Like I know we gave Dusty and Espada grief for not 'standing up for the players'... but Boone overdoes it, and the umpires aren't going to give him anything if he just disrespects the umpires as human beings...
Well I just have money riding on them on my first ever sports bet to make the World Series... not enough confidence in them for them to win it all.
I agree that nobody in baseball looks all that unbeatable this season but my concern is how poor the Astros have looked especially the offense. 25th out of 30 teams or thereabouts in RS is ugly, ugly, ugly. Could the get hot and make a run to a WS title? Sure but I mean... we're hanging out with the lowest of the low in terms of offensive production.... so how much confidence can you have?
100% with you on this, nobody is scary heading into the playoffs. Everybody has a problem of some sort. Detroit - starting pitching beyond Skubal Toronto - bullpen Yankees - bullpen Red Sox - most complete team, bullpen depth is about it Seattle - starting pitching, inconsistent hitting Houston - bullpen, inconsistent hitting If you told me we'll have 2025 Hader back, I'd be excited about our chances. I think the lineup will get it together by the end of September. 2019 Astros level? No, probably not. I'll take averaging 5 runs a game. Until the injury to Anthony I had Boston as the co-favorite with Toronto to win the AL pennant. That's a big blow for them to overcome. Crotchet, Giolito and Bello form a damn good trio heading into the playoffs. And Tolle looks like the real deal.
I think describing our offense as "inconsistent" is generous. We've played 140 games and we're 25th in RS. At some point you just have to simply say we have a "bad" offense right? I think we are at that point. It's bad. Like... few teams in all of baseball are worse... certainly no other serious contenders are anywhere near 25th... unless you count CLE or KC.. which I don't.
TOR - 704 RS NYY - 733 RS BOS - 696 RS DET - 680 RS SEA - 638 RS HOU - 589 RS PHI - 663 RS NYM - 674 RS MIL - 717 RS CHI - 688 RS LAD - 707 RS SD - 592 RS So of all the teams you would point to as genuine contenders in 2025 the Astros have the lowest RS and for most of the them by a considerable margin.. the only team "close" is the Padres.
But most of the year the Astros didn’t have Yordan. With a healthy Yordan things should be better. “Should be”
Exactly - if Paredes comes back at all, it is as a DH or pinch hitter. The Astros would then have to go with Alvarez in the field. They could perhaps have Alvarez and Altuve on the corners with Urias at second with an extreme groundball pitcher on the mount like Valdez or they would likely go with Altuve at second and Alvarez in left with Sanchez or Smith in right field. The good thing is that if the Astros get ahead early, they could make some defensive switches if needed. I know that defense is a concern - but a line up of: Pena Correa Alvarez Altuve Paredes Sanchez Walker Meyers Diaz Is potentially devastating...... A bullpen of: Hader/Abreu/Sousa/King/Okert is more than capable The Astros offense hasn't been great this year. It is a good thing they have added Correa, Alvarez, Urias and are getting back Meyers and possibly Paredes. The Astros offense this season hasn't ever been healthy. It doesn't mean that they will click, but there is a good chance they will with Meyers back soon and given some time.
Funny you didn't come around after you claimed we had "overwhelming odds" to win the division as if it was a foregone conclusion, and then not 2 weeks later the odds were pretty much down to 50/50 with Seattle even taking the smallest of leads for a couple of days. But you were nowhere to be found. You must now have bet the mortgage on your house that we will win the division based on your good buddy fangraphs. Is there a decent chance we win the division? Yes. Does any sane Astros fan feel it's in the 95% range? Hell no. I'd feel a whole lot better if we didn't have a 3 game series at home vs Seattle coming up. I will give credit to those that said the Mariners are going to Mariner. That manager is getting fired at season's end if they don't make the playoffs. You don't go all in like that and get nothing in return.
Pena Paredes Altuve Alvarez Walker Correa Sanchez/Smith Diaz/Caratini Meyers I just can't see how you put Paredes any place else other than the 2 hole were he was playing the vast majority of the time. Let Altuve and Alvarez see those pitches. That on paper should be a lethal lineup.
Yordan has been pretty solid but the offense has still been bad since his return and he has been having to sit more than you'd like unfortunately. I am looking forward to getting Jake back. He played well last night but it's hard to get away from 25th in RS... 25th... ugly, ugly, ugly.
No Josh Hader anytime soon. Playoffs start in 4 weeks. Can't see him being ready. At least we have Kimbrel
Chance of returning Meyers - 99% Paredes - 10% Arrighetti - 20% Sousa - 50% Hader - 25% Walter - 5% Anybody want to take a shot at these?
