Considering his poise and faith exhibited in his players during the World Series, I'm surprised Garner wasn't fired. I lost a lot of respect in him when he hung his team out to dry after game 3. And I wonder if they were able to put that stool back together.

As Tim Kurkijan pointed out, you've never heard that kind of rant from Bobby Cox or Tony LaRussa.

smile

richard justice of the houston chronicle says about the same thing

www.chron.com/sportsjustice

scroll down

tom verducci (i think) also said this

and of course i said the same thing too.

i was NOT happy at ALL.

it's hard NOT to win with the starting pitching and bullpen we had...

The pitchers (aside from Pettitte and Wandy) didn't execute, and the hitters, well, it's been said already, right? You can't win if you don't score runs, and great pitching only works if it delivers. All credit to the White Sox for hitting the 'Stros and for shutting down their bats.

None of this really has all that much to do with Garner. I suppose he might have tried a squeeze with runners on the corner, infield in, and one out in Game 3 instead of swinging away and striking out. And he might have pulled Oswalt in that fifth inning (but replaced him with who, exactly?) Anyway, Garner has done a very good job with what he's had, and has kept a level head even when the team's been in the dumper. He's as good as any to keep running the team. It's really that the 'Stros are in dire need of a couple more bats to augment Morgan and Lance, and they must somehow convince Clemen$ to stay on another year.

I think that Garner might get some credit for turning things around last year, but I don't think he did such a world-class job this year. As everyone has said, they had the pitching in place.

I'm just surprised the mustache got such prominent mention.

uh dave s,
did you happen to catch brandon backe pitch in game 4? you don't think HE executed? that, my dear man, was THE best pitched game in the whole series.

pulled oswalt and replaced him with wandy, how about him. how long you think he was gonna leave poor roy out there? and not even sending out hickey to give him a breather was bush league. just sit there sulking in the dugout while roy gets broiled?

BAH

and having adam everett and taveras swing away? every single freaking AB regardless of whether or not there were MOB? and not benching or pinch hitting for Mo ensberg, OBVIOUSLY in a bad slump?
how about the incredibly STUPID decision to have bagwell DH in game 1 instead of lamb? that wasn't an exhibition or old timers game you know, it was the freaking WORLD SERIES and you play to win, darn it. and the sad fact is that baggy was just NOT as good as lamb. fact.

ozzie WAY out managed him in every game.

phil likes to do weird stuff, gets lucky sometimes, and the series exposed him

and flaming the guys to the media after game 3 - sorry. that was total horsestuff. he lost a lot of guys right there. and sitting like a sullen stone in the dugout? and throwing chairs? i was embarrassed. and i'm not even one of his players. he gonna hafta get his gab machine into overdrive to even begin to think of evening things out after that

- clemens gonna cost 18 mill. at least. they ALREADY gotta pay out 65 mill to just 5 guys and they gotta do something with their arb eligible guys. mclane won't raise payroll over 85 mill. and 65 + 18 = 83 mill right there. unless you think they ought to let lidge, ensberg, backe, lane, and wheeler walk. which i don't. it WOULD help if they could force bagwell to spend the year on the DL so they could get like 12 mill of his salary back from insurance, but the sad fact is that if he wants to play no matter how BAD he is, mclane gonna make phil let him play. and no, i will NOT blame phil if the decision is out of his hands. if it's PHIL who decides to play a guy who can barely hit or throw for old times sake, then i WILL roast him

so phil's as good as any to keep running the team???

BAH

lemme guess, you a cards or cubs fan ain'tcha?!

Ozzie is one of the worst tactical managers in the game. When you get outmanaged by Ozzie, that's pretty bad.

My goodness! I thought we Twins fans were upset at the manager! There seems to be some anger out there in Astros Nation. What did you expect, that they'd fire the manager after they reached the World Series for the first time ever?

when you get outmanaged by ozzie, that IS pretty bad. my point exactly.

no jeff, they not gonna fire him, duh
but they didn't hafta extend him neither

and there is not enough anger out here in lil ol astros nation. too many people saying - well ain't it nice we just got here. wasn't that special.

MEH