Dying Love?
AJ Hoffman: Osuna trade makes Astros a little less lovable
Jul 31, 2018, 4:17 pm
The Astros appear to be willing to win at all costs. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Astros were the feel-good team of last season. They persevered and won a championship in a year when their home city was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey. The team had great chemistry and for the most part was an extremely likable group of players. If you are a fan of the Red Sox, Yankees or Dodgers, it makes sense that you cheered against the Astros, at least in those particular series.
For the majority of people who didn’t have a dog in the fight, however, the Astros were an easy team to cheer for.
This year’s squad added a few pieces, but for the most part had the same feel. That all changed with the Roberto Osuna trade. I know, “we don’t know the details” behind his domestic violence accusation. We do know that police found enough to warrant arresting him. We do know that he didn’t appeal his suspension, even though it was the longest suspension handed out for domestic violence in the history of the game. We do know that Jeff Luhnow said that the team had done their due diligence and that Osuna is “remorseful” and has “willfully complied with all consequences related to his past behavior.”
That last nugget is interesting for multiple reasons. Doesn’t Luhnow saying Osuna is remorseful mean that he is admitting to the accusation? Does anyone have remorse over something they didn’t do? Secondly, how is it possible to say that he has “willingly complied with all consequences” when he still has a court date, where he plans to plead not guilty.
When video surfaced of Astros prospect Danry Vasquez hitting his girlfriend multiple times in a staircase, the Astros acted quickly, releasing him from the organization.
Well respected players on the team, including Justin Verlander and Lance McCullers tweeted strong statements about the video, including Verlander saying “I hope the rest of your life without baseball is horrible. You deserve all that is coming your way.”
Today, video of Verlander was released asking his thoughts on the signing. Of note, Verlander, arguably the most accomplished player in the organization, said that management did not discuss the move with him. Verlander said that he stands by his words, but has now been put into the obviously awkward situation of having to “wait on all the information.” It’s pretty clear that he isn’t happy about the trade, and I highly doubt that many in the notoriously light and fun-loving clubhouse are.
This trade has turned maybe the most likable team in baseball into something that feels slimy and gross. They have put winning above all else, which in this case means above their integrity.
It reeks of desperation, particularly because it seems like it wasn’t necessary. There were plenty of relief pitchers on the market if they absolutely had to have one, but most considered them amongst the favorites to win again even as they were constructed.
In 2003, the Astros announced that Julio Lugo, their starting shortstop, was no longer on the team a mere 8 hours after he was accused of hitting his wife and banging her head off of his vehicle. The decision was quick, and it was the right call. It definitely hurt the team (who by the way finished 1 game out in the NL Central that year), but then GM Gerry Hunsicker decided that the organization’s integrity was more important that any one individual.
Jeff Luhnow felt differently. He decided that the team’s “zero tolerance” policy on domestic violence, actually left room for a little bit of tolerance.
The fact of the matter is if the Astros win another World Series this year, most fans will forget about Osuna’s past over time. But right now, it seems like the Astros are hurting their reputation and the chemistry of their team in order for them to feel a little better in the 9th inning.
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After finishing up with the Guardians the Astros have a rather important series for early May with the Seattle Mariners heading to town for the weekend. While it’s still too early to be an absolute must-win series for the Astros, losing the series to drop seven or eight games off the division lead would make successfully defending their American League West title that much more unlikely.
Since their own stumble out of the gate to a 6-10 record the Mariners have been racking up series wins, including one this week over the Atlanta Braves. The M’s offense is largely Mmm Mmm Bad, but their pitching is sensational. In 18 games after a 4-8 start, the Mariners gave up five runs in a game once. In the other 17 games they only gave up four runs once. Over the 18 games their starting pitchers gave up 18 earned runs total with a 1.44 earned run average. That’s absurd. Coming into the season Seattle’s starting rotation was clearly better on paper than those of the Astros and Texas Rangers, and it has crystal clearly played out as such into the second month of the schedule.
While it’s natural to focus on and fret over one’s own team's woes when they are plentiful as they have been for the Astros, a reminder that not all grass is greener elsewhere. Alex Bregman has been awful so far. So has young Mariners’ superstar Julio Rodriguez. A meager four extra base hits over his first 30 games were all Julio produced down at the ballyard. That the Mariners are well ahead of the Astros with J-Rod significantly underperforming is good news for Seattle.
Caratini comes through!
So it turns out the Astros are allowed to have a Puerto Rican-born catcher who can hit a little bit. Victor Caratini’s pedigree is not that of a quality offensive player, but he has swung the bat well thus far in his limited playing time and provided the most exciting moment of the Astros’ season with his two-out two-run 10th inning game winning home run Tuesday night. I grant that one could certainly say “Hey! Ronel Blanco finishing off his no-hitter has been the most exciting moment.” I opt for the suddenness of Caratini’s blow turning near defeat into instant victory for a team that has been lousy overall to this point. Frittering away a game the Astros had led 8-3 would have been another blow. Instead, to the Victor belong the spoils.
Pudge Rodriguez is the greatest native Puerto Rican catcher, but he was no longer a good hitter when with the Astros for the majority of the 2009 season. Then there’s Martin Maldonado.
Maldonado’s hitting stats with the Astros look Mike Piazza-ian compared to what Jose Abreu was doing this season. Finally, mercifully for all, Abreu is off the roster as he accepts a stint at rookie-level ball in Florida to see if he can perform baseball-CPR on his swing and career. Until or unless he proves otherwise, Abreu is washed up and at some point the Astros will have to accept it and swallow whatever is left on his contract that runs through next season. For now Abreu makes over $120,000 per game to not be on the roster. At his level of performance, that’s a better deal than paying him that money to be on the roster.
Abreu’s seven hits in 71 at bats for an .099 batting average with a .269 OPS is a humiliating stat line. In 2018 George Springer went to sleep the night of June 13 batting .293 after going hitless in his last four at bats in a 13-5 Astros’ win over Oakland. At the time no one could have ever envisioned that Springer had started a deep, deep funk which would have him endure a nightmarish six for 78 stretch at the plate (.077 batting average). Springer then hit .293 the rest of the season.
Abreu’s exile opened the door for Joey Loperfido to begin his Major League career. Very cool for Loperfido to smack a two-run single in his first game. He also struck out twice. Loperfido will amass whiffs by the bushel, he had 37 strikeouts in 101 at bats at AAA Sugar Land. Still, if he can hit .225 with some walks mixed in (he drew 16 with the Space Cowboys) and deliver some of his obvious power (13 homers in 25 games for the ex-Skeeters) that’s an upgrade over Abreu/Jon Singleton, as well as over Jake Meyers and the awful showing Chas McCormick has posted so far. Frankly, it seems unwise that the Astros only had Loperfido play seven games at first base in the minors this year. If McCormick doesn’t pick it up soon and with Meyers displaying limited offensive upside, the next guy worth a call-up is outfielder Pedro Leon. In January 2021 the Astros gave Leon four million dollars to sign out of Cuba and called him a “rapid mover to the Major Leagues.” Well…
Over his first three minor league seasons Leon flashed tools but definitely underwhelmed. He has been substantially better so far this year. He turns 26 May 28. Just maybe the Astros offense could be the cause of fewer Ls with Loperfido at first and Leon in center field.
Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and I discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via YouTube: stone cold stros - YouTube with the complete audio available via Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.