For the second time in franchise history, the Houston Astros have won the World Series. Houston clinched the championship with a 4-1 victory over the Phillies tonight in Game 6, fueled by a massive home run from Yordan Alvarez in the sixth inning. With the Phillies leading 1-0 after the top of the sixth, starter Zack Wheeler (who had been cruising in the game) was pulled after allowing two baserunners, a decision that will lead to decades of second-guessing in Philadelphia. Reliever Jose Alvarado promptly allowed a 450-foot home run to Alvarez that put the Astros ahead for good.
The Astros won 106 games during the regular season, and had a perfect 7-0 record throughout the American League playoffs to capture the pennant. However, the Phillies took a 2-1 lead through the first three games of World Series, leading to speculation that Philadelphia’s power bats had the edge over Houston’s vaunted pitching staff. That speculation was quieted in a big way when the Phillies scored only three total runs over the remaining three games of the Series, starting when four Astros pitchers (led by Cristian Javier’s six innings) combined for a no-hitter in Game 4.
That historic win restored the sense of invincibility that followed Houston for much of the season, as the team showed few weaknesses while fielding an excellent lineup, rotation, and bullpen. The franchise’s extensive rebuild period under former GM Jeff Luhnow built a farm system and player development pipeline that continues to excel, given how the bulk of the World Series roster was comprised of homegrown players. This included Javier, Framber Valdez, Jose Urquidy, and Luis Garcia — four lightly-regarded international prospects who joined future Hall-of-Famer Justin Verlander and (former first round pick) Lance McCullers Jr. to create an outstanding pitching staff.
The Astros have won two championships and made two other World Series appearances (in 2019 and 2021) over the last six seasons, an extended run of dominance over the big leagues. Of course, no discussion is complete without mention of the sign-stealing scandal that tainted the memory of the 2017 championship, and resulted in the firings of both Luhnow and former manager A.J. Hinch following the 2019 season. For many fans, no amount of time will soften the hard feelings directed towards the organization, though only five players — Verlander, McCullers, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Yuli Gurriel — remain from the 2017 roster.
Houston’s ability to reload and restock its roster has been impressive, as the team has brought some new talent into the organization and also continued to rely on its farm system. For instance, after Carlos Correa left in free agency last winter, the Astros had confidence that top prospect Jeremy Pena would be able to step into Correa’s big shoes. Fast forward to November, and Pena has followed up an impressive rookie season with World Series MVP honors — only the third rookie to ever capture the award.
After winning a World Series as a player with the Dodgers in 1981, Dusty Baker had to wait 41 more years and through 25 seasons as a manager before capturing his second ring. Baker’s excellent track record (2093 regular season wins) already made a Cooperstown induction a likelihood, but after years of close calls and disappointments in the postseason, Baker finally captured his first title as a manager at age 73. Baker was only signed through the 2022 season, yet the Astros are expected to offer him a new deal, and Baker himself told David Ortiz in an interview that “I said if I win one, I want to win two.”
Verlander is expected to opt out of his contract to re-enter the free agent market, but the bulk of the Astros’ core will be under contract and control for 2023, making Houston an early favorite to repeat. Perhaps the biggest question is in the front office, as there has been quite a bit of speculation that GM James Click (whose contract is also now up) won’t be invited back for next season, due to some clashes with owner Jim Crane. Click’s fate will be a major talking point in the days now following the World Series, and given the talent already on hand in the organization, the Astros’ GM job might be the most coveted in all of baseball.
Cool nobody cares.
Let the off-season begin!!
Idk, I think a lot of baseball fans care about the result of the World Series. Huge accomplishment for Dusty
*no one cares because the Astros won.
most people look down on that org for a reason or two.
I’d rather have had the Phils win for the same reason or two, but I stand by my previous comment
Zero accusations the 2022 team cheated.
I don’t think most. I think an overly vocal minority is more like it. Congratulations, Astros! Congratulations Dusty!
Most?
I have no way of proving this but neither does anyone in the other direction. It’s nonsensical. There’s no proof they wouldn’t have won anyway.
Nobody anyone in Houston cares about. You know, haters who won’t let go.
I’ll bet you do. And looking at your username and your comments, I know all I need to know about you.
Probably more than you think. I turned the game off after the home run. And it’s the first time I haven’t watched the final outs of a World Series in my entire lifetime
Still, you don’t just wipe that stink off.
manfraud – I am in total agreement. I wanted the Phils to win, but I’m happy for Dusty.
And once again the over-managing with analytics leads to a costly decision, just like Snell in 2020.
Wheeler is your ace pitcher.
He was well rested, having not pitched in a week.
He was at only 70 pitches.
He was dominant through 5 innings.
But the “wisdom” now is don’t let a pitcher go through the lineup more than twice … because all pitchers are created equal, right? All pitchers are robots designed to fail precisely when opposing hitters start facing them for a third time.
And the “wisdom” is always go with the lefty vs lefty matchups. Alvarez bats lefty, so you just HAVE to bring in a LHP to face him. It’s all about the matchups. Ignore the fact Alvarez actually batted 22 points higher against LHP during the regular season, and had a higher OBP against LHP as well.
And nevermind the fact that every time you bring in a reliever, you have no clue whether he’ll be “on” that day. You have no clue what kind of stuff he will have.
So the “logic” is to pull the guy who has been pitching a gem, and roll the dice with the reliever entering the game.
Props to Mark for pointing out the insanity of it all.
Trying to use an illegal bat ring a bell?
I got on with my life by not watching. And I go to enough games where I’m not a season ticket holder but I’m more invested than the casual fan. But MLB insists on being like every other sport where they just toss out months of actual talent for a three week lottery. I’m sure they’ll be disappointed in the ratings.
In an elimination game, you live and die with your best players… if you’re going to pull Wheeler in that situation, you bring in your best high leverage reliever you have.
It’s unfortunate Harper went 0-4 in game six, he was having a great playoff.
I know. I’m still pretty pissed off about the Black Sox scandal.
Harper webt 0-6 because tgey never had to pitch to him. Hoskins and Realmuto got shutdown by Astros excellent pitching. Why throw Harper anything remotely good if no one is hitting in front of him?
They reverted back to what they were on their last regular season west coast swing. Castellanos and Hoskins went back to either striking out or smothered ground balls to 3rd base. Segura flatlined.
Most Yankees, Dodgers, and Red Sox fans.
Yes, and it’s completely stupid and petty to look down on the Astros organization.
As usual, the driving force behind the Astros hate is not “morality” nor a desire to maintain the “purity of the game.” LOLOL!
It’s simply envy and jealousy and nothing else.
Sign-stealing has been around forever, electronic sign-stealing was going on across the league.
Stop this.
@jtm2889 It’s absolutely not stupid and petty to look down on the Astros organization, just as it’s not to feel the same about steroid users. The 2022 team did not cheat and I respect their talent, but takent an integrity are different things. I still think the organization is trash until all the offenders are gone. Not just players.
Stop this.
================
Yes because if history has taught us anything, it’s that American culture has been able to “move on” from sports scandals.
Black Sox. Bartman. Pete Rose. Lance Armstrong. Schillings Bloody Sock. Tanya Harding. OJ Simpson.
I’m wondering if Tom Cruise can rock an accent for when he inevitably plays Jose Altuve in the upcoming movie.
Is using an illegal bat cheating?
Technically, but in this particular case, it didn’t give the Astros a competitive edge even though he had an RBI with said bat.
Von, I heard about the bat thing in passing briefly. What was it all about? Too much pine tar???
Martin Maldonado used a Pujols model bat that is legal for Pujols but illegal for anyone else.
Pujols model was banned because the maple bat is more likely to break and splinter but was grandfathered in for any player that played before I believe 2011, Maldonado started in 2012 so it was illegal for him to use. Ticky tacky bs if you ask me, just gives people an excuse to say the Astros cheated.
Thanks for filling me in Drasco. Yeah I would hardly call that scandalous.
Except for the illegal bat?
Bigger scandals for me to be peeved off about Manny. I detest the Stros. How do we know he knew it was illegal? Was Pujols being able to use a grandfathered illegal bat common knowledge or something??
The bat is only illegal because of how it shatters. It doesn’t improve hitting in any way. Odd that he was using it, but baseball has some odd rules.
Drasco036: In all honestly that’s not the *only* thing though. MLB also legally reduced the size of the allowable barrels too, from 2.75 to 2.61.
So, it was also a bigger barrel, in all honesty. I’m not asserting this is why they won, mind you. Just clarifying that it wasn’t *just* the type of wood.
referencing the kid Pena? all I’ve seen is it was banned because of safety, nothing performance based. pujols was grandfathered, it probably breaks into shards or something. complete non-factor and silly to push the bat narrative.
Pujols was still using that kind of bat.
@Fever Pitch Guy I agree with you mostly here but the reason he was pulled was because runners were on base. I personally would have kept him in but he did get into a jam so he wasn’t cruising at that moment. I can see why a change was made.
The Astros were just the better team when it comes down to it.
Sure glad you found the right box for him. It’s important in life to be sure people are in the right box so we can marginalize them,
He was using it to honor Pujols who was not going to be in a World Series. #discernment
Stopping by this site for the first time in years to make this comment. I just want to point out that not one player on the Astros was disciplined for the greatest cheating scandal in baseball history. Others in baseball have been banned for life for offenses which did not impact the result of games. Key members of the offensive core of that plagued team are still in place. For that reason, this World Championship is every bit as tarnished as the last one, and I am no closer to coming back as a baseball fan.
Delete, please, you are more than welcome back!!!
Gurriel, Altuve, Bregman and one starting pitcher. Not too many players left.
The punishments for the past scandal were not enough. Not for the team and not for the players.
But this one is not “every bit as tarnished”. Not close. (Unless something is uncovered in the future that we don’t know now)
@MannyBeingMVP According to Fangraphs, Altuve and Bregman were both in the top four on this team for wRC+. Their continued presence on the field with no penalty is a decisive advantage.
Delete, See? It’s addicting huh? Stick around…Your handle isn’t half bad actually…Add a profile pic (unlike my pal Sam) and you’ll be good to go..
