Them being mic'd up isn't the problem. I agree. It's the feedback, etc that's the issue.

Hey, boys! You need to check out Citizens Bank Park if you haven't been. Great place!

JV and Yordan chopping it up in the dugout

I think Crane threw the baby out with the bath water following the sign stealing ***** He didn't just oust Luhnow and Hinch, he ousted the idea that exceptional analytics should be the foundation of a winning baseball organization. He let everyone with any connection to Luhnow walk. He browbeat at every given moment his likewise analytics-focused Luhnow replacement, Click, and quickly replaced him with a "scouting-guru" lackey. In similar fashion, he replaced his young, numbers-driven manager with the oldest, most old school option in Dusty.

While I do think the rest of the league caught up to what the Astros found out first with Luhnow and Co. that spreading money widely within the international pool and taking shots on the older guys can be just as foundational as drafting well, I still believe Luhnow had the brains and creative acumen to continue to find lucrative outlets to outpace the rest of the MLB. Crane did what he felt he had to do to save face after the sign stealing debacle, but I think it's pretty clear that what he deemed as a failure in leadership with his GM he also (incorrectly) deemed a failed formula to build a winning franchise. One of the big mysteries for me is how Luhnow would've handled the "rebuild after the rebuild". I feel pretty confident it wouldn't look very similar to what we've seen.

They need to vet who they mic up. That "pitching roundtable" outside of JV was a fail. Miz and Schlitter gave like 3 word answers. I'd rather hear commentators talk about the hitters and pitcher vs hear terrible in game interviews.

The All Stars of the 60's would be embarrassed by all this "show". The real "show" is the game itself.

Yep, with Yordan and Wacha done for the night so am I.

rausr said:

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WACHA WACHA WACHA

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One of my favorite moments was going to St Louis in 2019 to see the Astros beat the cardinals… but Wacha got to come in. His reliever intro song was Power. Such a nice nod to A&M

Then Correa took him deep for a grand slam

Absolute robbery of a hit by Clement.

Shouldn't Boyz II Men be Men to Grandpawz by now?

Grandpas are men

MaxPower said:

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I wouldn't call Jeffers mediocre. He has 2 WAR in 40 games

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But he's a FA after this year? How does that help us?

Updated Astro Bingo standings for the 73 of us through the results of the All-Star Game

Name | Value
--------------- | -----
OPAG | 5
HTownAg98 | 5

Big Al 1992 | 4
JohnnyTexAg1995 | 4
LonestarAg09 | 4

Jackal99 | 3
1996 | 3
AlwysNextYear89 | 3
agenjake | 3
jkag89 | 3
Mr.Ackar07 | 3
AggieJ2002 | 3
CharleyKerfeld | 3
wessimo | 3
CFTXAG10 | 3
B-Rabbit | 3
Marvin | 3
Ag_07 | 3
scrimp | 3
tjack | 3
JB12 | 3
Buck Compton | 3
Hornbeck | 3

07ag | 2
gambochaman | 2
TexAg2001 | 2
rausr | 2
3B Paul 97 | 2
DekkerLentz | 2
KTAG05 | 2
Prosperdick | 2
martin2003 | 2
cmk10 | 2
Louisiana Chen | 2
mcmav13 | 2
Wabs | 2
1836er | 2
txags92 | 2
RO519 | 2
CCAg95 | 2
Chief Elko | 2
WES2006AG | 2
Cweezy17 | 2
Mr. Bond | 2
Dr. Doctor | 2
Teddy Perkins | 2
Fairview20 | 2
Johnny Foosball | 2
linkdude | 2
wmitchell | 2
iBrad | 2
JYDog90 | 2
JoeAggie1010 | 2
wehnerhigh20 | 2

KAF | 1
MTX13 | 1
agproducer | 1
spadilly | 1
txags11 | 1
yayaggies | 1
Twisted Helix | 1
RED AG 98 | 1
MosesHallRAB04 | 1
Wangus12 | 1
redline248 | 1
superaggie73 | 1
Ambres | 1
n-touch | 1
aftershock | 1
Mathguy64 | 1
Booma94 | 1
texasaggie2015 | 1
bodaciousbood14 | 1

Boy that is very well said. And sad.

The Astros are finalizing a deal to send Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers, source tells @TheAthletic. Not done yet, but close. First: @brianmctaggart

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 15, 2026

Wow that is wild. Assuming we're eating the remainder of the contract?

I can't imagine he will bring much of a return at this point. Is that a cash dump by us or are they dumping somebody else's contract back in our lap in return?

Guess he will be getting buried in Lake Michigan instead.

(too soon?)

If true… goodbye to a legend. He'll always be remembered for that 2017 run. Sad it didn't work out after 2021 but I'll always be a Lance fan

Assume the Astros pull this off at the deadline

• Add a LHH OF like Mickey Moniak or JJ Bleday.
• Add 7th inning type, relief pitcher
• Don't give up anyone critical on the big league roster
• Blanco and Wesneski come back and stay healthy and mostly effective for the rest of 2026.

