That title has to be a head scratcher, until you realize that Charles Dickens wrote “Great Expectations”.
There has been talk about Carlos Correa’s sophomore year being a disappointment. It is only a minor disappointment in comparison to his insane first 99 games of 2015. His BA is down from .279 to .265. His OPS is down from .857 to .823. When he reaches the 99 game mark he will not match the 22 HRs he had last season, and probably will be a little short of his numbers last year for RBIs and runs.
Yes, he is such a slacker.
Of course there are other numbers to consider.
- He does not turn 22 until September.
- When Correa hits his next HR, he will become the career leader in HRs by a SS for the Houston Astros.
- He is on a pace to hit 25 HRs and 110 RBIs. He would pass himself for most HRs by a SS and totally bury the 84 RBIs that SS Denis Menke put up in 1970.
- He does not turn 22 until September.
- In his age 21 season – Craig Biggio was playing very well – at A ball.
- In his age 21 season – Jeff Bagwell was playing very well in a season split between rookie and A ball.
- In his age 21 season – Lance Berkman was playing very well at A+ ball.
- In his age 21 season – Jose Altuve had a 57 game mlb debut with 2 HR and 12 RBIs and .276 BA / .297 OBP / .654 OPS
- Can we remind you that Carlos does not turn 22 until September and is the 3rd youngest player in the AL?
- He does not turn 22 until September.
- At 21, Derek Jeter had his first splash in the majors with a .250 BA and .669 OPS.
- Jeter never hit more than 24 HRs and never more than 102 RBIs and that was when he was 25.
- And Carlos Correa is still only a 21 year old, playing SS, and hitting cleanup with folks like Colby Rasmus and Carlos Gomez “protecting” him in the lineup.
So, just remember that when you expect more out of Carlos Correa that even in a “disappointing” season, he is producing at levels never seen here in Houston at the SS position.
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
131 responses to “Is Carlos Correa a victim of Charles Dickens?”
This is a great reminder. Correa is the best SS in Astros history and he is 21.
But he represents a core of this team that is unlike any team in the AL. We have a core of Springer, Altuve, McCullers and Correa that are all plus players that are young. No team in our league has a core like this. OK, Boston may be closer than I pictured.
The Angels have Trout. That’s it
The Rangers have Odor and Profar. Everyone else is ancient.
The core of the Mariners is in their mid 30’s
The Athletics don’t have a core. They traded it for Brett Lawrie.
We also have the #1 prospect in all of baseball and he is in AAA, not in high A or 19 years old.
The Astros’ future is on the cusp of something great. Carlos Gomez is not even close to being part of it. We need to trade for one more good position player, an outfielder, and get rid of the broken caboose that is Gomez. He’s not hitting, his speed is not an asset because he’s not getting on base and he’s getting burned in CF a lot. His power is not an asset because it only shows up when he gets lucky enough to hit the ball, which is rare. He doesn’t walk any more. He has 20 BBs and 90 Ks. He should be put out to pasture. This month!
When you saw the way Carlos Gomez played the game at age 25, you had to know it was going to end like this. He was a time bomb.
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Man, Dan, you and I must be tuned in like the Dickens. See yesterday’s post re Bregman. 🙂
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Good Job, Diane! You set the table and that rascal, Dan, came in and completed the feast. Could you pass me some potatoes and a lefty reliever? Thanks.
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I would like to say that I actually wrote this for Wednesday, but Chip had one ready on Wednesday so I asked him to hold mine back a couple days.
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I just went back and read your comment Diane – this is definitely great minds think alike that is for sure. Wrote mine before that.
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Wow. I’m plumb taken aback. How could we both come up with Charles Dickens independently? What are the odds?
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Nicely done old pro and diane!
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Ah, but there is so much more to consider, Coach Dickens! As the little Dickens might have put it [if he were a blogger at Chipalatta]:
“It is the best of times; it is the worst of times.
It is the age of rising young superstars; it is the age of embarrassing performances by fading almost-were’s.
It is the epoch of hope; it is the epoch of shattered dreams.
It is the season of Brilliant LIght at the Top of the Order; it is the season of Ugly Darkness from five through nine of the Order.
Are we the June and July of hope; or are we the April and May of despair?
