Letting Ausmus bat. Bases juiced down 4 in the 8th

[Twoniner]

   You have one of the best doubles hitters in the history of baseball on your bench, and you let Brad Ausmus bat in this spot?  Quick glance at ESPN.com    With runners on this year and last,  Ausmus has had 6 extra base hits.  He has grounded into 24 double plays in that same time.   Sure, cut some slack for hitting in front of the pitcher.  The picture still isn't pretty.

[Astroholic]

   You have one of the best doubles hitters in the history of baseball on your bench, and you let Brad Ausmus bat in this spot?  Quick glance at ESPN.com    With runners on this year and last,  Ausmus has had 6 extra base hits.  He has grounded into 24 double plays in that same time.   Sure, cut some slack for hitting in front of the pitcher.  The picture still isn't pretty.

Could we please not second guess every decision that Phil makes in games that the stros lose? 

[MusicMan]

   You have one of the best doubles hitters in the history of baseball on your bench, and you let Brad Ausmus bat in this spot?  Quick glance at ESPN.com   

The same glance at ESPN.com would tell you Biggio is hitting .180 with runners on this year.

[otterjb]

Trying to be objective, it would've been nice to have seen Lane/Biggio or Biggio/Lane instead of Ausmus/Ensberg, but hindsight's 20/20. Ensberg came a several feet away from hitting a grand slam. Then he went back to doing what he's been doing.

[pravata]

Ausmus is hitting .278 this season.  Very recently he was hitting .300.  Ausmus is streaky.  He's in a good streak right now.

[MRaup]

Focusing on Ausmus's AB instead of Ensberg's makes my brain bleed.

[MusicMan]

Focusing on Ausmus's AB instead of Ensberg's makes my brain bleed.

Let's make a deal... for every complaint about letting Ausmus hit, I get to kick Morgan in the nuts.

[Noe]

Trying to be objective, it would've been nice to have seen Lane/Biggio or Biggio/Lane instead of Ausmus/Ensberg, but hindsight's 20/20. Ensberg came a several feet away from hitting a grand slam. Then he went back to doing what he's been doing.

Foresight on Lane though.  He has been your right handed power pinch hitter off the bench all year.  Why should it change simply because MoBerg or Biggio is sitting today as well?

BTW - Ausmus was not happy when Scraps pinch hit for him in Houston when Loretta, Lamb and Luke pulled a loss back from the ledger against these very same Reds team.  I'm nor sure if Scraps just didn't allow Ausmus to hit for reasons that they talked about after that game or not... that is entirely out of my arse.

But Lane is definitely someone who has been the bench right handed batter, so for either Ausmus or the pitcher, one of those guys would be where Lane needed to hit.  MoBerg perplexes me as a pinch hitter.  The hitter part usually means actually hitting the ball.  Drayle Ward and Russ Johnson had to learn from Stan Javier early in their career that if you're going to be called upon to be a pinch hitter, you cannot approach it like you would as a starter.  You don't get three ABs prior to that situation you're in.

So his advice was simple: Be aggressive.

To choose the passive MoBerg in this particular situation is strange to me, especially since you have Lane sitting right next to him.

[JimR]

   You have one of the best doubles hitters in the history of baseball on your bench, and you let Brad Ausmus bat in this spot?  Quick glance at ESPN.com    With runners on this year and last,  Ausmus has had 6 extra base hits.  He has grounded into 24 double plays in that same time.   Sure, cut some slack for hitting in front of the pitcher.  The picture still isn't pretty.

i would have let him hit b/c he has been hitting well. he had a bad AB, though.

i sure as hell would not have put Biggio in against Weathers. 3 sliders later, he is back with one more K.

[pravata]

Foresight on Lane though.  He has been your right handed power pinch hitter off the bench all year.  Why should it change simply because MoBerg or Biggio is sitting today as well?

BTW - Ausmus was not happy when Scraps pinch hit for him in Houston when Loretta, Lamb and Luke pulled a loss back from the ledger against these very same Reds team.  I'm nor sure if Scraps just didn't allow Ausmus to hit for reasons that they talked about after that game or not... that is entirely out of my arse.

But Lane is definitely someone who has been the bench right handed batter, so for either Ausmus or the pitcher, one of those guys would be where Lane needed to hit.  MoBerg perplexes me as a pinch hitter.  The hitter part usually means actually hitting the ball.  Drayle Ward and Russ Johnson had to learn from Stan Javier early in their career that if you're going to be called upon to be a pinch hitter, you cannot approach it like you would as a starter.  You don't get three ABs prior to that situation you're in.

So his advice was simple: Be aggressive.

To choose the passive MoBerg in this particular situation is strange to me, especially since you have Lane sitting right next to him.

Doesnt mean that Garner based his decision on this, but Lane is 0-5 v. Weathers with 3 Ks. 

[Noe]

Doesnt mean that Garner based his decision on this, but Lane is 0-5 v. Weathers with 3 Ks. 

