I just feel like, even if we lose 10-0 tonight, we will eventually catch arlington. If we can just get and STAY reasonable healthy, we're going to be in the playoffs be it a division champ or a wildcard. Unlike those 90's Astro teams, our guys actually step it UP in the playoffs. We were 11-2 in playoff games last year. I like our chances against ANYONE in the playoffs. We just have to get there, one way or another, and be reasonably healthy.
That's the thing with Eovaldi, he's consistently inconsistent. Inconsistently healthy, and inconsistently light out. I remember in 2018 we lit his ass up early in the year with back to back to back HRs when he pitched for TB, then he mowed our ass down in the playoffs for Boston. Then he was hurt for a long time, then we teed off on his ass in 2021 in the playoffs, teed off on his ass last year in the regular season, then he mowed our ass down this season. The good, healthy version of Eovaldi is VERY good, I guess if he's on your team you just hope you get the good Eovaldi at the time you need him the most.
162 games is a grind. Every team goes through injuries, slumps, and several personnel changes. They happen to different teams at different times which is why the power rankings change so frequently. The teams that deal with adversity and can get healthy and hitting/pitching well as the season winds down are the teams that do well in the playoffs and give themselves a chance to win it all. The Astros have weathered it all so far without many long streaks of losing baseball and are now getting healthy without being buried in the standings. Garcia, McCullers, and maybe Brantley are still done for the year so bring in 2 pitchers and a bat and show the world what the Astros are really about!!.
How much drafting/building did Luhnow do? Outside of the first 1-2-3 rounds? I know there's a dozen players or so.
Eovaldi is McCullers A very good #3 starter, but your pitching is in jeopardy if you're depending on a Top 2 role
Heaney being LHP could bode well for the Astros tonight. Hopefully Framber is healthy and performs. A good performance could have the team ERA #1 in baseball and the Astros tied in the division standings. Amazing considering all the happenings this season. Knock on solid wood furniture
The Astros got by far the most talent of any team from the draft during his tenure, added a ton of pitching through IFA, and traded for Alvarez. Not sure outside the 1st three rounds matters much as he hit jackpots early in his tenure in the early part of the draft, but I think (not counting IFAs) Hunter Brown, Kemp, Rogers, Laureano, Chas, Straw, and Sandoval are some of the notables.
The youth pastor at our church is a transplant from up North Texas. He's been giving us Astros fans grief all this year. Not saying so much now. The Astros have been such a blessing to all of us. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Rangers now 19-23 in their last 42 games. Very reminiscent of their losing percentage (notice I didn't say winning pct) since 2017.
Of course that's exactly where our attention needs to be. My hope: Hendricks (starter) Bard Graveman Versatile depth player None of those players would cost a great deal.
