Villarreal

[BUWebguy]

Going back to Prav's question after the Chacon affair -- "Will the Astros' actions affect future free agents' decisions?" -- hearing "There are things he didn’t feel comfortable with" from Villarreal through his agent worries me more than anything that happened with Chacon/Wade.

Sure sounds like he's referring to something more than just being sent down. Anyone have any insights?

[legs_of_eggs]

A rookie pitching coach whose learning on the job might make some pitchers uncomfortable?

[MusicMan]

Door.  Backside.  Way out.

[Ty in Tampa]

Door.  Backside.  Way out.

Ranks up there with the most disappointing aspect of the season so far.

[Limey]

Apparently Villareal pitching like shit wasn't his fault, it's because he listened to everything the rookie pitching coach said, and not because he couldn't find the strike zone even if it was the size of Madonna's snatch.

[mihoba]

"There are things he didn’t feel comfortable with"

Quite unlike the batters who faced him.

[MusicMan]

Ranks up there with the most disappointing aspect of the season so far.

1.  Youngsters' performances
2.  Villarreal
3.  Oswalt

[Limey]

1.  Youngsters' performances
2.  Villarreal
3.  Oswalt

Lee's hustle and Matsui's SLG%.

[legs_of_eggs]

Lee's hustle and Matsui's SLG%.

Lidge

[Tralfaz]

How is Josh Anderson doing these days?

[kevwun]

How is Josh Anderson doing these days?

He's hitting .282 on the Braves' AAA team.

[mihoba]

He's hitting .282 on the Braves' AAA team.

w/ a .326 obp. He is 20/23 in SBs however.

[Jacksonian]

w/ a .326 obp. He is 20/23 in SBs however.

Sadly, IMO, Anderson would be doing, statistically speaking, as well as Bourn has done so far this year.  But, as YRam has not been good enough offensively and there's no one else on the horizon, go get 'em MB.

[sporadic]

Lidge

do you have something against him personally?  Are you distraught he is doing well, or doing well for another team?  I don't see the relevance of "Lidge" in this thread...expand on that thought so I can understand it.

[MusicMan]

expand on that thought so I can understand ignore it.

[David in Jackson]

Lee's hustle and Matsui's SLG%.

Youngsters: Towles/Bourn and, to a much lesser extent, Pence.

You expected SLG from Kaz?

It's telling that with the team in last place a journeyman middle reliever like Villareal makes the disappointment list.  IOW, the starting pitching (other thatn Oswalt's slow start) and bullpen is about what we expected.

[MusicMan]

"They are what we thought they were!"

[JimR]

do you have something against him personally?  Are you distraught he is doing well, or doing well for another team?  I don't see the relevance of "Lidge" in this thread...expand on that thought so I can understand it.

check out how many people ignore that fucking idiot.

[sporadic]

check out how many people ignore that fucking idiot.

Sorry for quoting him. I thought it was kind of a stupid post, even for my standards, and wanted to give him a chance to expand on it.  I will use better judgement in the future.

[Bill McLuggage]

Apparently Villareal pitching like shit wasn't his fault, it's because he listened to everything the rookie pitching coach said, and not because he couldn't find the strike zone even if it was the size of Madonna's snatch.

Well...what is A-Rod's hat size?

[JimR]

Sadly, IMO, Anderson would be doing, statistically speaking, as well as Bourn has done so far this year.  But, as YRam has not been good enough offensively and there's no one else on the horizon, go get 'em MB.

MB has much more potential, imo. part of his struggles, also imo, is how he is being used. i also disagree with what they say they have told him about his hitting, but Coop just ain't asking for my advice.

[BudGirl]

MB has much more potential, imo. part of his struggles, also imo, is how he is being used. i also disagree with what they say they have told him about his hitting, but Coop just ain't asking for my advice.

are you disagreeing with them wanting to hit to LF (is that what they want him to do)? or something else?

