I know I'm supposed to be happy they're just in this....but honestly, this isn't fun. September baseball where you team coughs up a lead they've held for most of the season and goes 7-13 isn't fun at all. Obviously I'm happy about the overall direction of this franchise...but the choke job here is pure Houston. I'll be at the game tomorrow night. Hopefully the MadMax clan can bring them luck...they need it.
But if you take away those 13 losses by the Astros (they are just an anomaly) and the 13 wins by the rangers (they can't possibly keep up that pace), we'd be running away with the division.
I honestly don't care how anyone feels about this. I just don't want to hear anyone lecture me about how I shouldn't be pissed off about this massive ****ing choke job that we're watching unfold right in front of our eyes.
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no one should be taking solace in the fact that we're "ahead of schedule"... that's a loser mentality period end of story. if we were good enough to lead the division practically the entire season than you readjust your expectations. there is zero guarantee in what next year holds so the mentality should be take advantage of every opportunity you get. unfortunately the stros aren't doing that right now and damn is it infuriating.
It's why I'm not surprised who is the one with the megaphone shouting that nonsense the loudest (not you Leroy). The poster who embodies Houston sports like no other.
Were you happy the Rockets just made the Western Conference Finals?... We have to maintain a little perspective, don't we? This is a young team; many of its players have literally never played this many games, let alone been in a pennant race. So being upset and disappointed after they changed our expectations? Sure, that I get that. But being embarrassed? Seems a bit harsh, doesn't it? As does angrily shoving a (virtual) finger in the face of everyone who tries to add a little perspective, IMO. It's a game; it's supposed to be fun. I've had a blast following the team this year - and that'll be true no matter what happens these next 9 games - which, oh yeah, that reminds me: it ain't over...
Essentially, there are two schools of thought: 1. April - August were a lot of fun, they raised my expectations and I am ticked off that they seemingly can't finish the job. It doesn't matter that the future is still bright. You've got to take advantage of every opportunity that comes along regardless of what was expected. Absolutely nothing wrong with feeling that way. 2. The whole season met or exceeded my expectations. While it is disappointing they can't seemingly finish the job, I liked the overall season and the hope for an even brighter future. Absolutely nothing wrong with feeling that way.
It's not surprising to me that their struggling like this. Young, unproven kids...some of them playing more baseball this year than they ever have in one season before, combined with some veterans who have had marginal careers at best doesn't bode well for an extended playoff run. Compare that to the Angels and Rangers who have well established veterans who are playoff (and World Series) tested. It's no surprise they are struggling, but that doesn't make it suck any less. The core is gaining some very valuable experience though. I'm sure management will add the necessary bats and arms in the offseason to help these kids out since they know this team is legit. Again, doesn't make this year's collapse any easier to swallow. But I'm not as angry about it as many of the posters here are. I'm hopeful we can pull it together enough to secure the 2nd WC. The division is out of reach in my opinion. I like our chances against the Yankees in a 1 game playoff and the experience that the kids will gain from that will be invaluable. It's not over yet. Let's not start jumping off bridges...this is a very exciting young team and the best is yet to come.
Yeah, the bolded part is what gets me more so than the 'losers mentality' etc. Yes, we're a young team. Yes, the future looks pretty bright right now. But like you said, NOTHING is guaranteed. Remember the 86 Rockets? They were supposed to be a dynasty, then it all fell apart the very next year. You just never know what can happen, that's the way pro sports work. That's why when you get this close you have to finish the job, because you may not ever get that close again.
To be fair, the other teams in the division, minus Texas, are wildly underperforming. Three teams hit 87 wins last year, including 98 from Anaheim. We may not have any reach 87 this year. So I'm not sure we were good enough to lead the division so much as we got hot and then held on for dear life. I mean, this team is way over its head. They've gotten almost zero production out of 1B/3B; their third (possibly 2nd) best player has missed extensive time; their collective batting average and OB% is abysmal...
