[Astros] Show of Hands

[msn]

Who thought, on August 1, 6-6 after the ASB and 7 games under .500, that the Astros would be 10 games over .500 before mid-September?

[MadMax]

No way...I'd love to say I did...but I didn't.

GO 'STROS!!

[jev5555]

I thought they'd be a better team after the all star break but I counted them out of the postseason picture. My bad. I even let Mr Wade have it on the Randy Wolf and Latroy Hawkins deals. What a couple of nice pieces to add to the mix, huh?

[Ric]

i think back to all those apocalyptic posts in the wake of the wolf and hawkins deals and, i have to admit, laugh heartily.

same thing with the texans this week - all this doom and gloom, "the sky is falling! the sky is falling!" rhetoric - show some patience, people!

[Uprising]

I expected us to be around 6-8games over, not 10. Ofcourse I'm a major homer, and knew we would have our september run. But man, it's way better than I pictured. I was fed up but still watched. Thankgod they are winning, it's more fun now filling the days between the Texans games.

[Landlord Landry]

I expected us to be in the hunt, because I didn't think the Cards would do anything at all, and I didn't foresee the Brewers picking up CC Sabithia and having him completely dominate.

having said that, I didn't expect much from this team about 3 months into the season.

This run is fun, and I'm hopeful, but I honestly......5 games to make up with 18 left. sigh. It's not impossible, but I don't think it's gonna happen.

[bobrek]

I expected us to be in the hunt, because I didn't think the Cards would do anything at all, and I didn't foresee the Brewers picking up CC Sabithia and having him completely dominate.

having said that, I didn't expect much from this team about 3 months into the season.

This run is fun, and I'm hopeful, but I honestly......5 games to make up with 18 left. sigh. It's not impossible, but I don't think it's gonna happen.

To be optimistic, the Astros were 9 1/2 behind the Brewers coming into September. They made up 4 1/2 games in the first 8 days.

[msn]

I expected us to be in the hunt, because I didn't think the Cards would do anything at all, and I didn't foresee the Brewers picking up CC Sabithia and having him completely dominate.
By August 1, Sabathia was already 2-0 with a 1.82 ERA in 3 starts with Milwaukee.

having said that, I didn't expect much from this team about 3 months into the season.
Same here.

This run is fun, and I'm hopeful, but I honestly......5 games to make up with 18 left. sigh. It's not impossible, but I don't think it's gonna happen.
Agree again.

[bobrek]

I am curious as to everyone's opinon of Cooper now that his moves are working. He reminded me of the run Garner had in 2004 and 2005 in that 11 inning victory over the Cubs the other night. He did a few inexplicable things and they all worked.

It is amazing how much a consistent bullpen and starters that don't put you into an immediate hole can change the complexion of a team.

The other part of this run is they are doing it with a patch work offensive lineup that doesn't have any stats that jump out at you. I believe they have the best record in the NL (maybe all of baseball) since the all-star break. During that time they continue to be 10th in OBP but they are 3rd in slugging, so when they do get on base, their odds of driving them in have increased.

Pitching wise they are 6th in ERA (since the break) and 3rd in OBP so they are keeping guys off the bases. It is suprising to me that they are doing this with the starters they have.

Just noticed this seemingly irrelevant stat. The Astros pitchers have only thrown 19 wild pitches this season. Next closest is Oakland with 27. They have also allowed only 45 stolen bases all year (Cardinals lead with 44, major league average is 84). Say what you want about the Astros catchers, but for whatever reason, they have kept the running game in check and they have a lot to do with preventing those wild pitches.

[leroy420]

I was thinking of starting a thread asking..."Are Wade and Drayton smarter than the fans?" We all bashed and **** on the moves (or lack thereof) that have been made this year. We all crapped all over Cecil Cooper's moves and lineups numerous times. We all questioned who in their right mind would let Brian Moehler on the roster, let alone into the starting rotation. Trade for Randy Wolf and Latroy Hawkins? Are they f***ing nuts?

What happens? They are playing meaningful September baseball. I guess the one thing we're all prepared for is if they don't make it to the playoffs, we can all say "Well, we didn't expect it anyway."

Either way, I'm loving this run again. The one thing I get tired of hearing is "Are the 08 Astros the Rockies of last year?" BULLS***! The Rockies of last year are the Astros of 04 & 05.

