Astros Dusty Baker’s Needed New Year’s Resolution List

After a great season where the Houston Astros finished winning the American League pennant, yet fell short in the World Series, fans are looking for some resolve for next season.

Manager Dusty Baker could use several changes coming into next season that might take the Astros back to a World Series championship team.

Here are three New Year’s Resolutions for manager Dusty Baker for the 2022 season.

Trust your Pitchers

Baker had a short leash on starters both in the postseason and regular season. I will harken back to the days of Larry Dierker, who broke the mold of five to six inning starts and pushed starters to seven or eight and saving the bullpen.

With a very small pool of talent in the ‘pen, Baker needs to trust pitchers for his New Year’s resolution and allow starters to get into the seventh and eighth innings.

This is doubly true for the postseason. Often times, Baker pulled starters after giving up a run, which in the playoffs every run counts, but pulling a pitcher in the second inning isn’t helpful.

Unless a pitcher is getting shelled like Framber Valdez or Luis Garcia were in their first October outing, then leave them in unless they are giving up three or more runs. The Astros have two-to–three shutdown guys in the bullpen, so if they can get to the seventh or eighth innings, they are all but a lock to win.