SpaceCityAg05 said:

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OK, seeing on Premium that Joni Taylor set the WBB team motto as "Do More" this year sets up an obvious layup.

Since "Chasing the Fight" didn't work out (who woulda thunk it?!), the Astros 2027 slogan shall be: "Do Better".

Not as elegant as "Don't Suck", but more family-friendly.

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How about "Hit the ball with runners on base!"

so Espada is finally gone

he was bad from the beginning to the end

recall that it all started with the 4-game sweep by the Yankees at MMP to begin the 2024 season

his March/April record as the Astros' manager ---> 38-53

his September record as the Astros' manager ----> 37-37

I will admit I was thrilled that they promoted Espada, but mid-way through 24 you could tell he was over matched for the job.

agdaddy04 said:

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I will admit I was thrilled that they promoted Espada, but mid-way through 24 you could tell he was over matched for the job.

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Watching him religiously play lefty/righty games with his relievers, even when their splits told a completely different story was just one of the signs he really didn't understand what he was trying to accomplish.

I remember how he kept interviewing for other jobs when Dusty was around and everyone passed on him. We don't have to wonder why anymore

I'm not the biggest Espada fan but even with the best manager you could find, how many games do we win this last year? 86?

We had 4 quality pitchers on the entire roster.

I will struggle to be optimistic until we see some sign of Crane coming to his senses

among Espada's flaws

- 6-man rotation
- not interested in stealing bases despite the rule changes
- not interested in preventing stolen bases
- pinch-running obsession
- going "all-in" all the time late in games

he would be a great guy to play poker against

I'm perfectly fine if Espada goes to Seattle.

He will choke their runners to death and pull their starters early. In some cases on purpose and some by accident.

He's good for 5 losses a year just on his own.

to be fair...

three things that were not his fault:

- the mysterious 2024 Tucker injury rehab

the mistrust among the front office, medical staff, players, and agents was already in place before Espada got the job

- similar story with the 2025 Pena injury rehab

it took so long for the players to return

- 2025 Walker paternity leave

just bad timing after his torrid roadtrip to Colorado and Los Angeles. In the old days the owner's charter jet would have been on standby at IAH to whisk him home. But those were the old days. And the ensuing series sweep changed the course of the season

Of Matter said:

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To add to the bloodbath and dysfunction - and pure lack of understanding of how to do the right thing - a team called for permission for a promotion for Assistant PC Ethan Katz , the Astros denied it a few days ago, and then they fired him today. How pathetic https://t.co/xxLbJs2Xw6

— Jim Duquette (@JimDuquetteGM) October 14, 2026

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With that kind of incompetence happening publicly, no wonder everybody in the business thinks we are a terribly run organization. Those kinds of anecdotes will hurt our ability to hire good people going forward.

Beat40 said:

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SpaceCityAg05 said:

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Haha, yet now Seattle wants him...

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I wouldn't laugh a lot. With as poor as this division is, if it stays that way next year (or two years from now), I would not be surprised if Seattle won the West if the Astros and Rangers don't get clearly better and they were to hire Espada.

Despite what this board does think about Espada (and there some legitimate criticisms), his teams have overcome some rough starts. If you want to blame him for the rough starts, that's fine, but they haven't given up despite having to play almost the entire Space Cowboys roster and bottom of the trash heap position players.

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if they do it won't be because of Espada, it will be in spite of him.

I doubt he gets the job regardless.

All I know is I want Machete either as manager or as understudy bench coach to someone like Linares, Pujols, etc.

Love everything about him other than his now retired bat.

I'd love to have Machete back!

txags92 said:

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Of Matter said:

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To add to the bloodbath and dysfunction - and pure lack of understanding of how to do the right thing - a team called for permission for a promotion for Assistant PC Ethan Katz , the Astros denied it a few days ago, and then they fired him today. How pathetic https://t.co/xxLbJs2Xw6

— Jim Duquette (@JimDuquetteGM) October 14, 2026

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With that kind of incompetence happening publicly, no wonder everybody in the business thinks we are a terribly run organization. Those kinds of anecdotes will hurt our ability to hire good people going forward.

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I'm sure Bagwell had no clue who this guy was both when he denied access or when he fired him.

SpaceCityAg05 said:

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To me, it was a no brainer to pull him there. I don't care that the arm that is hot is LH.

When will managers learn? When a pitcher has no idea where the ball is going, walks are only the beginning of the disaster.

If a guy walks the first three hitters he faces, you pull him. EVERY TIME.

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Um…Gasser wasn't walking guys. It was Uribe who walked everyone.

Jackal99 said:

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Whoa!!!

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X2

That Jake Bauers guy is incredible

Of Matter said:

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To add to the bloodbath and dysfunction - and pure lack of understanding of how to do the right thing - a team called for permission for a promotion for Assistant PC Ethan Katz , the Astros denied it a few days ago, and then they fired him today. How pathetic https://t.co/xxLbJs2Xw6

— Jim Duquette (@JimDuquetteGM) October 14, 2026

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Clown show

Daaaaaaa Doyers lose!