NO CAP
Astros remind Houston “there's still a good window available” for more championships
Oct 24, 2023, 11:20 am
Astros look ahead after losing ALCS to Rangers. Composite Getty Image.
Another award-filled offseason could await the Houston Astros
Few people on the planet could have more reason to be devastated after the Houston Astros 11-4 ALCS Game 7 loss to the Texas Rangers than second baseman José Altuve.
This is a man, after all, who single-handedly snatched a victory from the Rangers in Game 5 when he demolished a three-run homer in the 9th inning, taking the Astros from a 4-2 deficit to a 5-4 win and thus helping cement a return to Houston and another title win.
But as he stood in a sedate Astros clubhouse in Minute Maid Park after the 11-4 stunner, Altuve displayed the calm, balanced demeanor that has made him a team superhero during the Astros recent reign.
“That’s baseball,” he told the media gathered around him late Monday, October 23. “Sometimes you’re winning, sometimes you're losing. You have good games…and not good games. I think, you know, we [have had] some ups and downs through everybody’s career…sometimes, like I said, winning, sometimes, you lose. That’s baseball — and you have to move on.”
Just how can he move on? He remembers — and wants everyone to know — that he and his teammates “never give up,” and, “that we play a hundred percent.”
Alex Bregman, who like Altuve, helped the Astros claim two World Series wins in five years, seemed to reflect the daze of so many fans swarming out of the stadium. “I respect these guys so much,” the third baseman and proverbial slugger told the press. “It’s gonna be a different team … knowing that it could be the last time playing with some of these guys is tough.”
Like Altuve, Bregman rallied in Game 7, blasting a signature Breggy Bomb against Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer in the third inning, bringing the Astros within two runs. But, Bregman added, “it comes down to execution, and we didn't do a good enough job of that. And they did, and you tip your hat to them.”
Questions rightfully turned to Bregman’s contract extension with the team; he, like Altuve, is a free agent after 2024. He hadn’t even thought of that, he revealed, choosing to focus on a Game 7 win. But the third baseman who has battled back time and time against injury and setback to ultimately hoist a World Series trophy reminded fans that isn’t closed to done.
“When you set out in spring training, you set out to win a championship,” he said. “But, you know, we failed plenty of times in this game and … it kind of keeps you hungry and keeps you coming back for more, and lights a fire in you to continue to try and get better.”
And that was the beauty of Altuve’s and Bregman’s comments that night. The duo and team have, with their success, spoiled us to the point we now just expect a World Series trophy each year — not a bad thing for Houston fans.
Hours later, as national pundits fired off articles marking the “end of a dynasty,” the two superstars responsible for the Astros two gleaming World Series trophies showed the steely resolve that the traits needed to get through a triple-digit game season, divisional and conference playoffs, and a championship: calm, grit, and resilience.
So, as the talking heads pen their “Rangers are the next dynasty” pieces (yes, those Rangers — the oldest MLB team to never win the World Series), fans can look to future Hall of Famers Altuve, Bregman, and the other pivotal player (and future Hall member) who guided a team to two titles: towering ace pitcher Justin Verlander.
“That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come back here,” Verlander told the media of his excitement returning to Houston via a trade with the New York Mets this season for another run. “It’s a little early to say I’m excited about next year — I’m still dealing with this — but that was on my mind before.”
And then, the line that should give grieving fans hope, and those hysterically hyperbolic sports writers pause as they anoint the next kings:
“I think moving forward,” Verlander added, “there’s still a good window available.”
Not matter who returns, our Astros will be ready to reign next year, Houston. And so should we.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
_____________________________________________
*Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!