I don't need anyone to convince me I should feel any different about this team completely choking down the stretch and choking it away to a team from Dallas. Why do people feel like everyone has to feel exactly the same as they do? No one I know of, regardless of how upset they are about this collapse, has this affecting their lives. Outside of a few drunken rambles on here and being pissed off for a couple hours after, sports has never really affected my life. I've never called in sick to work because my team lost. I never kicked the dog because my team lost. I never cursed at my wife or kids because my team lost. The fact that the pro teams I've rooted for my entire life have gone home losers every single year, save 2, has not had any sort of negative affect on my life. So good for whoever's had an epiphany about sports and don't take it as seriously, but that's your personal story and it just means you were taking it too seriously prior. Quit trying to project your personal feeling onto other people. We're going to enjoy sports differently on a person-by-person basis and if that bothers you, I'd recommend just stop following or discussing sports all together here. So, YES, I'm ecstatic that the vast majority of this season has been the most enjoyable baseball season since at least 2008. And, YES, I'm excited for what appears to be a franchise setting themselves up for sustained success going forward. And, YES, I'm ****ing pissed off and that they're choking this away to the god damn Texas Rangers and embarrassed because I have to hear it from friends and family who are Rangers fans. And, YES, my life will keep churning along as usual whether this current team nuts up and actually starts winning again or we watch as other teams compete in October.
Prior/Wood Not to mention this being a down year for the AL West. Assuming we're going to be in this same position next year is nothing more than that.
Isn't it telling that you had to go back 30 years to find an example, though? And wouldn't the '95 Astros have been a much more relevant example? And how did that young nucleus work out?... Sure, anything can happen... but I'll be floored if meaningful September baseball isn't the norm around here for the next 5-10 years.
This is the part I don't get. After the last several seasons of playing 162 meaningless games, I don't see how this whole ride isn't fun for people. It seems if this isn't exciting, there's really no point to following sports at all. Yes, it sucks to be losing and faltering and yes, it will really suck if we miss the playoffs entirely. But the entertainment value in sports is having the meaningful, intense games and we're getting more of those than we have in nearly a decade. And all the "I hate this team" nonsense is really bizarre given that the season isn't even over. With 9 games to go, we have a 1 game lead to make the playoffs. Are we likely to hold it? Probably not, given how we're playing and how we play against the Rangers. But it sure as hell will be fun to find out over the next week.
First of all, this is a collapse... that much cannot be debated. They're not playing good baseball right now. In fact, they're a worse road team than they were last year.... and barely better than where they were in 2013. Its all really disappointing compared to where they were two months ago. On the flip side, we all know this was a flawed/incomplete team going into the season... and they're still flawed. The season is 162 games long for a reason... and at the end of it, you are who you are. It really doesn't matter if you led your division or were playing well for the majority of it... if you aren't there at the end, you weren't good enough. You can say September is a fluke... just like you can say the way they were playing in April/May was a fluke. You eliminate the outliers, and they've essentially been a slightly below .500 team. Lastly... as far as not taking anything for granted, I understand that's going to always be the default Houston sports fan mindset (expect the worst at all times). People are constantly naming three common examples of why you don't take anything for granted... the 86 Rockets, the 95 Magic, and the 03 Cubs. Since only one of those examples is baseball specific, that would probably be the most comparable... and that Cubs team was actually built with mostly veterans (centered around two amazing phenom pitchers)... and it wasn't just "dumb luck" that closed their window of opportunity faster than expected. Meanwhile, you also have far more baseball specific examples of young teams with talent (like the Astros), that started to get it, and did stick around for awhile... the early 90's Braves, the mid 90's ASTROS, the late 90's Indians, the 2000's A's, the late 2000's Rays, the current Pittsburgh Pirates.... and then you have the juggernaut Cardinals that have basically been in World Series contention (minus 1-2 year) since the freaking 2000 season. Tl;DR... its entirely justified to be disheartened/dissapointed right now, although just because this team was in first doesn't mean it was complete, and while nothing is guaranteed... in baseball, its been proven that young/talented teams that show this sort of improvement tend to stick around awhile.
LOL, there are countless examples throughout the history sports of teams that were supposed to be perennial contenders, never worked out. And, unlike some apparently, I'd like to actually see a championship. All those years of Biggio and Bagwell were great, yet we still don't have a ring. Excuse me if I'm going to be upset when an opportunity to get into the playoffs in this sport is squandered.
The 2003 Cubs were a mostly veteran team that happened to have those two young flamethrowers, managed by one of the most notorious managers when it comes to protecting young arms. Also, building solely around young power pitchers is never a guaranteed recipe for success due to their inherent increased injury risk. I understand your point... but its really not comparable to what is going on here right now. This Astros team is much more comparable to the young teams of the last two decades that didn't fizzle out and stuck around for awhile.
