Yes, the Astros have the best record in the American League and the second-best record in baseball. Just doesn’t seem like it some days.
Yes, the Astros have a 15-game lead in the AL West and the other four teams in the league are looking like “wait ’til next year”. But on some days, it seems like the most precarious 15-game lead in history.
Yes, the Astros have the best batting average (by 15 points), the best OBP, the best slugging percentage and even the best OPS (the next closest team is .47 behind Houston!). Not only in the AL, but in all of baseball! Some days though, that just doesn’t seem like enough. Heck, some days, that is not enough!
The ship seems so easy to right. Get Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh (and Lance McCullers Jr.) back in shape by September. Hope Will Harris can get back. Hang on until Carlos Correa and George Springer get back in the lineup!
But is the ship really off course? Or is this just a late summer diversion that is giving the stars some down time that will actually keep them fresh in the long run?
Yes, the American League pennant can still go through Houston, that’s for sure. But Houston is still eight games behind the National League juggernaut Dodgers too!
Back on Opening Day (April 3), everything was working just like Dr. Jeff had prescribed! Keuchel was dominant, Luke Gregerson and Ken Giles were boom-boom, and that lineup had nary a hole!
In fact, compare the lineup April 3 with Sunday’s makeshift card. It’s not that Derek Fisher, Marwin Gonzalez, Josh Reddick and others aren’t good players. In fact, each in their own right is quite good. But that April 3 lineup was killer. Springer is one of the best leadoff hitters in the game. As the Astros have discovered, you can’t replace Correa. Yuli Gurriel is a better seven-hole hitter than cleanup hitter. Marwin is the best reserve player in the game today.
| April 3 | August 6 |
| Springer | Fisher |
| Bregman | Altuve |
| Altuve | Reddick |
| Correa | Gurriel |
| Beltran | Gonzalez |
| Reddick | Beltran |
| Gurriel | Bregman |
| McCann | Centeno |
| Aoki | Marisnick |
When each player can settle into his particular role, his just-right spot, he performs better. That’s why the best teams are the best teams. Not because they necessarily have all the best players, but because they’re able to play each player in the place he performs best. And there are no holes.
Can you imagine how Fisher will perform when Springer and Correa return and he can move to the spot in the lineup where he can truly shine?
Right now though, the Astros are being forced to play day in and day out with a patchwork lineup that — even at its worst — is better than many teams’ best lineups! That explains four straight winning months, great offensive numbers and a 15-game lead.
The big questions, however, are how long can they keep this up, and can Luhnow and A.J. Hinch turn this around? Because — yes, let’s face it — the ship is taking on water fast. The injury demons that hit the pitching staff early on have now infested the lineup (Correa, Gattis, Springer, McCann et al).
Houston should coast to the West Division title simply because the rest of the division is lacking. After that, though, tough questions abound.
- Is it possible the team will implode and give up the biggest lead in major league history?
- Is it as bad as all that? Or is this just simply a summer solstice in need of a major Return of the Jedi in September?
- Who does this team miss more: Correa, Keuchel, Springer or someone else?
- You’re writing the prescription: What is the antidote?
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
239 responses to “Maybe all this sudden greatness has spoiled us all”
*Is it as bad as all that? Or is this just simply a summer solstice in need of a major Return of the Jedi in September?*
The issue is peaking. Clearly, this team peaked too soon. Right now the only player on the team who is performing at anywhere close to peak level is Alex Bregman. Well, unless you count Juan Centano 🙂
As for the hoped for ‘Return of the Jedi[‘ phenomenon, the problems are:
1. our most powerful Jedis – Correa and Springer – are historically extremely slow starters; and
2. the Jedis we need to ride them most in the post-season – Keuchel, McCullers, Devenski, and Harris – are either on the DL with no projected timetable of return or appear to be headed that way because they clearly are not themselves.
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Bill, would you include Altuve in the “performing at peak form” column?
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Sarge, I thought of that after posting this. Altuve just keeps getting better.
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Chip – There are a lot of things happening here that are feeding the fans’ angst:
– History – the team has never done it; never won the big enchilada and only played for the big enchilada once
– Bad luck – Whether it is having JR Richards go down with a stroke in the prime of his career and in a season (1980) when the World Series was there for the taking or if it was bullpens losing late leads (1980 and 1986) or Walt Weiss making a miracle play to kill us or Kevin Brown sticking a fork in us or Alert Pujols causing us to use up our ace before our only WS – we’ve felt it all.
– Over performance – we believe this team has been a bit lucky to be this far ahead at this point and are waiting for them to fall towards the mean
– Lack of confidence in the F.O. – even though this front office has built a great team for us to enjoy we feel that 2017 was a continuation of bad decisions (or bad luck) at the trade deadline like 2015 and 2016.
Questions
Is it possible the team will implode and give up the biggest lead in major league history?