X2 champ champs, destiny as close to one as you’ll see in this day and age of baseball 6 AlCS appearances
I am no closer to coming back as a baseball fan.
===========================
The history of the world is filled with folks that got away with stuff. You only hurt yourself when you refuse to let go of bitterness.
Please do not ignore the commish’s role.
@JoeBrady It’s not just bitterness though that is part of it. I simply do not trust the result on the field.
@delete
You forgot to say that Manfred should be sacked for exploiting baseball for money. Manfred should be traded for a bag of balls.
Way to initiate him Crime Dog!
Trumbo: I’m starting to think you’re a bad influence, but just when I do, you reel me right in! Burn it down! Wooo
Amazing how some people stick to a narrative.completely disregard the fact the players were given amnesty to expose rampant electronic sign stealing in the entire league. Multiple organizations were doing it and for longer than the one month the Astros did it. The reason MLB went to wireless signs between pitcher and catcher is because of the rampant use of cameras and spotters ti steal signs. You can continue to think it was just the Astros but you’re ignoring the truth.
Astros did it for longer than one month. And no one is saying it was just the Astros.
Lrtexasman, Entire league? Could you name teams please?
@delete. No one cares, I promise
Rockies had a very similar system to the Astros’ system in 2017 (the year they had the fifth best record in the National League)
Something will be uncovered in the future? This was a gambling scandal? Rig the outcome of the game, rig bets? Just like Biff Tannen? Ironic his almanac ended like 2 years before this event? Cause a group of cigar smoking men from space jam stole a page right out of back to the futures play book? And nobody noticed cause they were to busy arguing over “a piece of metal”- Rob Manfred? Organized gambling= organized crime? If Pete Rose will never be in the hall for doing the same? What do you think the world would think knowing players were allowed to do it, managers, gms, those in the baseball world benefitting from the winnings? I think it’ll come out one day? It was a legit Houston we have a problem moment for Manfred and everyone was so pissed in New York and L.A. it made it really easy to sweep what actually occurred under the rug? 1 billion dollar deal for Nike? SMDH
FLY YOU FOOLS
A bag of balls has wayyyyy more value than Manfred. Just my opinion.
The Astros cheating scandal isn’t that big of a deal. It really isn’t. Other teams have cheated and it didn’t have the impact many are making it out to have had. Not even close.
Reality is that the ’17 Stros were no where near the only team cheating signs, they were just the team that got egregiously overt, stupid, and caught with it.
Ok, keep up with your, “astro’s bad” dogma. Enjoy your life
the greatest cheating scandal in baseball history.
Very dramatic. And Shoeless Joe might not agree with you.
But then, he wasn’t prone to hyperbolic melodrama
Really goat? MLB DISAGREES WITH YOUR ALLEGATION.
They investigated. How did you arrive at your verdict and what evidence can you provide to contradict the MLB investigation?
Off the top of my head, the Astros, Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers, Dodgers, and Rangers were all implicated. I don’t know which teams were actually punished as a result other than the Yankees, Red Sox and Astros.
I really do think the pervasiveness of the cheating is why the players didn’t get punished. If you tried to go after every player that did it, you’d have a bunch of the league suspended.
My goodness. Do yourself a favour and move on.
Congrats Astro fans. Enjoy.
Cosmo2 with that opinion, you are definitely out in the cosmo… . Reality & Facts Hstn won a ‘17 WS w cheating. 3 key impact starting position players are in todays Hstn WS team, never sanctioned. They’ve helped win many LDS since and u say NO impact?
I would submit a bag of manure has more value
I’d say Big money & Tx power was behind the ‘17 Astros cheating verdict handed down by MLB & Manfred. NY & LA influencers helped water it down too.
Sign stealing & relaying on the field by legit means (not electronic, cameras, banging or yelling, etc) has been a part of the game. Instant replay appeals help keep it clean/fair, but hopefully Home Plate Umps stay clean, that is an spot that needs advancement on w out slowing the game.
delete – You are looking at the cheating scandal the wrong way.
When individual players decide to cheat on their own, usually without the involvement or knowledge of their teammates and manager and coaching staff, that is only on them therefore only they should be punished.
When a team-wide method of cheating is created and implemented and supported by the manager and members of the coaching staff and front office, the players are needed as witnesses. Understandably, you always offer immunity to those who will help you convict the “big fish”. Without the cooperation of the players, MLB wouldn’t have been able to punish the main culprits – Cora and Hinch and Luhnow.
How you fail to understand this concept is beyond me.
Blame the MLBPA for not a single player being punished, Delete. They couldn’t be punished. I sincerely hope you’re able to move on and let go. If you feel like this championship is tarnished, more power to you.
“destiny” ≠ dynasty
As a Pirates fan, I’ll admit there’s a lot wrong with MLB, starting with the financial structure. But as a baseball fan of 55 years, your comment is pure baloney. I’m struck as to how incredibly naive it is to make such a public rendering
I suspect there are levels of cheating that go on in every sport and that are well known to governing bodies if not the public. If one is to contemplate such things, how can he watch any sport?
I hate the era of analytics. I hate the fact pitchers are relegated to 5 innings. I hate the outrageous contracts. But at the end of the day, I love the sport itself. And that’s enough
We didn’t miss you, nor do we care what you are or aren’t a fan of.
Who’s “we”?
goast – You are 100% wrong. MLBPA doesn’t have the authority to prevent MLB from punishing players for rules violations. They can get involved in appeals to reduce the punishment after it’s handed out, but that’s it. Why on earth would the union try to fight punishment when their own players already admitted to the cheating?
The players were offered immunity for their testimony, so they took it. End of story.
Prove it had a major impact. Go ahead. I say they would’ve won anyway. And you’re making a straw man argument. I never said it had NO impact. Way to distort my argument. It’s exaggerated. They would’ve won anyway and you can’t prove otherwise
I do. You just broke your promise.
Yankeeman, you even capitalize “NO” in “no impact”. Way to exaggerate what I said. So the Yankees never cheated? Hypocrisy much? All teams cheated in one way or another. Get over it or at least have one standard.
cheating has been going on since the game
e began. But when it was done electronically, it became a big deal. We’re the Phillies cheating when they took advantage of McCullers tipping his pitches?
This certainly seems to be what people are implying though…
Astros have unfairly borne the entire wrath of the league for the past 3 seasons, while other teams who also used electronics to steal signs *literally* went unpunished and didn’t have to deal with any of the fan fallout.
After the experience of the last few seasons, it’s just confirmed what I’ve already known: human beings are really dumb.
The Yankees were exonerated, not fined. I don’t know why Astros fans can’t keep that straight. I guess because it doesn’t fit there narrative that everyone was doing it. No. There was very little cheating compared to the ‘stros. Very few teams, very limited cheating.
Everyone I know was rooting for the Phillies. Everyone.
2 titles in 5 years is not a dynasty. 3 in 5 years (SFG) is. 4 in 5 years (NYY) is. Not 2 in 5 years, especially since the first was tainted.
Yankees were exonerated, not fined. RS were fined.
No. Taking advantage of tipped pitches has never been considered cheating by anyone and never will be. Foolish argument.
Utah, Indeed. Hardly the same as a motion capture camera with AI software…Some people are so clueless…They think the “camera” was merely capturing the catcher sticking out the old #1 or #2…..No No….This thing went as far as to DECODE the signals/signs!! When a catcher taps his mask twice, his knee, throws out a 1, a 3, a 2, and a 1 again, and the pitch is STILL DECODED, that is heavy sh!!t!!
But using a video room and dugout phone to decode and relay signs is cheating (yes, the Yankees did that or tried to and the letter is proof). 3rd degree murder is worse than 1st degree murder, but that doesn’t make 1st degree a-ok. The Yankees tried to cheat. It doesn’t matter if it was on the same level as the Astros or not. It wasn’t ok. I don’t know you can’t accept that they tried to cheat, Utah. Does it not fit your narrative?
If pitchers and catchers are using their new fancy relay system I think it puts to rest any future sign stealing possibilities. I think that is what matters most at this juncture.
goastros123 – the letter proved nothing.
Utah, you talk about Astros fans having a narrative, but here you are pushing the narrative that the Yankees did nothing wrong as well as the narrative that it was only the Astros. New flash: it wasn’t. Proof? The letter. Sure, the Astros did it more egregiously, but first degree murder is still bad, even if 3rd degree is worse. Yankees tried to cheat. I’m sorry that goes against your narrative, as does all the players like Joey Votto saying it wasn’t just them.
I’m sorry for your loss. The players were given immunity for their testimony. Prosecutors do this all the time.
Yeah, the Phils would have been better.
Congrats, Dusty. Get that HOF plaque engraved.
They’re nihilists Donny!
as a baseball fan, I’m really happy for Dusty. so many almost years with teams, nice it finally happened, sucks cause Altuve and Bregman i dislike.
I keep refreshing my screen but I don’t see any hot stove articles yet! Where are they?! The WS ended like….. and hour ago!
Couple more mins Clip..
Cool nobody cares.
==============================
No one cares, but you managed to rush in to be the first one to comment.
The Astros winning the World Series is so 2020s ‘Merica. The only thing that would have made it more appropriate is if Kim Kardashian threw out the first pitch.
I thought she did?
Her ass would have blocked the aerial view of the mound or she probably would have been asked to.
Would Kate Upton do?
“Ooh I don’t care’
Yet, I took the time to read the story AND comment’
True no one cares what you think
I hate the Phils but winning 87 games in the big leagues is still a difficult task especially in the division they did it in and they played like a playoff team and put a great run together. They owe this new format to even allowing them in but they made the most of it. I’d rather 87 win teams get in then 98 win teams miss the playoffs.
So you wouldn’t like it if there were teams getting in with one hundred plus wins but a third place team with 98 wins, ie LESS wins than the others didn’t get in? How does that make sense?
Honestly at this point, based on 2023’s even scheduling, I think divisions should go away entirely. The best records get in. End of story. Strength of division is so arbitrary. And with next year’s schedule it’s meaningless.
The team in each league with the best record face each other in a best of 7 World Series. That’s it. That’s the comment.
Houston is the city with the fat people and cheaters right?
Yankees never ever cheated? Not even a teensy bit?
