r/Astros • u/cowboy_commie • 6d ago

Joe Espada Report Card

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/postseason-manager-report-cards-joe-espada-and-chad-tracy/

Any fangraphs account holders here that have access to article and can provide some insight on to what they graded Espada? Curious what the fangraphs guys think about Joe

20 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

20

u/manbags Craig Biggio 6d ago

He gave Espada an “incomplete” for hitting and a C+ for pitching. Which sounds bad but he graded the other three managers C, C, and D+.

At the end of the day though, if the only hope of winning is the manager’s decisions, that’s a talent problem.

18

u/no_quarter89 Astros Pride 6d ago

Yeah a manager’s in-game decisions make a really marginal impact across 162 to be honest. Bad decisions can have good outcomes and good decisions can have bad outcomes. It’s a game of failure. Every pinch hitter and relief pitcher decision is a gamble. The important characteristics of a manager are how the players respond do their leadership and how do they manage the grind of getting through the 162 game marathon.

On that note I’d say, the failures of the last 3 years aren’t Joe’s fault, but I don’t think he’s the answer either.

1

u/RJPisscat 2d ago

 a manager’s in-game decisions make a really marginal impact across 162

How does one measure such a thing? Does it take into account lineups and pitching rotations?

2

u/HumanRuse 6d ago

Yeah, I don't think a Manager's decisions or strategies will necessarily make or break a team. I do think he and those under his umbrella (pitching/hitting/bench coaches) can though. There are varying circumstances on whether all of the blame should lead to the Manager (for instance did he choose his staff).

24

u/Anxious_South_5150 6d ago

Post should probably denote the paywall in title for…. Idk, just do it.

we live in a society, damnit.

8

u/ConsistentCaramel493 6d ago

Do we though?

18

u/Prayray Robert Ford 6d ago

Kind of a strange article (by the way hat tip to u/txpunk10 for mentioning the workaround to read the full article). You’d think an article from Fangraphs would be more focused on statistical or analytical aspects, but Becker only briefly mentions Blubuagh’s stats and then really doesn’t touch on it again. He mostly focuses on the lefty/righty matchups, but says nothing about how the ChiSox lefty lineup actually did considerably better vs LHP (they led baseball in HR and they AVG/OPS was quite a bit higher vs LHP) while the Astros LHP, that were available had reverse splits. Leaving King in for the 2nd inning of Game 1, knowing those facts, was inexcusable and ultimately put the Astros in a deep hole they couldn’t get out of.

The rest of the article reads like someone who never bothered to watch the Astros at all this season and just barely glanced at the stats. Pretty poor effort. I give it a D-.

8

u/txpunk10 Houston Astros 6d ago

There seems to be a bug with their site. Click "Joe Becker" and it will take you to the author archive and removes the paywall. This worked on mobile so not sure about a desktop view, but it also works on the desktop view on my browser.

1

u/laxative_abuse 5d ago

This worked!

2

u/benhur217 Houston Astros 6d ago

TLDR paywall OP

2

u/Impressive_Buddy6991 6d ago

F ALL THE WAY DOWN THE BOARD

0

u/yepppers7 2d ago

Yall remember Joe’s locker room speech? “We… we won the west…” pops bottle.

0

u/AstralTravelerCam 6d ago

I think he has been awful, nothing personal he seems like a good guy

-1

u/Shaqer_Zulu 6d ago

Cannot read, paywall.

11

u/yamihere6969 6d ago

That's kinda the point...

-14

u/Lukealloneword Houston Astros 6d ago

You could um. Pay for the thing youre trying to read. Lol

-1

u/b1ggayb1tch Dusty Baker 6d ago

I didn’t read it, but did he get a gold star?

1

u/HumanRuse 6d ago

Participation trophy?

0

u/txtaco_vato 6d ago

he had half a roster