They will not give up this lead even if they play poorly, because nobody in the division can seem to get above .500
Is it as bad as all that? Or is this just simply a summer solstice in need of a major Return of the Jedi in September?
A couple weeks is a small sample in a baseball season. It is amazing they did not go through total collapse a number of times this season – whether it was putting n4 starters on the DL or two of the three best everydays. All teams slump some times and this should have been expected.
Who does this team miss more: Correa, Keuchel, Springer or someone else?
It appears they miss Springer the most – his injury really hurt their performance. Beyond that I think they really miss Harris a ton. It has thrown their whole bullpen usage into a mess.
You’re writing the prescription: What is the antidote?
Harris, McCullers. Springer and Correa back and performing well
Early season Keuchel returning
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http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20273239/why-all-root-astros-dodgers-world-series
Our Astros are one of the greatest offensive teams in baseball HISTORY! They just aren’t the best offensive team this year, but they are performing better than the 1927 N.Y. Yankees, historically dubbed Murderer’s Row. The angst and worrying, while understandable, is probably for naught. What they need, and I have been saying this all season, is health. They don’t need to trade for an over the hill, over-paid pitcher. A bullpen arm would have been nice, but there is no reason a healthy Astros team can’t win it all. The Dodgers are a great team, but they can be beaten and they will have to go to battle against either the DBacks/Rockies and then either the Cubs/Nationals. The path to the World Series in the N.L. looks tougher than in the A.L. We all know the playoffs are a crapshoot and the Astros could easily get knocked out in the ALDS, but they have the team capable of winning it all and that is all I can ask for as a fan.
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“…no reason a healthy Astros team can’t win it all”… Perhaps true. But when half your team goes down and misses significant time, you have to consider alternatives. And those alternatives aren’t always what you might do otherwise and may include a so-called “over the hill, over-paid pitcher”.
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Maybe, but is he any more of an upgrade than Morton or McHugh? How much is he going to help us? History shows that trade deadline additions increase your chances of winning it all by 1-2%. Is adding Verlander, at his salary, considering the prospects it will cost worth it? If we don’t have Keuchel and McCullers pitching like they were in April and May we aren’t winning the WS any way so why mortgage some of our future, and limit our future payroll capacity, for such a minimal effect? I just don’t think it’s worth it as Detroit is not planning to take on much of the money owed to him and will want a very decent return.
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Tim, we get it. We know what our team has done to date. At least from me, there is zero angst or worry. I would just hate to see this remarkable, in some respects unprecedented offensive effort go for naught.
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I am not sure ‘we’ do. You may have zero angst or worry, but from reading the comments here others do.
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You mean the “over the hill, over paid pitcher” when Luhnow traded for Kazmir???
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At least Becky and I are on the same page. Don’t trade, Jeff! It’s not your strength.
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As to another point of view. I have been an Astros/Colt 45s fan from the beginning. There was a brief decade of living in Arlington and being a Rangers fan. The historical record of the Astros is 4,361 wins and 4,531 losses. The Rangers 4,330/4,701. Would I be happy watching the Astros win .6396 of their games this year and the next 5-20 years for the rest of my life? YES. What if we lose the WS by 1 game in 2017. That would be their best record every. And would tie the best record of the Rangers (who I no longer care if they lose all their games). If the Astros continue to play the kind of ball we are watching, they are WINNERS in my book. And one year, they have a great shot to win the World Series. I don’t want to suffer any more 2011, 2012, 2013 or even 2014.
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Let me add one thing. The hitters coming up show me they can compete at the MLB level. As a group, the pitchers show me that JL, over time, will have to trade for pitchers because they are not responding currently to the teaching or something. It is unreasonable to think the Astros can win 60% of their games, year after year. To me, it is also unreasonable to think that one starter or one reliever, though it improves the current team, guarantees a WS victory. Right now, JL needs to find 3 healthy relievers, and at least 2 healthy starters. They may come from the current roster of 40,and they may not, but I don’t need another Kazmir nor Gomez.
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Brother 45, we are on the same page! These sentiments align with mine perfectly.
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Maybe I’m missing a lot of the “banter” and maybe I’m even missing the point in where the Astros are this season, BUT…
Where this team is NOW is not where this team was in April or even May.
This team may indeed coast to the division title. As I suggest above, even in its current makeup, it’s probably better than the rest of the AL West (without Springer, Correa and even a completely healthy Keuchel).
But, in its current makeup, this team won’t play .600 baseball and will give up some of that lead.
Yes, health is and has been the question since early summer. IF the team was healthy, the trade deadline takes on different ramifications. But the team was NOT healthy and still isn’t.
The best teams — and GMs — adapt along the way. They must, in order to be successful. That’s part of the learning process and, frankly, Luhnow has never been down this road before. He’s been in building mode (draft, minor leagues, etc.) and he’s built a good one. He didn’t give up anything substantial this winter to add pieces (McCann, Beltran, etc.), but mid-season is different.
