Yes, but only because we have never won a WS. I want to know what if feels like. It has been almost 20 years since any of my teams have won a title (I was 9 when the Rockets won the 2nd title). Astros made a WS and were swept. Titans lost the SB. GT lost in the National title game. Georgia Southern has now lost in the semifinals for 3 consecutive years.
I would much more like to have the consistent winner. You never know what is going to happen when you get to the layoffs, but give me a team that every single year, when the season starts, we know we have a chance to compete, love the long grind of a season when you are in the thick of it from day one
Yep, heck ill take the Astros from the early 90's through the mid 2000's From 1993 to 2006, the only losing season was 2000 when Jose Lima and the boys freaked out about the new park. Even that season was surrounded by 4 division champions from 1997-1999 and 2001. When the franchise took the name Astros in 1965, the first four years produced losing records. Since that 1968 team went 72-90, this is the first time the franchise has had a losing record 4 years in a row!
Was actually just trying to point out that the Astros franchise has not had losing records four years in a row since 1968. So if you want to add in 62-64, the Astros franchise would not have had a losing record four years in a row since 1968. Sooooooo, those years simply have no impact on the point I was making. I don't have the time or desire to look up all the other teams historical records, but I would say there are not many teams who have gone since 1968 without 4 losing seasons in a row. We are almost certainly going to make it 5 in a row this year, hopefully we don't get to 6
Honestly this season should be a tank year. Next year is more difficult to predict but I'd be fine with another tank year after this season. We don't have the pitching prospects to make a dramatic turn around next season. If we're going to suck I'd just assume suck a lot. As for blame, this is all on Drayton. He basically checked out and neglected the franchise, now we're paying for it. Payroll wise, Crane has a lot of rope with me. They're doing things the right way with player personnel decisions.
You are 100% right in your assessment of this franchise and the understanding management has in building this team into a winner. There are so many people who claim to be Astros fans that don't understand what's going on and want to blame it all on Crane. Everyone just needs to chill out and enjoy this season win or lose. We're gonna find out alot about players many of us think highly of. I'm excited to see what happens and how it all plays out. Go Stros!
I completely agree that the current situation is 100% on Drayton, no one can really dispute that. I also agree that, baseball wise, the franchise is absolutely going about it the right way now and building from the ground up. My fear is that when the time comes, after this year, or next year, to spend money on the major league level will Crane do it. From the beginning I though he would. Then the comments that he would not raise the payroll until revenues called for it. It would be stupid to add high dollar free agents right now, but there will come a time when we are getting close that do build a champion would require believing in what we have, and spending on some major league talent to add to the base knowing that it will produce a winner which will increase fan support and revenues. If he is going to wait until revenues go up first, before adding salary, that means we MUST win with all the kids on their own before adding salary, which is possible, but not likely. Then add in the 10 Million dollar comment, plus his comments about the csnhouston stuff . . .all i'm saying is i'm worried that this guy might not care nearly as much about producing a winner as I initially thought, cause if he just wants to make money he is certainly gonna do that with a 25 million payroll and could do that for some time if he so chooses
Yes he will. He has to say revenues are keeping him from adding talent because otherwise he is admitting to tanking and stealing revenue shares from teams with 100 million dollar payrolls. Plus it lets him complain about money which all owners including Bob McNair love to do. And to be fair, this is the first year the payroll hit the real cellar, last year they were still paying out on contracts for players on other teams. Drayton McLane, Jr Gutted the team and has nothing to show for it Ignored the farm system (to save money) for years Hired this guy Made the deal keeping Rockets games off the air (and walked away with a healthy cash bonus in it for himself) drayton mclane jr is the worst owner in Houston history. Including bud adams.
Drayton did not end well, he knew he was going to sale and quit spending on long term assets. To say he is the worst owner in Houston history, when he presided over the most successful term overall in team history, is not accurate at all. And how can you be so against Drayton because of how it ended, and then support crane 100% when there is no evidence at all that he will spend when needed. Look, I hope you are right, i really really really hope you are right and Crane will be willing to spend when the time is right. One thing we all know for sure though, is that Drayton was willing to spend when the time came and that led to over a decade of great, fun times at the Dome, Enron and MMP. All we know about Crane is that he likes to spout off at the mouth about the fans
Yep, and they have produced some really good mlb players over that time. Just haven't kept them. That is what i'm fearing here. I don't necessarily think that is what is going to happen, but the more Crane opens his mouth the more I worry. The Astros ability to go that long without a long string of losing seasons is really pretty remarkable.
what??? that may be the dumbest post in Houston history. Drayton, who finished horribly for sure, isn't even the worst owner in Astros history. John McMullen (who hired Tal Smith, btw) says hi. As do the Ford Motor Credit Company and that other credit company. Currently, with the jury still out on Crane's young tenure, McLane has an argument for best owner in Astros history. Which, given their history, actually isn't hard to do. Beat out Hofheinz, who nearly cost us the team by going bankrupt, whose teams were in playoff contention maybe like once or twice ever, and whose executives presided over some of the worst trades in baseball--not just franchise, baseball--history, and you're in.
need to bump this one with the latest news that Springer will be kept in AAA. Until we get an answer other than "we want to keep the winning minor league nucleus together" (which is pure horse squeeze), we can assume this is being done for reasons related to Springer's arbitration date many years down the road. another example of "piss on the fans to save a buck" Crane -- you have to give the fans something -- throw us a bone
Yeah this is actually counterproductive to his growth as a major league player. Smacks of a money-driven decision. You know what I finally realized? It wasn't Drayton McLane that turned me away from the baseball. It was the fact that of all the major sports, baseball reeks the most of nepotism, of poor decision-making endemic throughout its ranks, built on a legacy of old white men and their middle-aged children assuming positions that they do not deserve to have. The degree of nepotism rivals golf and politics. It's precisely the reason that franchises who shuck this model entirely have such a leg up on the last few dinosaurs that believe in the Good 'Ol Boy mentality. Evolve, baseball. Until you do, you won't have my support (haven't been to a game since Hunsicker was here).
Completely agree. With the abortion that has been the Astros "major league" team over the past 3 years, the front office needs to learn that they now risking the hard-core, long term fans. Without the ability to even watch games, I find myself caring less and less. I realize I didn't give Crane my $10 million, so maybe I don't have a say. But they continue to fail to realize that they need to give the fans something to be excited about NOW. It's not just a bad baseball decision, it's a bad business decision.