Probably did.  Means he convinced himself he had a better chance with Ausmus and MoBerg.  He, however, is using Lane as his power right handed hitter off the bench this year.  If his choice for pinch hitter late coming out of spring training isn't going to get his chance against a reliever, then he shouldn't be on the team.

Simple as that.  Get rid of Lane and get a right handed bat for the job that *needs* to be done.  Or give Lane his job and be done with it.

[Foghorn]

i would have let him hit b/c he has been hitting well. he had a bad AB, though.

i sure as hell would not have put Biggio in against Weathers. 3 sliders later, he is back with one more K.

I was thinking Ensberg for Ausmus and:  (1)  Biggio for the pitcher if there is still one out, or (2) Lane for the pitcher if there are 2 outs.

[pravata]

Probably did.  Means he convinced himself he had a better chance with Ausmus and MoBerg.  He, however, is using Lane as his power right handed hitter off the bench this year.  If his choice for pinch hitter late isn't going to get his chance against a reliever, then he shouldn't be on the team.

Simple as that.

Stay close on Friday, we may see.

[Noe]

Stay close on Friday, we may see.

Agreed.  I sincerely believe a change in this will be realized.  Someone will be the everyday right handed pinch hitter bat with power off the bench on Friday.  Someone will be the everyday CF.  Someone will be the everyday 3rd baseman come Friday.

Unless Albers has some eyes looking his way, PENCE!!!, Burke, MoBerg or Lane is going to get some bad news on Friday.

[Noe]

Doesnt mean that Garner based his decision on this, but Lane is 0-5 v. Weathers with 3 Ks. 

BTW - MoBerg's career stats vs Weathers is pretty good, so that adds more to the decision making process for Scraps.  He knows what he's doing, so he went with what he thought was best for sure.

But you know, those career numbers was before MoBerg became this bad version of Placido Polanco.  In fact, I just insulted Polanco.  My bad.

[JimR]

I was thinking Ensberg for Ausmus and:  (1)  Biggio for the pitcher if there is still one out, or (2) Lane for the pitcher if there are 2 outs.

i would not have hit Biggio for anyone against Weathers unless he was the only one left.

[JimR]

Trying to be objective, it would've been nice to have seen Lane/Biggio or Biggio/Lane instead of Ausmus/Ensberg, but hindsight's 20/20. Ensberg came a several feet away from hitting a grand slam. Then he went back to doing what he's been doing.

yeah, and i am good looks and talent away from being a movie star.

[Foghorn]

i would not have hit Biggio for anyone against Weathers unless he was the only one left.

Its amazing he's got 2960+ hits when the entire universe knows he can't lay off sliders low and away.

[Foghorn]

yeah, and i am good looks and talent away from being a movie star.

Need to save this one.

[JimR]

Its amazing he's got 2960+ hits when the entire universe knows he can't lay off sliders low and away.

MLB pitchers did not all go to Harvard.

[Noe]

Its amazing he's got 2960+ hits when the entire universe knows he can't lay off sliders low and away.

Well, he's been bad on sliders for the last seven years for sure, perhaps longer.  But not always.  He had to speed up his bat to get to the fastballs so he doesn't really care to do anything above and beyond hitting a fastball now.

If he gets one, he's ready to hit it.  If he gets a diet of sliders and trying to speed up his bat, he'll strike out.  But if a starter tried that with Bidge, sooner or later, he'd just take the walk... a starter has to keep him honest.  But not a reliever.  Unless said reliever is Billy Wagner of course.

[WulawHorn]

Ausmus is hitting .278 this season.  Very recently he was hitting .300.  Ausmus is streaky.  He's in a good streak right now.

If I was a betting man I'd say the average going from north of .300 to about .280 means the good is done and we are in for a bad cycle.

That being said- who really cares, Ausmus is on the team for his leather not his lumber. He is what he is a gold glove winning catcher that is about a .240 hitter with little to no pop but who does a good job hitting 8th in the order of turning the batting order over.  Also- as P mentioned, a guy that generally has one pro-longed, month like stretch every single year where he hits 330 and then goes back to his career norm.

I saw him pissed off the other night as well. He is going to have to accept it- he is getting lifted in important bat situations. While he's in the middle of a good run I get the point- but the fact of the matter is that almost everyone on the bench is a better hitting option than Ausmus.

[WulawHorn]

Well, he's been bad on sliders for the last seven years for sure, perhaps longer.  But not always.  He had to speed up his bat to get to the fastballs so he doesn't really care to do anything above and beyond hitting a fastball now.

If he gets one, he's ready to hit it.  If he gets a diet of sliders and trying to speed up his bat, he'll strike out.  But if a starter tried that with Bidge, sooner or later, he'd just take the walk... a starter has to keep him honest.  But not a reliever.  Unless said reliever is Billy Wagner of course.

He's always been susceptible to a good slider from my recollection- but that's fuzzy and that of a 12 or 14 year old for much of it.

He used to absolutely kill mistakes though.  Throw him a slider that doesn't slide and he'll lose it or hit it in the gap for a double.  Great mistake hitter back in the day- still pretty good mistake hitter.