If the Astros get back to health, voila, Luhnow looks like a genius. But, if Keuchel never returns to form this season and LMJ stumbles along the way, or if Springer/Correa/McCann and others don’t contribute down the stretch, he’ll get banged with coulda/shoulda/woulda questions until next Opening Day.
The dice have been rolled. This team is 2-4 in August and, as mentioned above, the ship is taking on water. That can change tomorrow or with Keuchel’s next start and Springer’s return.
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This is a tough one – I’ll say what I have said before – I am more concerned with the bullpen than the starters, but I do know that healthy starters can send temporary starters to the bullpen for assistance.
I know that it will be tough for the team to overcome it if Keuchel and/or McCullers do not come back. But I know the 1980 Astros lost the best pitcher in the majors before the All Star break and came within of a whisker of going to the World Series.
I know that the team with the best top 3 to their rotation (the Braves) made the playoffs year after year after year and only one WS and they barely eked that out.
What I do know is that often it is the hot team at the time. Baseball is a very streaky game and teams often go through two week hot spells where it does not matter who is playing and who is pitching and cold spells where Randy Johnson cannot save you.
I wish he had picked up help at the deadline – so far Liriano seems like negative help.
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I agree with Dan. I wanted another reliever or 2 at the deadline, but it didn’t come to pass and I think Luhnow did the right thing once the agreed upon deals didn’t materialize. The Orioles made a counter-offer just before the deadline, which Luhnow found too expensive. The Astros aren’t the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox or Cubs where they can afford to trade their very top prospects and replace them via free agency. They need to have a more conservative approach. 2009-2014 were miserable years and, as AC45 stated, I never want to go back their again. I would rather take my chances on having a very competitive team that competes for the playoffs every year than piss it all away on a very small chance any players acquired is going to lead you to the promised land. The biggest concern with the Astros, right now, is the bullpen, but in my opinion, that is primarily due to over use. They should wrap up the division and best record in the A.L. before the final week of the season. They will have time to use their best pitchers sparingly as to keep them fresh, but have strong arms for the playoffs. Aroldis Chapman blew 3 saves in the playoffs last year. The Cubs were going to win the division with or without him and probably could’ve won the WS without that trade. I am not a firm believer in trading your very best prospects any time during the year, whether that is at the trade deadline or the Hot Stove League.
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The position players are not as concerning as the rotation is. This is where the breakdown is the most troubling. I posted yesterday, if Keuchel and McCullers go south anymore…..we will be out of it. I just don’t see McHugh, Morton, Fires and Peacock trusted to make it to the playoffs, much less getting to the WS. It all hangs on our 2 top pitchers and I’m not convinced that either one is healthy right now.
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If Keuchel and McCullers aren’t healthy and unable to pitch in the playoffs do you think a rotation of Verlander, Morton, McHugh and Peacock is going to get us far in the playoffs? If they are healthy isn’t a rotation of Keuchel, McCullers, Morton and McHugh just as capable as a rotation of Keuchel, McCullers, Verlander and either Morton or McHugh?
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No. I’m not big on picking up Verlander right now either. But I’d much rather have him out on the post season mound than Morton or McHugh. It’s not even close. But I also fear our GM might get fleeced.
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First, if the Astros traded for Verlander, there would not be a huge bevy of prospects UNLESS and UNTIL the Tigers picked up a good portion of his salary. At this point, all the reports say Detroit isn’t going to pick up much at all. Houston shouldn’t “buy” into the $68 million and Detroit isn’t going to take a couple of Class A guys. Something has to give and, at this point, I don’t see either side “giving”.
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I agree with you here, Chip. There are too many variables that I think will lead to Verlander staying in Detroit the rest of this season. Avila got roasted for the small return he got on J.D. Martinez. The Tigers fans will expect a heavy return if they are going to trade an icon in that city and one who should have won the Cy Young last year. No team is going to take on the majority of his contract and give up top prospects. Avila’s best chance, if he can’t fleece Luhnow here, is to wait it out, get more teams in the bidding for his services in the off-season. The suitors for Verlander right now are very small. Unless the Tigers get the terms they want they have no reason to trade him. I just don’t see a trade happening for Verlander.
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OP…..where are you?!! Can’t start a new discussion without you! I hope the storms over the weekend missed you and your family. We need your insight today!! Becky⚾
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I think the team is too good to implode and blow the lead. I think they will need every one of their starting pitchers and starting position players healthy and every one of their bullpen pitchers rested to make it to the world series.
I worry that their pitching is good enough to win it.
I think they miss Correa more than anyone right now, but they really need Lance to pitch effectively in the playoffs to keep advancing.
The antedote is to add a starting pitcher who is good enough to start playoff games and then add Peacock and Morton to the bullpen with their wipeout sliders and good fastballs to shut down teams as needed from the bullpen for 1-2-3 innings. I think they are good enough pitchers to allow the Astros to leave off ineffective pitchers who walk too many batters in dramatic playoff scenarios.