We have everything before us; we have Boston and Toronto – and the hated Rangers – before us in the standings.
We are all going direct to heaven [when Bregman and Gurriel get here]; we are all going direct the other way [enduring daily the dismal BA, OBP, OPS, and WAR of Gomez, Gattis, Marisnick, and Rasmus].
In short, the noisiest authorities insist on this period in Astro history being considered, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”
Or, perhaps an even more appropo Dickens quote, directed specifically at Mr. Correa, would be simply: “Please sir – I want some more!”
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Little Jimmy Dickens?
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Lovin it Mr Bill
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OK – I am going to do something a little personal here.
My son, Ryan is a terrific writer. He also has the challenge of having Asperger’s Syndrome (High end autism). He is a lot like Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory.
He has self published his first book on Amazon.com – it is a fantasy book and first of four in a series.
If anyone has interest or knows someone who would be interested – Ryan would be thrilled to think his work is being appreciated out there. Here is the link.
Thank y’all
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Congratulations to Ryan!
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Dan, that is utterly amazing — a 400-page book? If he is a lot like Sheldon, he has a wonderful and blessed future ahead. Sheldon has had some outstanding people in his life, from Bob Newhart to Stephen Hawking. Ryan, you’ve inherited your dad’s talent and brains. Again, you are blessed.
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Thanks Nance and Diane – he is blessed in many ways and he has a inherited good things from both me and Mrs. Dan P……
I had not put this out there, but he finished his second book, but is waiting a bit to put it out there.
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That is Simply awesome . The wife and I will get one.
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Thank you Kevin
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Just bought with one-click. Dan, let Ryan know that Uncleknuckle will be reading his book on the beach in the West Indies this weekend.
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Thank you daveb – he will be very excited.
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Dan P thanks for putting Correa’s “sophomore slump” numbers in perspective. He’s a very good player. Should be one of the cornerstones of this franchise for many years to come. Hopefully he will catch fire here for the push for the playoffs. Great article as usual. Thanks!
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I had just heard too much griping about him and you have to give someone this young a little slack, Robert.
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Dan, I hope nothing I said was interpreted as a gripe. I’ve always regarded Carlos as Astro to the Cor-rea. It’s just that right now, it takes a few more Correas to make an Altuve. At least that’s how I see it.
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No, not about you Diane. There has been a lot of stuff around – on the radio and articles etc that hint at him not being what was expected this season.
I absolutely agree that Altuve is the best player on the team right now and that he has had to grow into that – improved every year.
Bryce Harper showed a lot in a partial season at age 20 and then backslid (much more than Correa) at age 21. He then turned into MVP.
Have to give them a chance to figure things out.
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Well friends, I’m heading to Enemy Territory(South of Denton) for a week or so to take care of one of the young beloved ones. Don’t know how much computer access I’ll have, so you pull these guys to victory a bunch of times in these next two series. When I return, Mrs. 1OP goes in for surgery. Love to you, 1OP.
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You are super with your grandchildren, OP. Take care as you take care. We’ll pray for Mrs. 1OP as we have for others.
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We will be thinking about you and Mrs. 1OP – maybe not in that order!
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Will keep you and her in my thoughts
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Best wishes to all your family OP
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1OP, Godspeed to you and all.
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I’m a bit late to the blog today, but I need to tell my friend Old Pro that this grateful lady will be standing on her Bible praying your sweet wife back to health. You both will be deep in our hearts, as you get ready to be her care giver while she is getting well. So…..we got this!! I’ll tell you one thing, the heat in Dallas/Ft. Worth is oppressive, so stay inside! Tucker is the DH tonight…..and you know who is in center.
Dan…..I’m ordering his book as we speak!
Another book I’m ordering is “The Arm”.
Think good thoughts for the boys tonight, especially McCullers!!
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Thanks so much Becky – very nice of you!!
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If Carlos Correa is a victim of Great Expectations, then call Altuve Miss Havisham, cause he’s on FIRE.
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Nice reference Billy C!
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^_^ I may not know some of the references made on the blog from time to time, but I certainly was a geek in high school, so Dickens is right up my alley.
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All right, all right, Billy. Apologies to all for excessive posts today. It’s Friiiii-day, as Jack Lescoulie used to say.
