I Guess I'll Watch

 

This is not the most fun matchup of the several we were promised. It was looking like it could be Mariners-Brewers, or Tigers-Phillies, or Cubs-Mariners. And ultimately, we have Dodgers-Jays. The two teams that beat my favorite teams, squaring off in a World Series.

If anything...I kinda wanna see how this goes down.

Because there's two real outcomes here. There's the boring outcome, where the season-long fear that the Dodgers could buy a World Series comes to fruition anyway and we're left with a locked-out 2026 because no rich person ever learns their lesson. Or we get the fun outcome, where a team led by a native son trying to prove himself, backed up by a murderer's row of fun role-players and rookies, outdoes the Goliath. That's really where we're at, overspending vs. overbuilding. This Jays team is the culmination of a farm system build that began in 2019, nearly failed, was nearly split up THIS YEAR, and suddenly hunkered down and became truly great. If Guerrero leaves, then Bichette leaves, and this team never gets past the Yanks and Sox. Maybe Schneider gets fired, maybe Springer never has the comeback season, maybe Scherzer doesn't lock in. So much of this season was a chain reaction of events leading directly back to the team listening and re-signing Guerrero. It seemed like an odd move at the time, but deep down they knew that a World Series was still possible.

And that's how the Blue Jays made it to a World Series without Bo Bichette, Jose Berrios or Anthony Santander. They locked in so hard that they outdid even a hot-as-hell Mariners team. Vlad Jr. and George Springer dug deep and got them here. And everything that had struggled before, like Scherzer, the rotation, the outfield defense, even Jeff Hoffman, locked in even further. 

That is a fantastic story. The Jays, in a different draw of cards, could have been out in August. But they made it to a World Series. It's a much better story than 'the Dodgers bought a ton of contracts, then they all got hurt, then they all got healthy and suddenly a team with 9 starters, three hitters that specifically only do well in October, and the best player in baseball history, is in the World Series'. If the Dodgers win, great, they deserve it, it's incredible...but you understand how that's way less interesting, right? 'Well they were the best team, so of course they won'. What kind of story is as simple as that? Where's the conflict? Yes, the middle of the season was still kind of rough, but they only lost 1st place for a couple seconds because the Padres absolutely gave up every time they were in position to overtake first. The Jays, meanwhile, blew past the Yankees for the division, stayed ahead of them in September and embarrassed them in October. THAT is a story.

This is going to be a very cool World Series, one that could have a very fun outcome. The Dodgers winning would cement this organization as Belichick levels of unfair, even if you can call them the next great baseball dynasty. But a Blue Jays win, after all this? Wouldn't that be something? 

Late Spring

 

The Blue Jays, at the moment, are sort of a mixed blessing of a ballclub. They are doing well, hedging in and out of .500, and have gotten production from Guerrero, Bichette and Springer. Yet one stat that is very troubling to me is that Daulton Varsho, who's only been healthy for 13 games this season, has 6 home runs, a mark that nobody else who has been playing this whole time has been able to top. Vladimir Guerrero, in all his money, has only hit 5 home runs this year. Just as a reminder, every season since we got back from the pandemic he's hit over 25. One year he hit 48. But no, so far he's only hit 5 homers and 20 RBIs, which is a very light total for a month and a half of play.

I also look at George Springer, who has shown that he can still be incredible, but the magic might be going away. In April, Springer hit .306 with 12 RBIs and 4 steals. So far in May he's hit .196. Same pace of RBIs, he's got 6 already, but the production has gone way down, and he's looking more like he did last year. He is, to be far, 35, and isn't as consistent as he was in Houston, but after a start like that where it looks like you've got your leadoff guy back, this drop-off just hurts. Springer obviously wants to succeed, but we're getting to the point where he's clearly past his prime and isn't contributing as much as his younger contemporaries.

The upsetting part is there's a lot of spots on this team filled by people who may have been the answer at one time but aren't performing well enough to earn the designation. Will Wagner and Jonatan Clase were both prime rookie picks heading into the season that aren't hitting. Alan Rosen was given left field out of camp and just couldn't do anything with it. Easton Lucas and Bowden Francis both have ERAs over 5, after all that promise, and Jake Bloss, who was a big piece of the Kikuchi deal, still has yet to make his 2025 debut. And focusing on Vlad and Bo, who were ONCE the big young stars but are now mellowing out while the actual young stars are...sort of there...is an odd tactic. 

