Little Lies
I realize I'm making another Fleetwood Mac reference, but stay with me on this one, folks. After 4 years apart to do solo projects, the band released the album "Tango in the Night" in 1987. Many saw it as the second coming of their landmark album from 10 years prior, "Rumors." This track specifically, written by Christine McVie, is a song about being fully aware of the dishonesty that surrounds us. Of the song, she said the following:
To add salt on the metaphorical wound, Hinch has been saying one thing and doing an entire other. It seems to have been his main objective all year. Specifically, a recent article from the Houston Chronicle has him on record as saying he wants to get El Oso Blanco more playing time to get him in the right kind of routine for the playoffs. Check out the tweeted article below, if you don't believe me:
But let's look at the other parts of the quote. Hinch says things about the bear being a force at the plate, and how he needs to get him back in the lineup to get his bat going. Most skippers and coaches would actually keep their word if they really meant that. You would think that we would have seen Gattis in more games than just once the past 4 and across 5 days. Right? WRONG!
This is how long it's been since he has been in the lineup, folks. FRIDAY! Today is Wednesday, if you haven't figured that out yet. Gattis is not injured, either. He's completely healthy. Not a single thing wrong with him. So why is he not playing? How is that vastly improved average and on-base numbers somehow gets you less playing time than more? Does Hinch and this organization honestly think that Gattis can get into any kind of playoff groove or routine by playing only once a week?
I've tried very hard to trust this process all season, ladies and gentlemen. But I am at my wit's end here. If the team should, heaven forbid, not win the World Series or even make it at all, then all of the sacrifices that Evan Gattis has made all season to his personal stats and playing time will have been all for not. But I suppose that's what they want, right? Because if the team should win it all, then Hinch and Luhnow can boast that their fiendish plans regarding Gattis and his decreased role somehow was the ticket to get them a world title.
All of this will continue to upset and depress me. There's no way around it anymore. This Astros team is on the verge of something historic, yet a perennial and productive player like Evan Gattis somehow isn't allowed to be apart of it. Spare me the "he's still on the roster" bit, folks. What does it matter if he doesn't get to play? Did they really pay someone $5.2 million just to be a bench warmer? What good or justice can possibly come from that?
Yes, I am aware of why Brian McCann was brought on. In fact, I was one of the ones most excited about it because, like Gattis, I have been following the BMac since he was with the Atlanta Braves. And yes, I know defensively, he has the advantage over Gattis. But that hasn't been the problem, not by a long shot! At this point, it just seems like they're stalling in saying that Gattis won't even make the playoff roster. At which point, I will be completely done if there is someway they make him ineligible to get a World Series ring.
Seems that Carlos Beltran can get repeated unproductive outs, yet one lucky game gets him more playing time. You have to play the $16 million man, Daddy Warbucks, huh?! However, Evan Gattis has a great game where he is very productive and helpful in being responsible for 3 of the 5 runs the team scored on Friday, but let's just bench him extensively afterwards, right? He's a big boy he can handle it. Well, maybe he can, but I certainly can't.
This is player injustice at its absolute worst. I feel like, as the movie Rudy demonstrates, I should start a chant of "GATTIS" to that same effect. Not that it would do much, as it would seem, but at least some kind of statement can be made in support. So no, I can't be excited for baseball right now. So long as Evan Gattis keeps getting held back, there is no way that I can be happy or joyful about anything. Feel free to judge me all you want. I don't really care anymore. At least I have some out there who agree with me on this.
"The idea of the lyric is: If I had the chance, I'd do it differently next time. But since I can't, just carry on lying to me and I'll believe, even though I know you're lying."Unfortunately, this is the way I've been feeling about A.J. Hinch lately. Yes, Astros fans, I'm aware that they have clinched the AL West Division. And yes, I know they are rolling on a 5 game win streak. None of that is lost on me, despite popular opinion to the contrary. Even with all of this, it does not at all excuse what he has done to your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis all season long.
