10 reasons to believe in the 2017 Astros

This is kind of like when you teach a child to ride a bicycle. There is all that angst as they fail and fall, wobble and wiggle and finally kind of get it. Astro fans have been burnt so many times before that it is difficult to completely believe in this team that has taken the baseball world by storm in 2017. We are waiting for the next Oops.

So while you are wringing your hands, wrap your hands and your mind around these ten reasons to believe in this season’s team.

  1. Strength down the middle. Heard it forever….it is so important for a team’s performance to have that strong core at C, 2B, SS and CF. Go back to last week’s post.     https://chipalatta.com/2017/07/07/when-you-look-up-offense-in-the-dictionary/     It is pretty certain that CF George Springer, 2B Jose Altuve, SS Carlos Correa and two-headed catcher Brian McCann and Evan Gattis constitute either the first or second best offensive performer at those positions in the AL. This is the best combination up the middle in the majors.
  2. The top is tops. Going back to that same post – the Astros have had the best performance out of their first three spots in the lineup vs. any other team in the AL. Paired with strength at the end of the lineup this has given the team an impenetrable gauntlet for opposing pitchers to face.
  3. Resilient as the waist band of my pants. Ignore the fact that their #3 pitcher coming into 2017, Collin McHugh has not thrown a pitch in the majors to date. Ignore the fact that his replacement at #3, Charlie Morton, missed 6 weeks of the season or that both #2 Lance McCullers and #5 Joe Musgrove spent time on the DL. When their best pitcher and one of the best pitchers in baseball, Dallas Keuchel, last pitched on June 2nd, they were 39-16 and 12.5 games up in their division. Since then, heading out of the All Star break, the Astros have been 21-13 (a 100 win pace) and are now 16.5 games up in the division. Resilient!!
  4. The cavalry is coming. There are always naysayers, but it is hard to picture the Astros being worse after the return of Keuchel, McHugh and Morton (who came back last week). They have Brad Peacock pitching at a high level wherever they choose to use him and they have given major league experience to Francis Martes, who should be better for it whether they keep him up or send him down and call him back later.
  5. Offensive variety. After several years where it seemed that the Astros’ scoring was tied to the long ball, the team has it all this season, best in hits, best in batting average, doubles, on base percentage and on and on. They still can whack home runs, but they can string four singles in a row, they can knock guys in from 3rd on sacrifice flies and if you screw up and commit an error against them, expect a long inning.
  6. 2015. Yes, it is a new team, a different team. Yes, they failed in 2015. But just like Mr. Martes has learned from his experiences this year, Altuve, Correa, Springer, Marwin Gonzalez, Evan Gattis, Jake Marisnick, Keuchel, McHugh, and others learned from being in a playoff race and learned from winning a play-in game and taking the eventual World Champs to the brink of elimination.
  7. Grizzled Grey Hairs. The Astros went out and brought in veterans to help cement this team and they will be even more important in the second half as the first half of the season. McCann, Josh Reddick, Nori Aoki, Carlos Beltran and Charlie Morton are all 30 years old and up and should continue to be the Yodas to the youngsters in this pennant race.
  8. Look Around. At least when it comes to the division – who is going to put on a charge and catch the Astros? Nope nobody.
  9. There’s a Killer on the Road. And they are named the Astros. The Astros are a not shabby 27-18 at home, a 97 win pace. They are an insane 33-11 on the road, which is a 121 win pace. Nothing bothers them. They win on the road, at home, with untested rookies and Cy Young candidates pitching for them.
  10. The GM and the Owner. Jeff Luhnow and the front office have served up the best team in the AL and one of the best in the majors for the 16th highest team salary ($136 million)in the majors according to Spotrac.com. We should trust the mad scientist and his minions a bit at this point. And we should trust that Jim Crane will support the front office with any move they make between now and the deadline as he said he would. He said he would have his front office completely tear this team down and minimize salary and that he would then pony up in a bigger and bigger way each year and he has done that. They have shown you don’t have to spend like the Dodgers ($252 million) to perform like the Dodgers.

