http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2993335 Probably needed to happen. I follow baseball only a little. It seems like they make bad personnel moves and don't get much out of their roster. They really shouldn't be that bad.
There's little hope for this team. McLane does not seem to have an idea of what he wants. They have 4 big leaguers (Roy, Carlos, Lance, Hunter) that are in the unfortunate position of playing on a minor league team. The only hope in the farm system is Patton, and he's not quite ready to help *Though he's close). The Astros are already in the top tier of payroll and are in last in the Central. Even worse, who do you get to help the team next year? Weaver? He's no answer. Zambrano - nope, Marky B. - nope. Tim Pupera is to the astros as Jackie Sherrill is to Mississippi State.
i dont see how phil needed to take the fall for this. i mean, he had led the team to the WS and into the playoffs when he actually had an MLB roster. I don't see how it is his fault the GM f'ed everything up.
I hate to see Garner go, but the reality is, even the years they made the postseason, the team was awful for the first half of the season. Pupura was a complete idiot, IMO, but I don't see where the bad personnel moves had anything to do with the slow starts. It looks like time to blow the thing up and start over. As a fan, I will always be grateful to Phil for his playing days and taking my 'Stros to the WS.
How often has Jason Lane and his .177 batting average started? That's not the GM's call. Garner started him in just about every game this month. That's absolutely inexcusable.
They made the WS and playoffs largely in spite of Garner. I really liked his style and liked him personally, but he has made increasingly boneheaded moves. There comes a point when the players just tune out their leader and I suspect that's happened with the 'Stros. Purpura...don't get me started. I gave him the benefit of the doubt for a long time, but the Jennings trade did it for me. He should be banned from the big leagues for that one. I've read some folks rationalizing it, but that doesn't hold up -- especially considering that he was a one year rental. These firings won't change the 'Stros future much in the short term, but may help down the road. It's hard to blast McLane too much, since the Astros have been a competitive and fun team for almost the last decade. However, there's something missing. Dunno what, but there's something.
Mixed feelings about Garner, I liked him overall but I do agree he does some questionable things (holding on to Lane, bringing in Wheeler in the 7th inning instead of Qualls in game 2 of the World Series, etc). Anyone on here who has read my rants knows full well what I thought of Pupura from day one. In his first 2 off seasons he did absolutely nothing to help this team and Garner helped get us to the playoffs with late season magic. This past offseason Pupura was forced to make moves and he blew it with the Jennings trade. A complete moron who never should have been promoted. He will never get another job in this sport. He is the Charlie Casserly of baseball. Houston doesn't deserve such moronic men.
That might be more accurate than you intended. Casserly had some success early in his career, and Purpura seemingly did a good job with the Astros' minor league system. And then they both systematically ruined their organization with remarkably bad moves, coupled with just enough (obvious) decent ones to keep folks happy for a while (signing Lee, bringing up Pence, giving Borkowski a chance, compared to Casserly's picking of Johnson, Robinson, and...oh nevermind.)
Kinda sorry to see Garner go. I liked him. Praise Drayton the P-man is gone. Idiot. What did those Jennings wins cost, about $2.5 mil or so each ? Idiot.
