Lesson is over. Game time.

Astros fans in 2023 sound like Ranger fans in 2012.

We still had all our great players and would keep going to the World Series, right?

But then we seemed to have lots of injuries. Bad luck, right? When they get healthy next year, we'll be great again.

But the injuries were just the leading edge of that which gets us all - age. Older athletes gets injured more easily. They are like wine and get better with age.

The door is closing in Houston - maybe one more year. Maybe. And the farm system is in tatters.

Lesson is over. Game time.

DallasAg 94 said:

---

agproducer said:

---

Javier, Brown and France all had career-highs in innings.

Framber jumped from 134 to over 200 in '22, then nearly 200 in '23.

That is a big jump for young arms. But they did wear down.

Urquidy for about 2 months, Garcia for the season, LMJ for the season,

---

For your enjoyment and quick reference:
https://texags.com/forums/53/topics/3370520/replies/65111329
No "edits" were made to the original post.

Here are some snippets:

Quote:

---

Houston has used 8 SPs this season.

Valdez (29): 15GS, 2.27, 99.0 IP.
I'll give this one as a workhorse. His career 3.20 ERA may suggest drifting to his norm, which is a concern made about Rangers SP, but I'll give this one.

Brown (24): 15GS, 3.62, 87.0 IP
20.1 IP in MLB coming into this season. His IP will likely be an issue. 108 IP in college and A-, in 2019. Didn't pitch in 2020. Combined 100.1 IP in 2021. Combined 126.1 IP in 2022. Mid-July, look for rumblings of a dead arm... or him needing a break.

Javier (26): 15GS, 3.25, 83.0 IP
Break out season for him in 2022. We'll see how he continues. He started 2023 with a 2.97 ERA, but his June ERA of 4.19 should be sounding alarms to Astros fans.

France (28): 9GS, 3.54, 53.1 IP <- 1st MLB season at 28. A career with a mix of RP and SP. Never more than 114.0 IP ('21)

Bielak (27): 8GS, 4.36, 43.1 IP <- Demoted to minors. Mostly a RP
Garcia (26): 6GS, 4.00, 27.0 IP <- 60IL TJ

Urquidy (28): 6GS, 5.20, 27.2 IP <- 60IL. Shoulder issue
Blanco: 4GS, 4.70, 23.0 IP

McCullers (29): 60IL

Astros need SP to get through the season. When you consider the loss of Alvarez, et al... the Astros need lots of help and they'll have to decide what holes to fill.

---

Verlander was the answer and his year-after-year going deep into the playoffs was of no concern to the Astros FO. This was June 26. It didn't take until September to raise concern about the Astros rotation. Not because of wear... but youth and lack of going deep into the regular season.

Quote:

---

Since you are a "real" baseball fan, take a look at the numbers. I'm not taking anything away from what the Rangers have done. I'm just saying that we need to be real about things.

---

I did and I have. You are welcome.

---

Playing victim? I think not.

Good on you for seeing it earlier this summer. Career years may not have been needed if LMJ and Urquidy were healthy.

I disagree with your opinion on that the Astros won't make the playoffs in 2024, but you do you and believe what you'd like.

Good luck to your team.

It's a rivalry. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. And it's good for both cities to have a true baseball rival so we don't have to pretend Rangers/Blue Jays or Astros/Yankees is a big deal. Because we're, like, 5th on those fanbases hate list.

Lesson is over. Game time.

TlDr

LarryElder said:

---

All the **** talking from fat **** ranger fans on my Facebook feed says Arlington cares a lot

Go dbacks

---

MARCUS SEMIEN SAYS HUSH UP LITTLE BRO pic.twitter.com/Uo24tNkLIH

— DereckLivelyEnthusiast (@Game7Luka) July 27, 2023

Thread summary:

Astros fans: Of course we aren't rivals.

Rangers fans: Hell yes its a great rivalry.



Also Astros fans: still in the denial stage of grieving.

Also Rangers fans: Livin' on Cloud 9 for winning World Series Lite.



Just wait...when next season arrives, those same Astros fans will be treating us like their biggest rival, even if they won't say the words out loud.

LarryElder said:

---

All the **** talking from fat **** ranger fans on my Facebook feed says Arlington cares a lot

Go dbacks

---

you're darn right. I'm one of them **** talking. But only because astros fans dished it out first and can't handle receiving it back at them. It's been GLORIOUS.

(P.S., I'm not fat at all.)

Lesson is over. Game time.

Meh, historical rivals, and the ones I loathe still from NL days, no the Rangers are not. But… AL West, sure, but the West is really a no mans land for Astros, so I guess the fact that we are geographically close and can play non 10pmPT games together and this year was fun with both teams duking it out for West and beyond, sure, it is a fun burgeoning rivalry, but doesnt bring out the hate I feel for STL or ATL historically or Yankees/Dodgers since Astros began their run.

KCup17 said:

---

Well this is going to devolve into a heated discussion about why the one side hates the other while the other side doesn't care…

---

Sounds an awful lot like another in-state sports rivalry i know

Was an Astros fan until I was 10, had an all-star game in Arlington and went to a Rangers game, fell in love with the Rangers with Sundberg, Oliver, Harrah, etc.

Hate the Astros because they are so damn good, but by game 7 I wanted whomever won to win the series. Both teams battled their asses off and deserved to get here.

It's a one sided rivalry that only Houston cares about, like every other sport where Houston gets a shot at the big time.

Just look at how the Houston crowd reacts whenever they get a shot at the Cowboys …

Houston will always be the little brother of Dallas, and Astros fans hate that.

Lol win a couple championships and then we'll talk.

Texker said:

---

BadAggie said:

---

Lol win a couple championships and then we'll talk.

---

Win one and we'll be even.

---

Won two, moron.

BadAggie said:

---

Texker said:

---

BadAggie said:

---

Lol win a couple championships and then we'll talk.

---

Win one and we'll be even.

---

Won two, moron.

---

Not in my book. But bang the trashcan. Moron.

Texker said:

---

BadAggie said:

---

Texker said:

---

BadAggie said:

---

Lol win a couple championships and then we'll talk.

---

Win one and we'll be even.

---

Won two, moron.

---

Not in my book. But bang the trashcan. Moron.

---

Wow, you talk big.

No. I don't recognize the '17 title. Not because I'm a Ranger fan, but because I'm a baseball fan and have coached the game for years. Glad to have a civil discussion. I disagreed with your moron label for good reason. You missed it. Carry on.

If you were a Rangers fan or a baseball fan you'd realize how many players the Rangers had who used steroids over the years, and didn't win jack.

LarryElder said:

---

Little bro??!! Hilarious

---

Hush, child - the adults are still playing.

What ump cam was made for. #ALCS pic.twitter.com/joRx7bN5vB

— MLB (@MLB) October 24, 2023

Silent For Too Long said:

---

Guess what? No one gives a **** if you recognize them or not. It's officially a World Series championship. It's in the records books. It actually happened. We all watched it happen.

---

Well, you give a **** otherwise you wouldn't have responded. So you're a nobody. Got it.

Good one?

All you dorks on both sides trying to convince yourself and others it's "not a rivalry" look as silly as Horn fan saying only OU is their rival.