Houston Astros - The Covid-19 Years (2020-2029)

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2020

Decade

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106

Titles:

Top Astros Players of the Twenty Twenties

2020 - WC def Twins, ALDS def A's, ALCS lost to Tampa

2021 - Won Division; ALDS def Chicago; ALCS def Boston; WS Lost to Atlanta

Pitchers:

2022 - Won Division; ALDS def Seattle; ALCS def Yankees; WS def Phillies

Framber Valdez (14.86) - 43

2023 -Won Division; ALDS def Twins; ALCS lost to Texas

Ryan Pressly (3.07) - 27

2024 - Won Division, Lost WC to Tigers

Justin Verlander (7.17) - 19

Cristian Javier (7.78) - 17

Ballpark:

Luis Garcia (4.28) - 15

Minute Maid Park

Hunter Brown (3.53) - 14

Lance McCullers (5.2) - 13

Team Name:

Zack Greinke (2.32) - 10

Astros

Jose Urquidy (4.01) - 10

Ronel Blanco (4.54) - 9

Owner:

Josh Hader (0.6) - 8

Jim Crane

JP France (1.5) - 6

Bryan Abreu (4.57) - 4

General Managers:

Rafael Montero (1.57) - 3

James Click (2020-2022)

Dana Brown (2023)

Catchers:

Yainer Diaz (6.23) - 17

Managers:

Martin Maldonado (1.09) - 11

Dusty Baker

First Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Yulieski Gurriel (3.37) - 13

None

Second Basemen:

Rookie of the Year:

Jose Altuve (15.58) - 38

Aledmys Diaz (2.66) - 5

MVP

ShortStop:

None

Jeremy Pena (12.8) - 23

Carlos Correa (8.9) - 17

No Hitters:

2022 - (Javier, Neris, Pressly) Mets

Third Base:

2022 - (Javier, Abreu, Montero, Pressly) Phillies

Alex Bregman (16.74) - 32

2023 - Framber Valdez

Outfield:

Cy Young:

Kyle Tucker (22.98) - 47

2022 - Justin Verlander

Yordan Alvarez (19.77) - 36

Chas McCormick (7.22) - 21

Notable Events:

Jake Meyers (5.03) - 12

Michael Brantley (5.41) - 12

2020 - After three consecutive 100 win seasons and five over .500, the Astros

George Springer (1.91) - 7

crash to a 29-31 mark. Their runs scored and conceded totals are almost

Mauricio Dubon (3.6) - 6

identical reflecting their mediocrity in the regular season. Houston did make it

Myles Straw (1.1) - 5

to the post season for the fifth time in six years, however, and they made a nice

post season run winning two series and taking Tampa to the seventh game of

Notable Events:

the ALCS. On the heels of their sign stealing scandal, the post season run was

something of a vindication for Houston's hitters. It's hard to say what was more

2024 - The Astros have a fairly inert off season. They take a pretty big hit in

of an indication of who the Astros reallywere at this point, their mediocre regular

their relief depth losing Hector Neris, Phil Maton and Ryan Stanek to free

season or their run to within one game of the World Series in the post season.

agency. However, they more than make up for the losses with the signing of

It could be that the scorn and derision due to the sign stealing scandal affected

lights out closer Josh Hader from the Padres. There is a sense of finality

them negatively early on and then later turned around and spurred them on in

in '24, however, as Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander are

the post season in defiance. Or maybe not.

all in their FA walk years. The dynasty looks like it may be coming to an end.

The regular season issues on offense could conceivably been caused by a

There are no star power youngsters in the minors like there have been in the

lack of sign stealing. Almost everyone's performance nosedived significantly.

recent past that are going to step in and keep the line moving.

However, they all hit really well in the post season. Who knows?

A major loss and another signal of the end is the retirement of manager

Meanwhile, on the mound, all the Astros lost for the '20 season were

Dusty Baker, one of those managers that make a difference.

Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Wade Miley who went a combined 55-17

He is replaced by Joe Espada.

in '19. How do you survive that? It's a credit to Houston's organizational

depth of talent that they were able to cobble together a decent rotation

Offense:

by expanding the role of some of their youngsters in '20.

The 'Stros offense was clicking in '23 scoring 79 runs above the league

That being said, the pitching was nowhere near what it was in '19.

average. Houston brings back everybody for one last rodeo.

RHP Verlander, 36, hurt his arm. RHP Cole, 28, signed with the Yankees as a

□ C Yainer Diaz, 25, '21 Trade from Cleveland , 23 60 .282

free agent. LHP Miley, 32, signed with the Reds as a free agent.

□ 1B Jose Abreu, 37, '23 FA from White Sox, 18 90 .237

Moving into their spots in the rotation were LHP Framber Valdez, 26;

□ 2B Jose Altuve, 34, '07 IFA, 17 51 .311

RHP Cristian Javier, 25; RHP Jose Urquidy, 23; and RHP Lance McCullers, 26.

□ SS Jeremy Pena, 26, '18 3rd round pick, 10 52 .263

Veteran RHP Zach Grienke was still around, altho' he aslo had some arm issues.

