Wasting Light
The 2011 release from the Foo Fighters provides the much needed backdrop for today's post. The Houston Astros have been on an absolute tear, destroying opposing teams in their paths. Very much like little cyclones, if you will. The hot streak does not appearing to be cooling down any time soon. For us Astros fans everywhere, things couldn't be any better for the spacemen. They're still on pace for nearly 116 wins, which would be record breaking for any team throughout the history of the league.
In the midst of all of this wonderful success that is happening for the team on the whole, one of its parts seems to keep getting shadowed away from the success. No surprise, it just happens to be your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis. After hitting 4-for-6 and coming within one triple shy of hitting a cycle in Wednesday's finale against the Minnesota Twins, skipper A.J. Hinch then kept him sidelined for 3 days straight days. This included the travel day Thursday.
But the heartbreak doesn't end there. While starting at catcher on Sunday against the Texas Rangers behind Brad Peacock, he did help call a good game towards a 7-2 sweeping victory. However, his bat went cold, going 0-for-5. Thankfully, he didn't strikeout in the game. But it does bring up a golden rule in baseball which I believe Hinch neglected. And that is this: You don't sit your hot batter! No matter if he is an everyday starter or a bench player, you play him while he still has a hot streak going.
Yes, Gattis could have made the adjustments to the Rangers pitching like major league players do. But that task becomes harder when you've had to sit for that many days straight. The more pitching you see, the better adjustments you can make. El Oso Blanco was flat out denied that by Hinch in the form of having to sit out that many games and days. It's not playing a blame game, it's merely pointing out the truth of it all.
To make matter worse, even the broadcasting team, when pointing out the players that stepped up with the injuries to Dallas Keuchel and Brian McCann, failed to give any kind of mention to Gattis taking on the bulk of starting catching duties, and the great amount of strides he has made in keeping the pitching staff on course. It's as if the Big White Bear is chopped liver to everyone, or like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, where he is literally not allowed to join in any Reindeer games.
In fact, he was the only position player not utilized last night against the Kansas City Royals. No joke! I'm not even making this up. I snapshot the box score on my phone and tweeted about it. Just check it out for yourselves below:
Having said that, I also feel the need to voice when I see any degree or level of injustice happening, whether intended or not. Perhaps it is the LGBT activist in me, but when I see a wrong, I call it out. And Evan Gattis having a diminished role with this team is not fair to him. He's proven time and again that, no matter what few things he may lack as a player, he always finds ways to better himself and the team. Most skippers and GM's would reward such a player with more playing time and a bigger role.
But that hasn't happened with Evan. It seems the better he gets, the more he's suppressed from playing. Folks can call that whatever they want to. However, putting Evan Gattis and mediocre in the same sentence is the kind of blatant ignorance and disrespect towards him of which I have a zero tolerance policy for. He's a well above average player in every regard, including defense. I make it a point to highlight this in my latest piece from House of Houston. You can read that in the tweet below:
Late Edit: Gattis is in tonight as catcher, batting 6th. HAPPY DAY!
Speaking of giving things, you Astros fans need to keep casting All-Star votes. The latest update has 7 of the 12 position players in the top spots among the given positions. Even my bear buddy is polling in the top 5 to DH. You can see the full update below!:
But ALL of these men need to be in it. H-Town has something really special here. Let's just make sure that we don't waste any light that is their individual AND collective talents. They should be put on display for the world to see. It's time that we all make that happen. Vote, vote, and vote some more! Vote until your fingers bleed, or you get carpel tunnel syndrome. In the words of Nike, "JUST DO IT!!!!"
In the midst of all of this wonderful success that is happening for the team on the whole, one of its parts seems to keep getting shadowed away from the success. No surprise, it just happens to be your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis. After hitting 4-for-6 and coming within one triple shy of hitting a cycle in Wednesday's finale against the Minnesota Twins, skipper A.J. Hinch then kept him sidelined for 3 days straight days. This included the travel day Thursday.
But the heartbreak doesn't end there. While starting at catcher on Sunday against the Texas Rangers behind Brad Peacock, he did help call a good game towards a 7-2 sweeping victory. However, his bat went cold, going 0-for-5. Thankfully, he didn't strikeout in the game. But it does bring up a golden rule in baseball which I believe Hinch neglected. And that is this: You don't sit your hot batter! No matter if he is an everyday starter or a bench player, you play him while he still has a hot streak going.
Yes, Gattis could have made the adjustments to the Rangers pitching like major league players do. But that task becomes harder when you've had to sit for that many days straight. The more pitching you see, the better adjustments you can make. El Oso Blanco was flat out denied that by Hinch in the form of having to sit out that many games and days. It's not playing a blame game, it's merely pointing out the truth of it all.
