The Houston Astros played their hearts out, I'm damn proud of them (Spring: appointed, lawyers)

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by jfre81

Wouldn't call it forgettable. This was still only the sixth team to play in a championship series for a franchise that's played 57 seasons. Biggio got to 3,000 hits in 2007, a season where nothing else of note happened. That's forgettable to me.

There's a MMP security guard who had a lot better look at it than Joe West. The one blocking the one TV camera that had a chance to capture exactly what point in the air the ball, the fan's hand and Mookie Betts' glove met.

That security guard would have thrown that fan out of the game if there was interference with a ball in play, one would imagine.

I'm not sure we were packing the gear to outlast them for seven games even if it counted. Too many guys playing hurt, and the mid-rotation guys like McCullers and Morton didn't have the same magic.

Hopefully the future holds enough success to make 2018 forgettable. In 10 years if we are still reminiscing about making a ALCS that we lost in 5 games then the future obviously wasn't as bright as we had hoped.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

In 10 years if we are still reminiscing about making a ALCS that we lost in 5 games then the future obviously wasn't as bright as we had hoped.

That pretty much was our lot in the baseball world until last year. Let's not act like spoiled Yankee fans.

103 wins is still a club record.

[ftbend06]

We were good but Boston has the more stacked team this year and their pitching exceeded expectations while ours underperformed. They won something like 108 games, it was not a huge shock to lose. Only thing I’m not thrilled about is getting swept at home like that; that was painful. But I agree I’m proud of them and looking forward to next yr. No one’s entitled, not even a really good team, to go back to back. That’s extremely hard. It’s been a good last 2 years, hoping for continued success going forward.

[Houston321]

Houston fans are so soft. Boston may have won 108 games, but our lineup is better top to bottom, especially pitching. They didn't step up and deserved to lose.

[AcresHomes44]

Houston had a pretty good run. Knowing them, they'll rebuild for next season.

[thenewtexan]

Boston fan here. You guys aren't going anywhere. Everyone knows what we went through for decades. Last year, after you eliminated the Red Sox, we were pulling for you guys, especially after the whole Harvey fiasco. Houston needed that championship, and you got it.

[ftbend06]

Originally Posted by Houston321

Houston fans are so soft. Boston may have won 108 games, but our lineup is better top to bottom, especially pitching. They didn't step up and deserved to lose.

Our lineup wasn’t better top to bottom esp with altuve and correa not 100%. Not to mention we just didn’t hit like we did last year (before and during playoffs). It was not the same offensive output. On pitching I’ll agree with you. Frankly doesn’t bother me that verlander gave up a few bombs, at least he was throwing strikes and challenging people.. what bothers me is multiple other pitchers either couldn’t find the zone or were afraid they’d get hit, and then would HAVE to throw strikes with lots of runners on base and that’s when the damage occurred. I feel like I saw a lot of that. We’ll be back next year.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by Houston321

Houston fans are so soft.

The opposite side of that coin would be the pinstripe fandom who have been calling for Aaron Boone's head because the Yankees weren't better than the Red Sox, and complaining that Joe Girardi isn't there, when they did the exact same thing to Joe Girardi because he wasn't Joe Torre and the Red Sox were better than the Yankees that year too.

I think there's a sliding scale between the unrealistic expectation that you should be in the World Series every year, and the traditional "our boys did real good and we love 'em because they play the game the right way" that we gave the 90s Astros when they forgot to show up at all for the postseason after they made it. Let's try to find the middle of that scale.

This team didn't deserve to beat a record-setting Boston team. It would frankly cheat baseball history if that team doesn't win it all. When the question of who wins the AL MVP comes down to two guys in the same lineup, you're clearly the best team in the league, and both of those guys showed up for October.

If we had 100% health from Altuve and Correa, who were in 2017 similar to what Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez are for Boston, then that might have changed.

Instead, even Altuve playing DH was making me cringe every time he slid or even rounded first to make a hit anything more than a single. His legs and knees do more work in his swing than the average big leaguer's. The way he kicks back and steps into a swing is how a guy that small hits the ball so hard. Everything he did hurt and it showed. He'd be on the DL if this was regular season, but it's not and he was out there Kirk Gibsoning it. Jose's definitely not soft. But it's better for his longterm health that he's done til spring.

And what's better for Jose Altuve is better for the future of the Houston Astros.







Plus, he "plays the game the right way" just like we like.

[jfre81]

I do wish Houston fans would quit doing the wave, especially when the Astros are batting and/or there's a no-hitter going(!) - can we include that in the definition of "soft?"

That's second-tier market stuff. It's not 1985. Or at least save it for rainbow-gut retro night where it belongs.

Championships should mature a fanbase a little. Let it happen.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by jfre81

The opposite side of that coin would be the pinstripe fandom who have been calling for Aaron Boone's head because the Yankees weren't better than the Red Sox, and complaining that Joe Girardi isn't there, when they did the exact same thing to Joe Girardi because he wasn't Joe Torre and the Red Sox were better than the Yankees that year too.

I think there's a sliding scale between the unrealistic expectation that you should be in the World Series every year, and the traditional "our boys did real good and we love 'em because they play the game the right way" that we gave the 90s Astros when they forgot to show up at all for the postseason after they made it. Let's try to find the middle of that scale.

This team didn't deserve to beat a record-setting Boston team. It would frankly cheat baseball history if that team doesn't win it all. When the question of who wins the AL MVP comes down to two guys in the same lineup, you're clearly the best team in the league, and both of those guys showed up for October.

If we had 100% health from Altuve and Correa, who were in 2017 similar to what Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez are for Boston, then that might have changed.

Instead, even Altuve playing DH was making me cringe every time he slid or even rounded first to make a hit anything more than a single. His legs and knees do more work in his swing than the average big leaguer's. The way he kicks back and steps into a swing is how a guy that small hits the ball so hard. Everything he did hurt and it showed. He'd be on the DL if this was regular season, but it's not and he was out there Kirk Gibsoning it. Jose's definitely not soft. But it's better for his longterm health that he's done til spring.

And what's better for Jose Altuve is better for the future of the Houston Astros.

Plus, he "plays the game the right way" just like we like.

I'll agree we should temper expectations but I hope that this generation of Astros does not end up like the 90's Atlanta Braves who dominated the national league and were the consensus "best team in baseball" for most of the decade but only managed 1 world series title.

As far as cheating history the difference between 108 wins and 103 is negligible. The Seattle Mariners won 116 in 2001 but were taken out of the ALCS in 5 in that year. The American league west was a deeper division top to bottom than the American East as well, which may account for more than 5 games in difference. If we just go by regular season records what's the use of even having a playoff.

The Astros need to find out why they scored 2 fewer runs a game at home than on the road last season. I think the acquisition of Roberto Osuna was a mistake not because of his performance , even though he melted in game 3, but because it not only disturbed the chemistry of the team but also tarnished the image of the team.

I am looking forward to what offseason acquisitions the Astros make. I doubt we will see Keuchel next year, Osuna hopefully will be gone as well. A left handed bat with power would be nice along with a new closer. They will have a new 2018 Divisional title banner to unveil come April, but 2019 will be a whole new year..