a guy with one on, and expect THIS team to lay down and die. Time to get back up off the mat boys…..play like you are capable of.GET. SOME. RUNS.!!!!!!

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  28. Watching the game tonight and McCuellars breaking ball is lights out but his fast ball has almost no movement on it. It just kind of drifts. Strom needs to show him how to through a slider. It’ll make him a top #2 or #3 starter. It was the same with Harris. No movement on it at all. I missed the rally as after the 3 run HR I had to change channels as I was becoming nauseated.

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  30. First off, welcome back bopert. You sound like the same annoying soul that you once were, so regardless of how or why you came back, I’m pleased to hear from you. You’ve always had a different opinion than most. And that for me is good fodder for conversation. But I’m a bit dubious as to why Chip would block you, as he has always welcomed contrary thought, as long as it is presented in a semi mature fashion. And I know I’ve been on the edge a few times without being blacklisted.

    It’s been a tough week for our Astros, and for me too, as I’ve been hosting business associates from the US; as a result, missing games, eating too many big meals out, drinking school night rum, wine and whatever, and simply being out of my regular routine. So not a real chance to keep up. 1OP, I would have quickly traded my island retreat for your Piney Woods this past week.

    I’ll say this. Even with a Ranger sweep, this season is far from over. Way too early to pack it in. Our guys, as flawed as they are, might well will win three in a row again, and the Strangers might lose three the same way.

    But, as I have said a few times in the past couple of weeks, I don’t think our squad has the talent to handle September as the best teams do. And I’ll add this too, hopefully not sounding too much like bopert. Our GM has failed his first pennant race miserably. Yes, I said a couple of weeks ago that he should be fired if the Rangers overtook us, which was probably too harsh. But our man Luhnow has been taken to school. And damn, we lost some guys to be excited about in 2016.

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    • I wouldnt lie about Chip blocking me. This time, for whatever reason, I was able to log in fresh and submit my posts.

      I appreciate your candor. The “annoying soul” bit is harsh, but when predictions of a franchise is deep disarray prove true over time, will that diminish your annoyance? Of course it won’t.

      Consider me a willing scapegoat for your frustration.

      Could it be that you might be annoyed at the reality of the situation? This franchise does not have the revenue nor fanbase to compete in the AL West over time.

      And this team does not have nearly enough weapons this offseason, if they make. I predict one and out.

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      • bopert, don’t get sensitive on me now. If you’ll recollect, I’ve never been a fan of our carpetbagger owner. But alas, if somehow, and I’m dubious at this point, our GM can gather all the talent in the organization together into a deep, athletic roster, the fans will finally come back to appreciate all of the wonderful young ballplayers on display. 2016 is an important year for this organization. The faithful, and those not so much, will no longer be patient enough to wait for 2017 and beyond. Luhnow is most certainly and deservably on the clock at this point.

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  31. Just saw the reason we won’t make the playoffs. 1st and 2nd; nobody out. Altuve hits into DP and Springer K’s. I like Altuve but what in the hell was he doing hitting away. You’re down a run in the 8th. Get a tie. Sacrifice the runners over. Let Springer hit or if they choose to walk him (I doubt it), a fly ball scores one, a base hit two. Somebody has been taking stupid pills again. Absolutely terrible game management.

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  34. What a shame. I had such hopes for the guys when it was 3-2 , but all I can say is wow. They have, unfortunately started the slide to finish out this month. Sad, really really sad.

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    • Honestly, Sept has been the worst for me, because the talent IS there now, and there’s no excuse for this implosion. Some extremely dumb personnel decisions ruined what had been a great season.

      This team should look different next year, but it won’t. Because Luhnow can’t admit a mistake, expect Conger and Carter back next year. As much as I get irritated when the former starts, the latter is the one whom has no value. Can’t respect a guy who shows less energy than a guy who drank the wrong drink at a Bill Cosby party…you’re making millions of dollars, you can at least PRETEND to care after your latest strikeout.

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    • Luhnow is a micro managing GM….*he* tells Hinch who to play…..that’s what Mills and Porter could not handle. He wants to be the GM *AND* the manager. Man.

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      • If that’s true (and I believe it is), then he needs to be fired ASAP, cause he’s killing the team. As angry as I have been on the refusal to play Stassi, Tucker (until tonight), and Duffy in favor of the usual gang of clowns, I know the blame doesn’t lie with AJ.