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Don’t disagree with the antedote but where can we get an improvement as a starter? I am sure there is someone ( insert Archer) but if the other team refuses to deal at a near even rate – your stuck unless there is an unknown that cleared waivers.
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Ditto. Miss your wisdom OP.
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http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp
Missed you, too.
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Looking at the contract situation of the club for the 2018 season, only Gregerson, Beltran, and Liriano are free agents after this season is completed.
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Since the All Star break the team is 11-11. Consider that they’ve lost Correa and Springer in that time…who both started for the AL squad. There was one no show against Seattle, a game blown by the bullpen against Baltimore, a no show against Philly, an implosion against DET followed by a no show against DET, three losses against Tampa where we didn’t look very good, and some bad pitching by Liriano against TOR. Luckily, an amazing comeback saved one of those games.
1. SEA has 49 games remaining and HOU 51. They go head to head 6 times. SEA trails by 16 in the loss column. That makes our magic number 36 right now. I can’t see this team going much worse than .500. It’s mathematically possible to blow it…but no.
2. There are too many no shows by the offense. Our depth is seriously being tested…but what other team has lost two All Star starters and played at a .500 clip?
3. Keuchel is the logical answer. Fewer quality starts means more bullpen innings over the last few months and a rougher go of it now. I think losing Correa or Springer for a time was not a major impact, but losing both concurrently seriously tests their depth.
4. Players need to just do their job and not try to be the hero. Starters need to give them 6 IP without imploding. The Fresno guys need to put the ball in play hard instead of striking out or popping up.
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Speaking of All Stars, Devin –
Since the ASG – Keuchel has pitched in only 2 games and 8 innings with an ugly 6.75 ERA and 2.250 WHIP.
McCullers has pitched in 3 games with an equally ugly 9.42 ERA and 2.223 WHIP since the ASG and of course is back on the DL.
Devenski has a decent 3.12 ERA in 10 games – but he has blown 3 saves and his 12.6 K/9 IP before the break is only 6.2 K/9 IP since the break.
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Ouch
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Ineffective lineups hurt to. Bergman is the best shortstop we have now. Why play him at third and Gonzalez at short. Why not the other way around. Or Gurriel at third and Marwin at first. Why put Beltran in the outfield when Jake, Reddick, and Fisher are better defenders.
I know they all need to play to be effective and they all need an occasional day off. But defense is even more important when the pitchers are ailing.
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Sandy, unfortunately it is a domino effect, but you want to move as few people as possible so as not to get everyone out of rhythm. Keeping Bregman at 3B as often as possible is an attempt to keep him in his groove at the plate without upsetting the apple cart so to speak by also moving him to a “new” position. And, to keep him in tune at 3B for when Corrrea DOES make it back.
Same with Gurriel and Marwin at SS. It’s not perfect, but you want to establish as much “normalcy” in what has become a chaotic situation for Hinch. Does that make sense?
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I also think Hinch is managing for the post season. He is willing to risk losing a few games by playing his bench more often. And if he is successful getting to the WS, there is no DH so Beltran would have to sit in the NL park.
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From a standpoint of the championships of baseball I look at the year with something like the ‘two seasons’ approach of some of the minor leagues. There is effectively a ‘first half’ and a ‘second half’. Winning the ‘first half’ makes you feel good, but winning the ‘second half’ is where the momentum comes from and true championships are forged. The teams that are ‘hot’, and playing at the top of their game, as the season ends always seem to fare better in the playoffs than those who won early and coasted or limped the rest of the way.
We won the first half. But we are not winning the second half. So far the second half clearly belongs to Seattle, who is 14-9 since the break [with us being 11-11]. Of course, they just lost Felix for ‘up to four weeks’, but they still have Paxson, who at this stage of the year is pitching far better than anyone on the Astros staff.
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I gotta tell you….I listened to 790 this afternoon and heard the interview Matt Thomas had with Charlie Morton…..Morton is one STRANGE dude! I’ve seen his media interview after a game, and he really has an “unusual” personality!
It seems that nearly every sports writer says a Verlander to Houston makes even more sense than a few weeks sgo. I doubt he would wave his no trade clause, but I’m at the point of saying DO IT.
Tim I understand the price would be steep…..but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and make the trade.
OP…..thanks for checking back in, this blog would NOT be the same without you! ☺
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A question I made awhile back ago. Say LMJ can come back but can’t do it as a starter. Then how about moving Peacock into the #3 slot and LMJ to the BP. If his curve ball gets back to it’s old form, then a LMJ, Harris, Giles set up in the playoffs just might work. You also have Fiers and Morton who can go for awhile too.
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Zanadu, I hope we don’t need to start Peacock in the post season.
