Man on 3rd...

[austro]

Are the Astros actually any worse than other teams in the man-on-3rd-with-less-than-two-outs scenario?  They seem to be pathetic, but I don't have any numbers to tell me whether their efforts are actually below par.  Maybe I'm just more aware of the failures because the Astros are involved.

[No? in Austin]

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Are the Astros actually any worse than other teams in the man-on-3rd-with-less-than-two-outs scenario?  They seem to be pathetic, but I don't have any numbers to tell me whether their efforts are actually below par.  Maybe I'm just more aware of the failures because the Astros are involved.

Losing a game 1-0 hurts a team far worse than getting blown out (see: Yankees, New York).  The reason it hurts is that to a man, everyone thinks over everything they did in the game that they could've done better to help avoid the loss.  1 freaking run!  You have Morgan Ensberg, Lance Berkman, Mike Lamb, Jason Lane, Chris Burke, Roy Oswalt, Brad Ausmus... even Phil Garner... thinking today what they could've done better.

And it eats on you.

Best thing to do is get over it as quickly as you can and go out and play.  If you think about it, you're going to slump as a team.  You don't overreact, you don't panic and try to change anything too drastically.  You just play.  However, last night, Oswalt said some pretty pointed things about the offense not being able to score a man from third.

They're going to have to talk about that in the clubhouse to clear the air.  Other than that, go out and play ball and forgetaboutit!  I could've stomached a blow out loss a lot better than what happened last night.  I know what sort of ramifications a tough 1-0 loss can have on a team.

[HurricaneDavid]

I don't know anywhere that breaks stats down that far, so disregarding the less than 2 outs part of the question:

Runner on 3B,  5th highest AVG in MLB

Runners on 1B & 3B,  6th highest AVG in MLB

Runners on 2B & 3B,  2nd LOWEST AVG in MLB

Bases loaded,  19th in MLB

Of course AVG doesn't factor in Sac Flies... so take whatever you want, or nothing at all (probably the better option), from these stats.

[JimR]

it also does not factor in those situations in which a groundball to SS or 2B gets the run in.

[Limey]

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it also does not factor in those situations in which a groundball to SS or 2B gets the run in.

Nor when, for example, a fly ball to Dmitri Young gets two runs in and the hitter safe at 2nd.

[matadorph]

Last night's game proved Berkman's importance to this team yet again. If anyone deserves a free pass from the finger-pointing it's the guy responsible for twenty percent of the team's RBI, but Lance had RISP for all of his at bats and went oh-fer the night. Tough loss to take. Berkman and Lane both hit the ball hard right at people multiple times. Forget about it and focus on the Cardinals.

[MusicMan]

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it also does not factor in those situations in which a groundball to SS or 2B gets the run in.

Just a jumping off point to say that SS defense was responsible for a 2 run swing last night - not only Bruntlett's relay, but Perez stopping the grounder with the infield in.  I don't think Bruntlett would have come up with it.

[JimR]

Ensberg makes me yell at the TV. he is trying for a walk EVERY time and just slapping at the ball.

[Limey]

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Last night's game proved Berkman's importance to this team yet again. If anyone deserves a free pass from the finger-pointing it's the guy responsible for twenty percent of the team's RBI, but Lance had RISP for all of his at bats and went oh-fer the night. Tough loss to take. Berkman and Lane both hit the ball hard right at people multiple times. Forget about it and focus on the Cardinals.

Lance did erase Barrett, who was going from 2nd to 3rd on a grounder to the righthand side.  That was as huge (at the time) as it was fucking hilarious.

[No? in Austin]

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Ensberg makes me yell at the TV. he is trying for a walk EVERY time and just slapping at the ball.

Oswalt said as much in his post game interview.  He basically called him out for not swinging the bat, instead trying to "punch at the ball".

He was not very happy when he was saying it either.

[pravata]

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Last night's game proved Berkman's importance to this team yet again. If anyone deserves a free pass from the finger-pointing it's the guy responsible for twenty percent of the team's RBI, but Lance had RISP for all of his at bats and went oh-fer the night. Tough loss to take. Berkman and Lane both hit the ball hard right at people multiple times. Forget about it and focus on the Cardinals.

Lance did erase Barrett, who was going from 2nd to 3rd on a grounder to the righthand side.  That was as huge (at the time) as it was fucking hilarious.

He made a couple bold choices on defense.  In the 9th, they were in expecting Walker to bunt after Man Who Gives Happy Endings to Whales, lead off with a double.  Berkman made the stop on Walker's smash but then also came up firing to get MWGHEW breaking for 3rd.

[Curly]

Didn't want to start another thread on this but I'll call it "Man on 2nd".

Just when the hell did Lane think he became a sprinter?  He's on second after pulling that inside pitch down the LF line and tries to get 3b on a grounder to a left handed pitcher going to his right?  Bone head running if you ask me...and if you don't, well FU too!

[S.P. Rodriguez]

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Didn't want to start another thread on this but I'll call it "Man on 2nd".

Just when the hell did Lane think he became a sprinter?  He's on second after pulling that inside pitch down the LF line and tries to get 3b on a grounder to a left handed pitcher going to his right?  Bone head running if you ask me...and if you don't, well FU too!

I'm not sure if all the questionable decisions qualify as "bone headed".  However, so far, a majority of the mistakes or failures I've seen, IMO, are from trying too hard to make something happen.  From things as basic as trying to stretch a marginal hit to the gap into a double, when the hit is easily cut off leading to a quick out instead of a man on 1st, to poor or rushed execution of cut-off throws and plays in the field.  

The other issue, I think it was during the game on the 4th,  there was a relay that Lamb cut off and had a chance at the runner advancing to 3rd.  As play unfolded, it became evident Ensberg had nodded off during the action and started spectating.  They showed a slow motion replay and there Ensberg is, standing about 12 ft off the bag, watching the runner round 2nd, and does nothing until Lamb starts his throw to 3rd, by which point he has no chance of covering 3rd and Lamb has to hold on to the ball.  

Combining the the two issues or pressing and spacing out, this team has played some downright ugly baseball.  It says something when the team's best pitcher points out that everyone is preoccuppied with what others should be doing and/or are trying to make things happen instead of simply playing the game.