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      • It’s OK to suggest, but few are still going to agree with you. We have exceeded our win projections the past 2 years and we still may make the playoffs this year. Luhnow was the architect behind rebuilding the farm system in less than 3 years from the worst to a top 5 system. Yes, he, like every GM, has made some mistakes, but it would be a colossal mistake to fire him right in the middle of the resurgence,

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      • Well I Hate to be a “Say What” I ve been calling him Lunhole for 2 years. I have never liked him and I don’t think anyone in STL did eithers he should be a Dir of scouting not a GM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  39. They will be lucky to win 4 or 5 more games this month. You simply can not come back with 20 games under 500 ball. Simply can NOT. Hello winter meetings……..

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  40. I wondered what happened to all the uppity ups at Enron that did not go to jail. Well they are now the Geeks in the FO and still think they are “the smartest guys in the room.”

    Becky and Z Man. I agree about the lack of sacrifice by Altuve. This has been the way the game has been managed all year. By this time in the season, it has conservatively cost the Astros 40-50 runs and multiple wins. But if “the book” says you have to swing for the fences on every pitch, then we probably have not bothered to work on bunting, hitting to the opposite field, nor sac flies. I am not bothered by the lack of execution. I am extremely displeased because game after game, they do not even try to advance the runner to tie the score.

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  41. Ya know dave, I might be coming over to your side….for once. Jeff Luhnow left St. Louis under less than stellar circumstances. He has made more than a few enemies, case in point Walt Jockety…..who absolutely *HATES* him. Probably the reason Chapman is still in Cincinnati as the closer. That, and Jockety wanted Correa AND McCullers AND Maverick. But we are talking about his last three years here. He is extremely hard to get along with…and gets along very well with Hinch, because Hinch wants his name cleared of being a “bad” manger in Arizona. Hinch wants to keep managing, if not here with another team. Sooo let’s look at what Luhnow thinks of rookies. Not much, unless HE drafted the guy. As far as getting Duffy, Stassi here it was a matter of NEEDING another catcher, and he would look like crap if he didn’t bring Duffy up, because Matt was the MVP of the Pacific league. If this team continues the current slide into the end of the month, I hope Jim Crane will see WHY his team ended up much like they did last year. This will be one of the biggest collapse of a major league in history. THEN……Luhnow should be fired ASAP.

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    • I get that you’re frustrated, as we all are. However, this is not a collapse of monumental proportions. They are a young team experiencing the heat of a pennant race for the very first time. The 1979 Astros did the same thing and won the division the next year. Many teams have blown bigger division leads than what the Astros gave up this year. Take a deep breath, let’s see where we stand at the end of the regular season and I think the majority will realize it has still been a good season, despite not winning the division.

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  42. The moment they wasted Marisnick to run for Castro, I knew we were doomed.(Gloom, despair, and agony on me! How’s my HeeHaw?) I told my wife that meant Conger would catch the bottom of the eighth. Five runs, three stolen bases and a wild pitch that even Ashby could not hide his frustration about how Conger has to get in front of the ball and the run scored and the floodgates opened.. Plus, that ball that Fields was forced to field was Conger’s ball and he just failed to get there.
    The worst inning all year by the worst defensive catcher in Astros’ history.
    If the bad players that are hurting this team this year are still on the team next year, I will have to find something else to do.
    I built another wonderful hunting blind this week with just a little help from the Mrs and my son. My left side aches all the time but I still can build and be useful and this blind has comfortable seating for a grandpa and a couple of grandkids.
    The next one may have a bar and a pool table and a recliner.
    The Astros are going to “rue the time” they let Nottingham and Phillips go.
    How’s my Shakespeare?

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    • After I quit shooting deer, we set up a video to tape the deer making the slow walk outta the woods! Everything went just fine, until me and my little league bladder had to go to the bathroom….and then it wasn’t so great!! I’m too old to get up and down outta those blinds anymore, so the deer are safe from me! And your Shakespeare is just fine!! You and I both know we will watch this team until the last out S ade and they go home for the winter….that’s just who we are. Baseball runs through my veins like blood, and for all the rest of us as well. The day I stop loving this crazy game, will be the day I breathe my last breath.

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  44. It also appears that the Bull Pen has also collapsed. I don’t know if they are all burned out or what but they just can’t seem to put hitters away. I think we would all agree we need a flame thrower in the BP and also as a starter. I think McCuellars last batter whiffed at a 96 mph heater. The rangers were just sitting on his other pitches. He has enormous potential if it can be harvested. I have no complaints with him at all.
    Biggest needs for next year… 1st, 3rd, a bonifide lead off hitter, a new hitting coach, a new base running coach, a different management philosophy, and possible a new GM, and get rid of that damn “all or nothing philosophy”.

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