The Astros should have been disbanded as punishment and Houston instead given a new expansion team with a new nickname and new owners.
If MLB tried to do that then the entire Astros organization would spill everything they know about every organization cheating.
MLB would be burned to the ground (figuratively) and need to be restarted from the ground up.
Manfred would lose his job ( not a bad thing) in seconds flat.
No way MLB was going to risk that.
They did the least possible to cause as few waves as possible for the sport and that meant not stripping the title and not punishing the players.
Both which also were the right and just things to do.
toycannon, you win the hysterical overreaction award. Or you were being sarcastic. Cant tell, but that suggestion is over the top ridonkulous.
All baseball fans should care about a great guy like Dusty Baker finally getting a ring as a manager. Congratulations Dusty!! It is especially satisfying that Dusty’s team beat a team that has the most obnoxious, over rated player in Bryce Harper on it
No way Bryce Harper is more obnoxious than alex Smegman
Hell yeah!!
The better team one. The other team shouldn’t even be in the WS especially after they almost gifted the METS the division this season.
Now start the off season and resign Swanson!
No
Bitter much ? The Phillies went 9-2 through three series in the National League and won two games against the team that swept their way through the AL Playoffs. They deserved to be there.
@htbnm57 Teams that come 3rd in their division don’t “deserve” to be anywhere in the post season, nor do 2nd and 3rd wildcards “deserve” to be anywhere in the post season. They deserve to be in the off-season at the end of 162, not playing baseball against teams that had far superior records and won their divisions.. But maybe you just believe in lottery tickets and exploiting baseball for money sake. By what stretch do 2nd and 3rd wildcard teams “deserve” to play in the post season? Because Manfred or owners said so? No, that doesn’t make it right at all. Greed from Manfred, and participation certificates, when 40% of teams make the post season. It should be division winners only and one AL/NL wildcard, that’s it. It wasn’t broke in the past and didn’t need fixing.
Says a fan of the team that got their behind handed to them by the team that made it to the WS.
Smells like sour grapes to me.
Of course they deserve to be there. They are in a division with the Mets and Braves and still found a way to win 87 games. The astros are in a division with Texas, Angel’s and A’s of course they’re going to win 100+ games. Until all teams play each other equal number of times you really can’t judge teams against one another.
@Baseballislife
The team that made it to the World Series via a 3rd wildcard should not have been in the post season, nor should they have had an opportunity at playing the St Louis Cardinals. It’s just people like you that can’t see it, that Manfred is exploiting baseball for money and cheapening the game and the purpose of achievement and excelling. You think third place teams and 2nd and 3rd wildcards have places in the post season, explain why they do.
There was nothing wrong with the play-off format before Manfred was MLB commissioner, and that’s 1 wildcard from AL/NL, and go and ask former players what they think of it.
Also explain why teams play 162 if you’re going to let in 2nd and 3rd wildcards to ‘make it interesting’.
No, it’s nothing to do with your pathetic “sour grapes” claim, it’s that 2nd and 3rd wild cards shouldn’t be in the post season, the Phillies and others had 162 games to win their division, why should they get in the post season when the ‘business’ is done in 162 games. I agree, it stinks to high heaven. I doubt you understand what I am alluding to, because maybe you haven’t played any sport before, rewarding teams to have a crack at teams that were superior in the 162 game regular season is patently not right, and it’s unfair. However, if you think it’s fair then reduce the 162 game season, make it 120 games, and then let 50% of teams into the post season so that Manfred can exploit the game of baseball for more money and keep it interesting for the ‘fans’ in the bar, & so that some of the greedy owners can be kept happy that their team is participating in the post season when they plainly didn’t earn it or deserve to be there.
If you don’t want the team with the third best record in the division to win the World series, then get rid of the wild card. Heck, get rid of the divisions. Have everyone play everyone an equal amount of times and the team with the most wins is champion. No playoffs. Why risk having a team play another team when one has more wins than the other… EEEKKK! The team with fewer wins might beat them and that wouldn’t be fair.
Now that would really make the game boring.
Absolutely. The expanded playoffs IS all about $ rather than the fans, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not good for the fans.
I’m not a braves’ fan. I agree that the playoffs are too large and it dilutes the importance of the regular season.
I agree with you it does seem watered down and yes it wasn’t broken ….but man it was fun to watch …but like EVERYTHING else its all about the MONEY
@fred mcgriff hr
Keep shaking your fists at the cloud. Baseball has had the smallest playoff field of all the sports, it’s fine to catch up to the other leagues. And they had more wins than some other teams who have won the whole thing
@phantomofdb
So 40% of teams get into the post season, name me the other sports that play 162 game seasons. It’s pointless now, so shorten the season to 120 games so it keeps those ‘fans’ in the sport with short attention spans and make 50% instead of 40% of the teams make the post season, make it cheap like everything else and create winners..
As for “get rid of the wildcard”, it’s not what I said. I said get rid of 2nd and 3rd wildcards. You clearly do not understand why it’s a 162 game season if you’re going to let in 2nd and 3rd wildcards. So now it’s about making it interesting, so get rid of 162 game seasons because ‘it’s too long’. The attention span of some is already short, hence pitch clocks, throwing over to 2nd twice only, batter in box or called strike on the batter if umpire deems so, runner on 2nd in extra innings because people ‘won’t watch what used to be great” when games went 15 or 16 innings and teams won the game based on merit. What else can Manfred or the powers that be from time to time increase the entertainment for ‘fans’ and **** with the original rules of baseball. Pathetic.
@vtbaseball The Astros were 51-25 .671 108 win pace against division opponents, 55-31 .640 104 win pace outside their division. Against teams that made the playoffs they were 35-20 .636 103 win pace. To say they won 100+ because of weak division opponents is just not true.
If each team plays all other teams an equal number of times, then there is no need for divisions. But hey, MLB has become the best at making stupid decisions. So they’ll probably move to that
I submit that baseball expand to 32 teams. That the season be shortened to 144 games and end by Lanor day.
Then a 32 team, bracketed tournament take place. And that every team play every other team 5-6 times with no leagues or Divisions.
It’s the only way the six month regular season could be made more meaningless.
By your logic the Braves didn’t deserve to win last year. The Wild card only started in 2012 and was expanded later so going back 10 years before they won they wouldn’t have been there either. Before 1969 there were only two teams. Your argument seems very arbitrary. You play by the rules that are there at the time. You are just bitter because your team lost to the Phillies who gave the Astros a better fight than anyone else did.
“By what stretch do 2nd and 3rd wildcard teams “deserve” to play in the post season? Because Manfred or owners said so? ”
Oh, but 2nd and 3rd wild cards shouldn’t be in because you say so? How about 1st place teams that are truly great shouldn’t lose to 3rd wild card teams? The Astros didn’t.
@htbnm57 but why weren’t there 5 wild cards in each league? Why only 3? The Giants were the only team in MLB that played over .600 ball (18-10) in September and didn’t make the playoffs. They could have been the 5th NL wild card and been holding the trophy last night! Wait, why stop at 5 Wild Cards. The Cubs finished the season on a 16-6 run sweeping both the Phillies and the Mets along the way. They could have been the 6th wild card and been WS Champs! What the Phillies did was awesome to watch. They played great baseball. But how long will it be until a .500 or under .500 team over 162 games gets a wild card and wins a WS? Does baseball really want that as a possibility?
The 1973 Mets won the National League East with 83 wins when only 4 teams made the playoffs and went on to the World Series. The Braves won the WS last year with 1 more regular season win than the Phillies did this year. The Phillies had to play all rounds as the road underdog (no home game in the first round). The Braves wouldn’t have been in the playoffs last year if the rules from 2011 still applied .Your arguments seem very arbitrary.
The 3 games wild card series seems less arbitrary than the old one game wild card.
What has last year anything to do with extra wildcards? Zero.
The Braves won a difficult division, but they won it. You seem to forget that Scherzer was in Washington along with Soto, Trea Turner for most of the season etc. The NL east also had Alcantara, and the Marlins had some decent pitching. Anyway, it’s not about that, it’s not about the Braves or the Phillies, it’s about extra wildcards being added because Manfred & co assert it’s improving the baseball product. Explain how exactly that is.
Once upon a time things were made hard to win, now it’s being made easier and easier in all walks of life, even in the education field or scholastic achievements, agree with the lecturer or whoever is marking the paper or you’ll be marked down. What a joke of a society.
I’m not sure what you’re smoking but the Mets did not win the 1973 World Series, the Oakland A’s did.
I said they made it to the World Series. Try reading.
the better team two
this is a good example of a team getting hot at the right time. A team that didn’t even win 90 games during the regular season puts it together at the right time and beats two teams in the PO that were far better with at least 100 wins. We’re the Phillies a better team than the braves and the Mets? They weren’t, but then again they were at the right time. So why even play the regular season? Why should the Dodgers play so hard that they win 111 games, then lose to another sub-90 win team in their first round of the PO? The WS should have been between the Astros and Dodgers. Period. Excellence should be rewarded. As for the Braves and Mets, maybe they could play for third place.
Phillies had one of the best winning % since June. So it’s not like they got hot for a few weeks in the playoffs. They were one of the best for months. They just started off so bad that people look at their win total and assume. Mets, Braves and Dodgers? All better than the Phils. But I certainly see the Phils record as being a bit deceiving.
The Phillies were an inferior regular season team to the two NL east teams they finished behind, but I’m not sure regular season and postseason prowess are apples-to-apples. Postseason rosters may as well be 20 players, or 18 players. Teams that have fewer DL days and better back of the roster depth lose that advantage in the postseason. The top half of the roster needs to match up with the other top halves of rosters once the postseason arrives. The Phillies weren’t clearly inferior to the next team at that point.
Pay for Swanson’s career year on a 5-6 year deal? That’s what the Rangers do. It’s not what the Braves do, especially not with Vaughn Grissom in house, and Arcia behind him.
Vaughn hit .315/.402/.465/.867 in the minors then .291/.353/.440/.792 in the majors—at age 21. They’re as close to a lock as you can get for 2+ wins at SS with Vaughn. Why would they pay Swanson at least 5/100m and probably quite a bit more when they have a terrific young player on hand for 700k who will probably outplay Swanson over the next 6 years?