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PS: Did not mean you……..meant me. 😦
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Our youngest had an .899 OPS against lefties last year. He’s at .650 against them this year. That trend will not continue. He’ll ultimately figure things out and crush those guys.
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It’s great to have had the good fortune of closely watching a future Hall of Famer all the way from A ball. And I’m planning on being around when Altuve takes his first trip to Cooperstown.
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I had noticed that disparity daveb in his numbers against lefties. I think last season lefties would keep it on the outside part of the plate and he would go knock it the other way. I think they are pounding him inside more often this season and he has not quite caught up with it.
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I was going to mention that my son, Ryan is about a month older than Carlos Correa – both precocious kids.
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Congratulations to Ramon Laureano, who has been promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks. .317 BA this year with 10 HRs, 60 RBIs, and 33 steals got some attention from on high – even if those numbers were put up at Lancaster. Please note, Ramon is playing RF for Corpus tonight.
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I forgot to mention, Ramon’s OBP at Lancaster was .426, and his OPS was .945.
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Our playoff competition’s next opponents:
Texas is at Kansas City
Baltimore hosts Cleveland
Boston hosts MN
Toronto hosts Seattle.
Go Royals???? [I need to rinse my mouth]
Go Indians.
Go Twins.
Go Mariners????? [Somebody check my pulse]
Oh, chunk it all – just WIN, ASTROS!!!!!!!
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The strange part about the playoff race is that a couple weeks ago I thought we had a good chance to get a wild card and a poor chance to win the division. Now I feel like we have a decent chance to do either.
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PTuck is DH’ing and batting 8th tonight.
Looks like they will have Bregman work a little longer on his LF skills?
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In a way I’m glad. Yes he needs more than 2 games in left field, and when he does get the call, I want it to be a total surprise so he can jump up and down with joy, without expecting it! He was pretty sure with all the chatter, that he was for sure getting called up yesterday. I love surprises, it makes it sooo much more exciting!
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Sure glad our offense is so high powered we don’t need the guy hitting .380 in AAA.
This 0 run explosion behind LMJ is just so impressive.
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Impressive like our front office.
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A great 8 innings from Lance. Why bring him back out?
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Thank goodness for Will Harris. Hinch should never have left LMJ in there. What the heck if you have the best bullpen in the league and all have two days rest.
2.5 games behind the South Denton Rangers!
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Ahh yes!!! Rangers are in free fall, here we come!
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Whew!! That was a true nail biter! I’m impressed with McCullers magic getting in and out of trouble tonight, but I could do with a little less drama! Yep OP….I’m sure their “coach” is gnashing his teeth!! The rest of this summer is gonna be a real dog fight, and it ain’t gonna be pretty!
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It could be pretty If we come out on top.
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We have a lot of baseball to play Sandy, but yeah I want be on top at the end of the season! I watched some of the Kansas City game tonight, and yu darvish looks bad.
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Fresno Grizzlies have the most fun outta their theme games, tonight they are dressed up like Matadors, for “Three Amigos” night! By the way Hauschild is pitching like a rock star tonight OP!!
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My son has a computer he uses for his games. And I get to use it for the Astros. He’s a good boy.
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Dan, my apologies. Above, I should have said ” What the Dickens is LMJ still doing in there in the ninth inning”.
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Nice to see PTuck make an important contribution to the win in his first game back. Nice to see Gomez use his speed instead of trying to air condition the universe. And nice to see Jason Castro involved in the scoring of both of our runs. McCullers and Harris were pretty impressive too!
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Yeah PTuck put a charge in that triple to get it over Trout.
Lower end of the order producing the offense lasr night.
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And in the 8th, PTuck produced a ‘productive out’, hitting the ball to first, enabling Gomez to go to third. If Gomez had not been on third, you have to wonder if he would have scored on that ball Springer absolutely scorched right to the Angels’ left fielder.
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Elieser Hernandez, a big righty for the Quad City Bandits, struck out 14 in 6.1 innings last night. He gave up 3 hits and walked one. Unfortunately, one of the hits he allowed was a home run, so he gave up 2 ER. Quad Cities lost late, 3-2. But 14 Ks in 6.1 innings?????
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My mom was always tough on me – she would have asked about why he didn’t K the other 5.