I also think about the fact that three of the team's big postseason moves [Anthony Santander, Andres Gimenez and Max Scherzer] haven't really panned out. Tony's barely hitting, and the other two have been hurt. So any attempt to really build this team back up just hasn't worked, and a lot of it really isn't the Jays' fault.

There's always a way for this team to turn things around, and June is famously the month the Jays tend to get hot, but...I don't know if this sort of dysfunction can really be fixed. At least not at this level of it.

Coming Tomorrow- We were all worried, but never fear, this guy still has plenty of time left to strike everybody out.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Blue Jays

 

In a season where practically every AL East team was expected to be competitive, the Toronto Blue Jays not only did not make the playoffs, but they finished in last. Why? Well, a number of reasons, mostly owing to the strength of the top 3 teams, as well as the number of guys in big roles that didn't come through, especially in the rotation. My theory is John Schneider just isn't a very good manager, but they seem to be doing the Oli Marmol thing and convincing themselves he's not the problem. They still have pieces of the mighty 2019-era youth movement, like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Jordan Romano, but who knows how many will factor into the 2025 iteration of this team. 

George Springer is still the team's leadoff hitter, and he really shouldn't be. It's his 11th year in the bigs, he's 34, and he's past his peak, sad to say. This year he hit .220 with 19 homers and 56 RBIs, which is a pathetic effort for a guy who routinely hit for average. Springer is now a below-average defender, and there's really not much appeal to him anymore. Maybe it's just a down season, but this is why you have to know what you're signing up for when you give a contract to a guy who's over 30.

2025 Prediction: An improvement, but the Jays won't be able to completely enjoy it for some reason.

Jordan Romano is still very much in his peak period, and he's still one of the best closers in baseball. The trouble is he was hurt for the majority of the season. In 15 games he was still injury-addled, and while he notched 8 saves, he ended up with a 6.59 ERA. People like Romano and Alek Manoah just losing their control this year is why this team couldn't outweigh the rest of the pack.

2025 Prediction: 30 saves. They'll have to be for someone else, though. I think that somebody like the Cubs could pick him up. Ideally even Philadelphia.

Once Alek Manoah was lost for the year, that meant Cuban league great Yariel Rodriguez got a rotation spot. To be honest, of everybody on the club Rodriguez was most hurt by the lack of run support, as he went 1-8 with a 4.47 ERA and 85 Ks in 21 starts. He's definitely got the right idea, he just walked into some poor circumstances this year.

2025 Prediction: Something tells me the team will be relying more on Rodriguez next year, and I don't know if that bodes well for him health-wise.

Davis Schneider I always want good things to happen to because Davis Schneider is local. A lot like Zac Gallen, Andrew Bailey, Devin Smeltzer and Jay Groome before him, Davis Schneider is from my area of New Jersey, about one town over. Matter of fact, he was helping out a family friend's kid, who's a college pitcher, and is apparently a really good guy. Doesn't surprise me at all. The Jays played him in a utility LF-2B role this year, hoping to capitalize off his August 2024 numbers, and Schneider struggled, hitting below the Mendoza line and being slightly below-average as a defender. He came away with 13 homers and 46 RBIs, so it wasn't all a loss.

2025 Prediction: An improvement, I hope. I think keeping him as a scrappy utility guy may be the way to go.

The more successful version of Davis Schneider, at least this year, was infielder Spencer Horwitz, who took over 2nd base full time after Cavan Biggio left. Horwitz was an improvement in both senses, hitting .265 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 97 games. He was one of the most crucial hitters of the Jays' second half, and may be a helpful piece of future teams. 

2024 Prediction: The production slows down a bit, and he may lose a few pegs as the young competitors to the infield positions [see below] gain ground.

Once Jordan Romano was done for the season, the ninth inning was kind of a free for all for the Blue Jays until it landed on former Yankee middle reliever Chad Green. Green's been coming back from injuries over the last few years, and having him not only healthy but also consistent as a closing piece must have been a great surprise for the Jays. In 53 appearances, Green sported a 3.21 ERA and saved 17 games, a job very well done for a pitcher many had counted out.

2025 Prediction: Nothing quite as pronounced as 2024, but he could still be very useful in a middle relief role. 

Now, for the two rookie infielders. To be honest, if it weren't for highly-touted prospect Orelvis Martinez immediately getting suspended for PEDs we wouldn't have gotten here. But next on the list was Leo Jimenez, a 23-year-old middle infield prospect, and he did fairly well for himself in 63 games, with 41 hits and 19 RBIs, in addition to strong work at SS.