Just not what the Braves do.
Jack ….the yanks need to look at it the way u just put it… well perfectly but it seems so simple but just like everything else we tend to make simple complicated…and that’s why the Braves will be so tough next several seasons
Let Swanson walk to a team willing to pay him 140M for his Vidal Sassoon locks and .255 AVG. 2-16 during the postseason. But clubhouse culture matters!!!
Better team definitely won. Disagree with everything else you said.
Jose Altuve has over 400 trips to the plate in the post season and Mike Trout has 5. I’m gonna be sick..
Trout is just the modern version of Ernie Banks.
And Ted Williams….And Tony Gwynn.
Williams (once) and Gwynn (twice) at least got to play in a World Series. Banks and Trout (so far) have not.
Plus, Williams probably would have made at least one more if not for war service.
Well, no one twisted Trout’s arm. He could be playing for the Astros (or Dodgers or Yankees or Mets…) if he really wanted.
True true Hiflew….
Dodgers soon enough Jack…Another year or 2 and he’ll be there..
Andre Dawson.
Another good example..
when did Trout get 5at-bats in the post season? I thought the Angels have never made it to the PO since Trout has been there.
Avenger, many moons ago….Altuve was knee high to a grasshopper back then….Summer of 2014 VS KC.
Unless Trout is hurt badly, then he should sign a ten-year deal with the Cardinals for hundreds of millions and see how they like it.
Avenger
12 at-bats (one hit) in 2014 postseason against Royals
He had that many AB’s?
At least Tony sniffed the world series twice. Unfortunately he didn’t win. I feel for Trout. I really can’t see him finishing career in Anaheim. Would be cool to see him go to Philly before Harper’s contract is up.
That is what I saw on Baseball Reference.
baseball-reference.com/players/t/troutmi01.shtml
Thanks Manny. I must have read it wrong.
Would be funny if he became a Cardinal and won back to back to back world titles just for spite LOL.
@TrumboJumbo 100 percent agree on Mike Trout, a superstar Future HOFer that deserves to be on postseason teams. Hope he gets a WS title because just reaching the playoffs isn’t enough. Among the guys that made the playoffs often, there is not another story quite like Don Sutton. He was in AAA when the Dodgers won the World Series in 1965. Sutton joined the Dodgers rotation the following year throwing 225 innings of 2.99 ERA ball as a rookie in 1966. Sutton’s Dodgers were on the losing end of the World Series in 66, 74, 77 and 78. After throwing over 200 innings per year every year for 15 seasons, Sutton signed with the Astros as a free agent after the 1980 season. The Dodgers won the World Series in 1981. The Dodgers won the World Series the year before Sutton and the year following Sutton, but not in his 15 year tenure. Pitching for the Astros, Brewers and Angels from 1981-1987 he made the playoffs twice, but no WS title. The Dodgers didn’t win a WS title in those years either. Sutton returned to the Dodgers in 1988. On August 10th 1988 after 16 starts, 87 innings and a 3.92 ERA the Dodgers released the 43 year old Sutton. He would not pitch again. The Dodgers won the World Series.
Good story. I was there as a fan for half of it, but I never really noticed. Thanks.
Don Mattingly
And another…
Jose Altuve and the Astros are winners. The Angels are losers and Mike Trout is stuck playing there. Hopefully he and Ohtani will be freed to go join winners. Ohtani will as he is a free agent after 2023.
Jose Altuve has a legit shot at the HOF.
Everyone would like to see Trout on a playoff team, but I’m not sure why Altuve is less worthy of playoff games than the next guy of his caliber.
Is it as fun as it sounds to live under a rock?
Why is Altuve not deserving of playoff baseball?
Good news. The offseason can begin!
You mean the first* lol
That was a gambling scandal, I’ll believe that till it finally reaches the light of day?
Jeff Luhnow is one of the most brilliant baseball minds in the last century and Rob Manfred and MLB should be ashamed of how they handled the scandal, especially with Luhnow being scapegoated… those are still (mostly) his players he drafted and developed during his time in Houston winning championships without trash cans or any of that garbage? He was great as the draft coordinator in STL under Mozeliak and I hope to see him back in baseball doing front office work someday? There are alot of organizations that could use a mind like his
Phillies had a great run and I have to give them and their fans respect. With that being said: the Astros are best team in baseball at this moment in time.
Congratulations Goastros, champions they are.
Thanks, Clipper. Appreciate it.
100% Astros were by far the best team all season. Didn’t think the Phils had a chance until they were up 2-1. But the Astros pitching essentially shut them down in 4 games.
I think the Dodgers were better than the Astros most of the regular season, losing Buehler to injury hurt a lot yet they still won 111. The Astros were the best AL team and the best postseason team. The Phillies were the biggest over-achievers and they went so much further than I thought their pitching could take them. Ranger Suarez would have made for a fun game seven.
The injuries were the Dodgers flaw all year. I saw them losing in the playoffs. Perhaps not to the Padres, but they just didn’t seem as flawless as the Astros to me.
Dodgers were a better built regular season team, better position players and more depth. Astros have really good young pitching, that plays well in the postseason. If they shut down the Phillies’ bats, odds are they would have shut down the bats for the Dodgers, Padres and Atlanta as well, let alone the Mets and Cards.
Congrats on the first World Series win for the Houston Asteriks of Texas (worst state btw).
The Houston Asteriks must be some sort of independent league team.
Illinois had to legalize marijuana for recreational use with like a 26% tax because ther financial situation was so bad… this effectively printed 250 million dollars in tax revenue for the state in 2020 alone? Every other state with a recreational market doesn’t charge more than 12% taxes in my research?
I live in Illinois, can confirm dumpster fire status.
Appropriate choice of screen names, Dunderhead. If Texas is so bad, why are people and companies fleeing California and Illinois to head to Texas?
If only such things weren’t true, like the top 3 states by GDP per capita weren’t blue and the bottom weren’t red, you might have a point.
But I’m just sure there’s a solid excuse for it.
In the meantime, anyone who truly falls for the division sown by the red v the blue and the blue v the red, is part of the problem. Cheers,
When all those states crater because you don’t control the fed government come back and let me know.
“Duhhh, think of the GDP! Blue states make movies and have zero skill marketing jobs, so they provide more value than farms. I am very intelligent and deserve the right to vote.”
If you like vegetables and fruit, you probably eat a lot of it from Central California.
Which are the top 10 agriculture-producing States?
In calendar year 2021, the top 10 agriculture-producing States in terms of cash receipts were (in descending order): California, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Indiana, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
ers.usda.gov/faqs/#:~:text=related%20to%20agricult….
Correct jack, revolution is what America needs, death to the two party system. The central bank was hijacked by the Rothchilds and 13 initial investors in 1913 when Woodrow Wilson “unwittingly sold away America’s future” when some papers were dropped on his desk right before Christmas holiday needing his signature before he could leabe? Those papers were the federal reserve act of 1913
Hey HIPPY…. Didn’t you have your revolution Jan 6th?
California median income $78,682
Illinois median income $68,428
Median income U.S. $67,521
Texas median income $63,826
Billionaires relocate companies to Texas so they can pay their employees less. Ordinary people enjoy California’s worker rights and, in some locations, temperate coastal climate.
Venice Beach is a very nice area.. if u like hobos and needles
Venice Beach is lovely — but then, you’ve probably never been there.
google.com/maps/place/Venice+Boardwalk/@33.9908824…
Fink, he is just trolling….I went to Laguna Beach for the first time a few years back…Paradise there my friend. Truly paradise.
Now adjust for cost of living and it is no contest which state is better.
2nd.
I used to go swimming in Venice and body surfing in Santa Monica. This guy has probably never set foot in California, let alone Venice.
Venice beach is a tramp camp, an overpriced slum. Santa Monica beach is nice, can be crowded, The stretch of beach from Roy Rogers to the Getty Villa is nice, I liked Playa del Rey, but Huntington is probably the best stretch of beach in Socal. Never went to Malibu. I did go to Cayucas and Morro Bay, another nice stretch of beach.
Laguna Beach is lame, Trestles was cool. Crystal Cove is nice.
I hate the beach to be honest, get sand in your pants, no shade, but have visited almost everyone of them from San Diego to San Francisco.
Manny – Those “worker rights”, of which I’m all too familiar, are a big part of the reason why the cost of doing business there is so astronomical. They also have the 7th-highest corporate tax rate in the mainland US.
Texas, BTW, has the lowest in the country. THAT is why companies get relocated to Texas.
Because Illinois has like a F bond rating? All the rest of the states have a AAA rating? If you understand how bonds work and how they are securely paid back to those issuing them it comes as no surprise companies are fleeing Illinois? California destroyed their middle class? To many rich folks when you have that many Rich folks who don’t spend money it ruins your states economy through stagflation? Been that way for many years in California, I saw the writing on the wall for them as a teenager in 2008. America as a whole is in great trouble? There isn’t one real industry left in America other than robbing Peter to pay pual and that almost collapsed in 2007? Thank God there was this bank called HSBC launding the money of the drug cartels and gang organizations? They only got fined 8 billion for proping up the world’s economy with drug money? If they wouldn’t have done that uhh it woulda been a global catastrophe? They were the only bank that kept money circulating world wide? Crazy to think, illegal activity kept the world from knowing what it was like to live in the 1920-1940s? And what caused it? One person wanting to gamble billions of dollars in hedge funds on the housing market which had been booming? Where I lived saw 90% increase in population? All those new homes built on one bad loan which loaned all the money out for all the homes built in that time? There’s never been a system as corrupt and easily manipulated as the Rothschild idea of a center bank that loans money to government who secures these loans with direct taxation of the people
Illinois has a BBB+ bond rating from Moody’s and Fitch, and a Baa1 rating from S&P.
California ranks sixth in median household income and average household income. Clearly, they haven’t destroyed their middle class.
Texas ranks 21st in median household income.
I don’t know where you’re getting your information from, but obviously it’s an unreliable source.
Correction: the Baa1 rating is from Moody’s. The BBB+ ratings are from S&P and Fitch.
