Morgan Ensberg

[astro pete]

I say either insert Lamb at third, or move Huff back to the infield and give Lane another shot.  Ensberg has no business being in the starting lineup.

[Alkie]

That he hits ahead of Scott blows me away.

The left/right/left thing is a bullshit excuse.

[Rebel Jew]

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Ensberg has no business being in the starting lineup.

I wouldn't go that far Pete.  He has a proven right-handed power bat.  No, they shouldn't wait forever, but if he's healthy he's earned the right.

[Golden Sombrero]

Ensberg alone had 7 LOBsters.  7.  I know it's Zambrano, the AIM Ace, but a man in the 5 spot has got to come through at some point with so many opportunities.

[chuck]

Do we have a sense of whether Berkman will be able to play OF again this year?

[Danimal]

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Do we have a sense of whether Berkman will be able to play OF again this year?

you shouldnt even ask that question

[JGrave]

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I say either insert Lamb at third, or move Huff back to the infield and give Lane another shot.  Ensberg has no business being in the starting lineup.

When Huff was HBP and Ensberg came up next, he looked scared shitless.  He was bailing out on every single pitch and Z was pounding the outside corner.

[ASTROCREEP]

MoBerg should ONLY start against Lefties.

Luke looked awesome against Zambrano, wow.

[ybbodeus]

It's become painful to watch him at the plate, as it was Lane before him.  Now I almost get angry when Lane's AT the plate, and I don't want it to turn to THAT for Mo.

As for Zambrano, he's a damned fine pitcher, a gamer, but I'm tired of our team's making him look like Pedro Fucking Seaver on the mound.

[JGrave]

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MoBerg should ONLY start against Lefties.

Luke looked awesome against Zambrano, wow.

I like Luke's approach.  He seems to have a plan each AB.  He gets ahead in the count and is aggressive.

[pravata]

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It's become painful to watch him at the plate, as it was Lane before him.  Now I almost get angry when Lane's AT the plate, and I don't want it to turn to THAT for Mo.

As for Zambrano, he's a damned fine pitcher, a gamer, but I'm tired of our team's making him look like Pedro Fucking Seaver on the mound.

I think Jason Lane gets a spot start in right tonight.

[Gizzmonic]

Does that mean Ensberg sits and Huff plays 3B, or will The Underachieving Duo both be in the lineup?

[pravata]

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Does that mean Ensberg sits and Huff plays 3B, or will The Underachieving Duo both be in the lineup?

Why would they sit Huff?  Garner's frustration with Ensberg is now public.

[MusicMan]

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Does that mean Ensberg sits and Huff plays 3B, or will The Underachieving Duo both be in the lineup?

Why would they sit Huff?  Garner's frustration with Ensberg is now public.

Not just a frustration, but bordering on a desperation to score runs.

With that said... with Scott's leadoff doubles, I was surprised to see Gar not go for the Everett sac and Ausmus squeeze.  Nothing wrong with scoring 'em one at a time.

[Duke]

He takes way too many stikes. I'm not talking about the one painted on the black low and away.  I mean ducks on, right down the twat fastballs. Seems infatuated with the walk or scared to hit.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

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He takes way too many stikes. I'm not talking about the one painted on the black low and away.  I mean ducks on, right down the twat fastballs. Seems infatuated with the walk or scared to hit.

No, no, no.. that means he's seeing the ball really well.

[Golden Sombrero]

It's only a matter of time before his stance becomes so open that he is actually has his back to the pitcher.  He couldn't possibly do any worse in that situation.

[pravata]

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Does that mean Ensberg sits and Huff plays 3B, or will The Underachieving Duo both be in the lineup?

Why would they sit Huff?  Garner's frustration with Ensberg is now public.

Not just a frustration, but bordering on a desperation to score runs.

With that said... with Scott's leadoff doubles, I was surprised to see Gar not go for the Everett sac and Ausmus squeeze.  Nothing wrong with scoring 'em one at a time.