Oh and I forgot to mention the great job A.J. Hinch, Brent Strom , Dave Hudgens!!! and the rest of the coaches have done. And Chris Devenski and the rest of the bullpen. And Marwin. And Jake from State Farm and…hey I could have made this 20 reasons to believe in this team.

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199 responses to “10 reasons to believe in the 2017 Astros”

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  1. For those of us who might be waiting for the sky to fall….you just rented a Crane and put up giant trusses!
    How do they say it in California?…thank yo.

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  2. The Red Sox DFA’d Pablo Sandoval this morning after taking him off the 10-day DL.
    They will owe him around $50 million for the remainder of his contract.

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  3. Barbara Streisand’s song for the 2017 Astros:

    Don’t tell me not to gloat;
    just check out Jose’s o-W.A.R!
    Life’s so easy in the West,
    we’ve handled them all so far!
    So don’t bring around a cloud
    to rain on my parade!

    P.S. Maybe one day they’ll start giving out pennants and trophies to teams who look really good at the All-Star Break. But for now, at least it’s better to be looking good at the Break than it is to be wondering where we are in the mix for next year’s #1 draft pick.

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  4. Dan, just a quick thanks for this since I’m one of those burn victims who can’t get it through her hoary head that this team is doing this well. Yes, I still expect derailment at some point but that’s a poor reason not to enjoy the current ride. Thanks for the reminder. Suppose you’re telling me you think they can go all the way?

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    • Without reading the article first but the comments, have to stop and write – Diane, what an honest comment carrying so much of the weight of years’ losses. Similar to Dan’s beginning paragraph, and Op’s sky is falling mention … I guess it’s only natural to consider the worst, being prepared. It’s just so hard for me not to expect the best because this team surprises me every game with some nuance.

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    • I firmly believe any playoff team can win it all and this team will be in the playoffs. Beyond that they have the pieces in place to make it work, the talent, the spirit and the right chemistry.

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  5. Thanks Dan for putting into words what most diehard Astros fans have been feeling during this exciting run this season. I’m still as is every Astros fan “cautiously optimistic” about us winning the whole thing. Hopefully Uncle Jeff will be able to keep the good young prospects and not trade them all away. As usual I really enjoy reading all the content on this site. Keep up the good work and GO ASTROS!!!

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  6. Some thoughts concerning the Astros current position:
    – At this exact time last year, Cubs fans had to be waiting for the sky to fall. It didn’t.
    – Fans in Cleveland and Los Angeles have to feeling the same as us. It’s been a long time for them, too.
    – If the Astros have a couple of players who could show some negative regression in the second half, they also have Beltran and Bregman who are also due to show some positive regression in the second half.
    -The Astros have prospects to trade that won’t hurt the future of this team. One more real reliable reliever could be all this team needs.
    – They have a GM with the good sense to make the right move and the experience to not make the wrong move.
    – Keuchel and McHugh have been excellent in the second half of previous seasons.
    – With the best road record in baseball, the Astros suddenly don’t mind going on the road.
    – If you believe in returning to the mean, the Astros are due for some great home stands.
    – With the best offense in baseball and two of the best backups in baseball, the Astros don’t have to mess with the team chemistry in the dugout when thinking about adding to the team.
    – Almost any player the Astros bring up in September will already have major league experience and won’t be lost in a fog.

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    • That’s it. If any of the pitchers have an extended stay on the DL it could be disastrous. I would feel much more confident if we could pick up another starter and lefty reliever.
      DeGrom would be my first choice. It looks like NY would want Martes, Tucker, and Fisher to “start” the talks. I think we will probably have to settle for Grey and maybe one of Oakland’s relievers.

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  8. Michael Pineda needs Tommy John surgery. That’s devastating news for the Yankees and their plans to contend. It is also devastating for Pineda, who is to be a free agent at the end of this season.