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Zanuda, doubtful that LMJ could handle the bullpen (read: back-to-back outings or 3-4 appearances per week). It’s interesting how coaches (from high school to the pros) can almost “see” quickly which pitcher is geared to the pen and which ones are targeted as starters. LMJ is a starter and I don’t think we’ll see him in the pen, at least not long term.
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I wanted to throw something out there for those out on the ledge. The Cubs in July of 2016 were 12-14.
I’m just saying that if you look at any of the previous world champions you will see stretches of so-so or worse play. Sometimes they are stinky towards the end of the season or barely get in the playoffs. There is no sure thing or magic bullet. The only “must” is – you must make the playoffs.
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Yes Dan, but then they went 22 and 6 in August. And 17 and 10 in September.
We can be flat in August and get away with it. But I don’t think limping into October is a great position to be in.
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Ok – try these.
2015 KC Royals – 11-17 in September and won it all
2014 SF Giants – were 51-54 from June on including a 10-16 June, 12-14 July and 13-12 September
2010 SF Giants – 13-15 August
There is no one way that teams win the Championship – there just is not and there are a lot of teams that limp in and it does not matter once they are in.
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Fair points Dan. But I’d still like to see our guys going in with some momentum in their favor.
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Yes I’d like that too daveb, but I would trade everything for the Astros winning the last game they play this year.
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Well then Dave, it is a good thing today is only August 8th. 🙂
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Bingo!
We all remember the 2006 Cardinals struggling down the stretch, finishing the season at 83-78 and then getting hot in the playoffs. The 2005 White Sox had a stretch from 9/8/05-9/27/05 where they were 7-12, won their final 5 games and, of course, we are all very familiar with how they finished. What happens in July, August or even September is not necessarily a precursor of what will happen in October. I really wouldn’t worry too much about the Astros record since the ASB. In fact, with all the injuries they have had I would be very pleased that they are playing .500 baseball. Essentially, the are missing their top 2-3 starters (McCullers, Keuchel and McHugh), one of their very best bullpen arms (Harris) and 2 of the top 3 hitters in the game (Springer and Correa), yet are still finding a way to battle and win some games. If other teams have lost as many key players as the Astros have they would be struggling mightily (well, except for the Dodgers).
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I meant that Springer and Correa are 2 of the top 3 hitters on the Astros and probably 2 of the top 10-15 hitters in the game.
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Don’t forget Sipp is also on the DL. Sorry, never mind.
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There is one particular area that Tim and I agree on. If neither Keuchel nor McCullers are 100% and won’t be, picking up any starter in the business would not or will not do the trick.
But for a moment, assuming that’s not the case, as OP notes again above, and several others here have pounded home the premise that the pen gets better if the rotation gets better. Better meaning healthy and better meaning one of the teams that improved before the deadline. Yes I continue to lament (I hope I can continue to lament without sounding of angst or worry) that we did not beat out the Yankees for Gray. And I don’t care what the guy at Forbes says or what some of the stats say. Keuchel won the Cy Young in 2015. Gray was third in 2015. I would have liked him as much next year as I would have liked him this year, pitching in the same rotation as Dallas. I also really believe that it would have been a big boost for the clubhouse. Yes, I believe Keuchel spoke for the majority.
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The lineup I just saw on Rotowire did not include George Springer.
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A.J. Hinch was on MLB Network Radio today at 11:00 AM. He said they were going to test George very hard on the bases before the game today and would probably hold him back until tomorrow to activate him. His reasoning was that since they were planning to run him hard they wanted to then give him the day off today and be ready to go tomorrow (this is one of the benefits of business travel as I get to listen to the MLB Network Radio while I am driving).
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Thanks Tim – makes me feel better
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I previously wrote the Astros offense is primed for a WS run, I believe that with all my heart and am oozing with confidence in it, unless, and I’m not going there.
However, most of us here are far less charitable in lauding the pitching staff, both the SP & BP, off & on the DL all season long thus far. That ‘if’ word has huge ramifications. IF they are healthy, effective moving forward into the post season. We don’t know but since the trade deadline has passed & the pitchers JL coveted are gone, we’ll have to wait and see. Do we take a chance then on an over the hill/overpaid pitcher who could mayb help get us over the hump? I would for a salary dump & a few minor prospects, but try & squeeze me for the cream of the crop & I’ll buy you the kite to fly off with.
My logic in choosing this option comes from an Alien/Predator movie line when a mercenary was asked why she bringing a pistol on the expedition they were about to undertake. Her response was ‘I’d rather have a pistol and not need it than need a pistol and not have it.’ I believe that sentiment reflects concerns regarding our pitching staff being bitten time and again by the inj bug (granted sime DL stints may b manufactured to rest starters).