I don't think Garner likes the squeeze at all.  Watching the after game interview on Friday, he made a face when talking about Ausmus' bunt.  I think that was a play they put did on their own.

[No? in Austin]

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Does that mean Ensberg sits and Huff plays 3B, or will The Underachieving Duo both be in the lineup?

Why would they sit Huff?  Garner's frustration with Ensberg is now public.

I don't blame Scraps, he put Morgan in a prime position to excel and he (Ensberg) has not responded.  He's the #5 hitter, an rbi position.  The approach should be an aggressive one, when ducks are on the pond, you make the oppossing pitcher pay for getting in the jam.  You don't freaking go up to the plate with a "feel" approach (as Garner mentioned).

From what I've seen, the lineup is broke... meaning, it is splintered into two halves (and that's not good).  A good pitcher will know if the lineup is not fluid and will exploit a broken lineup.  Simply put, Berkman and Huff won't see anything to hit for quite some time as long as you know as a pitcher you stand a very good chance of getting out of a jam by pitching to Morgan Ensberg.  That also means that Luke Scott will lead off the next inning rather than hitting in a run producing position.  Who cares if Scott leads off an inning, he has Everett, Ausmus and Pitcher hitting behind him.

Pitchers talk to each other and they're exploiting the Astros lineup as long as Ensberg is the #5 guy.  It hurts Berkman, Huff and Scott the most.  Lastly, from what I've seen so far from MoBerg, the bat speed is just not there.  He can hit a crippled breaking pitch, but other than that, he does not have the bat speed to get around the hard stuff.  Usually, with a guy having a pinged shoulder, a pitcher will come up and in hard, daring the hitter to open up the front side, get the hips out of the way and swing with an open stance to get to the ball.  It also hurts if you have a bruise on the shoulder area.  But MoBerg has no bat speed right now (maybe because he's protecting the shoulder and deciding not to open up and hit with a severe closed stance).  Looks like he's trying to hit a ball up the middle or to right with his approach, but he's trying to guide a pitch or serve it.  He's not swinging the bat as much as he's trying to catch the pitch with the bat.  But he is just not capable of generating enough bat speed to make this approach work for him right now.

I'd put him on the DL, insert Huff at third and move Scott to right field or play Lane over there.  I'd also go ahead and call back Bruntlett (for late inning third base duty) while MoBerg serves two more weeks on the shelf.

The schedule is just too important right now to play with a half arm, weak swinging #5 hitter.

[pravata]

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Does that mean Ensberg sits and Huff plays 3B, or will The Underachieving Duo both be in the lineup?

Why would they sit Huff?  Garner's frustration with Ensberg is now public.

I don't blame Scraps, he put Morgan in a prime position to excel and he (Ensberg) has not responded.  He's the #5 hitter, an rbi position.  The approach should be an aggressive one, when ducks are on the pond, you make the oppossing pitcher pay for getting in the jam.  You don't freaking go up to the plate with a "feel" approach (as Garner mentioned).

From what I've seen, the lineup is broke... meaning, it is splintered into two halves (and that's not good).  A good pitcher will know if the lineup is not fluid and will exploit a broken lineup.  Simply put, Berkman and Huff won't see anything to hit for quite some time as long as you know as a pitcher you stand a very good chance of getting out of a jam by pitching to Morgan Ensberg.  That also means that Luke Scott will lead off the next inning rather than hitting in a run producing position.  Who cares if Scott leads off an inning, he has Everett, Ausmus and Pitcher hitting behind him.