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  9. My great grandfather probably lost the family fortune during a long losing streak at the track, in Vegas, at 3 card Monte, or something.

    I have no issue with all the winning or a winning streak, but as soon as the Astros lose ONE game, my mind says “Here we go again.”

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  10. Luhnow has asked the Tigers about Justin Wilson. They talked over the winter but nothing ever came of it….NOW it’s must to get a more than reliable lefty. Granted Sipp has pitched a clean inning or so lately….but that won’t cut it through the playoffs. Hinch has GOT to believe his pitcher can get outs, something badly missing with Tony Sipp….and we gotta get another starting pitcher….A.S.A.P.!!!
    You know how crazy it makes us when these guys have a day off in between series…and they don’t play well?? It’s been 5 days since they’ve taken the field together, please Lord let them play well tonight!!Becky⚾

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    • That’s an expensive lefty to go after. I’d also try for Zach Britton. He costs more in salary, but the O’s may be looking for a lesser return because of that fact. I’d really like to see Luhnow think outside the box here. Are there any lefty starters who, perhaps, fare very well against LHH but poorly enough against RHH that we might be able to pry away? Very few guys would want to go from the rotation to the bullpen, but if you dangle the carrot that we’re one of the favorites to reach the WS and just need their arm in the pen to do it…

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  11. Athletics starting pitcher Andrew Triggs, who beat the Astros in his one start against them this season, 2-1, is having hip surgery and is gone for the season.
    Triggs pitched 7 innings against us and gave up 5 hits and no runs.

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  12. Is that Don Henley, or is it Jeff Luhnow, that I see picking up a guitar? I could swear he was singing:

    “Short and square, with a 3.8 FIP,
    sparks fly from his fingertips.
    He wears a Blue Jays uni, every night;
    but they ain’t goin’ nowhere, and the Astros just might!
    OOH-OOH, Marcus Stroman . . . come see how high we fly-y-y!
    OOH-OOH, Marcus Stroman . . . come get your piece of the pi-ie-ie!”

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    • Stroman did not seem plussed at all in his last start against us I think it was when Brian McCann called time in between his wind up and you could clearly see him say that was BS … not that that means a hill of beans but I wasn’t sure exactly what to make of it in terms of getting along with a future batterymate. Having said that he nearly carried the American team in the WBC classic he’s got quite a bit of grit that I admire

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  13. About that offense . . . .

    Team BA leaders as we start back from the break:
    – Altuve .343
    – Correa .325
    – Reddick .313 [two more over .300!!!!!]

    Team OBP leaders:
    – Altuve .417
    – Correa .402
    – Marwin .392 [two more over .350!!!!]

    Team OPS leaders:
    – Altuve

    Team HR leaders:
    – Springer 27
    – Correa 20
    – Marwin 16 [5 more with at least 10!!!!!]

    Team RBI leaders:
    – Correa 65
    – Springer 61
    – Marwin 53
    – Altuve 50

    Team Double Leaders:
    – Springer .993
    – Correa .972
    – Altuve .968 [5 more over .800!!!!]

    – Gurriel 24
    – Bregman 21
    – Springer 21 [4 more have more than 15!!!!!]

    It’s kind of a thing.

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  14. I got excited and lost some categories and info there somewhere:

    OPS Leaders:
    – Springer .993
    – Correa .979
    – Altuve .968 [5 more over .800!!!!!]

    Team Double Leaders:
    – Altuve 25
    – Gurriel 24
    – Springer & Bregman 21 [4 more over 15!!!!]

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  15. Facebook is lif streaming the game tonight……I’ll give it a try, wish me luck!
    Lineups are posted, everyone is where they are supposed to be except Marwin is in left McCann behind the plate, and Beltran DH. Carry on that’s all.

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  17. Are we having fun yet? I am, as I’m sure everyone else is. We just want the part to continue. Lets’ see how we start the second have.