BTW, Texas ranks 18th in average household income.
“There isn’t one real industry left in America other than robbing Peter to pay pual and that almost collapsed in 2007?”
I’m not sure why you punctuated that sentence with a question mark or, for that matter, what exactly you’re saying. But if you meant to say, seriously, that there isn’t one real industry left in America, then I invite you to explain how the U.S. is ranked second in the world in manufacturing output and in percentage of global manufacturing:
brookings.edu/research/global-manufacturing-scorec…
be crazy to see what it looks like if they accounted for all the illegal immigrants making $2 per hour in cali.
even with the 52 rich ppl who pay 90% of the taxes there, all their fraudulent numbers would take a tumble.
Most undocumented workers in big agriculture get above minimum wage and even more when they work piece rate. Ag has trouble finding workers for the jobs. Most undocumented workers use a relative or friend’s social security number or obtain one illegally, no social security no payroll check. Only a few Mom and Pop farms pay cash and below minimum wage.
Don’t you have a crop circle to visit, Goku?
don’t you have a tent to clean up? get to work. kids are gonna step on your needles
Better double-ply the tinfoil, Goku. Those Chinese are using more advanced microwaves these days.
Well done, Dusty!
Heartbreaking loss for our Phils, but I am thankful for their inspiring and memorable run!
It was a mostly great series, a shame the Phil’s offense went cold those last three games! But one helluva fight! Kudos to both teams their fans should be proud of their accomplishments! And excited for next season!
@5TUNT1N Well said. –I was baffled by the Phillies giving $180 million to Castellanos and Schwarber, but they almost pulled it off. They’ve gone out and gotten the guys they wanted (Realmuto, Harper, Wheeler), they brought Nola and Suarez along, and they figured they were in range—and they were right.
Castellanos was essentially terrible all season for the Phils. I was hoping for a playoff resurgence, but outside if some amazing defense, he did very little. I can’t remember a bigger offensive drop off after a FA signing. Hopefully he bounces back next year.
Hate to say it .. but this is true.
Shut your face.
As a Cardinals fan, congratulations to the Phillies on getting to the World Series. They 100% deserved to be there regardless of what fans of other teams say. After the Phillies beat the Cardinals in the Wildcard round, just had a feeling they could get to the World Series. They have nothing to hang their head about.
“Deserved”, based on what? Because Manfred and owners said so, or achievement itself?
Based on the rules established before the season started. We’ve seen teams win the division with less than 84 wins before. Do they deserve to be there just because their division stinks? (Yes. According to the rules.) If you put the Phils in the NL central, they win by a mile. That’s why I like the WC. In my opinion it ensures the best teams make it.
“Division stinks” is your opinion. The rules of who made the play offs were made before you were born, they didn’t need to be changed at all.
But you, and others like you, and people like Manfred, go and mess with baseball for no good reason. The ‘rules’ you are talking about have been interfered with. You believe it to be for the better, I don’t.
The Phillies, the Padres, the Rays, the Mariners, none of them “deserved” to be there.
It should have been Toronto/NY Mets winning the wildcards and the play offs as per eg. 2004 system.
There is no guarantee the Phillies win the NL Central by a mile, but maybe given the fact Pittsburgh and Cubs are in a rebuilding mode, it still means you have to get past Milwaukee and St Louis, no guarantee of that at all.
Don’t forget the Cubs swept the Mets at Citifield, they were inconsistent, but that just aptly demonstrates what can happen in a 3 game series.
The Phillies finished 6 games in front of San Francisco and 14 games in front of the Angels. The Phillies were 14 games behind the Mets and the Braves, no, the Phillies did not deserve to be in the post season, and neither did the other teams I mentioned. For the last time, this is not about X team or Y team, I don’t care which team you follow or I follow, this is about not interfering with what was set down before.
Increasing the numbers of teams in post season doesn’t make baseball a better product at all, it just gives those teams a chance to knock out teams they shouldn’t have a chance at knocking out by giving them ‘wildcards’. 162 game season is now meaningless thanks to Manfred & co. The best teams are measured over 162 games, not being gifted lottery tickets to post season because Manfred and co interfered with the system that was set down before him. It is as weak as p…
Baseball rules changed many times before we were born. Every season is unique. You can’t pick and choose which rules are real and which aren’t.
The *Astros win their first-ever legitimate World Series championship! I won’t congratulate them, but this team did earn it.
Guys like Dusty, Pena, Verlander, Pressly really deserve it, and the Phillies made it interesting.
It’s sad that this championship will probably not be celebrated anywhere except Houston.
As long as Jim “We Would’ve Won Anyway” Crane is the owner, most everyone will never join in your triumphs.
Number 2
If I was an Astros fan, I wouldn’t want anyone else joining in the triumphs. Those belong to real permanent fans, not just bandwagon fans that attach themselves in October when their actual team is eliminated..
Some people just like to pick a team in the postseason and root for them if their own team doesn’t make it. They’re not Houston residents who just jump on board for the postseason, but fans of other teams who want a reason to be invested. I celebrated the Astros championship in 2017 (before everyone knew about the cheating) even though I’m a Rangers fan, because I wanted a team that hadn’t won it before to come out on top. You would see fans from other teams celebrating either one of these teams for winning if cheating wasn’t involved, and that’s the point he was making.
yep, thx mate
Houston will always be great as long as they have that film room staff, best in baseball. It doesn’t matter if they change coaches, GM, or star players as long as they keep that video department.
I hate the organization and I don’t recognize 2017, but they’ve been consistently the best team in baseball and deserved to win this year by a mile.
Von I can stand by everything you said but the “deserve” part. That is highly debatable amongst a lot of us. Verlander is the best pitcher I have ever seen and Altuve maybe the 2nd best hitter I’ve ever seen….I have my qualms though.
fml
Fire up the stove & turn it up full blast.
I’m ready for some Detroit house cleaning.
Congrats, Dusty
AJ Hinch was the former manager that was fired amid the sign stealing scandal, not Alex Cora.
Postseason summary for Phils
Castellanos had a great catch and Schwarber had a great throw. Bats were not noisy enough. Still they made it further than all but a few Phanatic fans predicted
I’m still proud of my Phillies. Great season, I just wish it had ended differently.
BTW, Tim Dierkes can kiss my ass for proclaiming the Phillies’ season was over in May. I called him out on it and got flamed on here relentlessly. We may not have won, but it turns out I was very much correct. Enjoy your crow Mr. Dierkes.
Kirk
And yet you still enjoy his free content
Your point? You probably cry about Elon when you post on Twitter. Just because the content is free doesn’t make him right or a good person. It’s a central hub for baseball information. Nothing more and that’s why I still choose to use it.
I do not have a twitter account.
I do not believe free speech is best served when a single person owns such a huge platform. Still I go with the free market system. If Elon promotes bigotry, Yesla customers will flock to Ford and GM
If you are an advocate of free speech than you should understand exactly where I am coming from. The exact thing you rail against happened to me. Hence, my response.
It doesn’t matter so much as who owns as who he chooses to manage the Twitter platform. That thing is cesspool of hate as is Facebook to a lesser degree.
This site is a wonderful but tiny niche provider, not a huge market maker like Twitter.
And Twitter is a nit compared to Facebook. Both are on their way out of favor, though.
Postseason summary for Astros
Great pitching plays well in postseason
Verlander pitched one good 5 inning game. He is no MadBum in postseason
Now let’s wait three years to see if investigators uncover any cheating or not
Congrats to Dusty and North American champs
You forgot to mention that Maldonado made no effort to get out of the way of that pitch.
I thought Maldonado bringing Pujols name into things was worse.
I wish that didn’t happen. It’s hard not to be bitter about it. It wasn’t so much the lean, the dude was standing in the strikezone. When people wear elbow armor like that, I think HBP should be a judgement call. Changed the whole game, but let’s be real…Astros were significantly better than the Phils and deserved to win.
MLB personnel shadowed the Astros. They maintained a consistent presence in the clubhouse throughout the season.
Don’t ask me about my mental state right now. The only thing keeping me sane is the laundry I’ve been doing.
Big shoutout to the Phightin’ Phillies though. What a comeback this season and an impressive postseason run. There’s no shame in losing to a team as complete as the Astros.
– And look at the bright side, at least you weren’t swept like some teams…..
Congrats to the Astors, the city of Houston, and their fan base and especially congrats to the players and Dusty Baker.
Baker finally got that Ring and hope he get one more but if not Congrats and the Hall of Fame is awaiting you.
ASTROS WIN!!!!
First they had to beat the 14 straight wins up and coming mariners. SWEEEEEEEEEEEPP
Then came the evil empire who was gunning for the Astros all year. SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
Then comes the “team of destiny” Phillies. At least they were able to make it a little hard but in the end they too fell short
YOUR 2022 WORLD CHAMPIONS THE HOUSTON ASTROS!!!!!
Congratulations, man. They are a great team.
Thanks clipper. As much as I hate everything Yankees you’re the one exception
Heat O’l pal, if you are a fan, then I am happy for you friend!
Trumbo Buddy thank you! Hope things are good on your end.
The only place where they are so-called “world champions” is in Murica, F@&k Yeah!
Talk to me when they enter the World Baseball Classic because THAT is where you find the true world champion. (USA current holders.)
This Astros team would smoke every team in the WBC. Have you seen that pitching ??
For the first time in franchise history the Houston Astros win the World Series
2nd time*
1st time*
The first time in franchise history the Houston Astros win the World Series
Poll
Would you have pulled Wheeler at that spot?
Vote yes would have pulled
Vote no would not have pulled at that spot
Vote no would not have pulled Wheeler
No. Way. He’s at 70 pitches and now runs into a speedbump; alright, show some faith in your starter like you did on Thursday. Ironically, he showed too much faith in Thor and not enough in Wheeler. I would’ve had either Dominguez or Brogdon throwing in the pen though.
Yes, pulled him, though some of that has to do with memories of Zack on the Mets in 2014 and 2017. Also, for some reason my broadcast wasn’t showing velocity, so if he wasn’t tiring I would have kept him in.
Of course, a visit to the mound might make that decision for you. Is he gassed? Is he sweating more than usual? How’s his self-confidence?
