The Astros should go farther in 2019 than in 2018
Why the Astros are the team to beat this postseason
Sep 30, 2019, 6:55 am
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Going into October in 2018, it appeared that the Astros were poised to be repeat champions. They cruised past the Indians in the ALDS, sweeping them in three games to indicate that the team that won the World Series in 2017 had gotten even better. They continued that momentum into the ALCS against the Red Sox, stealing Game 1 on the road in Boston. Then, the Astros met a disappointing fate by dropping the next four games, including the Game 5 loss at home in Houston which sent Boston on to their eventual World Series win.
Last year's best just got beat. #CLINCHED pic.twitter.com/iUhdEZIrKS
— MLB (@MLB) October 19, 2018
While losing in the ALCS and not being able to defend their crown in the World Series was a disappointing result to 2018's season considering the high expectations, it was not completely a result of underperformance. There were several components to last year's playoff run that the Astros have improved on, making them once again the team to beat going into October:
They're more healthy this go-around
Probably the most significant difference between this year's team and last: their core players are mostly healthy. One of the disappointments of last year was Jose Altuve unable to perform to his usual level due to lingering injuries. This year, he appears to be at 100 percent, along with most of Houston's roster. The biggest question mark in regards to the team's health going into Friday's ALDS Game 1 is Carlos Correa. While the current report is that he could be ready to play, until he's in the lineup and looks to be at his best, his track record of injuries and re-injury will leave concern with many heading into October.
They've got the best pitchers
I do not envy Cy Young voters. Picking between Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole is going to be such a hair-splitting task that it very well could end in a tie. While that will be interesting to see come November when it's announced, in October the duo will lead the Astros as the best two starters of the bunch. Sure, the fourth spot in the playoff rotation will be interesting, but when you have Verlander and Cole starting the first two games of the series, the Astros have as good a chance of anyone of starting each series 2-0 with two more starts from them in the seven-game sets. Add to them the freshly acquired Zack Greinke, and any offense going up against the Astros in the postseason should know they have an uphill battle in front of them at the plate.
The bullpen is also shaping up to be successful for the Astros. As was on display this past weekend in the series with the Angels, the trio of Will Harris, Ryan Pressly, and Roberto Osuna could be lights out against anyone in the final three innings of a game. While we await the playoff roster to see who else will join them, they should be able to pick the best few arms to add to the before-mentioned trio to close out these tightly contested games.
9 pitches. 3 Ks.
Will Harris is IMMACULATE. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GvBMaPs2ZG
— MLB (@MLB) September 28, 2019
Their offense is better than ever
Yordan Alvarez. That's it, that's all I need to say. Seriously, though, the potent offense that Houston's fans have become accustomed to over the last two years has gotten even better in 2019. One piece of that is the rookie phenom Alvarez who has shattered records and been a force to reckon with, but it's also potential MVP winner Alex Bregman who took another step forward in his career this year. Then, there's Michael Brantley, new to the team for 2019, who despite a down September has been the epitome of consistency in Houston's lineup.
You also have to consider George Springer, who had an even better season at the plate than he did before going on to win the 2017 World Series MVP. If he takes things up another notch in the playoffs, as he's been able to do the last two years, then we could be in for a lot of dingers. You add to them a healthy Jose Altuve and possibly Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel who broke through with a 31 home run 104 RBI season, and the cliche of "there's no easy out in this lineup" becomes as accurate as ever for this team.
They're seasoned and experienced
The core of this team has tasted success and defeat in the playoffs. With that, they also realize that the key to them finishing the playoffs on top is the same as the one they used to finish the regular season with the best record: be themselves and play their brand of baseball. Don't expect them to get overly aggressive at the plate or on the mound for the sake of having a personal highlight, because they should know that's not what led them to 107 victories this year.
Instead, I would expect the veteran leadership of this team, much like Carlos Beltran did for the younger squad in 2017, to help keep the clubhouse loose and upbeat. With a team this stacked, the only ones that should be able to beat them is themselves, so they have to avoid getting in their own heads.
Having said all this, when the playoffs get underway this week, regular-season success (other than home-field advantage, which the Astros will have all the way) is no longer significant. All that matters is winning the game ahead of you, and I think that this Astros team's makeup puts them in position to beat anyone in that scenario.