Pitchers talk to each other and they're exploiting the Astros lineup as long as Ensberg is the #5 guy.  It hurts Berkman, Huff and Scott the most.  Lastly, from what I've seen so far from MoBerg, the bat speed is just not there.  He can hit a crippled breaking pitch, but other than that, he does not have the bat speed to get around the hard stuff.  Usually, with a guy having a pinged shoulder, a pitcher will come up and in hard, daring the hitter to open up the front side, get the hips out of the way and swing with an open stance to get to the ball.  It also hurts if you have a bruise on the shoulder area.  But MoBerg has no bat speed right now (maybe because he's protecting the shoulder and deciding not to open up and hit with a severe closed stance).  Looks like he's trying to hit a ball up the middle or to right with his approach, but he's trying to guide a pitch or serve it.  He's not swinging the bat as much as he's trying to catch the pitch with the bat.  But he is just not capable of generating enough bat speed to make this approach work for him right now.

I'd put him on the DL, insert Huff at third and move Scott to right field or play Lane over there.  I'd also go ahead and call back Bruntlett (for late inning third base duty) while MoBerg serves two more weeks on the shelf.

The schedule is just too important right now to play with a half arm, weak swinging #5 hitter.

Ensberg landed very hard on his shoulder for the diving stop in the 8th. He popped up and made an accurate throw, but it could be enough to DL him again.

[No? in Austin]

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It's only a matter of time before his stance becomes so open that he is actually has his back to the pitcher.  He couldn't possibly do any worse in that situation.

He's doing that so he can swing his hips into a close stance once the pitcher releases the ball.  Any inside pitch to MoBerg right now will get him out.  Easily.  He may start out severely open, but he closes that stance rather quickly.  He's looking for outside pitches to hit to right or up the middle.  He'll turn on an offspeed pitch that is up in the zone, but all the hard stuff, he's just trying to meet and serve to right or up the middle.

Up and in and he's a dead man with his closed stance while hitting.  His problem is a lack of bat speed, plain and simple.

[No? in Austin]

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Ensberg landed very hard on his shoulder for the diving stop in the 8th. He popped up and made an accurate throw, but it could be enough to DL him again.

He threw from his knees, which kind of tells you he is protecting that shoulder.  It's almost an underhanded throw coming out of his hands.

[Fredia]

who would have thunk at the beginning of the year that moberg on the dl would be a blessing to the team..

[No? in Austin]

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who would have thunk at the beginning of the year that moberg on the dl would be a blessing to the team..

I don't dislike MoBerg.  I think he's hurt and he's trying, but he can't do what he did in July and try to work his way through a painful injury.  If he's not ready to perform everyday, then he needs to rest the shoulder until he can.

Houston could use either Bruntlett or even JR House on the 25 man right now instead of a half armed man trying to swing a stick.  Nothing in what I say is because I dislike him or agree with some of the idiotic vitrol I often read about MoBerg.  He's not a bad person, he's just able to perform to his best abilities right now and because of that, I'm thinking he's not ready to be an everyday player.

[cc]

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who would have thunk at the beginning of the year that moberg on the dl would be a blessing to the team..

I don't dislike MoBerg.  I think he's hurt and he's trying, but he can't do what he did in July and try to work his way through a painful injury.  If he's not ready to perform everyday, then he needs to rest the shoulder until he can.

Houston could use either Bruntlett or even JR House on the 25 man right now instead of a half armed man trying to swing a stick.  Nothing in what I say is because I dislike him or agree with some of the idiotic vitrol I often read about MoBerg.  He's not a bad person, he's just able to perform to his best abilities right now and because of that, I'm thinking he's not ready to be an everyday player.

I would tend to agree with your assessment that he's injured.  But Garner was emphatic on the radio today that he is not hurt.  He is "feeling for the ball" but not because of injury.  That's what Garner plainly said on his radio show today.  I think he's frankly put out with Ensberg, regardless of the cause of his ineffectiveness.  He also was careful not to throw him under the bus, giving him credit for having some good at-bats to help the team win in the past week.  But no doubt, Garner can't let him stay in there if he's not producing.

[Dobro]

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But no doubt, Garner can't let him stay in there if he's not producing.

Gee, is August too soon to come to this conclusion?