STOP MELTING DOWN
Patrick Creighton: Astros fans should be happy right now
Apr 17, 2018, 5:40 am
George Springer and the rest of the Astros will start hitting soon. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
If I can steal a quote from Aaron Rodgers for all nervous Astros fans right now, it would be this:
R-E-L-A-X
There’s no reason to think they won’t be at their rightful place atop MLB at the end of the season.
I know they’ve lost three straight. It has happened before. It will happen again. It’s no big deal.
I know they aren’t hitting a lick right now. It’s called a team slump. It passes. Consider the lineup. You don’t really expect the whole team to be cold all season, do you?
Realistically, when the team slump ends, a team streak will start. This team can put up eight runs a game when they hit normally. Just wait until they are hot.
George Springer isn’t going to hit .224, Alex Bregman won’t bat .212. Right now Evan Gattis, Marwin Gonzalez, and Derek Fisher are all riding the Interstate, and Yuli Gurriel just came back from wrist surgery.
This team won the World Series last year, O Ye of Little Faith. Have some confidence.
Yes, they’re “only” 10-7. Believe it or not, that’s a good thing.
When you look at great teams of recent history, generally there’s anywhere from 2-4 hot streaks, and the rest of the year they hover around .500.
For example:
1984 Detroit Tigers
The Tigers went 104-58 and won the World Series. They got off to a 35-5 start, and had another 11-1 run later in the year. That means the rest of the season they were 58-52. Close to .500 ball.
1986 New York Mets
The Mets went 108-54, and won the World Series. They had three noted streaks during the year, 18-1, 16-3, and 11-2. Those three hot streaks combined for a 45-6 mark, which means they were 53-48 the rest of the season, or just above .500.
1998 New York Yankees
I chose this team because they not only had an incredible record but because of the fact the Astros lineup is so deep, and that was one of the hallmarks of this Yankees team.
These Yankees went 114-48 and won the World Series. They had four pronounced runs: 25-4, 20-4, 16-2, 15-2, which combined for a 76-12 mark. The rest of the season, the Yanks were 38-36.
Are you sensing the pattern yet?
Here, let’s look at one more team that everyone reading this should be familiar with.
2017 Houston Astros
The reigning, defending, undisputed World Champions finished 101-61 last season. They had four distinguished streaks: 10-2, 14-3, 13-1, 14-3, combining to go 51-9. They went 50-52 in the other games that year. How did it work out? (See the first sentence in this paragraph for a reminder).
Yes, the Astros are scuffling right now, and essentially haven’t been able to hit a beach ball for three weeks. They are still 10-7. They’re playing near .500 ball while they struggle, and then the hot streaks will come.
By the way, have you noticed the revamped rotation? You know, where three starters have ERAs under 1.40? The one that is striking batters out faster than trolls can post on Twitter?
Take a deep breath. R-E-L-A-X. This team will be just fine. The bats are asleep right now, but we all know what happens when you wake a sleeping giant.
Patrick Creighton is the host of “Straight Heat” on SB Nation Radio, which can be heard locally 9p-12a CT on SportsMap 94.1FM. Look for his new show “Late Hits” coming to ESPN 97.5 weeknights 7-9p, debuting April 23rd. Follow him on Twitter: @pcreighton1
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The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the defending champs this weekend, they changed the tone of their season.
Dominant pitching. Star power. Road swagger. The three-game dismantling of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine wasn’t about revenge or validation. It was about showing, once and for all, that this version of the Astros, short-handed and all, belongs squarely in the conversation with baseball’s elite.
A statement series
The Astros pitching staff was lights out against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, holding the Dodgers to just six runs across three games, including two contests where LA managed just a single run. Lance McCullers Jr., much-maligned after getting shelled by the Cubs last week, bounced back in a big way. He worked around four walks, giving up just one run on a solo homer, a much-needed course correction as the Astros evaluate their playoff rotation options.
On the offensive side, the stars delivered in a big way. Jose Altuve torched Dodgers pitching with three home runs, seven RBIs, two walks, and just one strikeout. Christian Walker matched him with six hits of his own, including a pair of long balls and six RBIs.
A shift in expectations?
This wasn’t just a series win. This was a proof of concept.
Houston came into the series already heating up, now they’re officially on fire. Over the last 30 days, the Astros rank third in runs and fifth in RBIs. For the season, they’re top 10 in nearly every key offensive category: eighth in OPS, first in batting average, ninth in slugging. Defensively, the numbers are just as strong. They lead MLB in strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, and rank second in WHIP.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team with top-five upside in both pitching and offense. The pieces are clicking. The vibes are real. And the Astros suddenly look like a legitimate World Series contender again.
Is help on the way?
Reliever Hector Neris rejoined the team this week, offering a veteran boost to a bullpen that’s been leaned on heavily. Neris brings postseason pedigree and a reputation as a clubhouse leader. The Astros hope a return to familiar surroundings, and the guidance of one of the best pitching development staffs in the league, can get him back on track.
Tayler Scott returns on a minor league deal, and while the move may not turn heads, it adds another layer of depth to a bullpen that’s already one of the league’s best.
Background noise in LA
No Astros-Dodgers series goes by without a little extra noise and this one was no different. During the broadcast, former Cy Young winner and Dodgers analyst Orel Hershiser raised eyebrows by implying that Houston’s offensive surge might not have been entirely on the level.
Predictable? Absolutely. Meaningful? Not even close.
If anything, it’s a weird kind of compliment. No one questions legitimacy when you’re losing. But after a lopsided 18-1 beat down people start reaching for answers, or excuses.
Inside the Astros clubhouse, though, that chatter doesn’t register.
They know exactly what this sweep meant. And so does the rest of the league.
There's so much more to get to! 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.
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