Am I the only one...

by BruiserTexans on Jun 30, 2009 8:20 AM CDT

that doesn't understand why every game when the Astros are ahead, the great manager Cecil Cooper pulls Carlos Lee for Jason Michaels. This would be okay if Michaels was able to rake like Lee can at anytime, but all I've seen from him are errors in the field, losing the ball in the lights, and strikeouts or hit into rally killing double plays. This 'defensive upgrade' hasn't worked out as well as planned and has bit the Astros in the butt over and over again. When is Coop' going to see this and stop pulling one of the better hitters in the 7th or later innings?

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In theory, I don't disagree with a defensive replacement.

The Astros’ closers (Hawkins, Valverde) are flyball pitchers and Carlos Lee is one of the worst flyball catchers around. But Michaels doesn’t make a lot of sense in that situation. Michaels doesn’t appear to be appreciably better than Lee, defensively. And he has made a couple of gaffes in LF. The defensive replacement needs to be much better than Lee to make any sense. Given the current roster, Erstad is a better choice as a defensive replacement than Michaels. Of course, we need better hitters as outfield back ups, but that is a more general problem with the bench.

Also, I’m not sure that I would put a defensive replacement in the game with only a 1 run lead. A more traditional approach would be to use a defensive replacement with a 2 or more run lead. But that is kind of a subjective call, since you are trying to balance the need for better defense in LF with the risk that you have a tie game or worse after the top of the 9th. Maybe Cooper should give more consideration to the liklihood that Lee will come up to bat in the bottom of the 9th.

To some degree, I think Cooper gets caught up in the desire to make double switches in the 7th and 8th inning, and that drives his decision more than defense.

by clack on Jun 30, 2009 8:57 AM CDT reply actions

agree

with the fact that Erstad would be a better replacement than Michaels, but how much do you lose when you take his bat out of the lineup? I don’t know of anyone, other than Biggio when he played left, that plays THAT wall better than Lee.
I have a feeling that Cooper is trying TOO hard. Why pull Sampson out after 1 inning if he just shut the other team down? If he just let them play baseball, i think that some of the loses that have occurred in the later innings wouldn’t be as great as they are now.

by BruiserTexans on Jun 30, 2009 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions

In fairness, you may be forgetting the situations in the last 2 years when Lee has been left in a close game and couldn’t get to a blooper or couldn’t make a running catch which a good LFer gets to, and has cost the Astros the game. I can’t give you dates, but I do recall several times over the last two years when I have chastised Garner or Cooper for leaving Lee in the game when a defensive replacement should have been put in. Garner, and Cooper initially, paid too much attention to Lee’s ego in that situation; and I’m glad that Cooper at least moved away from that feeling. The biggest downside to Carlos Lee is that he is one of the worst fielding outfielders in the game. Every manager in baseball would put a defensive replacement in for him in some late game situations. However, I think Cooper goes too far sometimes, and Sunday’s game was probably one of those cases (two factors he should have considered: it’s only a 1 run game and Lee was due to lead off the bottom of the 9th, if necessary).

by clack on Jun 30, 2009 11:28 AM CDT up reply actions

I recall

a game last year where Erstad was put in with one out and runners on the corners. Late innings.

The ball was popped right to him, and he threw the 3rd base runner out at home. Very unlikely Lee could have done it.

by pel on Jun 30, 2009 10:04 PM CDT up reply actions

I remember that.

Cooper looked like a genius. Didn’t last long I’m afraid.

"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018

by Artest4Prez on Jul 1, 2009 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions

Right, You Are!!

I dont care if it’s Michaels or Erstad replacing Lee. Either way, every time Coop does this the Astros blow their lead. You can certainly count on both of them to do absolutely “nothing” when called upon. Carlos is a Major League Player, if he can’t play 9 innings then he should be in the American League. I dont believe this is the case, because he loves to play. Cooper does manage to make the worst moves of any manager in baseball, and frankly, I am sick of it. Don’t even get me started on Blum. Why are we rushing a .255 hitter back in the lineup, when he can’t even run out a ground ball? Give me more Keppinger and Maysonett until he is healed. I just hope we are not stuck with Cooper until Drayton decides to give Biggio his first shot, which will probably be premature, and doomed for failure. I can see it now!!!

by AustinAstrosFan on Jul 1, 2009 11:30 AM CDT reply actions

if he can’t play 9 innings then he should be in the American League

Yes, he probably should be in the AL, playing primarily as a DH.

But, he isn’t. And the Astros have to make do the best they can in balancing his offensive ability vs. his lack of range in the outfield. Cooper may not be the best at making those decisions. But almost every outfielder with similar profile (good offense / bad defense) is replaced in certain late game situations for defensive purposes. This is standard managerial practice.

by clack on Jul 1, 2009 11:39 AM CDT reply actions

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