how is a team that went to game 7 of the World Series 2 year ago “not a playoff team” How do you know it’s a weak return when you haven’t seen the players play yet. Feb 2025 signup date, assuming you’re here to troll
2023 and 2024 Astros were super weak and only made it due to being in a historically bad division. The loss in the playoffs after being a game away from victory to the pathetic Rangers is inexcusable. The point is they are not the stacked Astros of 5 years ago who were ahead of the pack. They are very much in the middle, relying on hope and luck to stand out. You'd expect atleast Suzuki and Paredes + an elite prospect for Tucker. To only get Paredes + their 6th best prospect is the under for a 8-9 WAR player entering his prime.
I want to agree with you. I am cautiously optimistic at best. I’m a bit worried that a few injuries will tank us. There seems to be a lack of depth, but then again maybe someone unexpected steps up in a big way. Hard to say. So many variables this season.
I agree the Astros have regressed from when they went to 7 straight championship games and had a historically dominant team. That being said, saying a team that was one game away from another World Series is “not a playoff team” is objectively stupid.
Another thing was the historically bad division. Well 2 out the last 3 World Series winners are from that bad division.
This is actually a VERY good lineup vs left handed pitching. Altuve =179 wRC+ in 2024 Paredes= 150 wRC+ in 2024 Yordan= 190 wRC+ in 2024 Walker= 110 wRC+ in 2024 Diaz= 127 wRC+ in 2024 McCormick= 142 wRC+ in career. (60 in 2024) Pena= 130 wRC+ in 2024 Meyers= 119 wRC+ in 2024 Dubon= 111 wRC+ in career. (80 in 2024) This team should still torch left handed pitching, it RH pitching where they are very weak.
A lot wrong with this. The 23 team won 90 games, the 2024 team won the division. The Mariners and Rangers have had good teams the last 2 years. The Astros didn’t get “Paredes and their 6th best prospect”. They got Paredes (an All-Star 3B with 3 years of control remaining), Smith (a prospect ranked in the 50-80 range in the entire league), and Wesneski, who projects to start the season as their 5th best starting pitcher. Sure, they might’ve been better if they’d gotten Suzuki (and money to cover his salary) instead of Wesneski, but it was a really good return. The last 2 seasons weren’t on par with the previous 6, but they were legit contenders.
Anyone worried about losing Bregman and Pressly outside of the actual on field aspect? I know we all have different views of “leadership “ and so forth, and we have been fine when other “leaders” have left (Correa) But was reading some stuff from last year and remember Hunter Brown crediting Bregman and Pressly for getting him on track. I’m sure it wasn’t just Hunter that benefitted from them
The 2023 Rangers had a good year/team and they got white hot for the playoffs. Historically, this is how it usually is. Once the playoffs start, the eventual champion is the team who gets hot.
As I mentioned in the Fall, Bregman's value to the team in an advisory role was nearly equal to his value as a player in 2024. If he had been willing to accept a short extension to his playing career. He would have made a long coaching career in Houston.
2017, 2018, 2022, and 2024 Champs basically played like they did in the regular season. 3 100-win teams and a 98-win team in a year with no team winning more. About half the time it is a hot team or a team that got significantly better during the season, and about half the time it is behemoth that wins.
That's not to mention they had the 2nd best record in the league after June 1 last year at 63-40. The slow start was ugly but they were a top tier team the rest of the way that was expected to get back to the ALCS at the very least.
I am starting to wonder how much the front office’s optimism around Brice Matthews is playing into moving Altuve to LF. Some of the comments in that article make me think the plan from before last season even ended was for Altuve to play primarily LF moving forward.
Gotta be honest, feels really good seeing him back on the field. I love how low the expectations have gotten for him. Lotta upside there.