Is this enough to...

• Make the playoffs?
• Win the division?
• Make the ALCS?
• Make the WS?
• Win the WS?

Farmer1906 said:

---

Assume the Astros pull this off at the deadline

• Add a LHH OF like Mickey Moniak or JJ Bleday.
• Add 7th inning type, relief pitcher
• Don't give up anyone critical on the big league roster
• Blanco and Wesneski come back and stay healthy and mostly effective for the rest of 2026.

Is this enough to...

• Make the playoffs?
• Win the division?
• Make the ALCS?
• Make the WS?
• Win the WS?

---

I think potentially the first two.

Hard to predict more than that given we would have to play the wild card series. But I'd feel good about us winning that series (given we stay healthy and some guys like Altuve, Walker, smith, Pena produce

spadilly said:

---

The Astros are finalizing a deal to send Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers, source tells @TheAthletic. Not done yet, but close. First: @brianmctaggart

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 15, 2026

---

I hope the Brewers unlock something, and he someone can continue his career.

wow.......

Farmer1906 said:

---

Assume the Astros pull this off at the deadline

• Add a LHH OF like Mickey Moniak or JJ Bleday.
• Add 7th inning type, relief pitcher
• Don't give up anyone critical on the big league roster
• Blanco and Wesneski come back and stay healthy and mostly effective for the rest of 2026.

Is this enough to...

• Make the playoffs?
• Win the division?
• Make the ALCS?
• Make the WS?
• Win the WS?

---

Not to nitpick, but who is "critical on the big league roster" besides Yordan? I am not sure you can accomplish that list without giving up something more than some AAAA scrubs.

But stipulating those assumptions, I would say the first 2 would likely be a given, since it is pitching that has held us back so far this season. I am not sold that we have the arms to win much beyond that. Would depend almost entirely on how hot the bats are for the post-season.

Absolute Houston legend. One of my favorite players of all time.

txags92 said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

Assume the Astros pull this off at the deadline

• Add a LHH OF like Mickey Moniak or JJ Bleday.
• Add 7th inning type, relief pitcher
• Don't give up anyone critical on the big league roster
• Blanco and Wesneski come back and stay healthy and mostly effective for the rest of 2026.

Is this enough to...

• Make the playoffs?
• Win the division?
• Make the ALCS?
• Make the WS?
• Win the WS?

---

Not to nitpick, but who is "critical on the big league roster" besides Yordan? I am not sure you can accomplish that list without giving up something more than some AAAA scrubs.

But stipulating those assumptions, I would say the first 2 would likely be a given, since it is pitching that has held us back so far this season. I am not sold that we have the arms to win much beyond that. Would depend almost entirely on how hot the bats are for the post-season.

---

How about just not Yordan, Isaac, Jeremy, Christian, Cam, Carlos, Jose, Nick, Peter, Steven, Enyel, Josh, Spencer, Hunter, AJ, Bryan K, & Kai-Wei.

I was there for game 7 in the 2017 ALCS. Will never forget it. Legendary LMJ that night.

spadilly said:

---

The Astros are finalizing a deal to send Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers, source tells @TheAthletic. Not done yet, but close. First: @brianmctaggart

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 15, 2026

---

We eating all of his salary or just 95% of it?

#LEGENDARY

Woah

Lefty Colton Gordon is going with McCullers from Astros to Brewers. Crew adding to depth.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 15, 2026

Farmer1906 said:

---

txags92 said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

Assume the Astros pull this off at the deadline

• Add a LHH OF like Mickey Moniak or JJ Bleday.
• Add 7th inning type, relief pitcher
• Don't give up anyone critical on the big league roster
• Blanco and Wesneski come back and stay healthy and mostly effective for the rest of 2026.

Is this enough to...

• Make the playoffs?
• Win the division?
• Make the ALCS?
• Make the WS?
• Win the WS?

---

Not to nitpick, but who is "critical on the big league roster" besides Yordan? I am not sure you can accomplish that list without giving up something more than some AAAA scrubs.

But stipulating those assumptions, I would say the first 2 would likely be a given, since it is pitching that has held us back so far this season. I am not sold that we have the arms to win much beyond that. Would depend almost entirely on how hot the bats are for the post-season.

---

How about just not Yordan, Isaac, Jeremy, Christian, Cam, Carlos, Jose, Nick, Peter, Steven, Enyel, Josh, Spencer, Hunter, AJ, Bryan K, & Kai-Wei.

---

Fair enough. I admire your optimism, but given the state of the farm system, I think we are going to have to give up at least one on that list to get Moniak or Bleday and a 7th inning leverage guy.

Wow. Many thanks to Lance for his contributions to the amazing run the Astros had.

Thanks for the memories of '17 and '21, Lance, but looking forward to getting to the end of the 5 year nightmare in which he made $85 million while pitching 142-1/3 innings and missing two entire seasons.

So are we getting anything in return?

LMJ, wow. I was rooting for the guy to find it, again. Good luck to him