The 2015 Astros’ season begins this weekend

Jim Crane is right. If the Astros do not make the playoffs in 2015, the season will have been a disappointment.

Say all you will about the unexpected success. Shout it out loud that 2017 is supposed to the year anyway. Yeah, yeah, the organization is in rebuild mode and 2015 wasn’t supposed to be the year anyway.

Still, it will be an empty feeling if the Astros are not playing baseball after October 4.

It’s come down to this weekend perhaps. Make it or break it. Do or die.

I posited a few weeks ago — while the Astros were still somewhat comfortably in first place — that it could come down to a do-or-die situation for Houston. That the Angels and Twins, and not the Rangers, were the real threat. And, here we are.

Just seven games over .500 and still not at the magical break-even point for the season, the Twins and Angels are running almost neck and neck with the Astros. They’re licking their chops at Houston’s three-game series with Texas this weekend. And Houston is a 3-7 over the past 10, not exactly where you want to be in the midst of a stretch run.

Sure, attendance is up this season, Jeff Luhnow and A.J. Hinch have found a couple more solid pieces to add to Jose Altuve’s build-around success and the Astros seemed almost destined to be above .500 (right?).

But, admit it, if Houston doesn’t even back into the playoffs, it will be — as Crane noted — “a big disappointment”.

None of the major players (read Luhnow, Hinch, etc) will be fired if they don’t. There won’t be a major shakeup, not even on the field. Sure, Chris Carter, Hank Conger, Colby Rasmus and others will be gone, but the core will remain.

This time, Jim Crane is right. Nine games to go. The most important nine games of the season. No more talk of 90 wins this season. Face it, 85 wins may be a challenge.

The season begins tonight with a three-game weekend series with the Rangers. Let’s see what ya got!

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163 responses to “The 2015 Astros’ season begins this weekend”

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  1. That was some bad Ugly baseball, I know fair weather fan and all, After watching every game the last 7 years since I moved what’s 8 more games LOL. We have some good guys and player,s the other 8 need to move on! Should be a fun off season of tweaking the 25. Dan I really hope they win fro you and your son!

    My wife and son ( Navy) visiting Houston tomorrow , but going to the Texans game. He is not a Baseball fan, to slow for him.

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  2. My friend who’s in the front office emailed me last night after the game, and told me to say another prayer for the boys today! So you guys and girls need to offer a prayer that they play smart, and they play like we ALL know they can!!
    Sandy, and Kevin…..there’s always going to be a few people that will never be satisfied with the decisions concerning this club, and it’s players. I realized a long time ago, to consider the source and ignore those who constantly bring sarcastic comments to this blog. Once I did that, I regained my own self confidence, and told that person that we are ALL just fans. I’m not as wealthy as some on this blog,and I’m not as savvy about baseball as some on this blog are, and I admit that OFTEN! BUT I’m going to keep reading and voicing my opinion anyway. Ignore the folks who think only THEIR opinions are valid, and enjoy those who love this team as much as you do!! Now let’s get that win for McHugh!! Becky⚾

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  3. I hate to say it but… it is time to stick the fork in them and look to next year. I had predicted 92 wins for them and this is very hard to take. I am sure that Crane is gritting his teeth about now also. So many mistakes going on with the team now in all aspects of the game. I question who is responsible for the daily lineups run out there? Why has Hinch become a questionable manager after being in the “manager of the year” discussion for most of the season? Why the poor handling of the bullpen now? Why does PCL MVP Duffy sit so much? On and on… heartache…

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  9. So I am at the game and the Rangers turn 2 bloops one walk and a hard hit ball into 3 runs. The Astros turn 2 balls hit on the screws followed by an insane Correa moonshot homer into one run. Jeez Louise.

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  13. Well this game just got a lot more fun! Both Altuve and Correa smoked those balls though Carlos’ barely made it out. Surprised they did not review that one.

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  16. Rangers 4 Correa 4 The Fox announcers hit it right on for me. “the difference between the Astros and the Rangers right now, The Astro’s don’t have any proven leadership in everyday players yet and the Rangers do. They have great young talent, but not leaders yet that can help turn the September swoon around”

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  38. Interesting that McGregor was tossing gasoline on his own stats and he gets angry because Hinch takes him out? Oh how I would love to hear his explanation for his outburst. The club needs to get a real closer for next year.