2025 Prediction: This guy might be the answer if Bo leaves, and he'd be a pretty damn good answer.

Then there's Will Wagner, son of Houston Astros legend Billy Wagner. The Astros had Will cooking in the minors for a few years, but had nowhere to play him, so they dealt him to Toronto in the Kikuchi deal. Well, suffice to say, the Jays had some places to play Will Wagner, so he got called up and IMMEDIATELY started contact hitting in ways that few rookies ever had. Among his accomplishments are hitting his first career home run in a game that began while he was still in the Houston organization, being the first Blue Jays rookie to have a five-hit game, and hitting .300 in 24 games before a knee injury ended his season. 

2025 Prediction: There's gotta be more of this, right? Please let there be more. It could be flukey like Schneider's 2023, but I wanna think Wagner does some more amazing contact stuff in 2025.

Coming Tomorrow- The Braves, despite losing their best players early, still made the playoffs. Here's how.

The Rite of Springer

 

At this current moment, the current tap of the stopwatch, the AL East is being headed up by the Toronto Blue Jays. Keeping track of this for posterity, this division could have a completely different outcome by the time I do another AL East custom in about 3 days. 

But yes, the Jays are leading at the present moment. The Baby Jays are old enough to dominate, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is ripe enough to completely lead a team with both power and contact. Little corners of the lineup you thought would hang back, like Danny Jansen, Raimel Tapia, Alejandro Kirk and Santiago Espinal, have been strong as well. The new guys, like Matt Chapman and surprise DH threat Zack Collins, have fit into the mood of the team immediately. And despite Bo Bichette taking a bit to pick up and Teoscar Hernandez being out for a bit, the outlook is high. It's especially helping that George Springer is having pretty good numbers post-Houston, with a .265 average, 14 hits, 6 RBIs and 2 home runs. These are even keel numbers that it took a little while for Springer to hit after coming off the IL last year.

The pitching is...something. It's not a full victory like a lot of people thought, and guys like Jose Berrios and Hyun-Jin Ryu have been disappointing so far, but...there's inklings of fire in here. First of all, Alex Manoah's acting like an ace. Shouldn't be any question, the guy's coming off as the most accomplished pitcher here, his stuff scares me as an opposing fan. Guy's 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA, 24 and running the show basically. That's insane. Gausman is also fitting in pretty well, with 22 Ks already through 3 starts, and a 2.89 ERA. I worried that Gausman's geographical pickiness that reared its ugly head in Atlanta could also factor in here, but he seems to really enjoy pitching for the Jays, and I'm happy for him. And Yusei Kikuchi's been decent so far as well, though, as I predicted, not quite to 2021 levels. I also have been enjoying the wide strength of the bullpen, like the fact that people like David Phelps and Yimi Garcia can come in and excel, and also the amusing detail of Jordan Romano having 7 saves in 7 appearances.

This is a great Blue Jays team, it could go a long way. But with the roulette wheel mechanic of this division, there is no guarantee that they'll be the one that has the playoff success. When you have four teams seriously competing, you think with this 12 team metric maybe 3 make the playoffs, and the division leader will tussle with peaking during the season. So for this Blue Jays team to make it all the way, they need to not only have a good October, but to have enough of a presence through the rest of this season to garner entry into that conversation. This involves doing well against Boston, Tampa and the Yanks, which should be easy considering that they've already taken some from the Yanks. But they need to keep this momentum going, and shore up the guys that aren't performing well yet, or they'll risk missing out yet again.

It's never simple with this AL East dynamic. But with a start like this by the Jays, it could be.

Coming Tomorrow- Traded from a last place team, fighting to keep this one at least in fourth.

Springer of Rain?

 

The Blue Jays may have finally found a replacement for Josh Donaldson as a hard-hitting, offensively-inclined DH/occasional position player to round out the team. And while George Springer may not have the awards shelf Donaldson has, he's definitely come into his own for the Jays recently.

I mean, the two months on the IL didn't help much, but once he had June and July intact to just mash the ball and build his resume back up, I think things evened out. Springer is now hitting .269 with 15 home runs and 35 RBIs in 49 games. He has completely eclipsed Rowdy Tellez as the primary DH in Toronto, fits well into the youth-led lineup without sticking out as Justin Smoak did in 2019, and provides the Blue Jays with a solid clutch insurance bat for what might still be a crunch to a postseason spot.