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Josh Allen has never said a bad word about Stefon Diggs. As the Buffalo Bills prepare to face their former star receiver in a visit to Houston on Sunday, he insists the two went their separate ways on good terms.
And the quarterback wasn’t changing his stance a week ago, not wanting to ruffle any feathers when asked about the early season success the Bills have enjoyed with their spread-the-ball motto on offense.
He later explained that he spoke out after reading comments on social media in which people were attempting to twist the “everybody eats” motto into something being directed at Diggs.
Allen understands why Buffalo facing Diggs for the first time since a blockbuster trade sent him to Houston this offseason is a big deal. He raved about his former teammate.
“I’ve got a lot of love for him. I still do,” Allen said. “The things that he did for me in my career, and the things that he did in a Buffalo Bill uniform won’t be forgotten anytime soon, especially from me … (but) going into Year 7, I understand the business, and the aspect of what this league is, and again, I’m just trying to focus on what we got going on in this building.”
Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowler, is second on the Texans with 25 receptions for 233 yards. He has two receiving touchdowns and had the first rushing score of his career last week against the Jaguars. He spent the last four seasons in Buffalo, where he had more than 1,100 yards receiving each year, highlighted by an NFL-leading and career-high 1,535 yards in 2020.
He didn’t address Allen directly this week when talking about his time in Buffalo. Diggs did say his tenure with the Bills was “amazing” but that he’s solely focused on his future now and not interested in rehashing the past.
“A lot of other people are going to feel a way or have a lot to say about X, Y, Z, and I’m not mad at it,” he said Wednesday. “Football is a very emotional sport. I go in there and wear my heart on my sleeve, and I won’t stop, but for me, I block out the noise.”
“Nobody is going to run the routes but me,” he continued. “Nobody is going to watch the tape but me. I try not to get back into the back and forth about the opinions or how people feel. I’ve got a job to do; I try to get it done.”
Diggs has helped the Texans to a 3-1 start and Allen hasn’t missed a beat without him. The Bills also are 3-1, though they’re looking to bounce back after a 35-10 loss to the Ravens last week.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans certainly knew how talented Diggs was when he arrived in Houston but said he has been pleasantly surprised to see his passion for the game.
“He loves football … you see it in the way he practices, the way he plays the game,” Ryans said. “He loves ball, he plays with effort and that is all you want.”
The blame game
Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady was still kicking himself for calling a trick play that backfired, squelching any chance of a Buffalo rally in the loss to Baltimore.
After opening the second half with a TD to cut the deficit to 21-10, the Bills faced second-and-7 at the Baltimore 44, when receiver Curtis Samuel took a direct snap and pitched the ball to Allen. The Ravens weren’t fooled and forced a fumble, which led to a TD six plays later.
“I probably can’t say it on Zoom,” Brady said when asked to sum up the call in one word. “There’s no excuses. I can give the justification of why it was on the call sheet, but at the end of the day, the timing was not what it should’ve been and it was costly.”
Nico’s start
While much of the focus this week has been on Diggs facing his former team, the star of Houston’s offense so far this season has been another receiver. Nico Collins had a career-high 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars for his third 100-yard game this season. He leads the NFL with 489 yards receiving and is the first player in franchise history with more than 450 yards receiving though the first four games.
“He’s a strong, physical, fast, and big receiver,” Ryans said. “That’s an easy target for C.J. (Stroud) and Nico has showed up every time that we needed him.”
Feeding Samuel
In the Bills’ “everybody eats” motto on offense, Samuel has had difficulty finding a regular place at the table. The eighth-year player who enjoyed his best season in Carolina under Brady as the Panthers coordinator in 2020 has been limited to eight catches for 48 yards. More curious is Samuel has been on the field for only 68 of a total of 230 offensive snaps.
“We’d love to get him going and whether or not Khalil is in or out this week,” Allen said, referring to receiver Khalil Shakir, who is nursing a right ankle injury. “So we’re going to be calling on his number, and he is going to have to step up, make some plays, which we’ve got no doubt in his ability.”
Update: Shakir has been ruled out (ankle) for Sunday's game.