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The Astros look like the Astros again, and we can all relax
May 11, 2022, 11:13 am
Justin Verlander took a no-hitter into the 8th inning Tuesday night. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images.
Justin Verlander
Water is truly amazing. It covers about 70% of the Earth's surface, makes up about 60% of our bodies, and is necessary for most lifeforms. We use it for food, drink, to clean, and all sorts of other things. Water can also be destructive. Floods and leaks cause damage to homes, as we all know too well. Dirty water leads to bacteria and disease. Sitting water and moist conditions leads to mold and mildew. So, for as beneficial as water can be, it can also be very harmful.
There's a saying about water: it will always find its level and/or the path of least resistance. So will the Astros. This team has taken several hits over the last few years. Players have come and gone, star players at that. The general manager and manager that helped bring a World Series to the city and helped reshape this organization were unceremoniously fired following the team being made the face of an age-old cheating scandal. Not to mention the owners locked the players out for the majority of this past offseason which cut spring training short tremendously.
After starting the season 7-8, the team has gone 12-3 in their last 15 games and is within one game of the division lead as of this writing. Fans and some media hit the panic button a tad too early. They thought the loss of talent, leadership changes, and setbacks were too much for this team to overcome. They thought the ride was finally coming to an end. The string of playoff appearances had come to a jolting halt. What they failed to realize was, the season had just started. Baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. At 30 games played, we're barely at the 20% mark of the season.
Two players come to mind when looking at the way this season has started: Justin Verlander and Jeremy Peña. Verlander is the pitching staff's unquestioned ace. The future Hall of Famer is coming off Tommy John surgery after missing all but one start the last two seasons. Who would've thought he was capable of having a 1.55 ERA through his first six starts? Verlander took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Twins on Tuesday night. He's been unbelievable.
Peña had the unenviable task of replacing Carlos Correa. His defense, leadership, and "It Factor" aren't enough to eclipse what Correa brought to the table, but this kid is a baller! He's come up with big hits and timely plays to make you forget he's a rookie. I'm looking forward to watching him grow.
Water is also necessary for life and growth. When a seed is planted, it needs sunlight and water to grow. When it's damaged, water helps it repair itself. The Astros' tree has taken some hits over the years after it became fully grown. It's still producing fruit, still goes through the seasons, and still standing strong. Sometimes we see trees take hits during storms, but they survive. The Astros aren't only surviving, they're thriving. Verlander and Peña are only two of the buckets of water that are fueling the tree. This season has just started. The water is finding its level. The tree is repairing itself. The Angels better watch their ass because the Astros are hot on their trails! This run has put the league on notice that the Astros aren't going anywhere.
The Houston Astros made a surprising move this week when they signed former Rockies second baseman Brendan Rogers to a one-year deal.
With Jose Altuve taking reps in left field, this signing really got us thinking about what Rogers' role will be should he make the team.
Did the Astros sign him, hoping he would take over as the regular second baseman with Altuve moving to left? Or did they bring him on as depth which would allow Mauricio Dubon to be used all over the field instead of locked in at second base? Only time will tell.
Dropping Altuve?
Based on the Astros willingness to shake things up with Altuve, could we see another adjustment involving him?
Former Astro Josh Reddick recently talked about the ideal batting order on the Crush City Territory podcast. Reddick made the case that Altuve would be better suited hitting second.
Which is all well and good, but if they do pull the trigger and bump him down in the lineup one spot, who leads off?
That's where things get tricky. Two candidates that could make some sense are Jeremy Pena and Chas McCormick. Both have the speed to steal second base, but their on base percentages from last season don't instill any confidence.
However, if we go back to just 2023, Jeremy Pena's OBP of .324 isn't way off from the .350 Altuve posted in 2024. Pena also walked 43 times that season, just a few behind the 47 Altuve posted in 2024.
McCormick has a similar problem. If he can produce numbers similar to his 2023 season, you would have something. Which speaks to a bigger theme of this season for Houston.
Will Pena and McCormick continue to regress, or can they turn things around? For McCormick, if he's not hitting, it doesn't make a lot of sense playing him in right field considering his lack of arm strength. Ben Gamel is ready and waiting should they need him. And he hits left-handed.
Why does Jake Meyers get a pass?
Meyers is in a different situation entirely. Nobody expects him to hit, but they do need his speed covering the outfield to make the Altuve experiment worth trying.
Call to the bullpen
With Ryan Pressly gone, the Astros have some open spots in the 'pen. Forrest Whitley and Rafael Montero are going to get some opportunities this season, like it or not.
But will Whitley ever live up to his first round expectations, and can Montero regain his form from the 2022 season? The answer is probably no for both players, but they're going to get a shot, just based on the makeup of the roster.
Caleb Ort and Shawn Dubin are already dealing with injuries, so it will likely be all hands on deck for the Astros.
Finally, what do we think of the overall depth of this club, with so many big time contributors now playing for other teams?
Don't miss the video above as we break it all down!
The countdown to Opening Day is on. 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. Click here to catch!
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