I think Dusty is a terrific regular season manager. He takes 90 win teams and makes them 96 win teams. As for an individual game or a short series, his game moves are middling, and often in the playoffs, he's up against the elite. I think that, with the Nats and now Houston, he's picking up different approaches (like more use of data rather than impressions), which should help. He's in a position where he'll get no credit if the Astros beat Boston because houston is a pretty complete team with high end stars on paper, but it'll be added to the Dusty blows it mythology if they fall. The only thing that can get people to shut up about Dusty is if he wins it all.
