So, whats the deal on this feller... He is batting horribly, and his fielding isnt exactly high class either... He was one of my favorite players last year, and he's turning out to be a dissapointment... Please Morgan prove me wrong and end up with a better season than Geoff Blum. Could this be another coming of Daryl Ward.... expected to be a 40 hr guy, to being traded to the dogers...
nah, we gave Daryl an entire season to prove his worth. We keep jerking Morgan in and out of the lineup - and his season last year was better than anything Ward ever did.
I know you're probably tired of this line but it is still early. Morgan just got 2 days off, from starting anyways, to work on his swing with hitting coach Spillman. I'm confident Morgan will turn around his season. What was Berkman hitting at this point last year?
I was hoping after his awesome season last year he would be batting 2nd in our lineup, but to my surprise he is at the 7th spot, not exactly the best protection in the league with Ausmus right behind you... But then again Everett is doing pretty darn sweet at the 2nd spot, so im not that worried.
Nah... first of all, Morgan proved himself over a full season. Ward was too fat to play any position, and when he got the chance, he failed horribly. Morgan's swing will come around (remember, last year he only started hitting around the 2nd-3rd week of the season), and I don't know why you don't think he's that great defensively. Sure he's no Scott Rolen, but he doesn't have hands of stone over there. Also, Jimy just wanted to ride out Lamb's hot streak. He was slugging it pretty well before tonight. Now, Ensberg should have all the opportunity to work on his swing and get back to form. I hate the fact that when this team struggles, EVERYBODY struggles... that's what is making Ensberg's problems out to be a bigger deal.
Can you believe the Astros gave up Alou so ward could play full time. I knew at the time giving up Alou was a mistake and now Alou is kicking ass in Chicago.
He is on a real tear right now but I still think it was a good move leting him walk. He is geting paid nealy 10 million a year, had subpar years in 02 and 03 and he is a below average fielder.
From what Jimy said today, Morgan will have an extended leave from the lineup until he works this out.
How many ABs did Morgan have tonight? I saw one. He looked a lot like his old self in terms of his weird, right knee bent inward left foor pointed uncomfortably stance. Almost Moisesian, but with predictably different results. He need not go back to that, Morgan, in my view.
I don't know if Morgan will recover from what he was last season. Ensberg was never considered a top prospect and was always thought to be playing above himself last season. I think that's why he was involved in so much trade talk last year because Hunsicker knew we could get greater value for him then he was really worth. If Ensberg can't come back, Lamb looks like he will be a decent option at 3rd.
Morgan's pressing, and for good reason. Any night he goes 0-fer, he knows the next day he's sitting, even though he was told (either expressly or impliedly) when the Astros dealt Blum in the offseason that the 3rd base job was his. Ensberg doesn't need rest; he needs playing time. He's a good defensive 3rd baseman with good plate discipline and obvious power. It's ridiculous that he's not getting a consistent chance to exhibit that.
We keep jerking Morgan in and out of the lineup - and his season last year was better than anything Ward ever did. Ensberg played "full time" for two months last year (July & August) and those were, by far, his worst months. He seems to be at his best platooning. His numbers in May, June, and September where he played about 70% of the time were far better, and is some cases, actually out-totaled the other months in fewer at-bats. I don't think mixing him and Lamb right now is a bad thing at all.
I think the expectations place on Ensberg after his huge year last season are way too great for him. He is just not an All-Star player. He could turn into a good player, but won't ever be a great one IMO. He had a very good half-season last year, and has done nothing since, which makes it look very flukish to me. 2003 Stats Pre-All Star Break: 0.312 BA, 1.031 OPS, 17 HR, 44 RBI in 199 AB Post-All Star Break: 0.269 BA, 0.771 OPS, 8 HR, 16 RBI in 186 AB
I don't have a problem with it, either. But I thought he should have been in the lineup last night. You don't break out of a slump by sitting on the bench.
Last night was more a case of riding the "hot bat" in Lamb, rather than sitting a slumping Morgan. Everything will be fine... if our biggest problem this year is our 3B platooning dillema, then I'll take that. Remember all those threads about Dotel's velocity last week? Now that he's pumping it up there at 96mph, they've all dissapeared. I expect the Ensberg threads to do the same.
agreed..ensberg won't keep performing this poorly. but again...you have to let the guy play in order to get him out of it. it doesn't just magically go away.
Brad Ausmus is protected nightly by the pitcher but he is still batting descently. The protection arguement is a fair one but often exaggerated as in this case.
Ensberg .154 with 0 HRs and 4 RBIs Lamb .375 with 2 HRs and 10 RBIs Right now you just can't take Lamb out of the lineup.
Uhh.... its gonna be a platoon again for awhile. Lamb 4-6 with 6 RBI's tonight. At least Ensberg gets the start against the lefty Fassero tommorow... this is the situation that he performed best last season.
