Houston Astros

[YosemiteSam]

Okay Astro fans. After last season, the Astros looked like a real up and coming team. *** happen?

 

[YosemiteSam]

Wow, Everyone was pumping Astros rainbows up everyone's butt last year have now gone silent. Did everyone of you guys jump off the bandwagon that quick?

 

[Bay10]

Headed into this year I was excited for the Store for first time in a decade. This season has been a major bummer. Dallas Kuechel has just fell off.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Don't think I'd bury the Astros quite yet...

April was a disaster. May has been considerably better.

Their "numbers" for April showed a team that was better than their record... Not a playoff team by any stretch, but better than what their record was.

No denying the roster has talent... And there's still some quality left on the "farm".

Kuechel threw a decent game on Saturday... He may be coming around.

I wouldn't cross the team off just yet. The Rangers started out pretty abysmally last year also.

 

[Biggems]

They seem to be getting it together both offensively and with the starting pitching. They are playing much better as of late. With the win today, they are only 6 games under .500......

 

[MichaelWinicki]

They seem to be getting it together both offensively and with the starting pitching. They are playing much better as of late. With the win today, they are only 6 games under .500......

Talent-wise this is at least the 2nd best team in the division. Everything went wrong in April that could go wrong... especially with the pitching.

 

[YosemiteSam]

It's good to see you guys turning it around now. From what I read, you guys are 21-13 since the end of April. It's Rangers vs Astros time!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Astros are now 5 games over .500

Rangers are still far ahead, but to reach the playoffs the Astros don't have to top the Rangers... Their main competition looks like Boston, Toronto, KC & Detroit.

The starting pitching has stabilized and they're getting production from spots 5-9 in the lineup.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Astros still have some issues... They have the worst production in MLB out of their centerfielders. They're bad at the production of 1B and DH.

You would think they could do better at DH, but it just hasn't worked out that way. Gattis as the fulltime DH is a car-wreck. He's much more useful as a catcher. Not sure what they're going to do about the CF problem.

 

[Biggems]

Astros still have some issues... They have the worst production in MLB out of their centerfielders. They're bad at the production of 1B and DH.

You would think they could do better at DH, but it just hasn't worked out that way. Gattis as the fulltime DH is a car-wreck. He's much more useful as a catcher. Not sure what they're going to do about the CF problem.

I am not a fan of Gomez at all. I hated the trade then, and I really do now.

As for 1st base, I wonder if Gattis could play there....maybe playing in the field would get his bat going better. I didn't know he could even play catcher, since they are almost never on TV.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I am not a fan of Gomez at all. I hated the trade then, and I really do now.

As for 1st base, I wonder if Gattis could play there....maybe playing in the field would get his bat going better. I didn't know he could even play catcher, since they are almost never on TV.

The challenge with Gattis is that he'll give you a little power but virtually no walks. His average will hover around .240 and his OBP will stay at less than .300

For a catcher you can live with that but for DH, 1B, LF... A good team needs to have better.

 

[calico]

4 games til the break. If they sweep the As then they reach 50 wins by the break. I would have never thought that possible a month ago.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

4 games til the break. If they sweep the As then they reach 50 wins by the break. I would have never thought that possible a month ago.

The talent on this club sure as heck wasn't at a 7-17 level.

The bad luck they had the first month combined with flat out miserable starting pitching for the first week and stupid base running mistakes was stunning.

Right now the bullpen is electric.

The fielding is superb.

The lineup ranges from great (2B, RF, SS) to good (3B, C) to OK (LF) to poor (CF, 1B, DH). There are a couple holes there that if filled this team would be that much better... Maybe Reed will be the answer at 1B. Gomez has been better.

The starting pitching is a #2 guy in McCullers and 4 #3's. I'd fee much better about the starting staff if Kuechel stepped it up. 6-9 with a 5.00 doesn't cut it. This team needs one dominant starter who's good for win whenever they go out there.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Houston is 48-41 at the break 5.5 games behind the Rangers for the division lead and are 2 games behind in the Wildcard race.

After starting out 7-17, they've gone 41-24.

For them to take the division they're going to have to learn how to beat Texas, whom they don't meet again until August.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Wow!

Houston just dropped some coin!

Spent $47 mil on a 32 YO Cuban star.

I expect he'll be on the 25-roster soon... Not necessarily within the next couple days or next couple weeks but it may not be long.

 

[Tabascocat]

Wow!

Houston just dropped some coin!

Spent $47 mil on a 32 YO Cuban star.

I expect he'll be on the 25-roster soon... Not necessarily within the next couple days or next couple weeks but it may not be long.

Pretty big risk considering:
1. 32 years old
2. never played in MLB
3. plays infield which Houston is set at 2nd and SS. They have a young stud at 3rd(Bregman) rising up fast. He plays SS but can move to third.

Gurriel has played CF awhile ago, maybe they try to squeeze him in there or use him for DH? Is there a trade in the works to unload an infielder for a stud starter in the rotation?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Pretty big risk considering:
1. 32 years old
2. never played in MLB
3. plays infield which Houston is set at 2nd and SS. They have a young stud at 3rd(Bregman) rising up fast. He plays SS but can move to third.

Gurriel has played CF awhile ago, maybe they try to squeeze him in there or use him for DH? Is there a trade in the works to unload an infielder for a stud starter in the rotation?

Your guess is as good as mine at this point...

I could see some LF and some fill-in at 3B.

A RH DH could be where he gets most of his AB's. Gattis has been wretched as a RH DH.

The team has been dreadful vs. LHers. The RH's just aren't hitting them.

Could be a trade coming for more starting pitching... Can't see them giving up Bregman. They missed out on Bryant when they drafted Appel. Can't see them screwing up again.

Yeah it is a risk... Could blow up in their faces. Could also give them a decent bat where they do not have to give up a draft pick or a player.

We'll see.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

And the Alex Bregman era starts in Houston.

A good team is getting a little better.

Not sure where he plays this season, but I'm guessing a lot in left-field with some time at 3B, SS and 2nd Base.

 

[Tabascocat]

Welcome to the big leagues Bregman

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Have lost 5 of 6 and the series in Detroit was a car-wreck.

The only did one trade- Feldman to Toronto for a decent prospect.

I'll take that. The current team isn't WS ready. No sense gutting the prospect list for rental players.

Shoot for a wildcard spot.