And look, with everything going on in the AL East this week, the Blue Jays are still very much outshone. The Rays have a stranglehold on the division, the Yanks are working on leapfrogging the Red Sox, and the Jays are kinda behind them taking on Washington. The team is 4.5 games behind the Yankees as I write this, and are still kinda the fourth wheel in the Wild Card race. With the A's, Yankees and Sox having compelling postseason pitches, the Jays have kind of lost theirs over time. 

Yes, this team still has incredible performances from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette to call upon on a nightly basis. Yes, they have a solid rotation thanks to Ray, Ryu and Manoah. But you have to remember that there's still holes in this team. The bullpen is still pretty fractured and injury-plagued, and plugging in Adam Cimber and Brad Hand only fixes that partially. You also have Jose Berrios on the wavelength of only an okay season to begin with. He's doing fine so far, but I don't know if he's going to hit peak Twins numbers here.

And yes, last season did seem to indicate more of a future run from this Blue Jays team, but I don't know if there's room for them in this 2021 playoff picture. There's barely room for the Yankees as it stands right now. So even if they muster up a campaign and run after the Yanks and Sox, I don't know if that means anything for this season. Maybe next year, maybe 2024, but not this year. 

At the very least, though, they're gonna finish with a winning record and the steps to keep succeeding, which is better than nothing.

Coming Tomorrow- Ironically the team they are currently playing, and a 32 year old rookie.

2020 Topps Final Edition: Cards #271-279

 The last 60 cards in the 2020 Final Edition set start here. There are still some big rookies, big Topps omissions, and big trades from 2020 to cover with this set, so let's not waste any time:

Card #271- Austin Gomber, St. Louis Cardinals

One of the more intriguing rookies of the 2018 season, Austin Gomber didn't make any appearances during 2019 for St. Louis, and was brought up in 2020 in order to circumvent the number of injured or disappointing starters that was growing. Gomber had a 1.86 ERA in 14 games, but only four of them were starts, and it was seeming like the Cards were running out of room for him. Gomber would eventually become the main piece in the trade that would bring Nolan Arenado to St. Louis, and has been decent in 10 starts for the Rockies.

Card #272- Jesse Winker ASG, Cincinnati Reds

In the span of a few seasons, Jesse Winker went from a bench bat with nowhere to start to one of the most crucial contact sluggers in Cincinnati. Last year, Winker hit .255 with 23 RBIs and 12 homers. It was a season that would have garnered an ASG nod for Winker had the 2020 game happened. Thankfully, it's looking like that redemption could come this year, as he's having a career year so far with a .349 average, 13 homers and 29 RBIs. 

Card #273- Taylor Hearn, Texas Rangers

Taylor Hearn's sole start in 2019 was a disastrous one, as he was rocked in a span of 8 batters, only registering 1 out, and 4 runs, before being removed. So in 2020, the Rangers used Hearn as a bullpen piece, and he did a ton better. In 14 games, Hearn had a 3.63 ERA with 23 Ks, which wasn't bad at all for an eventless team like the 2020 Rangers. He's still getting use from this team, and though he has a higher ERA, he's still getting reps in.

Card #274- George Springer ASG, Houston Astros

Though his outfield mate Kyle Tucker would have started the ASG in left for the AL if last year's game had happened, George Springer would have garnered plenty of votes, and would be a decent choice for a bench bat. It would be a decision not many people would have much trouble with, as Springer hit .265 with 32 RBIs and 14 homers last year, flexing his power muscles one last time before signing with Toronto. 

Card #275- Ian Anderson, Atlanta Braves

Friday we had a lot of cards of rookies that haven't had stellar 2021 seasons. Ian Anderson is not one of those. After becoming a crucial starting arm for the Braves in the regular season, with a 1.95 ERA and 41 Ks in his first 6 starts, Anderson got his first two career postseason wins, and a 0.96 ERA, over three playoff series, as well as 24 beautiful postseason strikeouts. And Anderson is having another phenomenal season so far this year as well, with a 4-1 record in his first 9 starts. Though many sportswriters, including me, worry about Anderson's wrist motion leading to imminent Tommy John, he's still a fantastic pitcher and a gift for Atlanta's struggling rotation this year.