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  18. And now about that pitching . . . .

    ERA leaders:
    – Keuchel 1.67
    – Peacock 2.63
    – Devenski 2.73 [3 more under 3.50]

    WHIP leaders:
    – Devenski 0.84
    – Keuchel 0.87
    – Harris 0.95 [5 more under 1.25 – including Sipp and Hoyt!]

    BAA leaders:
    – Devenski .160
    – Keuchel .183
    – Sipp .188 [2 more under .200!!!!!]

    K/9 leaders:
    – Hoyt 14.45
    – Devenski 12.65
    – Felix 12.48 [6 more currently on the team greater than 10 Ks/9]

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  20. If you are still interested in Gerrit Cole and/or Sonny Gray, Cole will start tonight for the Pirates against the St. Louis Cardinals. A little later, in Oakland, Gray will have quite a challenge ahead of him as he faces the Cleveland Indians.

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  21. Someone (will go unnamed) broke protocol the other day concerning politics. Soooooo I am adding that several posts from my phone (perhaps this one) gets posted and then disappears. That never happens with my laptop. THEREFORE Chip and DanP are colluding with the Russians because they want IPhones to lose out.

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    • Let’s see – Dan just drank a White Russian. Chip had a salad with Russian dressing. And both of them are rushin’ around.
      Must be collusion.

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    • Don’t forget, I speak a little Russian and I worked there. Therefore, I am probably a Russian agent and by me being on this blog you are all guilty of collusion and subversion. Oh did I forget it’s probably treason also.

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  22. Grampa is in charge of the homestead this weekend. Calf, lambs, horse, dogs and chickens are fed and watered. Now it’s time for a cold one and the Astros. Friday night in the country.

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  23. After a solid June, Sonny Gray has picked up where he left off. The last team to beat him up was our club, which is to be expected.

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  24. Well all of us that KNOW the Astros are going to fall apart. 10-5 Good Guys. Let’s get off the psych couch and go to bed. But WE know that terrible losing streak starts tomorrow. So back to the couch tomorrow.

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      • You guys are hilarious.
        Of course, when Feliz forced Devenski to come into the game to save the big dummy’s ass. I put the game on pause and went in and played on the computer.
        Walks by major league pitchers drive me crazy and i watched nine of them tonight.
        Thank goodness for McCann. His homer turned out to be huge and upper crust Castro looked as good as ever tonight. Hat trick!

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      • Yes, if that’s the best this team can do, then it’s over. Might as well just head for the dentist for a wisdom tooth extraction. “The Horror! The Horror”.

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  25. The boys racked up 10 runs early, and that’s a good thing, because this was a poorly pitched game on both sides. Morton, Feliz, even Gregersen pitched lousy. I hope they have some extra runs in those bats for Big Joe tomorrow. What a team we have folks! Night, Becky⚾

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  29. 7866. 4232. 2120
    Gray has been bringing it lately Sandy as you pointed out. Last 4 starts…
    – 7 IP 4 hits 2 runs
    – 8 IP 2 hits 1 run
    – 6 IP 3 hits 2 runs
    – 6 IP 2 hits 0 runs

    Maybe we could trade Art Howe to Billy Beane for him (inside Moneyball joke).
    Not sure what they would want for him – more with every good start

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    • And no the numbers on the top line are not some kind of spy code – I was working from my phone and had to memorize the IP runs and hits from another site – quickly typed them in and forgot to erase them

