The 2017 Houston Astros; once you watch them, you will never forget them. How could you? They are ridiculous. 22 wins in the month of May, 6.2 runs per game, comebacks from deficits of 4 and 5 runs, and they usually do it all in one inning! This is a lineup that has now proven that no deficit is too large and that no pitcher or staff is too intimidating. The Astros have had games where they put up 19 hits and smashed on teams. They have had games where they have only been able to score a run but the pitching staff was able to step up and dominate. If you’ve watched MLB this season, it is not even close, the Houston Astros are the most impressive team by a country mile.
We are in an era of MLB where teams are meticulously crafted through analytical processes. Games are micromanaged and farm systems are carefully cultivated with very strict regimens. While the Cubs’ 100 plus year process finally paid off last year and everyone is crowning them the team of the future, if you look at their current Major League roster and their entire farm system in it’s entirety, it does not compare to that of the Houston Astros. While the Cubs boast incredible young players and a mean pitching staff, the Astros are just a little bit better. Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, George Springer; names you will be saying for a long time and names that you could argue are at or near being the very best at their positions. The Astros are the best team at this moment and the team with the best looking future.
Unfortunately, this is baseball and being the best team in May does not mean jack squat. Even still, I am confident that this team is the real deal already because of the veterans. We have already learned that bringing in Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, and Josh Reddick was exactly what Houston needed to do in order to “take that next step.” It is already evident that the thing this team was missing last year was a quality mix, a cocktail of young superstars and veterans have been there and done that. Now we are witnessing what a truly motivated and brilliant front office can do with the backing of an owner who wants to win. Jim Crane and Jeff Luhnow deserve all the credit in the world for this build. 4 years ago this team was a ridiculous laughing stock. They were unwatchable. They were embarrassing to competitive sports. Now, they have proven that having a plan and a process works. Now they are not a ridiculous laughing stock, they are just ridiculously good.
My money is on the magic of the first quarter of this Astros season to continue on to October. I have seen enough. I have seen that now situation is too perilous and no weakness this club has is too vulnerable. Call it ridiculous, but I would be shocked if this team did not win the American League.