Last yr the Indians limped into the post season with a lame duck rotation having previously added to the bp, coming within 1 gm of winning the WS, and yes the Astros could too, but under the circumstances ‘I’d rather have that over the hill/overpaid pistol and not need it than need it and not have it’ Even with DK & LMJ 100% or no, that extra pistol might not hurt. Let the FO & their analytical geniuses figure out the salary structures & how to make it work. That 3rd pistol might help get this tm over the hump this yr & next just like ‘if healthy’ could.
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I think this is the first time we’ve seen someone drop knowledge from action movie franchises in here. A few of the regulars have extensive memories of musicals which are paraded out from time to time, and Westerns used to get some play.
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All, you can bet your britches that if the Astros were in a tight race now that George would have been back in the lineup by now. You can also bet your first born that Keuchel wouldn’t have missed as many games and that a few other regulars would have bypassed the DL. Correa is obviously a different story and perhaps Will Harris.
No, the fact is that the Astros have a luxury of being able to pamper or baby the injuries now so as to try to have everyone fresh come September (and October).
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I concur.
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Chip, I’m not so sure about Keuchel. He looks more like he’s trying to work his way through a problem that is not going to go away until the off season. He’s not close.
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If Davis goes ofer tonight, I’ll wonder why my nephew did not get the start.
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Cue the wonder, Daveb7!
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Whoever that guy is wearing Keuchel’s number and the funky beard disguise needs to give it up. Dude is no Dallas Keuchel.
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Serving it up on a platter
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DK doesn’t have it again tonite.
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UGH we have no ace or number #2, who would have thought in August our best SP is Peacock
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So Bregman follows his 2 run triple with a 3 run triple to give DK a chance at a do-over.
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Better the 2nd time around
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The way DK is pitching, Bregman better hit for the cycle tonight!
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DK = Tony Sipp
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He has absolutely nothing on his pitches. No velocity and can’t seem to find the right spot. White Sox batters just waiting for the big cheesy pitch.
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I did not think DK could possibly be worse tonight, against the White Sox, than he was the last two times out. But boy was I was wrong!
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All I can say is WOW. This is beyond troubling. Can it be that they put him TOO long on DL???? I am in shock.
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Houston ” we have a Problem” we cant seem to hold the other teams under 7 runs a game. I think we need DK to throw the front office under the bus again!
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Now we know why DK was so upset at the front office – he knew they should have gotten a replacement for him.
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How about he shave that beard. It’s lost it’s magic.
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I gotta tell you……I’m worried. VERY worried. I hope Jeff Luhnow is happy, that he screwed around too dam long at the break, and didn’t get Sonny Grey. Jeeze I’m angry.😠
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We don’t have enough offense for a DK start.
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All the unprofessional complaining DK did at the deadline, yet is not holding his end of the bargain. This is looking like batting practice
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Keuchel’s velocity and location just aren’t there. He’s topping out at 89, but mostly 87-88 and location is in the middle of the strike zone. If Keuchel can’t be Keuchel then it’s probably a short postseason for the Astros. There’s definitely concern with DK.
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Think our GM is watching this game????????????????
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I turned off the game…..I can’t take anymore. I will bet you money they put him on the DL after this game.
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You may be right. Since they did not bring in Musgrove, DK may go on the DL and Musgrove may return to the rotation.
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It may not be time to circle the wagons but I think I see some Indians wearing Red Sox coming over the horizon.
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A lot of us where expressing concern weeks and weeks ago before DK and LMJ came off the DL , putting all our eggs in their basket was nuts , and that was weeks before the trade deadline. Good news we keep all our prospects for 2018, we will get them then Bla Bla bla, we all know the bad news, UGH
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One thing we haven’t discussed about certain prospects being off limits in trades. It tells me the Astros realize they are not going to be able to sign Keuchel, Altuve or Springer in the next 1-3 years when they become free agents. Putting your top 6 prospects on untouchable lists indicates to me that the only way this team can remain competitive is to protect their very best prospects to replace the great players they are going to lose fairly soon.
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You may well be right but I would hope that players like Correa, Altuve, Springer might want to remain Astros (wishful thinking), Keuchel not so much. And that is not because of his latest non performance. Even though he had a CY year he’s a finesse pitcher and really has nothing else to back it up. Maybe there are exceptions but his off year and susceptibility to injury leads me to believe that his longevity is suspect.
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It also may indicate they don’t want to re-sign some players rather than not be able to do so.
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Getting Sonny Gray,Jose Quintana or Darvish was going to cost us K Tucker and/or Whitley. The Astros just weren’t willing to give up those players.
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I’m sure you’re right there Tim and I’m not sure I would have made any of those trades either. I’m confident we’ll make it to the playoffs, just don’t know how far we’ll go.
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Apologies Tim for not transferring the sites I read where the Astros offered the Sox Martes, Tucker & Paulino or Musgrove for Quintana this past winter, which I mentioned in a previous post. This was according to the writers sources but who knows if true or not. I thought that a very good haul and in line what the Cubs forked over for him.
