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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the post season in defiance. Or maybe not.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

going a little overboard on both fronts.

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

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

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

accomplishments. Luhnow is currently suing saying that he had no

knowledge of what was going on and was a scapegoat.

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

□  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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He is replaced by Joe Espada.

Offense:

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

average. Houston brings back everybody for one last rodeo.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pitching:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2025 - Houston won the Division for the seventh time in eight years and

made the playoffs for the ninth time in ten years. After battling back from

a horrific 12-24 start and clawing their way into the playoffs, Houston

got dumped in the wild card round by the Tigers. A spate of injuries

contributed to the bad start.

A very bad sign for the Astros moving forward, however, is that they traded

away superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker prior to his walk year because

they weren't planning to pay him. Frugality and winning are, by and large,

not mentioned in the same sentence. They also did not re-sign star 3B

Alex Bregman and lost him to the Red Sox in free agency. No bueno.

Houston wasn't completely dormant as they signed 1B Christian Walker, 33,

from the Diamondbacks.

Houston is still the favorite to win the Division in 2025.

2025 Pitching:

Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Ronel Blanco and Cristian Javier (injured

last year) is a quality rotation. The bullpen is solid with Josh Hader,

Bryan Abreu, Tayler Scott, and Seth Martinez.

2025 Hitting:

Losing Tucker and Bregman hurts. Hurts to the point where Houston will now

have to rely on the pitching to carry them into the post season because the

lineup is no longer anything special. DH Yordan Alvarez, 28, is one of the

best hitters in the game, has been for several years. Thirty five year old

2B Jose Altuve is on the decline and the only other special player in the

lineup is twenty six year old catcher Yainer Diaz, special as a hitter compared

to other catchers. There are some promising youngsters but it's unfair

to them to compare them to what the Astros used to trot out on the field.

Cam Smith, the first rounder picked up from the Cubs for Tucker, figures

to be a mainstay in the lineup in the future as the Astros prepare to re-tool.