[thech0senone]

I thought we might finish around .500 but never did I think we would be at some point 5 games out of the WC.

[Buck Turgidson]

That's baseball.

[Landlord Landry]

By August 1, Sabathia was already 2-0 with a 1.82 ERA in 3 starts with Milwaukee.




I should have been more clear, I meant at the begining of the season, I didn't expect the cards to do anything, and didnt see the brewres picking up Sabithia........the rest is in tact.

[Landlord Landry]

To be optimistic, the Astros were 9 1/2 behind the Brewers coming into September. They made up 4 1/2 games in the first 8 days.

i know. the bo sox also made up 5 games in a short time against the rays. again, it's not impossible, but even if we do it, you have to admit, it would be a small miracle.

[H-Town Forever]

No way...I'd love to say I did...but I didn't.

GO 'STROS!!

i didnt either but why do they always do this to us at the end of the season? cmon guys play like its september all year long

[bobrek]

i know. the bo sox also made up 5 games in a short time against the rays. again, it's not impossible, but even if we do it, you have to admit, it would be a small miracle.


Yep...

[SCOOTER T.]

I hoped so......... :eek:

[stonecold999]

To be optimistic, the Astros were 9 1/2 behind the Brewers coming into September. They made up 4 1/2 games in the first 8 days.

hopefully they will be able to make up another 4 1/2 games in the next 8 days, which it will only leave us .5 game behind the wildcard leader.. I smell post season if that becomes reality... :D

[Oski2005]

I was already thinking about next season.

[MadMax]

I was already thinking about next season.

I mistakenly turned on 790's morning show about 2 weeks back...and that Davies guy was upset because he couldn't get Wade, in an interview, to talk about next season's opening day lineup. They spent a bunch of time talking about winter ball. ;)

[Scientific1]

I was hoping for some sort of miracle type come back we have seen, but I'd be lying if I say that I was expecting it.

[dream34shake]

Key to this whole run imo has been the return of Roy O, absolutely dominant

[Miguel]

H-townhero, red, rhino17, SpGish20, T Rex, Uprising, Win, WoodlandsBoy

^Liars

[Fatty FatBastard]

H-townhero, red, rhino17, SpGish20, T Rex, Uprising, Win, WoodlandsBoy

^Liars

I can vouch that T Rex has been insanely optimistic about the possibility of making the playoffs.

In fact, a friend of mine and myself have already told him we'll buy him a Jager machine if the Astros make the playoffs.

[JunkyardDwg]

I thought they'd be around 80-85 wins when it was all said and done. They could do even better than that now, which is better than expected, but not really all that surprising.

This team is turning miracle, late-season runs into the norm...and for whatever reason they start to hit their stride with a month and half or so to go.

But what is surprising is the offense seems to have not missed a beat after losing Lee.

[cardpire]

no way in hell. i did think we were a lock to finish over .500 before the season, but once we started our nosedive, i didn't think finishing .500 was even a remote possibility, much less 10+ games over.

i am pleasantly shocked. this is some fun stuff. feels like we're playing with house money right now.

[red]

H-townhero, red, rhino17, SpGish20, T Rex, Uprising, Win, WoodlandsBoy

^Liars
i think my posting history will show that i believe we will win the world series every year until we are mathematically eliminated from being able to do so.

case in point houston rockets 82-0 here we come...

[MadMax]

RM95 was a believer...i know that for sure.

[Groogrux]

RM95 was a believer...i know that for sure.

Is. :)

[MadMax]

Is. :)

awesome! i is too.

[Poloshirtbandit]

I am curious as to everyone's opinon of Cooper now that his moves are working. He reminded me of the run Garner had in 2004 and 2005 in that 11 inning victory over the Cubs the other night. He did a few inexplicable things and they all worked.

I'm slowly starting to like him, but I was never a fan of firing Garner.

[Astro101]

I'm too optimistic for my own good.

[Oski2005]

Key to this whole run imo has been the return of Roy O, absolutely dominant

I think he's a big part, but there are people contributing equally. The Astros have won a lot of Wolf's starts, Valverde has been lights out for August, Wiggy was the true NL player of the month, Puma ended his homer drought, Erstad starting, etc, etc. It has truly been the whole TEAM getting it done now.

