The Astros' recent run of success if one of the most remarkable in MLB history. Yes, what everyone now knows about their 2017 season will taint that legacy for many, but Houston has since won a second World Series, appeared in two more, and made the American League Championship Series every single year since 2017. Trash can jokes will never go out of style for some, but what the Astros have accomplished across multiple GMs and multiple managers in the past seven years is objectively incredible.
As we sit more than 40% of the way through the 2024 season, however, it's becoming increasingly apparent that times could be changing. Houston sits 8.5 games back of the Mariners in the American League West and would also need to leapfrog the defending World Series champion Rangers to get back into the division race. The Wild Card scene isn't all that much better. Houston is 5.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot, but with five teams standing between them and that potential playoff berth. The roster has been decimated by injuries.
At least at the moment, 2024 doesn't look to be the Astros' year. However, the bigger problem for the Astros isn't necessarily what lies ahead in the final three and a half months of the current season, but rather what looms beyond that point. Because when I say "times could be changing," I'm not referring to a simple one-year hiatus from their typically deep postseason runs. When it comes to the Astros, they're facing far larger and far more concerning long-term questions.
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Gotta trade with the Padres.
Ship Verlander to the Pads
Orioles.
trash cans aint gonna save you now houston
If I were a HOF voter, Altuve (and his trash cans and chest buzzers) would never get my vote. In my opinion, what he pulled during the early stages of their postseason runs was far more serious than the Pete Rose shenanigans. Give me Charlie Hustle in the HOF any day over Altuve.
I’m no fan of Altuve because I’m a Mariners fan and he’s killed us, but many former Astros players from that team have said he and Tony Kemp wanted no part of the trash can banging. Altuve actually got mad when players did it while he was batting because it threw him off. I think it’s important to note.
Beltran, Bregman, Springer, and Correa all committed way more egregious actions, in my opinion. None of them should ever get HOF consideration (not that the latter three will likely end up having good enough careers to garner many votes anyway), but I’m fine if Altuve does.
Why not neither? Stop simping for a guy that lied for 50 years about break the cardinal rule
tell me you know nothing about baseball without saying you know nothing about baseball, Roper
I guess that’s why he was voted by other players as one of the players they would most like to play with. BTW, why isn’t there more talk about how MLB used juiced balls in Yankees’s games when Judge was going for the record?
Or how about the Yankees letter that admitted they were using cameras in the outfield to steal signs in 2017. Or how about former Dodger’s players who have since come out saying they were also cheating. Or the Red Sox using Apple watches to steal signs ( Yankees were doing the same thing). And the bench coach who brought the scheme to Houston is still the Sox manager?
Where are all you trashcan boyos on this? Crickets. The Astros were the scapegoat for a league where this type of cheating was rampant. And the Altuve buzzer conspiracy is well known to be false yet some neanderthal will always bring it up. Good to know they still exist here on MLBRumors.
Gimme the hit king over degenerate lying scheming gambler ohtani anyday!!!
Kinda hard to dominate when you can’t bang on trash cans
This is your comment when after 2017 they’ve been to 6 more ALCS’ in a row, won 3 more Pennants, and another World Series cementing a dynasty?
*Cheated in 18 and 19 as well
Manfred report only stated 1 month into 2018. But still, what’s your excuse on 6 more ALCS’, 3 pennants, and another WS title? Oh yeah nothing but resentment and venom, just like a jealous ex girlfriend lolol
I’m chillin, I’m also quick to remind ashtray fans of cheating ways, I won’t forget it
Chill away bro. I’m still living cool in the dynasty brother. I’ll always be quick to remind that too.
Get th outta here he’s the most pure hitter in the league gripe all you want to 7 alcs in a row haters gonna hate
Isn’t there some kind of better option than Singleton? I can’t believe this guy has over 100ab’s on a major league team. A 600 OPS 1b? There is no one on the waiver wire or a free agent guy that could do this? There are probably a thousand 1b in the world who could have a 650 OPS+
Astros farm system will finish the season stronger than they started. 4-5 pitchers are having great years along with 3-4 hitters all without being a name prospect to begin the season. Here are the best performers so far
2B/SS Brice Matthews had a huge two weeks and is now hitting .344/.449 (OBP)/1.121 slugging) 6 hr’s, 13 sb’s
C Jancel Villareal .290/.429/.929
2B/3BWill Wagner .303/.419/.825
CF Zach COle .307/.419/.825
3B Pascanel Ferreras .280/.386/.870
LF Rabel Colon .289/.460/.960
3B Jeron Williams .289/.363/.866 6hr’s/15sb’s
OF Joey Loperfido .264/.357/.933 13 hr’s 8sb’s
CF Pedro Leon .279/.367/.882 12 hr’s 14 sb’s
SS Shay Whitcomb .299/.381/.936 13 hr’s 9sb’s
SS Jesus Bastidas .275/.360/.894 13 sb’s
Pitchers
James Hick 1.88 ERA
Jake Bloss 1.94
Joey Mancini 2.15
Ethan Pecko 2.32
Cesar Gomez 1.46
Bryan King 1.82
Hicks and Bloss are starting to appear in recruiting lists as is Loperfido.. Cole, Matthews and Whitcomb should be in top 200 lists right now.
Farm system sucks, homer
I took a quick look at the Astros farm system in Roster Resource, am unimpressed. Some of the guys listed above are 25-ish in AAA, that smells like AAAA fodder. Most of the rated prospects are down in A ball or Rookie League. I’m sure you’re right that the kids will improve with some seasoning (not the Jonathan Swift kind) but it’s still a thin system.
They had a good run. Front office has been much weaker last few years. Looks time for a rebuild.
Steve, how have the A’s ever waited too long to trade away their star players? If anything they trade everyone with 2-3 years of control left – they just suck at getting a decent return back. See: Sean Murphy, Matt Olson, Matt Chapman
I like how every time the Astros are mentioned the author brings up the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, but basically nobody does that for the Yankees and Red Sox who were caught running different variations of the same thing, but not in such an obvious way that they couldn’t deny later.
No evidence of the 2018 Red Sox cheating was ever presented. MLB concluded they illegally stole sign “on at least some occasions”, but they failed to document a single occasion.
I guess that’s why they were fined.
I guess that’s why they were fined
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I guess you didn’t read MLB’s report on the 2018 Red Sox. MLB’s investigation of the 2018 Red Sox went on for months and uncovered no evidence of cheating. They admitted this in their report when they said they have a “factual dispute”, “largely have no direct evidence” and “no written record, recording or other contemporaneous evidence of the underlying events”. If there was any evidence, the facts would not be in dispute. The “finding” of cheating “on at least some occasions” was clearly based on speculation as MLB’s investigation failed to document a single occasion of cheating by admission, eye witness or any other means. Reporters have unfortunately focused on the conclusion and not the lack of evidence. Unfortunately, the commissioner can “find” something to be true even without evidence. The report is still on mlb.com if you want to read it.
I “like” how a lot of people who agree that the Astros cheated will try and protect Altuve, like he was some innocent little boy who was “shy” about having his shirt pulled off. I still chuckle at that.
Happens to every successful team. When the Yankees dynasty ended after the 1964 season, it ended hard, fast and ugly.
“Crane hasn’t given out a pitching contract larger than McCullers’ ill-fated $85MM extension …”
Hader, no?