Winning a WS is freaking hard man….there have been lots of incredible teams that never even got to play IN a ws, much less win one
How many teams have won a ws, only to suck the next year? Yet this team has been in the thick of it for a whole
Damn decade
Playing in 4 and winning 2 is a huge accomplishment and
Most definitely NOT a failure

Furlock Bones said:

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The Porkchop Express said:

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cone said:

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Furlock Bones said:

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Only 2 WS out of this run is realistically a failure. I think it's finally over. Altuve is going to have an extremely hard time getting the HR record.

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this might be the dumbest thing said in this thread

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No Houstonian hates Houston more than Furlock.

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good lord. it's like yall cannot step back and evaluate anything objectively. it's not just whoa we made 7 straight ALCSs. The Braves made 8 straight NLCS and won 1 WS. That is considered a failure as well.

But, yes I hate Houston. That's what it is.

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The body of your posts across multiple boards are largely complaining about things. It's a pretty discernible pattern.

Calling "only" 2 World Series titles in 9 years a failure isn't about hating Houston, it's about being the most ignorant fan on this board.

davidthomps18 said:

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I think Schwarber ends up with this record eventually fwiw

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If he stays healthy, that's probably true. Given his post season track record if the Phillies fell off next year or the year after, someone is going to trade for him to hit dingers in the post season. But, still I want Altuve up there even if it is short lived.

Dana really has to work on improving the batting lineup in the offseason

the Astros got 153 games played from Altuve -- his most since 2017

and 147 games played from Yordan -- a new career high

would not count on getting that many games from either in 2025

Ags #1 said:

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Agreed. Want to contend for Alcs titles or be bad. Just barely good enough is purgatory in all sports. Maybe it is just best to hold on to everyone for one more run then start the rebuild?

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I would prefer using some of the pieces we have now to start the "rebuild". Use pieces like Tucker, Framber, potentially Pena, to get some good, young talent in here. Hanging around in "just good enough" purgatory as you say would not be fun and would probably mean more frustrating seasons like we just had.

It is not the outcome we all wanted. A lot of people seem to have really disliked watching this year's team and I guess I get that. We struggled early and most of this thread wrote the team off. I enjoyed watching the guys work to dig themselves out of a hole. It was not easy and they didn't give up. Given all the injuries, Abreu/Montero/LMJ situations, the constant up/downs of guys, and waiver wire shenanigans I'm shocked we even watched postseason ball from this team. Kudos to Dana for grabbing some guys that helped out; he missed on a few as well but to be expected.

HB really turned into a man this year. He got the **** kicked out of him early in the year and had a truly horrible run that could have broken him. What a turnaround. We knew he had great stuff and just needed to put it together, but to do it after that start he had makes it even more special.

Can't say enough about Ronel Blanco stepping up either. What a year for a first year starter. 167 innings of 2.80 ERA baseball....get the **** out!

There are a lot of other things to be hopeful for. Spencer showed us some great flashes. Caratini was an amazing addition. We came a long way from having to watch Blair Henley get trotted out to start a game early in the year. Its a sport guys, try to enjoy having had another year of playoff baseball to watch in the golden era of Astros baseball.

Forget the Bregman/Tucker/Framber talk, I just want to hear these 3 things:

Hitting coaches gone
Analytics guys hired
An mandate to remove Ted Cruz from MMP if he gets within a 2 mile radius (and Kyle Field while we're at it)

The Porkchop Express said:

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The Porkchop Express said:

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Every one who picked a player back in March should definitely pen a wee testimonial on how awesome they were this year.

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My man Victor Caratini!

There were only 3 guys left when I picked you, and I spend the first 3 weeks of the season having to look up your name because I could never remember who you were.

You didn't play that much right way, but suddenly there you were pummeling the candy ass Rangers with a 3 run bomb in early April and you started getting more and more looks.

That led to the moment where you put you stamped your name as a BAMF - the walkoff home to beat Cleveland 10-9 in a 10-inning game. YES! we won a game in extras!

The fact that you only played 87 games is kind of ****ty, but the team had to make sure Jose Abreu was officially just a reanimated corpse for 60 games before they gave you a shot at first. You hit .269 for the year, a number Martin Maldonado does not believe actually exists.

You were one heck of a pinch hitter and finished with a .744 OPS, see you in '25!

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Such a great signing, and I hope he plays a lot more in 2025. We need more players like Vic.

Also, props for spelling his last name correctly. I've seen "Carantini" so many times in this thread.

I think he'd be an overspend honestly. I'd rather focus on OF and bullpen and go with Singleton/Diaz/Caratini rotation at 1B for next year.

Johnsy3 said:

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Forget the Bregman/Tucker/Framber talk, I just want to hear these 3 things:

Hitting coaches gone
Analytics guys hired
An mandate to remove Ted Cruz from MMP if he gets within a 2 mile radius (and Kyle Field while we're at it)

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Dude is the biggest Texas sports jinx ever.

To be honest, I'm okay with Diaz, Caratini, and Big Jon sharing the load at first base and using the money elsewhere. Then you address first base the next year when Abreu and Montero come off the books. With all of the dead salary we have, we're going to have to be somewhat creative.

Tip your hat to KAF, the winner of Astros Bingo 2024 with a remarkable 7 out of 10 correct predictions

His winning Bingo Card follows - Correct answers are in BOLD

Jose Abreu returns
LMJ pitches
Ags make the CWS but don't win
Bregman 30+ RBI by the AS Break
Astros have a 5-game win streak
Ranger fans whine about the original bingo thread
Kessinger gets a hit in 2024
Hader gets more than 15 saves
Hader has a 1-2-3 inning at some point
Aggies beat Notre Dame

Will start taking suggestions for a much bigger and better one when Spring Training comes around next year.

especially since the Tigers used 7 different relievers to win the game

and all of them basically no-name guys

So my optimal 2025 lineup assuming we don't resign Bregman

1. Altuve - 2B
2. Tucker - RF
3. Alvarez - DH
4. Diaz - 1B
5. Offseason acquisition - LF (go get Profar)
6. Caratini - C
7. Dezenzo - 3B
8. Meyers/McCormick CF
9. Pena - SS

I'd like for them to go get a bat for the corner outfield.
Jurickson Profar is top of my list followed by Ozuna, Santander, Bellinger or Hoskins

I can't go another season with Meyers/Chas in CF. Just can't do it.

tjack16 said:

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So my optimal 2025 lineup assuming we don't resign Bregman

1. Altuve - 2B
2. Tucker - RF
3. Alvarez - DH
4. Diaz - 1B
5. Offseason acquisition - LF (go get Profar)
6. Caratini - C
7. Dezenzo - 3B
8. Meyers/McCormick CF
9. Pena - SS

I'd like for them to go get a bat for the corner outfield.
Jurickson Profar is top of my list followed by Ozuna, Santander, Bellinger or Hoskins

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i do not want to root for Bellinger.

You can avoid this problem by getting a strong CFer. The "weaker" OFer (Chas/Dubon/Meyers type) can spot start in LF when Yordan DHs. We simply do not need to keep BOTH Meyers and Chas. Keep Dubon because he can basically play anywhere.