Heck no, and especially not for an underworked Alvarado.
It was a bad move on two counts. First, taking him out at 70 pitches was foolish. Second, Thomson replaced him with a southpaw when Alvarez had better numbers against southpaws.
It’s like some of us observed earlier in the postseason: managing in the playoffs is a different deal. Just as some players can’t handle the pressure, some managers can’t seem to either.
Not to mention Wheeler is one of the best in the business at inducing double plays. Baffling move, but Rob was pretty good all year. It would be hypocritical of me to kill him over one move.
No. Alvarado struggled his last few outings and Wheeler is excellent at inducing double plays. I hated the move and I predicted it being costly, but I’m not going to crucify Thomson who did some great managing this series. He just panicked. Honestly, the controversial HBP was a huge game changer. It’ll haunt me for years. Dude was literally standing in the strikezone. The Astros are the better team though. Phils were lucky to take 2 to be honest.
No. Wheeler was cruising, and Alvarado has not been bulletproof lately. Let Wheeler go to 100, or the end of the 7th. If the Astros score, it is still a tie game.
No. Wheeler was dialed in.
Does option 3 mean you wouldn’t have pulled him period?
No. I only intended to have two options but must have done something incorrectly.
I thought with an Astros win that we would finally be getting rid of Dusty Baker.
Congratulations to the Astros.
I’m so happy for Dusty! Great Manager and an even better human being!!
No idea why Wheeler was pulled. Personally he was breaking bats, and even if he gave up a sac fly it’s a tied game. But there will always be questions on why (Dusty can tell you that) managers make calls.
Congrats to Dusty and all of the Astros fans! Enjoy!!
Everyone that’s not an Astros fan will see this as an illegitimate WS victory as if the Astros were properly punished, this would not have happened.
Define “over-reaching”
If only they had been punished by reallocating the 2018 round three bench pick, then they might have missed on Jeremy Pena.
Instead, they only lost the 1st round picks in 2020 and 2021.
Hah!
If only the Dodgers had never traded for Josh Fields, perhaps this would not have happened!
History being made as we watch a modern baseball dynasty being formed. They have a great mix of youth an veterans. Not a huge cost going forward to maintain this for a few more years either. This is going to be historic as they dominate going forward.
2 WS titles (1 tainted) in 5 years is not a dynasty. 3 in 5 (SFG) and 4 in 5 years (NYY) are dynasties.
4 world series appearances in 6 years… could be considered a dynasty. Many consider the Braves of the ’90’s a dynasty. In the NFL the Bills were considered a dynasty and they never won a championship
Frank Robinson Orioles – 4 pennants in 6 seasons, 2-2 in those World Series
Sparky Anderson Reds – 4 pennants in 7 seasons, 2-2 in those World Series
Congrats Astros fans!!
Let the Aaron Judge Derby begin.
Judge will re-sign with the Yankees.
Vote Out Bob Nutting
6 straight AL championship series, 4 World Series appearances, 2 World Series championships in the past 6 years. We’ve got a great team in Houston. Kudos to the Phillies for making it an interesting series. Go Astros, 2022 World Series Champions! Best team in baseball, period.
Happy for Dusty.
Pena is a beast.
Rob Thompson should’ve let Wheeler get out of his own jam. If Alvarez beats him then so be it. Could’ve been very different. As soon as Pena got a hit. I just had that feeling the Astros were gonna win.
The controversial HBP…as soon as the happened I felt it was over. Such a huge moment. At the end of the day, Phils offense wasn’t going to win with 1 solo shot. Offense was just exhausted and shutdown by superior pitching.
Explain on how crowding the plate is “controversial”. He (Maldonado) is entitled to stand as close to the plate as he likes, as long as he’s in the batter’s box. No, it wasn’t “controversial”, Wheeler and Realmuto should have realised where he was standing and not tried to bust him up and in.
There’s a difference between crowding the plate and practically standing on it. Also looked like a lean with barely an attempt to dodge. I hate when players with gigantic elbow pads lean it. It’s not like the old days where people were willing to sacrifice their body to get on base. These guys have layers of armor on and are intentionally trying to get hit. It’s weak sauce IMO. But tons of players do it.
I agree with you on the bling players wear and leaning in, but at the end he tries to avoid the pitch. He used a tactic to crowd the plate, he did a similar thing in another game. However, there’s lots of ‘weak sauce’ now. Your team is a good team, but the fact is ‘weak sauce’ is owners and Manfred ‘creating’ more wildcards and exploiting baseball for money sake. The object of 162 is to win as many as possible, and that’s what makes it hard.
Post all-star break Phillies were good, does that entitle them to be in post season, no, they and Tampa Bay and Padres etc should not have been there. Baseball is ‘weak sauce’ now because of Manfred and owners cheapening entry to the post season.
If you know Wheeler likes to pitch in, why not move in closer to home plate? Technically he tried to get out of the way by the slight turning of his arm. Maldonado was smart by looking at video and crowding the plate. Wheeler needed to pitch differently by attacking the other side of the plate.
Yea. That’s one way of looking at it. I’m not picking on the Stros here, but the league needs to change the rules for dudes wearing elbow armor and crowding the plate.
Now that quick hooks and early game hi lev reliever appearances are normalized, managers are going to get blamed for the result, not the process. If Wheeler’s the one giving up the big hit, everyone wonders how you can be so lenient in an elimination game. You have to go to a hi lev guy there! When the hi lev guy gives up the hit, how could he have pulled the starter so quickly? These usually aren’t obvious calls.
I would agree with this point had Alvarado been crisp in his last appearance, but he wasn’t. Stros had his number.
This is the Astros’ first legit championship, and I congratulate their fans for that. Enjoy yourselves.
I can’t like the team though, and that’s on them. Had all of the culprits copped to the cheating and offered sincere apologies, they could have been forgiven. But some actually said the cheating was “fun” and others said they had no regrets or remorse. Still others kept lying about it. And the apologies were, for the most part, incomplete and unconvincing. And when Manfred didn’t have the integrity or the balls to punish them, he did the franchise no favors. He just set in stone the resentment that would’ve been over by now if they’d had to take some medicine for what they did. But MLB hasn’t had a good commissioner since Selig and his co-conspirators in the Great Lakes Gang forced out Fay Vincent. But, hey — the money’s good. Better than ever.
Phillies fans must be down, but their team really did exceed expectations just to get to the World Series, so they should feel good about the team. Unfortunately, Rob Thomson wasn’t up to the task. Still, they had a good run.
Solid post Fink.
I was rooting for the Phillies, but at least Dusty finally gets his WSC.
*bang* *bang* *buzz* *buzz*
Jim, I would use that adorable little goat in your profile pic for milk and cheese and not think twice about it. And don’t catch me on a hungry day… Sometimes I get terribly starved on a whim…
It’s true Trumbo, goat’s milk is really good.
But the hair! Ewwwww
I know he is a Goat…But he has Lamb Chops written allll over him!!!!
Hey, with a smoker and some BBQ slathered all over him…… rotate slowly until finished and enjoy!
Now ur talkin Clip!
Goat stew with curry.
Getting hungrier by the minute…goat with curry sauce.. Yuuummmm ..
Hungrier? I went out and found a goat, fired up the smoker and got full. I was kind enough to leave his owner a note. Ya know, kind of like when you hit a car in a parking lot?
Hahahah Something akin to: “Dear sir or madam, your goat was tasty. Thank You.”
Halos 2026 Baby!!! WoooOooooo!!!!!
This thread is proof that some of us can still be dignified and dislike the Astros immensely all at the same time..
*Houston Asterisks
Harsh but supremely fair!
Is that some independent league team?
It’s interesting that the Astros’ Gurriel get injured and Brantley is injured, but they went out and won anyway……. Who would’ve thought?
You see Brian Cashman, injuries don’t actually prevent you from winning when your team is good enough. You may want to give a ring to James Click and take a few notes prior to the offseason…..
@Yankee Clipper – I’m sure you’ve seen/heard the conjecture that Jim Crane & James Click get on about as well as goat and custard…
Click – like Cashman – in out of contract. For the devilment it’s time to start a rumour in NY. Cashman was very successful in the late 90’s but 2009 if a long time ago since the last WS win. Click has been nothing other than successful. Seems like a sensible hire if Steinbrenner would stop counting pennies and start trying to win again.
Just a thought…..
You are correct and that was postulated amongst the reputable Yankees podcast folks too. I think that’s a good idea, personally. He wasn’t involved in 2017, so there’s no animosity, and obviously has maintained an excellent organization.
Unfortunately, Cashman has already told the media that Hal has asked him back and he wants to return, so it’s just a formality of getting the contract done and they’ll do that when they get to it.
Curly…BlueSkies….NashvilleJeff….DonO……where you @ tonight fellas?
Boy, do I feel stupid. I thought the Astros eould win in 5.
So, is Boras gonna whine about this championship team like he did last year’s? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care about what he’s saying, I’m just happy when he’s miserable.
The Phillies luck ran out. Probably the worst team besides the 2020 Rays to ever make the World Series. Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler single handedly carried them there. I’d have to say, the Astros’s bullpen were the real mvps of the series. The whole postseason they maybe gave up like 2 runs in meaningful close games
Salty Mets fan has entered the chat. Hoskins, Schwarber, Realmuto, Nola…the entire bullpen…all performed really well in the playoffs. And yet you credit 2 players? Come on buddy.
The Mets made it with 84 wins in 1973
Congrats to Dusty Baker.
I would not pitch to him up high
I would not even dare to try
I would not pitch him way down low
It matters little what I throw
You should not pitch to Big Yordan
You show four fingers while you can
Danosaur, YOU KNOW BALL FRIEND! Never…EVER….give Yordan Alvarez….Mike Trout….or Manny Machado such a pitch…never…ever…EVER!!!!
Biggest individual winner was Verlander. Got that WS win monkey off his back, is about to win Cy#3, is 56 wins from 300, and spends the off-season with Kate. Cheers.
Isn’t Kate fooling around with Harry Styles?…Or is that someone else?
Electronic sign-stealing was a league wide problem. Plenty of baseball players have spoken up.
