Alex Bregman is killing it. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Right off the jump, I feel like I have to tell you that Jose Altuve is the greatest Astro of all-time. I already know that the Biggio and Bagwell fans will get mad at that, but I’ve already made my point in the past and I’m right. All Altuve is waiting for is time to pass before he’s recognized by every Astros fan as the greatest Astro.
His 2017 MVP Award was an incredible stamp on what was an incredible season for the Houston Astros and all of us living vicariously through the most entertaining and likeable team in Houston sports history. Alex Bregman was a huge part of the championship run last year and will find himself in the top 5 voting for MVP this season. However, a look at both players’ performances in wins and losses shows that Bregman might be even more “valuable” to the 2018 Astros than even Altuve was to the 2017 team.
Altuve 2017
Split | G | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
in Wins | 94 | 91 | 140 | 31 | 4 | 14 | 59 | 23 | 40 | .378 | .445 | .597 | 1.042 |
in Losses | 59 | 21 | 64 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 22 | 9 | 18 | .291 | .350 | .464 | .813 |
Bregman 2018
Split | G | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
in Wins | 83 | 72 | 108 | 37 | 1 | 19 | 64 | 6 | 54 | .333 | .434 | .630 | 1.063 |
in Losses | 53 | 22 | 46 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 27 | 4 | 25 | .234 | .330 | .416 | .747 |
There are still games to be played, but these Astros are on a very similar win pace to last season’s team. The Astros suffered through pitching injuries last season, but the lineup stayed dangerous. Bregman has had to keep things afloat despite injuries to George Springer, Carlos Correa, and even Jose Altuve.
When the team wins, as noted by the stats, Bregman has had a great deal to do with the “W”. And when he doesn’t hit well, they lose. These numbers clearly show how directly responsible Bregman has been for the Astros success this year. Bregman won’t win the MVP and may not even finish in the top 3, but it’s clear that when discussing “valuable”, Bregman deserves to be at the top.
Fantasy Football Sleeper
Keep a close eye on Indianapolis Colts tight end Eric Ebron. There is a better than average chance that he’s on the free agent list of your league unless you are in a deeper (or sharper league). Ebron caught 5 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown with Luck under center in game three of the preseason.
While Ebron never really lived up to the hype in Detroit, the Colts will be relying heavily on their tight ends in their passing game. On top of that, Andrew Luck’s arm strength could be an issue early on so it wouldn’t surprise me to see Ebron challenge for “safety blanket” status for Luck.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
How Texans spooky defense can put final nail in Jets season on Halloween
Oct 28, 2024, 8:21 pm
The World Series is in full swing and as we wait to see which team brings home the hardware, odds have already been released for the 2025 season.
According to Draft Kings and Fan Duel, the Astros have the sixth-best odds to win the championship next season. So while many in the national media are burying the Astros and saying the window is closed, the oddsmakers don't agree.
Of course, these odds have been released before free agency, so things will change based on the moves made this offseason.
For Houston, Alex Bregman's future with the team is up in the air. So that could have a big impact on their chances in 2025. Something else to monitor heading into the offseason is if the club would consider trading either Framber Valdez or Kyle Tucker.
If Breggy leaves, it's hard to imagine Houston moving on from Tucker. They can't afford to lose two of their best bats, and the team clearly has more depth in the rotation than they do in the outfield.
Trading Framber could clear about $18 million off the books and bring some top prospects into the farm system. And if Bregman is off the books as well, perhaps the team could afford to re-sign Yusei Kikuchi. Kikuchi would be significantly cheaper than signing Valdez to a long-term deal.
This could change the market
Another thing to consider this offseason is super agent Scott Boras, who also happens to represent Bregman. Boras was unable to secure blockbuster contracts for several of his clients last offseason. Many had to settle for shorter prove it deals.
It's fair to wonder if his clients will be more willing to take the first deal they are offered that they view as acceptable. As opposed to rolling the dice on what Boras is promising.
Maybe this could be a good thing for Bregman's chances of returning, if the Astros are willing to give him a reasonable offer.
Finally, Yankee GM Brian Cashman is still blaming the Astros for not being in a World Series over the last 15 years. We thought we were past this, but if he wants to go there again, we're more than happy to put him in his place!
Don't miss the video above for the full conversation!
*The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays!
_______________
Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Find out more about it here.