[conquistador#11]

Like Peter, I denied the Astros thrice. :( However, i've always believed that Puma is the true MVP of the entire league.

[Gene the PIG]

I never stopped caring.

I tune into every game ... I'm not going to comment on them going on the tear they have, but I said from the very BEGINNING, that they'd be better than last year ... & approved of ALL trades, including fragile-eggshell Lidge, & the Tejada one.

So "Lidge-Boy" can suck on that.

[Miguel]

I didn't give up on the team, but I didn't see them getting this far...especially at that point. I would have been happy getting to just over .500 on the season at that point. Now we're 10 games over with 15ish to play? Nice.

Leave it to the Astros to make their 4th? push for the playoffs in september in the past 5 years. (I think that's right...2 playoff runs, 1 barely missing the playoffs...and now, this year)

[mlwoo]

I remember Matt Jackson saying on air around then that a .500 season was what we should shoot for. I totally agreed with him.

We pessimists in Houston.

[Supermac34]

It makes you wonder about all the teams that give up and trade their players when they think they are out of it year after year. What team that has given up in the past could have made a run and gone to the playoffs?

[MadMax]

It makes you wonder about all the teams that give up and trade their players when they think they are out of it year after year. What team that has given up in the past could have made a run and gone to the playoffs?

i had not thought of that...pretty good point.

[shawn786]

I can't lie. Not even in my wildiest dreams did I think the 'Stros would pull this off.

Im Verrrrrry happy that i was wrong!

GO 'Stros!

[ROXRAN]

I know it's asking a lot, but I'm more of a fan of the Rockets and Texans...I literally stopped watching over the last 2 months...(sorry)...What are the top reasons in order for the turnaround...
Was it the pitching, the acquisitions,...who?

Thanks if possible...

[bobrek]

The pitching has improved. Adding Wolf stabilized the starting rotation. The bullpen has settled down with Sampson taking over the 6th and 7th. Hawkins has performed beyond anyone's wildest dream and ValVerde has been near perfect.

Offensively, they are "slugging" better, though their OBP remains about the same. Erstad had been getting Bourne's at bats (prior to Lee and then Wigginton getting hurt), and that was an offensive improvement. HR-wise, Berkman had slowed down significantly, but Wigginton picked up the slack. Now that Ty has gone down, at least Bourne's OBP has improved.

Every day some one is picking up the slack and that has made it a joy to watch. If it's not Castillo, it's Abercrombie, or Saccomanno or Newhan, or Arias.

Cooper has become a better manager, because his moves are working. :)

[Surfguy]

They haven't pulled anything off yet. But, they are playing some great baseball in the second half of the season. I think we kind of expected them to play better in the second half. They always do. But, to think they could crawl back into the wild card race and actually have a shot...I didn't think that would happen. So, I give them credit. It's unfortunate we had to overcome so much bad baseball in the first half, however.

They are the best team in the majors in the second half. They are doing us proud.

[rodrick_98]

this thread's from may (how many wins for the astros this season), i thought there was one from before spring training.

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=148493

[FR0497]

I definitely gave up on them. I did see them playing better as they usually do late in the season, but not that much better. And I definitely did not see the Brewers struggling this much. And kudos to Wade for picking up Wolf and Hawkins. I didn't expect much from them, but they have helped tremendously.

[Shroopy2]

Who needs farm systems anyway ;)

[Buck Turgidson]

And kudos to Wade for picking up Wolf and Hawkins. I didn't expect much from them, but they have helped tremendously.
If you want some high comedy, go back & read the LaTroy Hawkins thread a few pages back. We're all soooo smart, aren't we?

[FR0497]

If you want some high comedy, go back & read the LaTroy Hawkins thread a few pages back. We're all soooo smart, aren't we?

WOW that's a harsh thread!
http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=151974

Lucky for me I didn't comment on the whole deal :D. By then I had already gavin up on them and didn't care what they did at that point LOL.

[msn]

If you want some high comedy, go back & read the LaTroy Hawkins thread a few pages back. We're all soooo smart, aren't we?
Wow--SamFisher with the Nostradamus act:
PLAY THE ROCKY MUSIC - THE COMEBACK BEGINS
The Astros are 28-10 since that post.

[msn]

Wow--SamFisher with the Nostradamus act:

The Astros are 28-10 since that post.
29-10; my bad.