Chris Bassitt called the league wide cheating an arms race
youtu.be/jZhw7gK5MwQ
Chris Sale
youtu.be/RJBQXJDKW-A
Tom Verducci wrote about how he thinks electronic sign-stealing became rampant leaguewide. Every team had access to cameras with real time capability.
“Once baseball went to a challenged replay system 2014 they put television monitors within range of the dugoutS that had CAMERAS dedicated from CENTER FIELD to the HOME PLATE area and those CAMERAS were in REAL TIME. It was just too tempting for A LOT of players not to take ADVANTAGE of and MISUSE. That I call Pandora’a Box that was opened by players stealing signs. Now the Commissioner is trying to close that box and who knows what other forms of TECHNOLOGY will make policing this kind of thing even more difficult.”
It was well over half the league breaking the same rules.
4/11/22 Steven Souza in an exchange conversation on Twitter:
“….I hear you but if you only knew how many teams were doing it, you wouldn’t be as mad at Jose Altuve…100% Absolutely not the only team in 2017, I can promise you that. I’m not even talking about [just] teams that I played on. I’m talking about MORE THAN HALF THE LEAGUE…they were used as a SCAPEGOAT for the rest of the league! And they didn’t drag anyone else into it!”
Evan Gattis said that the Astros had to call the Dodgers to tell them to settle down about crying so much to the media. Basically the Astros reminded the Dodgers that they knew about their scheme too.
dodgersway.com/2021/07/05/dodgers-astros-cheating-…
The Yankees, the BIGGEST, cry babies in all of this are known as doing something much worse than banging on trash cans
Anthony Rizzo said that Manfred made the Astros the scapegoats to cover up for the rest of the league
the-walk-off.simplecast.com/episodes/yankees-cheat…
tldr *fart*
Sign stealing was not the only aspect of the Astros scandal. To me the bigger issue was how they used staff to communicate the signs to batters in real time, something that no other team seemed to bs doing. The Astros were just ahead of everyone in terms of cheating. The idea that everyone was doing it to the same degree is just false. Players around the league (and the Astros own manager) expressed frustration and outrage. If every team was doing it, this wouldn’t be the csse. I get annoyed at people trying to say it was no big deal. It was massive. Anyway, it has nothing to do with 2022. Best team won this season.
Cameras are one thing. They had software that was DECODING the catchers signals and signs….Much more advanced than a mere camera. All within a second a two….That is highly advanced AI.
Yes. There are so many levels to the Astros scandal that go beyond stealing signs with a camera. No other team went to the level the Astros did and I’m sick of hearing that the Astros just did what everyone else did. It’s just not true. Also, I don’t think their talent exonerates them in some manner. The 2017 Astros were likely pretty damn good without cheating, but they still cheated.
There are levels to murder as well, but 1st and 2nd degree murder are still wrong.
I
I’m gonna start off by saying that I’m not a huge Astros fan (I like some of their players) but could care less if they win or lose. that being said.. you guys need to get over what happened a few years ago. Most of the players from that team are no longer with the Astros, they won fair and square this time around.
they have a great team – great players – and a great manager. I agree with everybody 100% about the last time they won (they cheated, they should have been stripped of their WS title – players needed to be punished – etc) but you need to get over it now. In 2022 they’re the best team in baseball, they proved to every baseball fan in the world that they can win without cheating. A team just won the WS and the only thing you people can talk about is the WS from a few years ago. Get over it. whether you like it or not, they’re the best team in baseball and they proved it tonight, if you can prove me wrong go ahead.
how do you know they weren’t cheating?
No one knew they were cheating the years they were until it was exposed.
Altuve is still there, Bregman too.
Like gangsters released from prison, do you really think they wont go back to a life of crime?
A-Rod had no problem going back to cheating even after MLB came down on cheaters
There is no evidence to show they were. If it comes out that they were cheating, then reevaluate.
Winning in 2022 doesn’t absolve 2017. They were a great team in 2017 also, but we don’t need to get over anything. MLB didn’t handle it properly. The Astros players didn’t handle it properly. Most Astros fans just played the victim card and IMO didn’t handle it properly. People have every right to hate that organization. All that has little to do with 2022 though.
Between Judge, Pujols, and now the Astros, this season is as legitimate as a WWF match. You would have to go back to the Sosa/McGwire year to find a season more orchestrated than 2022.
At least baseball is still legit. Just yesterday the WWF had a PPV from Saudi Arabia where Vince McMahon’s minions made sure that Roman Reigns won again.
?What does that even mean?
Happy for Dusty, but Altuve and Bregman are still the face of this black sox team and as long as that POS Bregman who anyone can go look up the video do his giddy laugh when asked how the Astros were doing it, pretty much relishing the fact that he was a participant in cheating, is allowed to hoist a trophy, then baseball has a problem.
@yankeesforever look at Bergman’s 2017 numbers and then look at his monster numbers AFTER 2017 and then try to explain that Bregman doesn’t deserve to hold the trophy. He was a rookie in 2017 and was stupid, but make no mistake, he became a star after the scandal, not during.
It’s not about talent. 2017 Astros had talent and still cheated. Bregman and Altuve are phenomenal players with or without cheating. A lot of steroid users are great without steroids. But it’s about respect and integrity. These guys don’t have it, and we’re allowed to hate them. Still doesn’t mean they aren’t great players.
Well said. It’s about the integrity and those dudes don’t have it.
@ Von & @VT The error in judgement in 2017 takes away their integrity forever? Tht’s it, people are allowed one mistake and from that point on for all eternity they have no integrity? My guess is then there is not a person on earth with integrity. 2017 was 5 years ago, is it so hard to let it go? ….not an Astros fan, just a baseball fan
Not just the error in judgment but the aftermath. There was no real atonement or regret for their actions. Instead there was this victim attitude and the belief that everyone cheats, even though only about 4 or 5 used technology to steal signs, and only 1 of those teams relayed signs to hitters in real time. The Astros were never properly punished, and the players smug attitide during the whole affair, embracing the villain role made it worse IMO. There was no justice, which sits wrong. But as I said multiple times,I separate 2017 from 2022. Stros won without cheating. It doesn’t erase the past. It doesn’t make me like this organization. But you can’t put an asterisk on 2022.
@Von I can understand and do respect that point of view, I don’t share it but do respect it. Phillies played a great postseason, certainly congrats to them, you and all the Phillies fans
And absolutely Astros fans should celebrate and enjoy their team. It’s an amazing squad, but I just can’t be happy for that organization until all the remnants of 2017 are gone. Including ownership. Doesn’t mean I’m a fool though: they’re the best team in baseball. Even if the Phillies somehow stole this series, I wouldn’t consider them on the Astros level.
I’m pretty sure you know nothing about them and are just some hack typing into a laptop or cellphone based on your own sour grapes.
To say someone that you do not know has no integrity based on incomplete information and spun news from the media members trying to get clicks and pass their own agenda is very very sad.
Alex Bregman volunteered his time and money handing out meals at a food bank during the pandemic. He seeks out single mother waitresses and gives them $500 tops. He pays for special needs equipment for local schools.
They cheated and because a former teammate was a whistle-blower MLB could not cover it up like other teams.
They got what they deserved but there are violent criminals who have already been convicted, served their sentences, and released since this happened.
It’s time for this to all go away. Just like every other scandal in MLB history.
But maybe consider that you do not know these people or their character before judging them.
I’m not talking about the players per se. It’s tough to be the voice of reason if you’re whole clubhouse is cheating. I’m talking about the organization as a whole. I’m tired of people defending the Astros because they’re good. We all know they’re good. But there should have been nore punishments from the top down. That would’ve allowed the general public to accept the Astros more.
I appreciate this respectful dialog.
I readily accept that the Astros cheated and deserved punishment.
The GM and Manger were fired in addition to a $5M fine and loss of 4 prime draft picks.
The organization was punished.
The players have endured 3 years of boos and verbal bile from every road fanbase as well as every insult known to mankind in social media and are reminded of 2017 every time ANY MLB report or story about them is made.
A deserved.
It’s a shame all the organizations and players who deserved similar got off Scott free.
The more and more time goes by the more people come out disclosing how common it was around baseball.
David Samson – president of the Marlins during 2003 when they won- during World Series coverage said . . . ” I’m glad they aren’t ‘verifying’ 2003, or the Red Sox in 2004, or the Yankees in 2009″ when his co-host said the Astros finally have a ‘verified’ legitimate title.
It’s just time to let it die and be over.
Happy for the Trastros to win there 1st world series. Hopefully this one won’t end up with an asterisk as well…
Maldonado started the inning by getting on base by a hbp. Was crowding the plate to try to get hit. Can’t bat his weight so has to bend the rules. Elbow guard to deflect the pitch that would have never hit anyone not trying to get hit intentionally.
Umps said the replay showed he tried to get out of the way. However if any part of the batters body is over the plate when the ball is delivered it should not result in a free pass. The rules need to be cleaned up for this. While he was wiped out in a fielders choice the probability is if he didn’t get the free pass there would have been two outs when Wheeler gave up the hit and still would have been in the game to face Alvarez.
Fan graphs has an article about Maldonado doing this in the 2021 post season. I’m not for hitting anyone intentionally with a 98 mph pitch however for Maldonado the Phillies should make an exception next season.
Actually the replay was just to see if it hit the bat. Phillies couldn’t challenge the HBP judgment call. So it was a wasted challenge.
Maldonado is as smart a baseball player as there is.
Absolutely nothing wrong with what he did.
Wheeler was outshine inside and breaking bats like crazy. The Astros needed to equalize that.
He acted within the rules and actually tried to get out of the way of the pitch.
Anyone who thinks badly of him for that simply has SOUR GRAPES
MLB deserves to have the Astros as champions.
Good The 2nd Asterisk win….. Season is over nothing else to see or celebrate. Its just a Team Cheaters who were slapped on the wrist by Manfred. This organization will and for always be tarnished due to the light punishment they received.
Off Season is more exciting than a tarnished Organization.
I sure do wish the pitchers could hit… said no one at all during this season.
Remember how all the strategy would be gone… “Just let the starter go 9 innings…. “blah blah blah.
Excellent series. No fan of either team… just love baseball and there was plenty to enjoy.
