I think you are correct this team not being that much behind last year's team. But I think what he is referring to is that both teams have been flawed with too many holes in the batting order. That may finally getting helped with the promotion of Bregman, Reed, & Teo as well as signing Gurriel. If they pan out, then sure maybe only 1 or 2 pieces may be needed. But until the order is more set, this team will still be a "playoff contender" rather than a "championship contender". And
How many games better would any team be if the guy who regressed the most didnt, and a guy who wasnt healthy all season had been?
Well, through 26 starts last year we were 18-8 when Dallas took the hill This year we are 12-14 If we were the same 18-8, we would be sitting at 77-58 right now, squarely in the wild card spot
Not arguing the math. Just saying any team where you take a Cy Young winner one year and replace him with a average pitcher the next is going to suffer in exactly the same way. Maybe some of you feel like Keuchel should pitch at a Cy Young level every year from now on. Frankly, last year maybe the outlier in his career, not this one. Regression and health are two issues that face every team every year. I fail to see the insight in pointing out that that occurred to us this year.
I don't necessarily think Keuchel will be last year's level ever again, but I do think he will be closer to that, than what we have seen this year I don't think he rebounded well from the extreme heavy load last year.
Definitely This! Order tinkering all season with inconsistent pitching/injuries all season long bell curve...better seasons ahead
Good question. Who regressed the most on Toronto or Boston or Cleveland or Texas? And how expected was it?
This team has had a disappointing season and yet we are still right in the mix with a new going super star added to the core. 31 and 10 is still happening. We have so much room to grow. We are making the playoffs. Winning the play in game, winning a series. And when all this happens no one is going to want to face us. There isn't any ace pitchers that really scare me in the AL. They are all in the NL.... 2 games back with plenty of baseball left.
McCullers and now last years CY Young winner are both on the brink of not pitching for the rest of the year. Big blow. If both had been on their A game all year we would probably have the best record in the AL. But that is not reality. People need to step up. Fiers was good tonight. Bregmen is a super star. We have still gone 13 and 4 of late. Big blow today to hear about our ace. I'm upset
Guess who our three top batters by BA are in September with at least 19ab's? Spoiler Not Springer Spoiler Not Altuve Spoiler Not Correa Spoiler Yup. Bregman, Gurriel and Rasmus http://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/batting/_/name/hou/split/45
From Reddit: AL East is currently in tightest 4-team race in modern (3-division) era BOS, at 78-61, is only 4 games ahead of the 74-65 NYY. This is the smallest gap between the top 4 teams in a division following play on 9/8 since 1989 when the Central Divisions did not exist. In 1989 the top 4 teams of the 6-team NL East (CHC, STL, NYM, MON) were separated by 3 games. (CHC, leading on 9/8/89, ended up taking the division).
We are going to win the series tonight. We will win 2 of 3 against rangers. And then we will go on a tear to make the playoffs. Believe
We have won 6 of 7 again with a cake walk of a schedule left. Losing our 2 best starting pitchers and Bregmen has been really tough, but we are just 1 and half back of a playoff birth. If we end up pulling this off , will any of the three on the DL be able to play come playoff time ? Go Astros
McCullers looks like he will be back if they play into October. Keuchel and Bregman are done. 10 games left, 8-2 almost certainly gets them in, 7-3 probably gets them in, 6-4 gives them a chance. Pretty amazing considering the hole they were in and the players on the DL.