The last time we spoke (I missed you too), the Astros were coming off a week where they has gone 1-5 against the Cardinals and the Brewers. So in that respect, a 2-4 week is an improvement. That may be the only way to take anything good out of the recent on field product. Everything else about the week has been an epic, well, to use the vernacular of the internets…
When you compound an inconsistent offense with periods of shoddy pitching, topped off with spurts of craptacular defense and you have the last 2 weeks of the Houston brand of baseball. During that time frame, the Astros have dropped from 2nd place in the division, 1 game out to 4th place, 8 games out. So of course, Cecil Cooper and Ed Wade made some changes. Michael Bourn was moved from starting and batting in the leadoff spot to, I guess you’d call it platooning with Darren Erstad, and batting 7th. J.R. Towles was sent to Round Rock to see if he could hit again. Brad Ausmus is now going to see the majority of the time behind the plate despite his insistance that he shouldn’t be playing more than once a week. Humberto Quintero is now the second catcher, and his primary goal is to piss off too many of his teammates while he’s keeping the bench warm. Jose Cruz, Jr. was given his outright release after hitting .122 in a bench role. Reggie Abercrombie was called up despite no particular signs from Round Rock that he actually deserved the promotion. And finally (for now) Gunther Pence was moved to leadoff in the order.
Predictably, after yesterday’s meltdown, Cooper insisted to the seething throng of idiocy that insists on a press conference after every home game that, “…come Tuesday, we’re going to do some “stuff” to get better”, whatever that means.
The staff of Off Day have discussed it, and we agree with most of the moves that were made. Cheito was either uninterested or unable to flourish in a bench role. Towles needed to be sent down. Erstad likely needs to play more than he has been. However, the other moves speak to the kind of manager Cooper is going to be…impatient.
I have always admired Bradley Ausmus (not in the same way Budgirl admires him, but still), and have been amongst those that understand the value he has to the Astros, offensive game be damned. But at some point, he can’t be a starting catcher anymore. Quintero should be your starter until WadeSmith can acquire someone better, but as it looks like we’re trying to keep someone (starting pitchers, Budgirl) happy it’s Ausmus for the foreseeable future.
Michael Bourn has hit .353 the past week, and maybe that’s proof that Cooper’s moves have some merit, but begging for patience from the fans and exhibiting in his moves are two different things. Michael Bourn is not going to learn how to be an everyday leadoff hitter from the 7 hole every few days. He needs to be playing everyday, and in my opinion, it needs to be in the top spot.
Hunter Pence is wasted in the leadoff spot. Developmentally it’s a mistake, and even though he’s tuned in now, the Astros are better in the long run (and even game to game) with him in an RBI spot. I’m sure that the coaches have told him to keep being aggressive, but the nature of leading off is to get on and see pitches, and that doesn’t really jibe with the “gripitandripit” approach that he’s successful with. It’s like making Jennifer Reyna a lead anchor on the 6:00 pm news. Her strengths don’t so much lend themselves to reading things that are important out loud to other people, and sitting behind a desk hides her best assets.
Beyond that, if Cooper is as impatient as I suspect he is, lineup shuffle part deux should appear pretty soon. If the losing continues, I expect Lance Berkman will be batting 3rd, Carlos Lee will be moved to 4 and Miguel Tejada will be hitting 5th. Were this to happen, the entire lineup (excepting Kaz Matsui) that went 17-11 in May will be turned over in some way, shape, or form. In the span of two weeks.
How’s that for patience?!?
To Ponson or Not Ponson
My favorite reporter, Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the wonderfully written Houston Chronicle this morning floated the idea that the Astros should pick up the infamous Sidney Ponson, most recently of the Texas Rangers. Infamous, you ask? How could that be a problem?
The blogosphere claims it’d be a good deal for the Astros…despite the notion that the Rangers released him because he was a huge headache in the clubhouse. And despite the plethora of reports that he’s been a problem child with the Orioles and the Giants prior to that. And the Yankees. And the Twins. And despite the history of injury and ineffectiveness over the past several seasons. And despite the fact that he’s a fat tub of goo.
This is why the Chronicle in general and Ortiz specifically should hold little to no weight with the public. What is the point of suggesting something that will never ever happen? Even if Drayon McLane didn’t have a long standing rule (for lack of a better term) about not populating his roster with malcontents and human turds, who does Ponson potentially replace in the rotation? Not Roy Oswalt or Wandy Rodriguez. Probably not Brandon Backe either. So is the baggage of Ponson better than Shawn Chacon or Brian Moehler? Doesn’t matter, because the Astros aren’t going to sign a player with the character of Sidney Ponson, and the Ortiz knows better.