BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Turns out Phillies media is only slightly detached from reality regarding Houston Astros, World Series
Oct 27, 2022, 12:39 pm
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Earlier this week I was watching the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. During his monologue, Colbert mentioned the upcoming World Series and called the Astros "cheaters." I hit rewind, taped his dumbass remark and posted it on Twitter. That lit a fuse. Right up top was this comment by Philadelphia media personality Glen Macnow.
"Because it's true."
Now you've gone and done it. Remember that song by Michael Jackson ... Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'?
Macnow is a big deal on the Philadelphia sports scene. He's been a sports columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, talk host on WIP and author of several books including The Great Philadelphia Fan Book. Up in Philly, they call him "The Professor" because he used to teach at St. Joseph's University. He's also part-owner of five Conshohocken Brewing Company pubs.
He's a friend. We started as rookie reporters together at Today newspaper in Cocoa, Florida. We lived in the same apartment building in Cape Canaveral. The ground shook and windows rattled during a launch. On slow news days, like hard-charging, ambitious reporters we often went out "into the field" to "beat the bushes for stories" ... and by that, I mean we drove down to Melbourne to bet on jai alai.
OK, Macnow, defend your tweet. And answer a few more questions to rile up Astros fans. Trust me, you're poking a bear that don't need poking.
SportsMap: Seriously, do you believe that the Astros are (present tense) cheaters?
Macnow: Do I think they're currently cheating? I don't know. But we all know they got caught cheating before, and that stink will stick to them through the ages. Always and forever when people look back at this franchise they'll think of cameras and buzzers and using trash cans as bass drums. Hey, the rest of the baseball world regards Mike Fiers as Karen Silkwood.
SportsMap: Weren't the Phillies the target of cheating accusations recently, too?
Macnow: Are you referring to Kevin Gross getting caught using sandpaper in 1987? Or to the 1901 Phillies running a wire from the outfield wall to the third baseman? Yeah, those are certainly relevant arguments these days. What else you got?
Editor's note: The Phillies were accused of cheating as recently as 2009 during the season and in the NLCS and World Series.
2009, Phillies. Accused of using video cameras to steal signs during the season and in the NLCS and World Series. https://t.co/plez10RftP pic.twitter.com/ThvFSM0Ios
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) August 30, 2020
SportsMap: After the Phillies won the NLCS, their fans were chanting, "We want Houston." Think that was smart? How'd that work out for Yankees fans who chanted the same thing?
Macnow: The fans were chanting that because they knew the team was going to face the Astros. That was a foregone conclusion. What would you want them to be chanting at the time, "Dallas sucks?" Actually, they chanted that as well, but that's a football crossover that gets shouted at every sports and civic event in Philadelphia. Hey, if the Astros need this for bulletin board material, they're a sensitive lot.
SportsMap: Let's see, the Astros had a better record this year in a tougher league, they have the Cy Young winner going in Game One, they have more players with postseason experience, and they have home field advantage. What makes you think the Phillies will win the World Series?
Macnow: Well, I'm not going to tell you that the Phillies are a more talented team, because they're not. We're loud in this town, but we're not stupid. I do note, however, that the aforementioned Justin Verlander is 0-6 with a 5.68 earned run average in seven World Series starts, and that trend must mean something. The Phillies are suspect on defense. Their bullpen is shallow. They were the last team to make the playoffs and had just the 10th-best record in the Majors this year. But they were a team with high expectations going into the season, and they're gelling at just the right time. They can beat you with power and beat you with small ball. They've got Wheeler and Nola going four of the seven games, and both of those pitchers have been terrific recently. Underdogs frequently win in the postseason. I'll ride with the mojo.
SportsMap: For Astros fans flying up for Games 3 and 4 (get it?), where's the best Philly cheesesteak in Philly?