Card #276- Michael Perez, Tampa Bay Rays

In the absence of Travis D'Arnaud, and Mike Zunino's better numbers, the primary starting catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays' playoff year in 2020 was...Michael Perez. Perez came up in 2019, during the period where absolutely no catcher on the Tampa payroll could stay healthy, and was a decent replacement for the oft-injured D'Arnaud. In 2020, he was in the spotlight more, having the better defensive catching numbers than Zunino but still failing to hit higher than .200, despite 13 RBIs. He did hit .286 in the postseason, but was used only as a defensive sub in the World Series. Perez would later be waived by the Pirates, where he has continued to hit in the .100s.

Card #277- Richard Rodriguez, Pittsburgh Pirates

Speaking of the Pirates...how the hell did Richard Rodriguez not have a card in 2020 Topps? Rodriguez has been one of the best relief assets for the Buccos since 2018, and was relevant enough in 2019 to garner some cardboard representation in 2020. But...not the case. A shame, since Rodriguez' 2020 season was another really strong one, with a 2.70 ERA and 34 Ks in 24 appearances, with 4 saves to boot. It would be a preview of Rodriguez becoming the primary closing option in 2021. 

Card #278- Rafael Dolis ASG, Toronto Blue Jays,

Dolis is the second of two players in this 2020 Final Edition set to have both a base card and an ASG card, the other being Jeremy Jeffress. Something about relievers. Anyway, Dolis' scorching season in Toronto would have been enough for the AL to have him on their ASG squad as a reliever. Dolis' 2020 was an excellent comeback season, and it's a pity that he's been struggling so far in 2021.

Card #279- Justin Wilson, New York Mets

2020 was Justin Wilson's second of two seasons on the Mets, and while it wasn't as spotless as his 2019, it was still pretty strong, with a 3.66 ERA and 23 Ks in 19.2 innings. It was a season that got the eye of the Yankees, who signed him for the 2021 season. 

We get the next 9 on Friday. A few people in this batch are having really nice 2021 seasons.

Division Series' Day 2: Conveniently Placed Longballs

 After limiting the Cubs to 1 run through 2 games, the Marlins gave up 9 to the Atlanta Braves yesterday, setting the tone for a very explosive NLDS grouping. From an opening Ronald Acuna homer off of Sandy Alcantara to a 4-RBI-day from Travis d'Arnaud, the catcher who, until last year, was thought of as a liability due to his injury-prone nature. Max Fried had a solid start, despite giving up some runs. It was a solid look for the statistical leader of the two, and a big start for this series.

Monday was Carlos Correa's day to hit 2 home runs. Tuesday was George Springer's. One off Sean Manaea, one off Yusmeiro Petit. Yes, Reddick and Correa also helped, as did a fine start by Framber Valdez, but the A's were once again afraid to elaborate on an early home run by Khris Davis. The A's seriously need to figure out how to get past this team, because...they had such a head start over Houston, and now they're once again falling victim to Houston's October momentum. And I seriously thought they were better than this.

Game 3 is today. The A's haven't decided who they're putting up against Jose Urquidy. If he didn't put in 2 scoreless innings yesterday, I'd suggest Mike Minor, but hopefully either Jesus Luzardo or Mike Fiers has a good start left in them. 

I was never expecting my Yankees to sweep the Rays.

Especially considering how good this Rays team is. I mean, talk about getting a nice assortment of useful players rather than big names. Mike Zunino, Randy Arozarena and Manny Margot all hit home runs for them last night. Tyler Glasnow had the nice start. All these anonymous relievers are keeping the STAR-STUDDED YANKEES at bay. So a win like this, where even if the Yanks put up 5 runs, 4 of which coming from hot-as-hell Giancarlo Stanton, they still lose to Tampa...I imagined we'd get one of those.

I honestly wish Boone had let Deivi Garcia run out the start. I think he's ready. 

Because these days, if the starter doesn't run out the start, there's something seriously wrong. And Mike Clevinger's arm tensing up after an inning and change is the sort of thing that warrants getting pulled. So instead of getting prime Clevinger material, the Dodgers went against middling Garrett Richards material, and scored a ton of runs off of him and Matt Strahm. Not to say the bullpen strategy didn't otherwise work out for San Diego, as they still have an awesome 'pen, but...that pen against peak Walker Buehler seemed a bit lopsided last night.

Buehler went only 4 innings, but struck out 8, and only let through the game's sole Padres run. I'd say that's the kind of pitching performance the Dodgers were looking for from him. Hopefully Kershaw continues his reliable streak today against...whoever the Padres put up. 

