The problem with Buck is it is not just relievers, it is flat out strategy, setting vogelbach up against a lefty reliever when you see a lefty warming up in the bullpen. Not walking Vlad guerreo in the 9th, when biggio is on a 174 hitter at the time is on deck with a open base. Why would you pitch to vlad. He say he was showing confidence in Robertson, which isn't the point. Pitching Around stanton when donaldson was on deck with a open base. I can give you hundreads examples of dumb decisions.
Than this team which was smart last year, and was clean. Makes tons of errors. And does things like throwing to the wrong base. Look at yesterday for example, they leaked a run with the escobar play, they stopped a big inning because for some reason Nimmo (Not the only stupid baserunning mistake he made this week let alone the team) to stretch a triple when it is only a double and get thrown out with 2 outs. Outside of a wild pitch/passed ball, the risk/reward isn't there to go to 3rd when the ball was hit in LF. Made no sense.
Last year, They didn't make all these errors they were sharp defensively, they during this massive losing streak have been bad defensively and are getting worse. now some of that might because everyday buck has a different lineup, last year he was consistent with the same guys. Secondly the players are underperforming defesnively even guys with good defensive track record. There base running has suddenly become a disaster. They Have thrown to the wrong base several times, they have forgotten how many outs there are over the last week several times, although it hasn't hurt them yet. They did very little to none of this last year, it is the same team.
Look at the hitters Practically everyone is having a down year offensively, everyone. The pitching specifically the starter (Primary probem) Was great last year, now they all stink. Before he was sent down david peterson was suppose tobe a key part in the rotation, he is not old, his stuff didn't diminish, he just forgot where to throw it, he suddenly went froma mid 3's pitcher, to a guy with a 8+ era and down in triple A. I know everyone focuses on the diaz injury, but the bullpen although not great and needing depth, I haven't seen them blow to many leads. Sure do they lets teams add on, but that is always becuase they are behind.
Last year they used to score early, now offensively they never score in the 1rst inning, And there starters always put them in a hole. They have done this against bad teams for the most part too. This team is much better than they are, just like ast years team although the end stunk, I thought overachived a bit. I realistically thought this was a 93-95 Win team this year and a wildcard winner, and Yes I knew the braves were better. But like every facet of the game, and some of these shouldn't have deteriorated this year. Buck becoming a bad manager (And the leader of making excuses and raving about them when they are doing poorly.), he was good last year. If he was last year manager all by himself and nothing else changed but better decisions this team would be about 39-32 or 38-33 right now. Furthermore this team continues to make mental mistakes and errors, these are practically the same players, I can't explain why they have suddenly got bad at doing the little things, like throwing to the right base. and knowing the speed of the runner, and knowing how to run the bases. None of this what I said so far is about ability. This team correcting these two things would be about where the marlins are. Than practically every player you look at in the lineup is underperforming. I get older players But Lindor is hitting 213 with a 294 obp, he is 29, not 39. Last year he hit 270, his carreer avg is 273. How about Mcneil, last year he hit 326 and won a batting title, this year he is hitting 272. Mcniel has hit over 300 4 times in his career. Furthermore his career ops is over 800, and he is suddenly under 700. Hence it is a weak 272, because normally he is doubles machine, but the double have disappeared.Starling Marte has suddenly went from a 800 ops guy to a guy under 640 ops. It goes up and down the lineup. And don't even get me start on the rotation which is still another reason why they are in the situation they are. Were they good as last year, and did they overachive sure. I get that, it is why I thought they would be a 93-94 win team. Wether you agree with that or not. Over the last 50 they played 19-31, you do that over the course of a season that is a 100 loss team. This team has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much talent to be that kind of team, but that is they way they are playing. It is the most irritating baseball team as a mets fan I have ever watched, because maybe last year was an anomaly, to the 101 win, but this 19-31 stretch is an anomaly too. But they have no clue how to get out of it, the answer is to fire the manager and hope you spark the team, but of course that won't happen the phillies did it last year with girardi and woke up. This team has waaaaaaaaaaaay better talent than it is showing, but buck never shows a pulse, never gets angry and after the 6th consecutive loss, he talks about how proud he is of the guys, proud still can't get over that one. And than after that rousing speech go out and get obliterated the next game with the worse played game of the year. He needs to go it is so painfully obvious, but the obvious to everyone else is not obvious to them for some reason. All is just my opinion of course.
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