Macnow: You should avoid the usual tourist traps. Instead, find your way to Steve's Prince of Steaks, Dalessandro's, Sonny's Famous or Tony Luke's. Or, perhaps even better, get to John's Roast Pork in South Philadelphia, which not only has a terrific cheesesteak, but may have the best sandwich in town right in its name. Roast pork sandwiches - with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe - are a gastronomic specialty of this town and well worth the trip. Better than a cheesesteak. Just don't go in there - or anywhere - wearing one of those ugly Astros jerseys.
A step too far?
No wonder Astros fans might think it’s us against the world. I have an Echo smart speaker from Amazon. I asked “Alexa,” who’s going to win the World Series? Here’s her answer, and I’m not kidding.
“This year I'm a Philly Phanatic. The Astros might be the favorite but allow me a little name-dropping. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola are two bona fide ace starting pitchers for the Phillies with magical right arms. So my pick goes to the underdog, the Philadelphia Phillies who are on a roll knocking off three tough opponents with strong pitching and timely hitting. Houston, you're going to have a problem.”
Hey “Alexa,” the Houston problem thing is tired and why am I arguing with you, you're just a stupid computer voice.
For the record, I asked “Siri” the same question. She said she didn’t know.
Just one week ago, it looked like the Astros’ bats might finally be waking up. There was a noticeable uptick in offensive numbers, optimism in the air, and a belief creeping in that Houston could be on the verge of an offensive breakthrough. But if there was any momentum building, it collapsed over the past week.
In their latest seven-game stretch, the Astros were near the bottom of the league in virtually every key offensive metric — 24th in runs scored, 27th in OPS (.610), and 26th in slugging percentage (.337). These numbers aren't just a one-week blip. They are more aligned with the team’s season-long struggles, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to argue that the Astros are simply off to a slow start. The numbers don’t lie: 25th in home runs (39), 20th in OPS (.689), 23rd in slugging (.372), and 20th in total runs.
The hope was that Houston’s offense would eventually climb into the top 10. That no longer feels realistic. What’s becoming clearer each week is that this is a bottom-third offense — and the only thing keeping them competitive is elite pitching.
Pitching keeps the ship afloat
While the bats have sputtered, the arms have delivered. The Astros currently rank 7th in team ERA (3.39), 1st in WHIP (1.12), and 2nd in opponent batting average (.212). That’s championship-caliber stuff. But as the American League hierarchy takes shape, it’s worth noting that contenders like the Yankees and Tigers boast both top-five pitching and offense — a balance the Astros currently can’t come close to matching.
Core hitters going quiet
So what’s wrong with the offense? Much of it comes down to three players who were supposed to be key contributors: Jose Altuve, Christian Walker, and Yainer Diaz. All three rank in the bottom 30 in MLB in OPS.
For Altuve, the struggles are especially glaring. The month of May has been a black hole for the veteran. He has yet to hit a home run or drive in a run this month. His season numbers (.241/.296/.646) are troubling enough, but the trend line is even worse:
That last stretch has Altuve ranked with the 8th worst OPS (.537) in all of baseball over the last month.
Yet despite the slump — and a 35-year-old body showing signs of wear — Altuve continues to be penciled into the lineup almost daily. Even after missing a game on May 11th with hamstring tightness, he returned the next day. Manager Joe Espada’s reluctance to give Altuve extended rest is becoming a storyline of its own. If he continues to produce at this level, it will be hard to justify keeping him at the top of the lineup.
Rotation takes a blow
The week delivered more bad news — this time on the injury front. The Astros announced that right-hander Hayden Wesneski will miss the remainder of the season and require Tommy John surgery. What makes the injury particularly frustrating is that the signs were there. Decreased velocity led to a longer rest period, but in his return start, the team allowed him to throw 40 pitches in the first inning. That start would be his last of the season.
With Wesneski out, the pressure now shifts to Lance McCullers, whose return was once seen as a bonus but now feels like a necessity. Spencer Arrighetti’s comeback becomes more critical as well. The Astros' rotation has depth, but the margin for error just got thinner.
The road ahead
The American League isn’t dominated by a juggernaut, which gives the Astros some breathing room. But the Yankees and Tigers are pulling away in terms of balance and consistency — the very thing Houston has lacked.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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