Wild Card Series' Day 1: Color Me Shocked

 

Not even an impressive start from Kenta Maeda could keep the true villains of the MLB at bay, with George Springer, Framber Valdez, Michael Brantley and even noted villain Jose Altuve attacking the Twins' bullpen late to score a victory in Game 1. I am devoutly rooting for Minnesota in this series, solely because I want good things for baseball, but I'd really hate for the Twins' momentum to wear off right when they're playing an under .500 team in the playoffs. Hopefully tomorrow, and Jose Berrios, will bring better luck. 

Meanwhile, I had to watch this guy work for a few innings, and though the perfect game bid ended in inning 7, his stuff today was NASTY. So many confusing pitches that the A's couldn't make heads nor tails of, and so many solid innings of work. It did take some bullpen assistance to put them over the top, but the White Sox looked unbeatable against one of the best teams in baseball, and I absolutely love to see it.

The token 8-1 bracket in the playoffs has known to be kind of predictable, and when your 1 seed is the Tampa Bay Rays, you kind of get what you pay for. Especially when you're dealing with a matchup between on-target Blake Snell and Matt Shoemaker during a down year. Snell was flawless today, with 9 strikeouts over 5.2 innings, and no earned runs. Not exactly shocked that Snell has become a good postseason arm, and hopefully the luck will continue for Tampa.

And...then there's this guy, who completely shut down the Indians tonight with 13 strikeouts, gave another in a long line of stellar performances, and watched as Gleyber Torres, Giancarlo Stanton, Brett Gardner and Gio Urshela aided in making a big opening victory over Cleveland for Game 1. It's an astonishing statement from a team that was beginning to peter out, and it was fun to watch. Tomorrow, with a lesser pitcher against the same lineup, it'll be interesting to see the contrast.

Tomorrow, some NL matches, and some more fun.

Astro Whirled

(Music Pun #15. Yeah, I'm hip.)

Well, it finally happened. After several weeks of climbing up the standings slowly, the Astros have FINALLY overtaken the Mariners for first, and reclaimed the top of the division they've been owning for several years now. I'd say I'm shocked, but...this team has both Justin Verlander and Alex Bregman at their peaks, so how can I be?

The Astros were also smart enough to retool their already-good 2018 squad, adding two great pieces in Michael Brantley and Wade Miley, and keep the majority of the squad together. And...it's worked. Verlander and Bregman are still red-hot. Gerrit Cole has the most strikeouts in baseball right now. Jose Altuve has NINE HOME RUNS right now, which means he's working towards surpassing his previous season record of 24. A ton of the wins so far have been big wins, as well, as evidenced by Roberto Osuna only having 7 saves thus far.

What's great about this team is that...even after winning a World Series and two straight AL West titles, this Astros team still finds way to surprise the rest of the league. Walk-off home runs from career contact hitters. George Springer spending most of his time coming off the bench. Getting Robinson Chirinos to hit for average. It's all very intriguing, and it's finally coming together for Houston.

Now, the challenge will be making sure the Mariners don't come back to try and jump them again. The Mariners might be the more fundamentally flawed team, as we're seeing now, but they can still do some sneaky stuff late, so they could be an interesting late-season opponent. Hopefully the Astros can come out on top, there.

Coming Tomorrow- His team just took two from the Yankees, so I'm not wild about him right now.

Oh, George

(Music Pun #3, from one of my favorite bands)

The Houston Astros might have the tightest, simplest roster in baseball right now. And they've won 12 games in a row with it. (And counting. I'm writing this the night before, so I don't know how the 13th game went) (UPDATE: dammit Rays!!)

The lineup is just nine guys who are hitting really well right now. The bench is a couple people, like Max Stassi, who are helping the cause. The rotation is four incredibly dominating arms (and Dallas Keuchel). The bullpen is just 4 or 5 guys who are good at holds, and a good enough closer in Ken Giles. It's not much more complex than that. There haven't been a host of injuries or slumps or position uprisings or anything. Only Jake Marisnick has seen any sort of demotion, but that's because he's the only person on the roster hitting below .200.

The guy with the most strikeouts is Carlos Correa, with 70. To put it into perspective, Joey Gallo has 110. Which is 5 more than the number of strikeouts Charlie Morton has EARNED this season. I don't know how much sense that statistic makes, but...there it is anyway.

The Astros have just been scarily good this year, especially coming off of their already-fantasic 2017 season. Once again, the only problem with being the best is that sometimes the biggest guns fall the furthest. And some smaller gun like the Mariners or Indians could knock them off in October if they run with the right momentum. The Astros need to bottle this month, and this momentum, and see if they can stay with how amazing June feels for the rest of this year.

