We started 9-24 but we are 12-8 since. Just checked 4-11 through May 8. Still struggled after that in close games even though we started to right the ship, which kept us from really taking off. So we go 5-13 from there, still losing most of the close games before finally turning it around in the last couple of months. 17-21 since May 8. To think we still haven't been that good in these games but are still the best team in baseball during this time is really saying something. 35-10 in all other games. That's an unbelievable pace. As you can see the 17-21 record in close games certainly does not square itself with a team that is otherwise an otherworldly 35-10. Still lacking in late clutch hits, 7th/8th inning set up guys failing, and just the ability not to win these tie games going into the 9th inning. The 12-8 record as of late tells me we are on the right track. Finally.
I was just discussing this with friends... If JV gets/stays healthy, the Astros suddenly have *too* many starting pitchers for the postseason; so much so, it's conceivable (and may be necessary, given # of innings), that their best pitcher this year (Blanco) won't start a playoff game (Framber, JV, Kikuchi are likely 1-3 with Brown 4). And Arrighetti, who has looked so good of late, may not see the field (though it's possible Brown/Blanco/Arrighetti will be stacked for a start or 2). Meanwhile, while they are by no means automatic, Abreu/Pressly/Hader are starting to more consistently lockdown 7-9 (still not to the level we all thought - but it's been markedly better), and they've found some arms in the pen. Scott, Ort, King, Dubin, Martinez are all untested - but will get tested down the stretch and have been better-than-expected. And they may add Arrighetti and/or Blanco to that mix. The Ms definitely have a better rotation and the Guardians bullpen is lights-out. But I'm not sure the AL has a better top-to-bottom staff than the Astros, which is bananas.
I have zero confidence in Pressly but maybe he suddenly turns it on for the playoffs and goes lights out
That's funny, I was just texting back and forth with my Astros friends last night and I said "when did our starting rotation become the best in the league?" I didn't think we'd ever recover from losing Brent Strom but it seems like Josh Miller has just picked up right where Brent left off.
Which is why I specifically didn't. Having said that: Pressly was terrific in June & July (1.77 ERA/2.64 FIP) and Abreu has been been dominant since a bad outing in Toronto July 1 (1.58 FIP since).
Do we have more road games or home games the rest of the way? I'm more confident in the Astros on the road
Astros currently have a 3 game lead over Seattle, with the worst team in baseball coming up. If the Astros don't go "half astro," they might can extend the lead.
Part of the success is that Strom and Luhnow did not believe in just following tradition… the Astros never really had one pitching coach under Strom. The Astros had Strom as an executive by the end of his time in Houston and he oversaw the entire pitching development across the majors and minors. The Astros still are unconventional- they have two pitching coaches in Miller and Murphy that work very well together. Murphy spends a lot of time with minors and meeting and research on pitching. Miller right now is more hands on, but Murphy gets involved deeply with certain “projects” or guys struggling.