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Rangers claim Matt Duffy and send him to AAA Round Rock.
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Eww….that means there’s someone in the Rangers’ organization I don’t dislike. I feel dirty now.
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Here is a very good story on what Jose Altuve is doing for us this year
http://climbingtalshill.com/2016/07/23/astros-jose-altuve-is-the-best-in-the-game/
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Apparently, the signing of Cuban infielder prospect Anibal Sierra by the Astros is a done deal. They pay him $1.5 million signing bonus instead of the earlier reported $3mil, but will have $1.5 mil more in penalties for going way over their limit.
They are going all out this year to fill their minor leagues with prospects.
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Why do you think they did it this year? Not only will they pay 100% of the overages in penalties but they are limited in what they can pay next year.
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I think old pro was saying that the rules on international signings were going to change.
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Three reasons, pencil.
1. They spent three times as much money last year on the draft because they had huge slot money. Because of their draft position this year, they couldn’t load up in the domestic draft and the domestic draft was heavy on college players so that is where they concentrated on older prospects.
2. Every scout I have read has said that next year’s foreign draft will be very weak and that there were loads of good players available this year.
3. Changes coming this off season that will change a lot about the acquisition of prospects through the draft and free agency.
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my understanding is the rules may change or there maybe an international draft in two years. there are less than usual amount of quality players next year, so the astros went for it this year. a smart move in my opinion. this year had alot of depth and quality players, so they made hay while the sun shined as my dad used to say. it cost alot of money, but no players to get 18 and counting prospects into our minor league system.
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and actually the money isnt THAT bad either. 5.3 million before this last signing. but they get taxed 100% of what they spend.
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Heard a rumor, Texas working on a deal to get Sale from the White Sox 😡
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Bah humbug!
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Hey Dan, I really would like to read your son’s book, looks it’s right down my ally.
Pardon my ignorance but…Can you get any way other than for a Kindle? I do my reading on my iPad.
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Sandy – go to Amazon.com and search on “Kindle app for iPad” – you can download a free app – link to it and download the book
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Sale has been scratched from his start tomorrow. Rumors are that the Sox not only want Profar, and Galloway but 3 more MLB ready (maybe already playing for them) if the other team in north texas, pulls this off…….they might have the pitching, but not the hiting. Check the lineup against Kansas City to see whose not in it.
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Gallo…..not gaĺloway.
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Sox deny trade of Sale, sigh of relief..
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Sale was scratched from TONIGHT game, not tomorrow, due to an incident in the clubhouse. Not physical…..don’t know what that means but that was the official White Sox release. Yes Sandy……that would be a sigh of relief from me too! The Sox would be stupid to trade Sale…..why trade a guy you want to build a team around.
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This game should be a laugher by now. Weaver has nothing.
Perez sure has an arm on him back behind the plate, but it’s nice that our guy can give us a three run shot now and again.
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Makes me sick that we gave them Perez for Hank Conger…GRRRRRRRRR!!!
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Castro/Gattis is better at catcher than Perez, IMHO.
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Ok….here’s what happened with Chris Sale. The Sox were supposed to wear throw back uniforms tonight and Sale didn’t want to wear them…..so, he went in the club house and cut up every one of those uniforms so NO BODY could wear them! So the manager sent him home! Pardon me while I get a good laugh about this!! What an idiot!!
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Come to thing of it, he would be PERFECT for the Rangers,
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Yeah, he’d fit right in with them.
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Have any of you seen the uniform? I am serious as a heart attack. They look like maternity tops with lettering on them. The worst uniforms ever! except for Fresno’s Three Amigos, which should have gotten everyone in their front office fired.
I would have helped Sale cut them up if I were one of his teammates.
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Thanks Dan, got the app and the book.
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Sandy – thank you so very much. Every time someone buys his book – Ryan gets a big smile on his face.
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Does my heart good to make someone happy. But I’m seriously excited to read his book.
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I was out of he loop tonight but maybe we should give away Gattis gnomes every time he starts.
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Gattis hit two gnomers tonight.
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Gnice one op
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The trade deadline is getting closer.
The Astros are getting closer.
I expect the Rangers are on the verge of something very expensive.