[Foghorn]

Well, he's been bad on sliders for the last seven years for sure, perhaps longer.  But not always.  He had to speed up his bat to get to the fastballs so he doesn't really care to do anything above and beyond hitting a fastball now.

If he gets one, he's ready to hit it.  If he gets a diet of sliders and trying to speed up his bat, he'll strike out.  But if a starter tried that with Bidge, sooner or later, he'd just take the walk... a starter has to keep him honest.  But not a reliever.  Unless said reliever is Billy Wagner of course.

IN retrospect, its not surprising how that turned out.  Possibly the single most important AB in Astros history.

[JimR]

He's always been susceptible to a good slider from my recollection- but that's fuzzy and that of a 12 or 14 year old for much of it.

He used to absolutely kill mistakes though.  Throw him a slider that doesn't slide and he'll lose it or hit it in the gap for a double.  Great mistake hitter back in the day- still pretty good mistake hitter.

the slider trouble started in 1998, i think.

[JimR]

Need to save this one.

ok

[Limey]

i would not have hit Biggio for anyone against Weathers unless he was the only one left.

Also, Lane likes it up and in (NTTAWWT), so he's not a good bet against Tackleberry either, as the stats prav posted bear out.

[pravata]

Also, Lane likes it up and in (NTTAWWT), so he's not a good bet against Tackleberry either, as the stats prav posted bear out.

Something I posted is proven by stats? Now that's a low blow.

[Limey]

Something I posted is proven by stats? Now that's a low blow.

Nope, worse.  You posted the stats and I described the "real world" reason for those results.

What size anorak are you?

[pravata]

Nope, worse.  You posted the stats and I described the "real world" reason for those results.

What size anorak are you?

extra bilious

[WulawHorn]

the slider trouble started in 1998, i think.

Which was also Biggio's best year ever- an absolutely phenominal year, that if not overshadowed by McGuire, Sosa and their chemists might have netted him an MVP.

But you are right- I remember this vulnerability at least as far back as then. I thought he would be washed up after the 2000 knee injury, and with this vulnerability. He has adapted and survived later in his career- but he's dead meat against a good slider- he simply cannot lay off of it.

[JimR]

Which was also Biggio's best year ever- an absolutely phenominal year, that if not overshadowed by McGuire, Sosa and their chemists might have netted him an MVP.

But you are right- I remember this vulnerability at least as far back as then. I thought he would be washed up after the 2000 knee injury, and with this vulnerability. He has adapted and survived later in his career- but he's dead meat against a good slider- he simply cannot lay off of it.

my first recollection of his wild flailing was in the All Star game. it continued in the second half of the season.

[Noe]

He's always been susceptible to a good slider from my recollection- but that's fuzzy and that of a 12 or 14 year old for much of it.

He used to absolutely kill mistakes though.  Throw him a slider that doesn't slide and he'll lose it or hit it in the gap for a double.  Great mistake hitter back in the day- still pretty good mistake hitter.

Biggio was a #3 hitter when he came up and batted there for about five  years that I can remember.  He was a great hitter.  Sliders, sinkers, curveballs... didn't matter, the little guy was a very good, high average hitter.  His game was good for the Astrodome because it was a gap to gap hitting style and he could run all day once he hit the ball.

When I remember him having a problem with sliders was about a decade ago (or maybe less).  And again, starters don't just throw one pitch else Biggio will make them pay because he'll lay off and take the walk if they did.  And for the longest time, Biggio on the basepaths was the last thing you wanted... not with Bagwell waiting for a chance to drive him in.

Relievers are a different matter though.  They can throw him three sliders now because Biggio is looking to hit and will give up his bat for getting that thing started sooner.  Would Biggio late in the game differ than Biggio earlier in the game?  Yes.  He'll get more run producing chances late in a game and early he needs to get on base more.  It maybe not as simple as that, but I think the idea that Biggio has *never* been able to hit a slider is wrong.

[Noe]

the slider trouble started in 1998, i think.

Same recollection here.

[Noe]

extra bilious

Oh, you're one of those rebilious fans Fredia mentioned.

[Noe]

Also, Lane likes it up and in (NTTAWWT), so he's not a good bet against Tackleberry either, as the stats prav posted bear out.

It's actually strange to think about because the reality is that Lane is a notorioous low ball hitter.  When you want to get him out, pitch him up and in, he'll never hit it.  Weathers is a low ball pitcher though.  His game is to throw sliders, sinkers and cutters low in the zone.  You'd think Lane would be better at hitting Weathers because of his style of swing.

Small sample size I'm sure that leads to this strange of occurence.  I think that the MoBerg body of work on the positive against Weathers is more in line with what Scraps had in mind.  But again, that was the old version of MoBerg who used to at least pretend to be a power hitting middle of the lineup hitter.

The new version of MoBerg stinks!  IMHO of course.

[MusicMan]

Are we not discussing the fact that Noe is now a double super secret pope?

Oh... it's double super secret... never mind.