Altoona Curve manager Matt Walbeck is getting unprecedented praise from all around the game this year. Not because his stocked roster has won 62% of their games in an unusually weaker Eastern Division year, but because of the way his team is winning. Four out of the five scouts I sent to watch the Curve play this year have sent back glowing reports on Walbeck with notes saying things like: “average club with all-star manager getting all-star results” – “pushes the right buttons at the right time” – ”fiery, competitive.”
But nothing impressed me more than a conversation between one of the scouts and a guy sitting next to him (nameless out of respect for both men and the organization of the pro scout) during a recent game:
scout: ‘Here to see Justin Wilson?”
guy: “No, not really.”
scout (looks at the rosters of both teams playing and joked to the guy): “Oh, you must be here to see Steamer then (Curve’s mascot)?”
guy: “No, Matt Walbeck, actually.”
The scout couldn’t believe his ears but snuck an occaisional look at the notes this pro scout sitting next to him took – indeed, Walbeck had his own section.
After hearing some of these reports I started asking a few questions to folks close to the players Walbeck has/is managing and received off the charts praise for the man. Normally I hear a few negatives here and there but not this time - it was all gold.
I have never had the pleasure of watching Walbeck manage, nor do I know much about him, but it’s becoming crystal clear that we have a manager in our system who is doing the right things at the right time with the right players who have all bought into his style. It’s not the Pirates development plan, it’s not the coordinators, nor is it the Pirates management traveling show — it’s who he is, how he does it, and why he does it that everyone he instructs has come to believe in.
Walbeck is obviously a five-tool manager with a plan of his own.
And his plan is working.
–
I didn’t get to see the Bucs whip the Phils Sunday but from some of your e-mails I could tell some of you are quite impressed with our recent run.
Good for you.
So off we go to Houston where we win about one-in-four over our last 26 games played there. Lincoln takes the mound carrying a 2.84 ERA last three and coming off a game where he threw nearly 50% of his pitches as curves. I’m not so sure he’s going to get away with that game plan in Houston because they have quite a few guys who wail offspeed stuff.. even plus offspeed stuff. Interestingly, batter’s have crushed Lincoln’s fastball in his last three outings (.311 BAA) but it hasn’t hurt him as bad as you might expect. The reason for that is he isn’t throwing it as much.
But guess what? The Astros are playing about as flat as we saw the Cubs play us recently, plus they just haven’t been able to find their strokes against right hand pitching this year (.628 OPS). And even more worrisome is that the Astros have a ridiculous .218 batting average on balls in play in July which suggests that they have been very, very unlucky up to this point and, as we know, everything tends toward the mean in this game so they are probably about ready to explode as a group.
One thing that might help them is that lately they have been more patient at the plate. If they sit back and don’t chase Lincoln’s low hook, Lincoln will have to come in the zone with his fastball or hang his hook higher which will probably result in quite a few well-struck balls in play. And don’t forget that in Lincoln’s last three outings I told you that, despite him walking away with just three earned runs or less in each game, even most of his outs were hammered, crushed, cannon shots.
Lincoln’s mound opponent is southpaw Wandy Rodriguez who pitches to contact and, more likely than not, his pitches will also make contact with a player or two during the game. He typically pitches pretty good at Minute Maid but lugs to the mound an odd stat – the Astros are only a 17% winner the game after he throws a quality start, which he did his last time out. But don’t let that fool you – the Astros are 17-7 in his last 24 home starts despite two of those 7 coming in his last three home starts.
This is being called the series of losers.. one club trying to turn things around and the other club with more talent but falling apart at the seams. The Astros weakness, outside their inability to hit the ball this year, is their pen. Our advantage is that we come in with a bit of an offensive swagger. Will it continue now that Coonelly’s Phillies have left the stadium?
The bad guys have the advantage on paper in two of the three games but don’t be shocked if we get swept.
–
Meek to the All-Star game. Good for him – well deserved. Cutch has fallen apart the last month and the Pirates just refused to support his bid with any kind of PR push like they did with Sanchez and others in the past. I’m telling you, it’s as if they are beating Cutch to the ground as much as possible so they can get him to sign a little bit cheaper deal. Been there, seen that before in this town.
–
Clement back catching in Indy. What a frikin’ joke. Not that Clement is catching but because management waited for half the season to expire before putting him there. What astounds me is that they haven’t put Walker back behind the plate, or made him a pitcher, or even a coach (or, has he performed that role yet?).
Our front office is extremely poor at short-term decision-making processes. Littlefield was the best fire putter-outer there was.. Huntington is quickly overtaking him for knee-jerk actions.
–
A reader asked me if I would trade Tabata for a young shortstop.
In a heartbeat.
Another reader asked if I would trade Lincoln.
In a heartbeat.
Obviously the return would have to justify either deal.
Lastly, a reader asked if I would sell out the prospects to get Cliff Lee.
Nope.. not interested.
–
I was smacked around in Fantasy League action for the second week in a row. Shame on all you guys. I was so bad last week I wanted to invoke a mercy rule in two of my leagues.
–
Bucs signed a handful of international talent the last week. ( ** YAWN ** )
