Ensberg benched?

[wrveres]

The problem is not Jimy Williams...it's Morgan Ensberg. The problem is that a ton of you guys fell in love with this dude last season when he basically overshot every projection that's ever been made about him.

Ensberg was never rated (by most analysts) as a top of the heap prospect to begin with. Ninth round pick out of USC in '98. Put up very good numbers in AA and AAA, and his stock jumped some. Had the Astros 3B job all but handed to him in '02 and coughed it up.

There's no question Ensberg did a terrific job last year, cleary superior to anything that was envisioned. This year, he's been a flop. The truth is that Ensberg is probably in between the two years in terms of an expected norm. .280, 15-20 HR if he's playing a lot, making him okay but nothing special.

Ensberg has zero HR this season, and it's not like he's Brooks Robinson at the hot corner. Lamb has hit the crap out of righthanders, and with some power. This is not out of character for Lamb. He's always handled righties pretty well, and at every level.

Bitter pill to swallow for those who invested heavily in Ensberg prior to the start of the season, but that's show biz. There's every reason for Williams to maintain the platoon, especially since Lamb has been the better producer this season.

Yes Hat, you are probably right. At this point I would be happy with the .275 and 15 homers...

In a valient attempt to defend this X-Ensberg owner ..
.. the corner job was Morgans breaking camp in Houston.
Its easy to conjure up images of Pujols 3 years ago.
They didn't sign Lamb until the last minute. ....

and, I still hate Jimy Williams. He really needs a new Magic 8-Ball, or at least a new battery in his Magic 8-Ball

[thehat]

Just a quick archives note on Ensberg. Prior to the start of the 2003 season, he was rated as just the tenth best prospect in the Houston organization. He'll also be 29 this August. Quite possible that last year was his apex.

[wrveres]

Just a quick archives note on Ensberg. Prior to the start of the 2003 season, he was rated as just the tenth best prospect in the Houston organization. He'll also be 29 this August. Quite possible that last year was his apex.

and Adam Everett was 8th or 9th if I remember right ..

[MrTwo94]

thehat,
It's true that Morgan is struggling but when a manager is as bad as Jimy, it's hard not to question him. How is he supposed to get out of a slump without consistent play? How is he supposed to handle finally hitting his hot streak and then going 0-4 and being benched the very next game? Hidalgo is going through the same deal. Most managers will just shift players around in the lineup according to their hot and cold spells, not bench them entirely. Ensberg having a slow start is unfortunate but the problem, and not just in this situation, but the main problem in Houston is and will be Jimy Williams. He's the only thing that can keep us out of the world series this year.

[OREO fan]

why would they even have signed lamb in the first place? talk about a confidence shaker for morgan

listen - i agree that ensberg has no business being on a yearly fantasy team right now - but it is tough to drop a guy that you drafted earlier in a keeper league when you have seen what he can do

right now i agree that jimy should be playing lamb - he is the better player and the stros are in the hunt - my problem is why they went out and signed lamb at the beginning of the season

what do people think about keeper leagues? keep ensberg or drop him?

[Rohan]

I'd keep him. When Lamb cools off, Ensberg will get more playing time, they have no other option. I have him in a keeper league and if I drop him someone else can pick him up and keep him for the next 2 years