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Alex Bregman is 0 for 11 since Tucker’s callup.
Evan Gattis is a catcher.
The Angels are to the Astros, what the Astros are to the Rangers.
I wonder if Chris Sale is a great pitcher, but a divider in the clubhouse. Why is that team suddenly so bad?
Todd Frazier has not been the same since his HR Derby win. Neither has the kid, Peterson. Neither was Josh Hamilton. I hate the HR Derby. I haven’t watched one since Hamilton’s performance in NY.
I hope Preston Tucker and Tyler White end up being good hitters for Houston. We always knew that their careers hinged on their bats.
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Somebody tell me why you think Andrew Cashner would be an upgrade over Musgrove, or Hauschild?? If Luhnow makes another “trash-for cash” trade this year he deserves to be fired on the spot. STOP trading just for the sake of trading!
DANG IT!!! Chemo is kicking my butt today, and I’m grumpy…..humor me.
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About Bregman, jerking these youngsters around is destroying their confidence.
Apparently they gave the impression they were going to promote him and then drafted the Cuban and changed their minds.
Which resulted in moving him from SS to third to LF.
What’s the incentive to work to become better? Where does doing a good job get you. Anyone would be fed up by now.
This FO is number one in always doing the wrong thing.
Gomez back in the lineup today. He needs to be glued to the bench till his contract expires.
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“He needs to glued to the bench till his contract expires”. *** EXACTLY…SANDY***!!
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I don’t have one good thing to say about Cashner. Negative WAR lately, Negative WAR career-wise. Not controllable, so, not worth straightening him out because he would just walk.
How do I humor you?
Mike Fiers is fired up to make up for flaming out!
Carlos Correa is not satisfied with passing Everett on the home run list for SS. Has his sights set on A-Rod.
Luis Valbuena will not be satisfied until he can do a bare-handed pickup and throw-em-out left handed.
Carlos Gomez has replaced batting practice with bunting practice.
Steve Martin bought all of the Fresno Grizzlies uniforms from last night. Keeps mumbling something about a plethora.
Preston Tucker owns LF today.
George Springer wants a gnome made for him, so he has taken Gattis’s job at DH. Wants to shave his head and grow a mighty beard.
The Astros think that Aroldis Chapman will take a plane to Houston in the next 24 hours, along with 24 other Yankees.
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Becky – sorry about the bad chemo day – I hope that Luhnow does not make you feel worse.
I have no idea why you would bring Cashner in – he is basically the same as Fiers – almost identical ERA, inconsistency and a non-inning eater.
Sandy – hopefully Bregman’s slump is the normal falling off you would expect when someone is super hot and is not due to anger.
But if they made him think he was coming up and then pulled it back …. not good.
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Chris Sale put on 5 game suspension. Wow!
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The only reason, and it’s a weak one, I can think of for not bringing Bregman in this weekend is that the Angels had three right handed starters going.
Cashner? I strongly doubt it. But then again, I have no clue what this club plans to do.
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Altuve!!! 3 run Jack!!
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Maybe the Angels should have brought Clint Eastwood in to listen to Lincecum throw before they signed him.
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Gomez just got an assist on a 5 hop throw (roll?) at 2nd thanks to a great diving tag by Altuve (and a bad decision by the runner)
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Question…who looks more done…Lincecum or Weaver? I was a fan, but the former is approaching Mike Scott in 1991 levels of being finished.
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The Astros are trying to make Miss Becky feel good today.
Man – Billy C – tough question as Lincecum has nothing and Weaver has seemingly had nothing for a while
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He must be done…he didn’t strike out a single one of our guys.
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With that last home run, Altuve’s OPS for the season is 1.005.
That is incredible!
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If he’s not the MVP this year, there’s an issue.
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unfortunately with the year David Ortiz is having and it being he’s last year before retirement I don’t think there is in way anyone else will win the MVP.
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Chemo is what it is…..just makes me feel like crap. I’m glad you guys think Cashner is not an upgrade as well. Personally…..I’d give Hauschild a start, he’s pitching like a rock star in Fresno! And….yes sir OP, if Altuve doesn’t get the MVP of the AL, blame it on “Wikki leaks”!! I had to do that…..because I’m so grumpy, but you gotta admit it was funny!
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