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I am surprised to hear this as I heard Tucker was off limits. I wonder if the Sox were demanding Bregman because it appears, if this is true on the offer by Luhnow, that he made a strong bid to get Quintana.
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And just when it seems like they are too far behind the Astros launch a couple homers and tighten it up.
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If this team intends to rely on its farm system and never bring anyone in via trade or fee agency then they better learn how to better train their pitchers.
We were told from the beginning that when the farm was rebuilt they would be adding players from outside.
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What about McCann, Reddick, Giles, Beltran and Morton? They have added players from the outside and they are sitting at 71-41 so it’s not like it hasn’t worked for them.
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Well……whether or not trading for Quintana, Grey, or Darvish would have HELPED this team, and keeping “all those precious prospects…..is a moot point now isn’t it.
I’m in no mood to hash out woulda-coulda-shoulda. What’s done is done. PERIOD.
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That about sums it up.
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There is no use crying over spilled milk. It only makes it salty for the kitty.
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That’s good because I am lactose intolerant. 🙂
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I’m watching the condensed game from last night because I’m a glutton for punishment. Keuchel looks to me as though he didn’t have his normal fastball and was reaching back to try to get up to his normal velocity from the get-go. This impacted his control and probably the movement. I’m going to imagine it was like a spring training start and hope that he’ll build back up to his normal arm strength in the next couple weeks. The alternative is that 2016 Keuchel is back.
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Devin, that’s a fine effort. But take a look at how Keuchel’s spring training starts have gone! He is always loaded for bear, kicking tail, and taking names in spring training.
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Also, if Jake doesn’t drop the ball on the warning track in the 3rd and McCann isn’t robbed by Engel in the top of the 4th we might have seen an entirely different outcome. The dropped ball (not an easy play right before the wall) led to 3 runs, a ton of pitches for Keuchel, and a 6-3 lead for ChiSox.
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I guess that’s why I’m not a GM . I would have been rolling the dice with this team, this year, with the chemistry and Tuve, CC, and springer maybe all together a couple more years and worry about prospect depth and contracts in the off season.
The last time I checked none of those prospects have done crap in the majors yet and could all be average major leaguers or a bust.
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Well, to be the devils advocate, because that’s how it is best to reply Tuve, CC and Springer were all “prospects that haven’t done carp in the majors yet and could all be average major leaguers or a bust” at one time.
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I think the devil has seen what altuve, cc, and springer are right now and only some hopeful crystal ball with some luck can we anticipate if anyone in the minors can replicate these 3. Like I sad I’m not the GM, I would have rolled the dice in 2017 , not stupidly delete the farm system like Drayton did, but my baseball gut would have said, we may not have the real DK and LMJ for the rest of 2017.
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Kevin,
I think you missed what I was saying. At one time in their career Altuve, Correa and Springer were looked at as “prospects that haven’t don’t crap in the majors yet…”. I trust our front office to properly evaluate our prospects so we don’t trade the next Altuve, Correa or Springer.
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Last night’s game was a reminder that the ‘all this sudden greatness’ referenced in the title to Chip’s post is in past tense – the first half of the season. Not much ‘great’ about last night’s performance against the team with the worst record in the league since the ASB!
But if we are looking for a silver lining in the present ugly storm cloud that is raining down on us, perhaps it can be found in the person of Joe Musgrove. He did what Keuchel could not – and actually got through two scoreless innings against the White Sox line-up, allowing only one hit [vs. Keuchel’s average of 2.5 hits/inning] and no walks [vs. Keuchel’s average of .75 walks per inning].
When Keuchel goes back on the DL – which seems pretty inevitable – perhaps Big Joe will be ready to step back into the rotation in his place.
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Joe might be our Oral Hershisher (the bulldog).
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I don’t know if anybody else has noticed but listening to Blummer and his cohort (Kalas?) is getting old lately. They continually talk about “high expectations” with every pitch or every batter. Example:(Paraphrased) If Keuchel can return to his pre-injury form, he’ll strike (batter name) out. Then it’s whamo and a run scoring double. It appears to be a lot of wishful thinking rather than broadcasting the game. Talking about JD Davis’ accomplishments at AA and AAA and then he K’s twice. I’m sorry but I’m the fan of what are you doing for me now, not what did you do two months ago or down on the farm. I actually switched feeds last night and listened to the WhiteSox announcers. They were very complementary of the team and players and more matter of fact than wishful thinking.
“Now if (Player name) can just hit a home run we’ll be right back in the game.”
Sorry, I am not a happy camper watching these last few games.
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I’ve noticed that too. Job security?
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Other than Altuve’s continued excellence and Bregman’s reappearance after half a season of sleepwalking, the play-by-play guys haven’t had a lot of good things to talk about since the ASB. If things don’t pick up, look for elephant jokes!