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  40. I turned the tv, and radio off when Gregersen gave up that 4th run. I just couldn’t watch or hear it anymore….so I went outside when Harris came in. My husband opened the back door and told me I could come back in the house!! I think I would have broken down in a heap of tears if they had lost this game. What was the deal with Gregersen when he turned his back on Hinch when he was taken out??? He had better thank the Lord the rest of the team didn’t pound his butt in the ground for nearly losing this game when they had a 5 run lead! The guys sorely needed this game, and now looking forward to tomorrow when Keuchel goes for his 19th win.
    WHEW!!! I can’t remember feeling this much emotion in a baseball game! WOW.

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      • There’s no reason to trade him. He’s going to be fine, and so is Hinch. Like I said earlier…”and this to shall pass”. Next year he will be the setup man, for hopefully a bonified closer. Don’t jump up and down and call for him to be traded…I’m just soo happy they finally WON a game against these ugly little sh*ts from Arlington!!!

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  41. Look people…..McHugh has *18* wins!!! He must be pinching himself!! I’m so happy for him! Just think two years ago he was almost OUT of baseball, so let’s raise a toast for our starting pitcher today, and for our A. L. ROY Correa!!

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  42. McHugh is probably one of the best thing Luhnow ever did. He doesn’t get a lot of recognition, he just goes out time after time and wins.
    Amazing Correa, just no words.

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    • And…..that alone should make us sooo dang proud of these guys!! We need to focus on the WC game, and keep looking forward, and leave all those losing years behind us!! Folks, we are going to be a *great* team next year, and for years to come!! We will have Chris Devenski, and Joe Musgrove, and Mark Appel in our rotation…..and they are ALL under the age of 25!!
      McCullers
      McHugh
      Keuchel
      Appel
      Musgrove
      And maybe another lefty coming from a trade!!

      I doubt Kazmir will be coming back, and that pissed me off, because of the prospects we gave up for him. I bet Luhnow won’t make THAT mistake again.

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      • Brad would have been handed the managers job for the Padres, in a New York minute if the Tigers had fired him.
        I assume he will put the feelers out over the winter, to get away from the Tigers.
        When your company says they are gonna fire you, and make a fool of you in public….I’d leave ASAP. Alex Avila is an a** hole for causing ALL of this.

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  46. I didn’t watch today so when I checked in for too long it turned sour. I was following the 9th and finally stopped following the game. I checked back in about 20 minutes later and we won. So guess what? I won’t watch tomorrow. Maybe it’ll work twice for us. I’m optimistic for next year and still hoping for us this year.

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  48. The Astros were the same team on Saturday that they have shown since the All-Star break.
    They had a runner picked off.
    They were 1 for 3 w/RISP
    Their starter gave up runs early
    Their reliever got hit hard.
    They got four singles and six of their fly balls went into the stands.
    Home runs drove in every run. They can’t get a base hit to drive in a run.
    Lowrie swings up at every pitch and cusses and throws his bat because he hit another fly ball. It happened three times today and about 180 times in the last two weeks, since his one fly ball turned into a home run in the RF corner. He has caught the home run bug in a huge way.
    Today, they were lucky because they did something that they’ve never done. Their SS and their second baseman each hit 2 HRs. What was it the announcers said about that? It’s never been done before by an Astros team, ever.

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    • Those two guys represent the best shortstop second base combination in MLB. They also are the two most reliable guys on this Astro team, even in the infancy of their careers. Altuve has hit .340 plus with a .900 plus OPS over the past month. Our 20 year old Rookie of the Year candidate has handled the pressure of his first pennant race just about as well as an other guy his age ever has. His 21 homers, overall hitting, defense and composure have been remarkable.

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      • I do not expect Texas to let Altuve or Correa beat them today. Those guys will probably not see anything whatsoever they can even come close to hitting out of the ballpark. So someone else behind those two will have to rise up and make the Rangers pay. With the lefty Perez pitching for Texas that needs to be Springer behind Altuve, and EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM behind Correa. Let’s do this!

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      • Those two can go 0 for 10 today and are still the best in the league. Let’s hope they don’t do that. Again, the Astros just need to win today.

        KISS. Maybe those guys in Vegas will be correct.

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