The Houston Astros of the American League West

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFeBp1PDKyg

fwiw the astros' top six farm teams all made their league playoffs, and their system overall had a .569 regular season winning pct (second-best behind the giants)

doesn't necessarily mean anything, especially at the higher levels, but it doesn't hurt either

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/9/17/4740812/astros-tv-record-houston-csn-angels

The Nielsen rating -- 0.04 -- represents an average of roughly 915 households or about 1,000 viewers, which is 567 times fewer viewers than tuned in for the Texans-Titans game the next day.

That's very much like an old Bob & Ray radio bit... "And among women 18-35, your rating was... zero."

anyway:

MIA 55-95 _
HOU 51-99 4

Houston has 4 ties?!

hockeyhead :)

;p

an average of roughly 915 households or about 1,000 viewers

damn, Houstonians not reproducing much these days.

houston the world capitol of sad men watching baseball alone in their underwear iirc

they all worked for Enron.

Chance to play spoiler here vs Reds!

...and down 4-0 already

12 straight losses

Alyson Footer @alysonfooter
According to superfan @DeLongTweets, tonight's game is record for highest attendance after 100th loss. Previous: 26,209 vs Rockies 9/24/11.

because yankees

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Hannes_Arch_Kirchheim_3.jpg/450px-Hannes_Arch_Kirchheim_3.jpg

btw I don't think we ever linked this: "most profitable ever" is bullshit.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2013/08/29/erroneous-story-claiming-houston-astros-most-profitable-ever-a-massive-strikeout/

What is the record for length of losing streak to end the season?

Fantastic:

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/41008/the-year-in-happy-astros-quotes

Favorite post-loss quote:

@brianmctaggart
Porter on base running gaffes: "I'm done with conversations."

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhaG-ZaCEAERJaU.jpg

he looks like gerald laird once he finally gets to let himself go

Brooms out for the Yankees.

BP Hit List:

The Astros have given up 25 runs, tied for fourth-least in baseball which is pretty good wait that’s just their bullpen never mind.

Ben Lindbergh:

The Astros have a collective .189/.264/.349 slash line in 541 plate appearances, “good” for a .222 TAv (14 points worse than the Royals, who rank 29th). Of the 134 hitters who made at least 500 plate appearances last season, only Alcides Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, and Darwin Barney hit worse than the 2014 Astros have as a team.

Somehow missed this a couple months ago:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/big-league-stew/bo-porter-chews-astros-players-disrespecting-roger-clemens-021825761--mlb.html

“Obviously, as an organization we’re fortunate to have some people like Roger Clemens and Craig Biggio and different people that will come in here over the course of the year and speak to our ballclub,” Porter said. “Even that being said, we have the 9 o’clock meeting when it comes to the synergistic chemistry lab.

“Out of respect to your teammates, out of respect to the people that take time out of their day to come out there and try to do everything they can to help this organization, it’s the right thing to do to make sure you’re dressed and ready and attentive when that person shows up or when it’s time for a team meeting.”

Maybe this thread's fill title should be The Rocket-Disrespecting Houston Astros of the American League West Featuring Bo Porter's Synergistic Chemistry Lab

full, not fill

George Springer got called up.

so did ex-met Collin McHugh (W, 1-0) 6.2IP 3H 0ER 12K

oopsy daisy

http://www.sbnation.com/2014/4/30/5670194/damn-it-astros-george-springer-errors-nationals

Has the Astros' long-game strategy made them an OUTCAST?

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/Radical-ways-paint-Astros-as-outcast-5501982.php?cmpid=twitter-premium&t=307e02ca9cd87bd7f9

five straight! winning outcasts!

I like the Astros orange road uniforms but they do remind me a bit of the old Giants orange uniforms from the 80s.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/dallas-keuchel-groundball-pitchers-pitching-astros-053014

half a game better than the rays

BANDWAGON TIME

@JeffPassan
Source: Astros, minor league 1B Jon Singleton agree on historic long-term deal. $10M guaranteed, up to $35M.

also calling him up

kinda wonder if his w33d issues have anything to do with his willingness to take the guaranteed money

singleton!

KEUCHEL 15 GROUNDBALL OUTS

AsTr0s left fielders: .205/.290/.309 with 4 HR (17 XBH) in 78 games

JD Martinez, the 26-year-old left fielder they dumped in March: .314/.346/.619 with 8 HR (20 XBH) in 37 games

http://www.si.com/longform/astros/index.html

Cool piece

Oops!

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/06/astros-trade-discussion-notes-leaked.html

just came to post the Deadspin summary.

7/25/2013

[Pirates GM Neil Huntington] said he would not include Polanco in any Norris deal. [Luhnow] asked for Glasnow + Heredia or Glasnow + Kingham and NH said no. NH said he was willing to add to Heredia. NH said he would also consider adding to Heredia with pick 73. JL said that Glasnow had to be the headliner and we were looking for

2/27/2014

[Luhnow] asked [Paul DePodesta] if they woudl consider Davis for Harrell + Sogard. PD said they value Davis higher for that. He said it appears they may value Davis higher than the market does, so they are comfortable hanging on to him.

this is so fun

a fantasy league w/ real money, eh

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/6/30/5858484/6-things-we-learned-from-the-hacked-astros-database

Kike (pronounced Key-Kay) Hernandez just got called up by the Astros, and already has a homer.

BP: "Jose Altuve is on pace to steal over 60 bases with more than 200 hits and fewer than 80 runs."

top pick has elbow issue: http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24610130/elbow-ligament-issue-for-no-1-pick-aiken-delays-signing-by-astros

can't be *that* serious, or the astros wouldn't still be willing to sign him for $5m

'84 Tigers and '86 Mets, for sure. I don't know...I'm probably contradicting myself, but to be included in this group, winning the Series seems important.