Astros featured on cover of Sports Illustrated 2016 MLB Preview, picked to win World Series

all good. we still need doubters. Don't want all these WS predictions going to the Astros' head! Anyways, competition within the division is good for the team as they will be on their toes all year and will need to focus on winning each game rather than waiting to be anointed the next WS champ...

 

Warriors approach...

Astros know they are good and once they get rollin' it's going to be fun.

Staying on their toes is good.

 

The records are the records from 2015.

 

I think we are solid. There should be no let down. However, have we done much to improve on the issues of last year? Not sure we have added that necessary bat. Or that base stealer. Or that number 2 pitcher we lost. Those were my three big concerns.

If Colby can remain in the zone that bat is a done deal, but felt like last year we were missing that one guy in the middle of the line up to get the clutch hits all year long. Gomez did not get it done.

We never had a base stealer in reserve for big moments. Marisnick was too often in the game. And we were left shorthanded in that department.

Personally feel like our middle relief is fine, though many are still concerned about that too. They did not deliver in the post season and down the stretch, but overall had a great year. Closer has never worried me even with Gregerson. But we improved on that anyway.

As for replacing Kazmir, think we have sufficient .500 pitchers, but in the postseason this is a big issue. Kuechel can be outpitched by the other teams number one, though he is tough. And so with solid, but up and down 2-3-4, we may be in trouble.

I feel like we are still going to make the playoffs, were anything can happen. But not sure we are as dominant as the perennial contenders from top to bottom.

 

Too early to start a game thread for the Yankees series?

 

Disagree entirely on the SP take above. Kazmir was not a good pitcher for the Astros in the regular season. He was worse in his only playoff start, earning a loss against the Royals. Keuchel "could" "conceivably" be outdone by another team's ace but it's not likely. He destroyed the Yankees and pitched well against the Royals minus the two HRs. You can't call the Cy Young winner a weakness for the team. McCullers is capable of being the number 2. We'll see how he progresses this season. I'd be concerned about McHugh starting postseason games.

The team is positioned excellently. Luhnow will address whatever weaknesses are present by the deadline.

 

Not really. We know the starting Pitchers for the Astros.

 

Man I am sp hyped for this season... I honestly haven't been this excited for an Astros season ever, not even when we had that WS team.

The best part is so many guys are young and hungry and if they aren't ready to produce we got guys on the farm who would love the chance to get it done. Shout out to Luhnow this man has earned every cent we have given him.

 

We are definitely better than last season, where we were ahead of schedule in being a winning team. This season was to be our breakout year. I see 90 wins.

 

If there's one thing I've learned is that Houston getting some national love = disaster. Really hoping this team is different from the Texans' and Rockets' teams that were considered contenders in the past decade or so.