[mihoba]

are you disagreeing with them wanting to hit to LF (is that what they want him to do)? or something else?

In my case, it's because Coop has said that MB has too much pop for him to just hit it on the ground somewhere. Something like that.

[JimR]

In my case, it's because Coop has said that MB has too much pop for him to just hit it on the ground somewhere. Something like that.

me, too. it is the whole "be aggressive; don't work the count for walks" deal. he is a leadoff hitter, and he should never swing at a 2-0 or 3-1 pitch unless it is fat and maybe not then. if he is not thoroughly confused after being an Astro for half a year, i do not know why.

[Gizzmonic]

me, too. it is the whole "be aggressive; don't work the count for walks" deal. he is a leadoff hitter, and he should never swing at a 2-0 or 3-1 pitch unless it is fat and maybe not then. if he is not thoroughly confused after being an Astro for half a year, i do not know why.

Maybe because they keep moving him around in the lineup?

[legs_of_eggs]

Sorry for quoting him. I thought it was kind of a stupid post, even for my standards, and wanted to give him a chance to expand on it.  I will use better judgement in the future.

I meant Lidge in that it was disappointing the way things developed from him getting traded and now being in a better situation than what the Astros are now, it's disappointing.

[hostros7]

Maybe because they keep moving him around in the lineup?

I couldn't agree with this more.  If the stros are in the cellar, let Bourn hit leadoff and see pitches and learn how to be a leadoff man.  For fuck's sake, the way this team is constructed the astros need Bourn 1 and Matsui 2.  Have some patience.  It was a great chemistry experiment early in the season, and it worked.  The team has struggled and, now that it appears they are out of the race, let's see if this lineup can come together the way it was intended.  It sure doesn't feel like there is any urgency.

[JimR]

I have rooted hard for Cooper primarily b/c he is a Brenham Cub. I cannot be much more disappointed so far. He panics.

[MikeyBoy]

I have rooted hard for Cooper primarily b/c he is a Brenham Cub. I cannot be much more disappointed so far. He panics.

I too have been rooting for him because of the Brenham connection and I too have been extremely disappointed thus far.

Jim, you couldn't have missed him by more than a couple of years at BHS?

[Ron Brand]

Isn't this "aggressive approach" something that can be attributed directly to Coop, since that was the way he played the game?  As a player, walks were pretty much an afterthought for him, but he was such a good hitter he was able to be very productive without the high walk totals that you'd expect from a selective hitter.  That's probably the way Tejada plays too, but if Berry is teaching Pence and Bourn to go up there hacking it isn't working.

[Twoniner]

me, too. it is the whole "be aggressive; don't work the count for walks" deal. he is a leadoff hitter, and he should never swing at a 2-0 or 3-1 pitch unless it is fat and maybe not then. if he is not thoroughly confused after being an Astro for half a year, i do not know why

  Agree completely.   Even if your leadoff guy has a little pop,  what is the point of having him be in a hacking approach in those counts?   The dude has a double pretty much any time he walks.   I didn't run the numbers, but I think it's a whole fuckin lot easier to walk or slap a single for a base hit than it is to jerk a ball into the right field stands when your "power stroke" looks like that of a drunk left handed golfer.    If your leadoff guy has pop it's a neat bonus.  It's not something you craft his approach around.

[JimR]

I too have been rooting for him because of the Brenham connection and I too have been extremely disappointed thus far.

Jim, you couldn't have missed him by more than a couple of years at BHS?

he graduated the year before i got there.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

he graduated the year before i got there.

I got to admit, Coop looks good for an octogenarian.

[chuck]

it is the whole "be aggressive; don't work the count for walks" deal.

This is a complete reversal of what I was hearing in spring training, which is that the Astros were thrilled with his patience at the plate.

[geezerdonk]

I cannot be much more disappointed so far. He panics.

Plus the players look like they are sleep walking through most of the games. Of course the players are responsible for their own motivation, but as manager Cooper is naturally going to take some of the blame for the uninspired play.