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The announcers are chosen by the Astros. They have to pretend it is going great or could be going great. They might want to say ” well that is the opponents 6th run in two innings, now we can start playing.” But they would be fired. Recently they are trying to put lipstick on a pig and we are watching a very ugly pig.
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Witness Gene Elston’s call on final play of Mike Scott’s no-hitter in 1986 when they clinched the pennant: “There it is.” Best announcer they ever had probably lost his job right there.
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Recall Ashby was tough on the team, especially the catchers. Do we see or hear him in the booth this year???
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As Elston, Passé, Senior Kalas , that could best be called “old school,” they believed More was Less. Even on the radio, there would be crowd noise and long pauses. All announcers today can’t stand silence even when we can SEE on TV. Harry Carey could sum up the situation. “Two on Two out……,(pause) ….. (pause) …popped it up .”
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Yes, Gene, Loel Passe, some of the finest for sure! Use to snuggle up in my bed as a little kid, get under the covers with my little transistor radio and listen to the staticky games late at night on KWKH, Shreveport.
NOW, one of the finest calls was by Al Michaels in the 1980 Winter Olympics with the US hockey victory. “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” The silence for what seemed like an eternity as the cameras told the story! Anyone remember that one?
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Listening to Gene at night in bed on the radio, I could “swear” I saw some of those games better than I later did on TV.
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Next up for the Astros: Colin McHugh
Since coming off the DL, Colin has started 3 games – and his track has been the opposite of Dallas Keuchel’s:
1. July 22 vs. Orioles: 4.2 IP, 77 P (46 stks), 4 R, 4 H [2 HR], 1 HBP, 2 BB, 4 Ks;
2. July 29 vs Tigers: 6 IP, 82 P (54 stks), 1 R, 4 H [0 HR], 1 BB, 7 Ks;
3. Aug. 3 vs. Rays: 6 IP, 100 P (62 strks), 2 R [1 ER], 5 H [1 HR], 2 BBs, 6 Ks.
Coming into this game, Colin’s ERA is 3.24 and his WHIP is 1.08.
Sorry, Colin, but with Keuchel stinking it up last night, we really need another good game from you today!
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By the way:
1. the Mariners beat the A’s last night, and our division lead is down yet another game – to 14;
and
2. our heroes are now officially playing under .500 ball since the ASB.
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I apologize to you folks, I let my anger and dissapointment overrun myself last night.
I guess I’ve been living in La-LA land thinking realistically this pitching staff could make it all the way this year. It appears that won’t happen, again this year. Maybe this organization thinks they can grow good pitchers on a magic tree, and who knows (I sure don’t ) maybe they can. I’ll just be happy when they in, and keep my big mouth shut when they don’t.
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Win.
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Rut Ro Houston. Something is definitely amiss…
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We must be struggling if Bopert is back. It does not matter if we would have killed for a 14 game lead in the division in the last 12 years…
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We are indeed ‘struggling’, Dan – I’ll give Bo that. Correa’s prolonged absence, combined with Keuchel’s total ineffectiveness, are our biggest problems. Add to that our badly overworked and suddenly leaky bullpen, and a number of lesser injuries [Springer, McCullers, Gattis, and yes, even Sipp], and July and early August look to be some dark, unpleasant times.
Can we avoid dropping another 8-10 games of our lead? That depends on who will – or will not – step up on offense with a huge 4-5 weeks. Because the pitching is so horrible right now, it will take more than Altuve, Bregman, and occasionally Gurriel to get wins. Springer needs to come back very strong, and two of the trio of Reddick, Beltran and McCann need to raise their BA at least 10 points and their OBP at least 15 points.
Did I mention that the pitching is horrible? For that reason, along with the foregoing, at least one of Fisher and White needs to get hot and make it hard to imagine ever sending them back down.
Even that will not be enough unless at least three starters – McHugh, Morton, and Peacock being the most likely candidates – have career months of July and August.
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Yes, Correa and Keuchel are that essential to this team.
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I think our frustration is that we were doing everything right (even the little things) and now we appear to be doing everything wrong. The list seems to be growing which is even more frustrating. It’s not so much that we’re losing but how we are losing. Let’s get the ship righted and on course again.
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Wow! Tyler White gets optioned down to make room for him instead of J.D. Davis. That one makes no sense to me.
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‘him’ being George Springer.
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What kind of logic is that?!
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Maybe someone forgot to tell Tyler White that baseballs are expensive.
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Here is what I think we should do – let’s see what happens with “him” back – after all this team was 63-28 with “him” starting a game and 8-13 when “he” either did not play or came in late in the game as a sub.
George Springer has been the spark plug for this team – let’s see if he brings his magic back with “him”.
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Well, Dan, one thing is certain. It is sure better to have George Springer in the line-up than not to have him there. Tonight he’ll have Bregman, McCann, and Fisher hitting in front of him after the 1st. Hopefully he’ll drive each one of them in at least once. And hopefully the starting pitching will give us our offense a fighting chance.
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