□ 3B Alex Bregman, 30, '15 2nd overall pick, 25 98 .262

□ OF Chas McCormick, 27, '17 21st round pick, 22 70 .273

□ Houston fans love owner Jim Crane. And with good reason.

□ OF Kyle Tucker, 27, '15 draft 5th overall pick, 29 112 .284

Under his stewardship since '12, the Astros have become a true powerhouse.

□ OF Mauricio Dubon, 29, '22 Trade from Giants, 10 46 .278

Crane's an athlete and a competitor. In college, he was a Division II All American

□ DH Yordan Alvarez, 27, '16 trade with Dodgers, 31 97 .293

pitcher. His competitiveness went a little overboard with the sign stealiing

□ OF Jake Meyers, 28, '17 draft 13th round pick, 10 33 .227

scandal. Altho' Crane never got officially charged with anything in the

scandal (in today's America, the big boys always go scot free), it's

Pitching:

impossible to believe that his fingerprints weren't all over it. That being

Houston's staff was shaky in '23 until Verlander was acquired and steadied

said, I don't take nearly as dim a view of what was done as most.

the ship. Verlander, however, is forty one and at an age where he is now injury

The 'stros crossed the line, for sure, but non electronic sign stealing

prone. Pressly also lost his mojo last year as closer, but Houston picked up

is considered an art form and tech stuff like analytics is worshipped in

the best in the business with Josh Hader in free agency. The pitching should do

this day and age. The sign stealing scandal was just a matter of

for the regular season but it is light on aces and relief depth for the post season.

going a little overboard on both fronts.

□ LHP Framber Valdez, 30, '15 IFA, 12-11 3.45

□ RHP Cristian Javier, 276, '15 IFA, 10-5 4.56

□ GM Jeff Luhnow was the architect of the great Astros teams of the late

□ RHP JP France, 29, '18 14th round pick, 11-6 3.83

teens. Luhnow was suspended for the '20 season for his part in the sign

□ RHP Hunter Brown, 25, '19 5th round pick, 11-13 5.09

stealing scandal, but that doesn't take away from his truly masterful

□ RHP Justin Verlander, 41, '23 Trade from Mets, 7-3 3.31

accomplishments. Luhnow is currently suing saying that he had no

□ Closer Josh Hader, 30, '24 FA from Padres, 2-3 1.28 33 saves

knowledge of what was going on and was a scapegoat.

□ Closer Ryan Pressly, 354, '18 trade from Twins, 4-5 3.58 31 saves

James Click is the new GM. He's got a tough act to follow.

□ Righty Reliever Bryan Abreu, 27, '13 IFA, 3-2 1.75 5 saves

□ RHP Ronel Blanco, 30, '16 IFA, 2-1 4.50

□ AJ Hinch had guided Houston through their bludgeoning of the opposition

from '15 thru '19. He obviously did a good job, but was banned from baseball

in '20 for his part in the scandal. As soon as his suspension was over, the

Detroit Tigers signed him to a three year contract. Houston didn't do so bad

either, signing Dusty Baker as his replacement. Dusty is top of the line.

2021 - Seven year starting CF George Springer, 30, signs with Toronto as FA

Ace Justin Verlander, 37, is out for the season with injuries

2021 - Order is restored and the Astros win the Division. Houston also has a

deep run in the playoffs culminating in a loss in the WS to Atlanta.

The hitters, who slumped in '20, regain their form and the young pitchers

up their games with a year of experience under their belt. Valdez, Urquidy,

Javier and McCullers combine for a 36-15 mark and newcomer Luis Garcia, 24,

adds an 11-8 to the mix.

2022 - Seven year starting SS Carlos Correa, 27, signs with the Twins as FA

Ace Zach Greinke, 37, leaves for KC as a FA. He was 11-6 in '21 but isn't missed.

2022 - Fifth straight Division title (omitting partial covid seaon) and sixth straight

appearance in ALCS. The 'Stros put the icing on the cake beating the Phillies in

the World Series. They also top the 100 win mark for the fourth time in the streak.

Houston batters slug 214 home runs while the pitching dominates.

Verlander comes back after missing two seasons and, at age 38, goes 18-4.

The youngsters (Vadez, Javier, Urquidy and Garcia) combine for a 56-31 mark.

2023 - Ace RPH Justin Verlander, 39, signs with the Mets as a free agent.

2023 - Houston is a true dynasty. Five straight division titles (if you forget about

the partial covid season) and six straight appearances in the ALCS with a

couple of World Series titles coming into the '23 season.

Houston slides sixteen games in the standings from 106-56 to 90-72,

but still win the division and make it to the ALCS to continue their streaks

before losing to WS champs Texas. The sixteen game slide is a bit concerning

moving forward, however.

2023 - Justin Verlander is acquired from the Mets at the trade deadline.

Verlander solidifies the Astro rotation and enables them to catch up to and pass

the Rangers and win the Division race. Only it all goes for naught as Houston

drops a tight seven game ALCS series with the Rangers. Houston ends up 90-72.

Their run totals indicated a 93-69 mark, but Closer Ryan Pressly had slipped

in '23 and the 'Stros were losing a bit more than their share of close ones.