Coming Tonight: Okay, he just got injured, but seeing as I'm piling up several customs of injured Giants players at this point, I'm posting him anyway. I don't care.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2017: Astros

So in case you guys missed it, the Houston Astros won their first World Series this year.

To be honest, thinking about 2017, this made the most sense, and gave us a team with a strong arc that followed through across the months. It's easy to see a feel-good team fail early (like, I dunno, the Yankees), but the Astros came up strong in April and finished strong in October. You rarely see that anymore.

I'd already made a custom of George Springer this year, but seeing as he'd win the MVP of the World Series, and solidify his status as a rising star, another one seemed necessary.

Mike Fiers was a well-used force in the rotation, as many of the more notable arms kept getting injured. This went...sort of well for him, at least in the first half, although people eventually figured out how to hit him, and he spent most of October in the bullpen, or on the bench.

Collin McHugh returned late in the year, and lit up the rotation like he'd been waiting to. He was a trusty third-fourth arm in the rotation, seriously helping his team's cause in the World Series. I'm guessing he'll have a more impressive 2018 given another full year.

Meanwhile, this guy.

Jose Altuve had been deserving an MVP for the past few years, and I'm so glad he finally got one ALONG WITH a World Series. The guy is one of the best pure hitters in the game, he's a great defensive 2nd baseman, he's super-fun, and he's the guy the Astros centered this young team around. I'm so happy he finally got what he deserved, and I hope this isn't the end of the accolades for him.

Coming Tomorrow- They didn't do especially well, but I feel like the future's beginning to look bright for this NorCal team.

Absolutely No Problems in Houston

It's halfway through May, and the Astros are 29-12. No other team in baseball has been that good. No other team in baseball has TRIED to be that good.

Everything's clicking. The lineup's on fire, the new acquisitions are succeeding, the pitching's made a rebound, runs aren't getting by very often, and AJ Hinch is finally succeeding as a manager. The nearest team in the division is 8 games behind.

I mean, there are one or two things that could be working a little better. In a perfect world, Alex Bregman and Carlos Beltran would be hitting a little better...and Mike Fiers wouldn't be pitching above a 5.00 ERA. In a perfect world we wouldn't have to worry about Collin McHugh's DL stint, or the closer situation. But they're in first, they're amazing, and I shouldn't nitpick.

George Springer isn't hitting for average, but he's still having a fantastic season. Brian McCann and Josh Reddick are playing like it's 5 years ago and the pressure's off. Guys like Yuliesky Gurriel and Carlos Correa are playing well. Dallas Keuchel's pitching better than he did when he won the Cy. Everything's clicking.

And I'm worried because it's too good. It's too quiet. I'm afraid that something's gonna go horribly wrong soon, because nothing ever goes this swimmingly in baseball. But I want this to go on for as long as possible, because the Astros are a fun team, and they deserve to do well.

Coming Tomorrow- The Padres don't have much this year, but this rookie's at least doing some good stuff.

Even the Long Overdue Comeback is Bigger in Texas

(it was either that or an ELO song title. Deal.)

I was talking earlier this season about how inexplicable the Astros' sudden fall back to earth was.  They had EVERYTHING last season. Then, suddenly, the Rangers and Mariners rose up and they couldn't do a damn thing to stop them. The pieces that were on last year sort of fell apart.

Well...I'm happy to report that they're very close to catching up to the Mariners, and very close to reclaiming second place.

Oh, they're nowhere near first. The Rangers are so hot right now that it's highly unlikely anyone else will take that spot this year. But the Astros have figured out how to get back to the top.

People like Collin McHugh and Doug Fister, who were struggling early, have been doing a lot better. Dallas Keuchel is hanging in there too, though there's a definite drop off from where he was last year. George Springer, Carlos Correa, Colby Rasmus and Evan Gattis are back to hitting. The numbers are on the upswing, and that's because the drive is back. The energy that was there last year is beginning to reappear.

It's unclear whether the Astros can sneak into the playoffs like they did last year, or whether or not the Mariners have any juice left in them, but I'm kind of pulling for the Astros, as they've developed another chapter to their comeback story, and I want to see them succeed.

Coming Tonight- In honor of the Golden State Warriors' recent loss of the NBA Championships, we got one of the players'....uh, brother.