For all you people complaining about cheating… LOL.
Apple watches
YES Network cameras
Steroids
Spider tack
Buying players
Spitball
International Player Seduction
YES Network cameras? What did they do?
Buying players? Taking advantage of the system is not cheating.
GobBibson yawn
Yawn is right… quit complaining. Many teams and players cheat.
The Yankees took advantage of teams during and shortly following the first world war… the owners bought many players from the world series champion Red Sox… Boston won 4 championships in 7 years…. then the Yankees purchased top players because teams could not compete with the salaries the Yankees were passing out. Teams couldn’t compete with the nation wide scouting efforts of the Yankees.
Now, the playing field is more equal and we see that they no longer enjoy those advantages.
“Buying players” is not illegal.
@BobGibsonFan lets not forget creating wind currents with stadium air systems, humidors, corked bats, pine tar too high on the bat, and at the Polo Grounds using binoculars from CF and wiring the signs to the dugout.
Sosa was the only player I ever heard of that appeared at the plate with cork in the bat
I’m happy for Dusty. Other than that, Houston winning it doesn’t surprise me. Hopefully Philadelphia will greet the Phillies as champions. They did a hell of a job.
I know he’s not ever gonna read this but as a lifelong Dusty Baker fan who watched him win his first world series as a 10 year old kid who has followed him the last 41 year, I would like to say congratulations and officially welcome my all time favorite player to the Hall of Fame. Love ya Dusty!
Congratulations to Dusty Baker! A true treasure of the game!
The Phillies were a tremendous story this year, what a season they had.
Cheaters never win?
More like “cheaters BETTER win…because then amoral stooges will brown nose them back to respectability”.
Congratulations to Dusty for finally getting a championship as a manager, it was a long time coming.
Thub, bang..
In all seriousness I’m happy for Dusty.
Congratulations Dusty…now let’s get the hot stove burning!
It’s amazing how much teams change. The Astros only have 5 players left from a championship they just won 5 years ago.
Bang on some buckets, the Stros won the World Series . . . But only if its a Fastball.
Every once and a while, its nice to see the best team win.
Props to the Phillies for their magical run, but it was Houston’s year.
It’s honestly amazing how often the best team doesn’t win.
Prior to 1969 the best team won the World Series quite often. Divisions and Wild Cards have allowed underdog teams to often win Championships since then.
I know people are upset with the additional Wild Cards, but what I think they’re missing is that the path for Wild Card teams is significantly harder now. Gone are the days of the hot team running through the competition. What the Phillies almost did was incredible, and I don’t think we see it again any time soon. All those road games, unable to set up the best pitching matchups…it’s hard to imagine much success coming out of those 2nd and 3rd WC spots.
Los Angeles was the best team in baseball.
Valid point but Houston was the best team in the AL.
The Dodgers had the better record, personally I don’t believe they were superior to the Astros.
What are the odds? The only team out of 30 l don’t want to win the title wins the title. Such a boring end. If there was anything l want to say to Dusty that would be “ lose the stupid toothpick”.
Apparently the odds were 7.5 to 1 as the mattress guy bet ten million to win 75 million. That is a lot of money to stuff in a mattress.
I still don’t understand what kind of bet he laid to get 7.5-1 odds. A straight wager on houston wasn’t even paying even $. Like a dollar to win 75 cents. Where did he get these 7.5-1 odds? Definitely wasn’t on a straight wager for them to win.
This was a bet before the season started for the Astros to win the World Series.
Congrats to the Astros that pitching staff is amazing. With guys like Javier and Pena this team is gonna be there every year. If I were them I would let Verlander walk they don’t need him and they could spend that money someplace else. Just saying $40 million dollars a year is money they could use where it’s needed and starting pitching is not a weak spot for that team in any way.
Glad it’s the off-season. I’ve decided I’m going to give Chaim Bloom a final chance. This is do or die for him for a regular off-season with so many players coming off the books. If he can’t turn this team around this year then he’s got to go. I accepted building a bit for the future (even though it wasn’t exactly like a full rebuild), now it’s time to compete.
He is an employee. You are a fan. The owner decides whether to give him a chance, not you. Some owners value profits more than rings. This is not like football or basketball. The best teams lose one third of their games. The worst teams win one third of their games. Even for a big market team, be grateful if your favorite club has two championships in 40 years and averages 86 wins.
Of course I know where I stand as a fan, just my opinion buddy.
I liked that reply for you. It’s been tough with Bloom. Tough to bring them all the way back to the postseason in one year (though the Sox are known for that). If he could bring them back to 90 wins this year I’d call that success and suggest he be given another year after to reach the postseason.
With the resurgence of the Orioles, the NL East now is the division with the “best worst team”. There is no bad team that makes it easy to rack up wins. The more balanced scheduled with give NL East teams, on the average, one full extra win.
Do you mean AL East? I’m confused
Pen
Yes, thanks for catching my mistake, AL East
this astros team was historically good and deserved to win. however, i will go to my grave believing that altuve was wearing a buzzer in 2019. wish i could be an adult about it, but it’s sour grapes forever for this yankee fan
It is just a game, believe whatever makes you happy. I tend to think they were cheating, but it is fun for me to barb them, not sad. If he keeps the shirt, the crimes they skirt.
I am sorry you feel that way.
I am sorry that my team opened that door also.
But mostly I am sorry that you still believe something that was just made up out of thin air with zero background or foundation to lead to the belief. There’s literally zero collaboration from ANYONE.
Some internet yahoo made it up from nothing and people who can’t believe their team could lose without being cheated ran with it.
i just don’t buy the explanation for gesturing to teammates not to tear off his jersey
also, the sour grapes persist despite me hating chapman and believing the astros would have won the game anyway
all fans should make the distinction between players like Pena and all the players who were not a part of that cheating team.
Pena should not have his accomplishments skewered because of POS like Bregman and Altuve.
But as long as Atulve and Bregman touch that trophy, it is tainted and nothing, and no one can change that fact.
The only people outside of Houston who are happy are probably White Sox fans because, after a century, their Black Sox team is finally off the hook and replaced by the cheating Astro team.
Perhaps the only silver lining is that if any of those Astro cheaters ever make it into the HOF then finally Shoeless Joe will get his dues and enter as well.
Cause no one on steroids ever played on a championship team? Not. No one using spider tack played in Works Series? Not. The Astros were cheaters, they deserve to be orally roasted, but they were not alone.
To me the difference is this was an organizational scandal. Even staff was involved. So it’s not just about the players. Ownership, staff, coaches…they’re all tainted. Even newer players chose to play for the organization and take their money. I have no ill will towards them, but can we really call them 100% innocent? I worked for some corporations in the past that aren’t exactly great morally so I have to take that some responsibility there.
And what I mean is, you sign with the Stros, you got to expect the boo birds and scrutiny, even if you’re 100% innocent.
Yeah, Von
I’m sure you’ve dealt with a ton of public backlash and scrutiny for working for those evil corporations.
I’m not a public figure. It’s different.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a public figure or not. What matters is who has leverage over you and your career.
It would be nice if we all had the ability to do whatever we wanted in our professions, and that we would be rewarded purely based on merit and character. That’s not reality, and as large business entities (individual sports teams and leagues included) have leverage over mom and pop businesses, we all turn a blind eye at times to societal and the professional moral weaknesses in ourselves and others.
You’re the one on here calling someone you don’t know a POS. A person who is known as a great teammate and friend. Find someone that knows Jose Altuve and thinks he’s a POS. I’ll wait.
You’re the one harboring hate and resentment towards a person like that. A person who by all accounts wanted nothing to do with the sign stealing. Really this seems to suggest you’re no better than either guy you’re roasting on here.
When did I roast Altuve? Or any player really? It’s more of an organizational scandal than an individual player one. I’m sorry Houston and Mattress Mack think Altuve is some saint, but the guy gets millions from the Astros, an organization that is going to be associated with cheating for at least the next decade or so. If boos hurt his feelings he can play elsewhere. I’m not here trashing any Astros player, but I will argue the point that fans need to get over it and the cheating was no big deal. It was a massive deal, like the steroid era and it changed the state of baseball. Doesn’t mean the Astros players still aren’t fantastic. Doesn’t mean the 2022 team was the best in the game.
Likewise, people need to get over 2017. The problem is they don’t want to, just like how Astros fans don’t not want to defend their favorite team. It goes both ways, VonPurpleHayes. I saw you mention the Astros embracing being the villain earlier as well, and actually, Astros fans on Twitter have embraced that far more than the team ever did.
I am a fan of baseball, period. My personal team I root for is the Mariners, but after they were out, I rooted to see great baseball. I rooted hard for both teams in the World Series, and feel like I was rewarded with great baseball all around. Cheers to the 2022 season and thank God for baseball.
The Astros should donate their title to the Dodgers. Call it even. No hard feelings.
Frank Robinson Orioles – 4 pennants in 6 seasons, 2-2 in those World Series
Sparky Anderson Reds – 4 pennants in 7 seasons, 2-2 in those World Series
Koufax/Drysdale Dodgers – 4 pennants in 8 seasons, 3-1 in those World Series
Altuve/Verlander Astros – 4 pennants in 6 seasons, 2-2 in those World Series
As a Phillies fan, I tip my cap to the Astros. They were the better team. This is just the beginning for my Phils and now that we got a taste, we will be back. With a few additions and maybe a subtraction or two or three, we can be even better next year. #ringthebell
Congrats on your 1st World Series win!
So damn happy. They played great baseball all year and beat a really tough Philles team.
The only point in the entire season when I thought they may not win it all was when they were down 2-1 to the Phils, but they responded by winning 3 in a row. Well-deserved win. Elite team.
Haters are great..Astros love being the underdog. We will win next year also. WHAT, Judge in CF, oh no! Those of you who cry about cheating are the only folks in the world who have NEVER done anything wrong.? Look at the numbers, ASTROS actually hit better in Dodger stadium. Grow up, those of you who have quit baseball aren’t fans anyway. Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers are the big cheaters and never get punished (look it up). GO STROS!!!!
Hey yankeesareforever. Read up on your cheating that is always covered up. you are obnoxious..