To make matter worse, even the broadcasting team, when pointing out the players that stepped up with the injuries to Dallas Keuchel and Brian McCann, failed to give any kind of mention to Gattis taking on the bulk of starting catching duties, and the great amount of strides he has made in keeping the pitching staff on course. It's as if the Big White Bear is chopped liver to everyone, or like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, where he is literally not allowed to join in any Reindeer games.
In fact, he was the only position player not utilized last night against the Kansas City Royals. No joke! I'm not even making this up. I snapshot the box score on my phone and tweeted about it. Just check it out for yourselves below:
I want everyone out there reading this to understand right now, whether you believe it or not, I am a fan of this ENTIRE TEAM! Every piece about it is important, and the win streak they have been on is one for the history books. It's like nothing ever seen before and practically like magic! No one is more ecstatic than me in seeing this, especially as much of a novice I am about the history of the Astros. I may have grown up an Atlanta Braves fan with Brooklyn family that roots for the New York Yankees, but my conversion to rooting for the Astros is perpetual.That awkward feeling when Evan Gattis was the only #Astros position player not used in yesterday's game. 😔 What gives, @astros?! 😡 pic.twitter.com/QGkVCzMArM— James I Zeankowski (@tvwizard85) June 6, 2017
Having said that, I also feel the need to voice when I see any degree or level of injustice happening, whether intended or not. Perhaps it is the LGBT activist in me, but when I see a wrong, I call it out. And Evan Gattis having a diminished role with this team is not fair to him. He's proven time and again that, no matter what few things he may lack as a player, he always finds ways to better himself and the team. Most skippers and GM's would reward such a player with more playing time and a bigger role.
But that hasn't happened with Evan. It seems the better he gets, the more he's suppressed from playing. Folks can call that whatever they want to. However, putting Evan Gattis and mediocre in the same sentence is the kind of blatant ignorance and disrespect towards him of which I have a zero tolerance policy for. He's a well above average player in every regard, including defense. I make it a point to highlight this in my latest piece from House of Houston. You can read that in the tweet below:
Whether folks like it or not, Evan Gattis is a perennial piece to this nearly completed puzzle that is the Houston Astros. It's not everyday that a team can be lucky enough to have a number 2 catcher that can also DH and has 30+ home run capability. Things like that can only happen, though, if he gets more playing time. As I have done since April, let me flash up, once again, a quote from A.J. Hinch himself to see if this will actually stick with people this time:Via @tvwizard85 - The #Astros bench is underutilized & they could be a valuable piece. What gives? #Astros ⚾️🔥🤔💯https://t.co/RiWsAbbc7y— House Of Houston (@HouseOfHouston) June 6, 2017
“I’ve got to work harder to get him some more regular at-bats,” Hinch said. “It’s been hard with the DH spot going to Beltran most of the time. … I know when he warms up and starts getting some hits, the power’s going to come. He can do a lot of damage, but the two-out base hit to right — it’s hard to keep the ball fair inside the first baseman — proved to be a pivotal run as well.”This is the skipper's own words, not mine. As part of my holding the powerful accountable, like any good journalist will do, this quote will always be kept, both in my back pocket and on the record. With him having even better numbers than starters like future hall of famer, Carlos Beltran, it is easy to see why I keep harping on this subject so much. If I am to trust the process, then there needs to be reasons besides just the record to be complacent with that is happening. Something has got to give, and quick!
Late Edit: Gattis is in tonight as catcher, batting 6th. HAPPY DAY!
Speaking of giving things, you Astros fans need to keep casting All-Star votes. The latest update has 7 of the 12 position players in the top spots among the given positions. Even my bear buddy is polling in the top 5 to DH. You can see the full update below!:
This would be the sickest (in a very good way) lineup that the AL All-Star team has ever seen! We got to do our part, Astros fans, in getting all of these guys to Miami for the festivities. And yes, that includes Evan Gattis. He has more than earned that across his nearly 5 seasons of playing in the major leagues.🚨 #ASG UPDATE 🚨— Houston Astros (@astros) June 6, 2017
Altuve 1st (!)
Correa 2nd
McCann 3rd
Yuli 5th
Gattis 5th
Springer 7th
Beltran 8th
Reddick 14th
Vote! https://t.co/C9XSBgkLJz pic.twitter.com/tmviKcAkgf
But ALL of these men need to be in it. H-Town has something really special here. Let's just make sure that we don't waste any light that is their individual AND collective talents. They should be put on display for the world to see. It's time that we all make that happen. Vote, vote, and vote some more! Vote until your fingers bleed, or you get carpel tunnel syndrome. In the words of Nike, "JUST DO IT!!!!"
Original Photo Credit: Erik Williams of USA Today Sports
This Astros organization needs to allow Evan Gattis' light to shine brighter. That can only happen if he's in the lineup more often!
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