MAKING MEMORIES
Dear Astros: Thank you, from a lifelong Houston sports fan
Nov 2, 2017, 8:40 am
The title was special. Harry How/Getty Images
I’m tired of the cloud that hangs over Houston sports.
I’m tired of being reminded of the Renfro catch vs the Steelers in ’79.
The Phi Slama Jama losses to NC State and Georgetown.
The soul crushing loss in ’80 to the Phillies, and ’86 to the Mets.
The 1998 letdown by the best team in baseball.
Albert Pujols stealing Brad Lidge’s soul.
Damian Lillard.
The game 7 blowout vs the Mavs.
Getting swept by the White Sox in 2005.
35-3.
There’s a ton more examples I could list, but I’m tired of re-visiting them.
I’m tired of expecting things to go wrong.
I’m tired of the knot in my stomach when you know it’s not over and they can still find a way to lose.
I’m tired of letdowns.
I’m tired of the disappointment.
I’m tired of the teams I root for not getting respect nationally.
I’m tired of feeling like the teams in Houston are cursed.
I’m tired of “maybe next year.”
Some of you will read this and say, but what about 1994 and 1995? The Rockets and Clutch City? Yep, those were amazing but you can’t shake that asterisk.
* Jordan wasn’t there.
I’m tired of the asterisks.
So last night was special.
I went from tired to thankful.
I’m thankful that this time there is no no asterisk (second best record in the AL and beat the Red Sox, the Yankees and the Dodgers in the playoffs).
I’m thankful for the best game of baseball I’ve ever watched (World Series Game 5 – I think that’s when I started to think, maybe the fog over Houston Sports is lifting).
I’m thankful to the Astros for making this city believe again. For making me believe again.
Thank you for not quitting.
Thank you for being clutch.
Thank you for being there for the city during Harvey.
Thank you, Astros.
#EarnedIt
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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