Okay, so Stros skipper Phil Garner — who we already know is not a very good manager — pulls yet another bonehead move and allows besieged reliever Brad Lidge to blow a fine Roy O Opening Day performance by giving up a two-out, top of the 9th inning tater. And that move letting Ausmus bat second while trying to generate a rally in the bottom of the 10th was real smooth, too.
But even more importantly, when did it become acceptable to bat a guy with the two worst OBA seasons in club history at the top of the order in front of Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee, not to mention Morgan Ensberg (.396 OBA in 2006), Chris Burke (.347), and Luke Scott (.426)?
As I noted in my season preview yesterday, Garner’s bullheadedness is going to hurt the Stros this season. Little did I know that it would only take one game to prove it.
Houston's Clear Thinkers
Longtime Houston attorney Tom Kirkendall's observations on developments in law, business, medicine, culture, sports, and other matters of general interest to the Houston business, professional, and academic communities.
Seriously. I got home from school in the bottom of the second inning, so when the ‘stros came up in the third I saw Chris Burke batting. I thought to myself, “Hmm, maybe Ensberg is batting second, at least they’re trying to get someone on base in front of Berkman.”
But, no. Might as well have Lance in the leadoff spot at this point.