Hey, if the season ended today the Astros would be in the World Series. Like I said in the game thread, plan B rocks...
Seriously, Willy T, Burke, and Lane, the three main pieces of "Plan B" have been pretty big this postseason. Burke leads the team in batting average and slugging. Willy's hitting .333. Lane has been frustrating this postseason, but his homer tonight was huge and he's made some big defensive plays. It's been a fun ride. The Magic Number is 4.
[pinches self] Went to bed, got back up, is this real??? Is HELL FROZEN OVER???? My Astros are in the World Series!!!!!!!!!!
First off, I'm ecstatic the Astros won. That's obvious as a lifelong Astros fan. But to answer the title of this thread, I'd say that the the evidence doesn't support it. Purpura's job was to make the Astros the best team they could possibly be. Did he do it? Beating the Braves and Cardinals is impressive, but certainly doesn't answer the question. To think otherwise is simply immature thought. Tonight was the first time all series that the Astros scored more than 4 runs. Clearly, the hitting remains the weakness of the team. Last year it was a strength in the postseason. It had the potential to be a strength this year, but every announcer that calls an Astros' game agrees with me that it is not a strength. So the question remains, did Purpura improve this team over the offseason? Or did the Astros benefit from a severely weakened Cardinals team (Rolen, Renteria, an injured Walker, etc)? Does this team have a championship caliber lineup? We will find out.
give it up. you change one player on this team and maybe things don't line up the same. certainly on paper, management had the opportunity to upgrade the offense with signing kent, maybe getting griffey, etc. but that argument is officially dead. i think you're underestimating how the chemistry of this team, and the confidence management showed in them, has pushed them them this far. they scored 5 runs once in the nlcs but they got 10 in game 1 against atlanta and then 7 twice after that.
Baseball is a funny game. Sometimes you look at the team on paper and then what happens on the field, and it just doesn't add up.
You're looking at the wrong evidence bro. The better offensive teams, including Carlos's Mets, will be sitting on their collective asses watching our Astros in the Fall Classic--in the greatest, most historically rich, and most magical sporting event of the year. Them's the beans that get counted in the end--wins and losses and Fall glory, not who has the best OPS. I'll take this plan B every day of the week. And don't worry, we'll all be b****ing and moaning here in three months about why "Poopoora" isn't out getting any bats. But for now, less' enjoy da ride maign. Astros in 5!!
By the way...did you ever pay off our bet? Like it or not every single move during the offseason and season (good or bad, right or wrong, lucky or unlucky) led to THIS moment. The only fact we know for sure is that THIS team made it to the World Series. We will never know if additional or different players would have gotten the Astros to this point. The team's results this year are indeed an improvement over last. And the Astros did outhit the Cardinals in the playoffs. So what if Rolen was hurt, that's the breaks of the game. I guess the Cardinals GM should have made a move to replace him.
You are absolutely right. It's easy to salivate over a hypothetical team that had this year's pitching, PLUS Kent, Beltran, and a healthy Bagwell. But then again, we would never have witnessed Taveras' perfect execution on the suicide squeeze, Burke's dramatic 18th inning HR off the Braves, etc. Still, I wouldn't mind having a bit more pop in the lineup next year. Everett, Ausmus, and probably Taveras are going nowhere. Add in Burke and the pitcher's spot and you have a serious collection of balsa-wood bats there. Anyhoo, let's not spoil the moment with such thoughts. HERE COME THE ASTROS, BREATHIN' ORANGE FIRE ....
...a little off topic, but didn't Rich Lord make some kind of bet about the Astros making the playoffs, or did he chicken out?
Rich paid up. He was outside MMP last Monday (4 hours) wearing a shirt that says "Springsteen Sucks" that his wife and daughter made for him.
To expand on that theory, look at last year. Pettitte was hurt, and didn't play in the post season. Does that take away from the fact that the Cardinals beat us? Not at all! The fact is a lot of us b****ed and moaned that Purpura didn't get a bat, but I think most of us right now in hindsight will take "Plan B" everyday of the week
I love it. Hysterical. "The evidence doesn't support it". The evidence is the WORLD SERIES. If anyone takes anything that non-Astros fan says seriously, then they're as big a joke as he is.
Lessee here, hmmmm.... Plan A: Assemble the *same* team, minus Clemens and play all year waiting for the big inning Plan B: Fail to resign Carlos, bring back Clemens, start rookies who run fast and have less power, concentrate on all the other fundamentals of baseball (not just the dinger). Suicide squeeze plays in the NLCS. Rookies with 30+ stolen bases. Single, stolen base, sac bunt, sac fly, run scored. It's like the '86 team all over again, except this time WE WON BABY!!!!!!!!!!! ....I'll take Plan B.