To add salt on the metaphorical wound, Hinch has been saying one thing and doing an entire other. It seems to have been his main objective all year. Specifically, a recent article from the Houston Chronicle has him on record as saying he wants to get El Oso Blanco more playing time to get him in the right kind of routine for the playoffs. Check out the tweeted article below, if you don't believe me:
I want to start by saying that I commend Hunter Atkins over at the Chron for having the fortitude to actually get Hinch on record for the words he says. Unlike some others in the mainstream sports media, Mr. Atkins actually did his job to seek out the truth. This way, even the powerful can be held accountable. I plan to do just that anyway I can. I'll start by highlighting a specific quote from Hinch from this article:Astros' Evan Gattis needs more at-bats to prepare for playoffs https://t.co/yhUxfwcXYQ— Chronicle Sports (@ChronSports) September 16, 2017
"It's tough when you go into (the postseason), you want to have some routine and some rhythm," Hinch said. "I want to get Gattis' bat going. He's a force at the plate. I've got to get him back into the lineup to get his bat going. He hasn't had a ton of at-bats."Hinch is actually right with saying the final part. Gattis hasn't had a ton of at-bats. In fact, out of everyone on the roster, he has sacrificed THE MOST playing time out of anyone in 2017. Bear in mind, ladies and gentlemen, this is a player that played in 112 games, 447 AB's, and led the team in homers with 32 of them just last season. I know there is a temptation for some of you to just blatantly, ignorantly and disrespectfully forget that. However, none of you ever will so long as I'm still breathing.
But let's look at the other parts of the quote. Hinch says things about the bear being a force at the plate, and how he needs to get him back in the lineup to get his bat going. Most skippers and coaches would actually keep their word if they really meant that. You would think that we would have seen Gattis in more games than just once the past 4 and across 5 days. Right? WRONG!
This is how long it's been since he has been in the lineup, folks. FRIDAY! Today is Wednesday, if you haven't figured that out yet. Gattis is not injured, either. He's completely healthy. Not a single thing wrong with him. So why is he not playing? How is that vastly improved average and on-base numbers somehow gets you less playing time than more? Does Hinch and this organization honestly think that Gattis can get into any kind of playoff groove or routine by playing only once a week?
I've tried very hard to trust this process all season, ladies and gentlemen. But I am at my wit's end here. If the team should, heaven forbid, not win the World Series or even make it at all, then all of the sacrifices that Evan Gattis has made all season to his personal stats and playing time will have been all for not. But I suppose that's what they want, right? Because if the team should win it all, then Hinch and Luhnow can boast that their fiendish plans regarding Gattis and his decreased role somehow was the ticket to get them a world title.
All of this will continue to upset and depress me. There's no way around it anymore. This Astros team is on the verge of something historic, yet a perennial and productive player like Evan Gattis somehow isn't allowed to be apart of it. Spare me the "he's still on the roster" bit, folks. What does it matter if he doesn't get to play? Did they really pay someone $5.2 million just to be a bench warmer? What good or justice can possibly come from that?
Yes, I am aware of why Brian McCann was brought on. In fact, I was one of the ones most excited about it because, like Gattis, I have been following the BMac since he was with the Atlanta Braves. And yes, I know defensively, he has the advantage over Gattis. But that hasn't been the problem, not by a long shot! At this point, it just seems like they're stalling in saying that Gattis won't even make the playoff roster. At which point, I will be completely done if there is someway they make him ineligible to get a World Series ring.
Seems that Carlos Beltran can get repeated unproductive outs, yet one lucky game gets him more playing time. You have to play the $16 million man, Daddy Warbucks, huh?! However, Evan Gattis has a great game where he is very productive and helpful in being responsible for 3 of the 5 runs the team scored on Friday, but let's just bench him extensively afterwards, right? He's a big boy he can handle it. Well, maybe he can, but I certainly can't.
This is player injustice at its absolute worst. I feel like, as the movie Rudy demonstrates, I should start a chant of "GATTIS" to that same effect. Not that it would do much, as it would seem, but at least some kind of statement can be made in support. So no, I can't be excited for baseball right now. So long as Evan Gattis keeps getting held back, there is no way that I can be happy or joyful about anything. Feel free to judge me all you want. I don't really care anymore. At least I have some out there who agree with me on this.
Original Photo Credit: Karen Warren of the Houston Chronicle
Evan Gattis has been dodging obstacles all season. Not like anyone in the Houston Astros organization cares, or has cared, to take any reasonable or truthful notice of it.
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