Custom Card of the Night: Springer Edition

This year, every sportswriter in America predicted that something huge was going to happen in Miami. Things had been building for a few years, the farm system had begun to climb upwards, and by 2014 we had a solid, confident roster, where there used to be just tons of dead space.

The writers thought that the Marlins, a team that had been consistently terrible for a few seasons, had enough stuff built up to be truly successful in 2015.

And they were wrong. Just ask Mike Redmond. I think he's easier to contact now.

However, they weren't wrong about the tactic. Because that's where the Astros have come in.

Ever since 2011, the Astros have been stockpiling young, raw talent. It started with Jose Altuve. They needed a guy to build a team around, and that guy fit. And then people like Chris Carter, Dallas Keuchel and Jon Singleton started working their way up and making a name for themselves.

And then, last year, George Springer arrived on the scene. And he rocked the entire roster, took the reins, and became one of the most powerful players on the team. I swear, this guy is heading for some big things, and he's doing a lot of damage in Houston.

I really hope something nice happens to the Astros. I mean, it's a tricky division to do well in, but the Astros could either hold on for a while or sink back to the bottom. I just like what they've been doing.

Coming Tomorrow- A guy who's made a stellar comeback with Kansas City.

Uncustomed Heroes of Baseball: Astros

To be fair, the Houston Astros came in fourth this season. Which is a start.

If it weren't for the Rangers, the Astros would probably be last in the league again, and I'm thankful they had some progress this year, especially in terms of their farm system. George Springer was a nice early call up that did some damage throughout the season. He should be a nice player for the next few seasons.

I kind of wish Dexter Fowler had a better year in Houston, as he was a fun player in Colorado, and I was happy when he had a nice start in 2013. It seems like he's on the downslope now, and I hope he has another better season.

The biggest surprise for the Astros was the emergence of a few arms in the rotation, like Dallas Keuchel, who was a nice arm for them for the first half of the year, before refusing to win a game in the second half.

Coming Tomorrow- Dipping into the surplus of Athletics I made in September, intent on them winning the Wild Card game.

Custom Card of the Day: Encarnacion Edition

It just blows me away.

The two top home run hitters in the American League come from the AL East. Neither of these hitters play for the Yankees.

I'm not trying to diminish the huge start that Edwin Encarnancion's having. Far from it, really. Him and Nelson Cruz are really hitting well, and I applaud Edwin for doing it without the use of steroids. But...didn't the Yankees just get a couple home run hitters for Christmas? You know...Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury?

Any other year, you expect somebody from the Yankees leading the AL in home runs. Because any other year, Cano, or Granderson, or A-Rod would be atop the list. All three of these players are out of commission, because they're currently in Seattle, Queens....and the Rodriguez Mansion, counting money.

Is that what it's come to? Has the balance of power in the AL shifted from the Yankees...to everywhere else in the AL East? I mean, you also have people like David Ortiz, Jose Bautista and Adam Jones bashing the ball around. You'll notice that nobody from the Rays has more home runs than people on the Yankees because...well, screw the Rays.

Mark Teixeira has 13 home runs by the way, and that is the most by any Yankee right now. Edwin Encarnacion has him beat by 11 homers. You know how many Yankees have that many home runs right now? Only one. Brian McCann has 8 right now. Bottom line- you could make an entire All Star caliber outfield made up of people who have hit more home runs than people on the Yankees. Hell, GEORGE SPRINGER, a guy who has been around this season for less games than most of the people on this team, has more home runs than anyone on the Yankees.

So really...guys, keep up the good work. Edwin Encarnacion, beautiful job. But...Yankees, come on, I need some more effort. You guys used to be the embodiment of home runs in the AL. Now you're being outfoxed by some Astro who's close to MY age. Pick up a bat and start hitting, please.

Coming Tomorrow- The Rangers are currently in fourth place, and this is a beautiful thing. Also, their third baseman is still playing pretty well...which is NOT a beautiful thing.

Rookie Debut of the Week: George Springer

Prospect History: Drafted by the Twins in 2008, chose to go to college, redrafted by Astros in 2011, at 11th. Looking like that decision sorta paid off, as he could be a big player for Houston.

Debut: Struck out twice, had one hit. To the Astros, this is gold.

Impact he could have on league: If he makes it big, he could be a huge star for Astros, and either will bring them back from obscurity or be traded to Arlington in three years' time. If he doesn't make it big, the Astros won't know until five years too late.

Will his rookie cards sell?: I think they will eventually, but I don't think they'll sell at Harper levels. At least not yet.