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  30. Astros team batting average sits at .290 this morning.
    Unless the Astros do something drastic, I expect it might be Dayan Diaz who gets brought back up. Ha pitched last night and Tolliver hasn’t pitched for a week, but Tolliver is not a guy the Astros might count on to get anyone out. Who knows.
    Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that all pitchers seem very uncomfortable pitching off the MMP mound? So many RHP seem to be pulling their pitches to the left, almost like their landing area is too low.
    Seriously, how do you keep Marwin out of the lineup? Our super utiility guy hit his 17th HR over the CF fence last night. Why would any pitcher throw this guy a fastball?
    Tough matchup tonight with Santana vs Musgrove.
    McHugh to start for CC Sunday. Hopefully he might be ready to start a game for us next weekend.
    Will Harris said this is the first time he has ever gone on the DL.
    Keuchel said he could have pitched weeks ago and the Astros are talking like he may be weeks away. Maybe they’ll announce a short rehab this weekend, maybe not. I guess all the mystery crap this team puts out about their pitchers has to do with fluctuating leverage in trade talks with other teams.
    Mrs 1OP loves mysteries and I don’t because I usually figure them out early and fall asleep.

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  32. This whole situation with Keuchel is making me nervous. Something doesn’t seem right to me. If McHugh comes back first then I’ll really start to wonder. ..

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  34. Keuchel will pitch a couple of innings in Corpus Monday, if all goes well he will be red to join the Astros on their next road trip.
    With several teams (Astros one of them) watching Sonny pitch last night, i imagine Billy Beane will be able to get what he wants for him. Pull the trigger.

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  35. Jeff Passan says that one name he hears mentioned over and over again from scouts of selling teams: Forrest Whitley. He says the Astros have an absolute gem.
    Whitley pitches for Buies Creek tonight.

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  37. Nationals starting pitcher Joe Ross is done for this year. TJ Surgery next week. Brother of Tyson Ross.
    This may make the demand for starting pitchers greater than it was.

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    • I doubt it – WAS has Scherzer, Strasburg, Gio already and play in a terrible division. They are going after bullpen help. Any SP they chase is filler to eat innings, not start playoff games.

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  38. By the way, when Yuli got hit in the butt last night it seems like everyone expected it and everyone accepted it.
    And when Morton hit Sano, I’m not sure everyone expected it, but everyone accepted it.

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    • What’s wrong with that? I always thought he had great stuff and just needed a great coach to tell him how to use it. Goes deep in games, low walks, high K’s. He just gives up too many hits and Strom and McCann might help him with that.
      He’s not a rental, he has two years left after this year and because of his salary he is not going to cost as much as other less expensive pitchers.
      I think his cost in players leaves us room to get a reliever.

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      • Primarily because he has a less than pedestrian 4.58 ERA on a National League team, which equates to over 5.00 in the AL.

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      • If they get him for marginal prospects, then I would be happy with it. If they include legit prospects or players the Giants need to eat a significant portion of the next two years.

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      • 127 Ks and 14 walks in 118 innings and has gone at least 6 innings in 15 of his 18 starts. The Giants bullpen is second to last in the majors in holds and have blown one third of their save opportunities.
        His FIP and xFIP are way below his era which means he has pitched much better than his ERA shows. Remember that runs are charged to the starter, even if he’s not in the game when they score. It seems his relievers have let a lot of inherited runners score.
        Oh yeah, he’s started four games against Colorado, two against Arizona, one against the Dodgers, one against the Cubs, one against Milwaukee, one against Washington, one against St. Louis and one against Minnesota. He has pitched against all the best teams in the NL and very few of the bad ones.

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  44. As stated before, my preference is s couple better bullpen arms. One being a lefty. For me, no prospect is untouchable, but we currently have a couple in the bullpen that are unflushable.

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  45. I don’t care what it costs……get Sipp off this team. Hinch absolutely can NOT put this guy in without giving up a bunch of runs. Get him off this team! He’s hurting you, not helping you.
    As far as Samardzija is concerned, he’s still owed a TON of money. He signed a $80 million contract with the Giants the beginning of 2015!! Just say no thank you.

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  46. Will someone please tell me where this trade talk came from and how is Yordan Alvarez involved? I’m blind here.

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    • Jon Morosi reported their interest on Twitter. MLB Trade Rumors site expanded on his tweet. Alvarez was supposedly pulled out of starting lineup today.

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