Yes, the Astros are finishing under .500 again. For those keeping score at home, this was the sixth straight season where the Astros didn’t sniff 81 wins. However, the team also didn’t lose 100 games for the first time since 2010, and could even avoid 90 this year. They’re still a bad team, but they’re nowhere near as bad as they have been. Whenever a team increases their win total by 15 wins (and counting), we should take notice.
Preseason Prediction: 100+ losses, last place, but with a lot of excitement and hope for the future. I honestly think last year was when the Astros bottomed out, and that it will only get better from there. Imagine a 2015 starting lineup featuring Singleton, Altuve, Villar, Castro, Springer, and Santana – that would be a dream come true, and we’re getting close to seeing it. But that’s not going to happen this year, unfortunately. (Joe Lucia, February 17th)
What Went Right: Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh both had fantastic breakout seasons, and could be long-term rotation building blocks for the Astros. Brett Oberholtzer, Scott Feldman, and Jarred Cosart (before he was dealt) all held their own in the Astros rotation as well. Tony Sipp and Jose Veras pitched very well out of the bullpen, considering neither was even in the organization to start the season. Jose Altuve finally put it all together, had a fantastic all-around season, and has 26 more hits than anyone else in baseball. Chris Carter took a step forward, and his total of 36 homers has been bested by just two players across baseball – Nelson Cruz and Giancarlo Stanton. George Springer and Dexter Fowler both played very well in the outfield, though both did spent time on the DL.
What Went Wrong: The Brady Aiken fiasco was a black eye for the organization, regardless of what ends up happening with him and fellow unsigned draftees Jacob Nix and Mac Marshall. The Bo Porter hiring two winters ago looks really bad in hindsight, considering he’s already been fired. The team’s offseason bullpen rebuild didn’t go too well, as two of the three free agents they signed to bolster the pen (Matt Albers, Jesse Crain) combined to throw just ten innings. Jon Singleton had a rough go of things in the majors after a midseason contract extension and promotion. Matt Dominguez took a big step back offensively after a promising 2013. The catching duo of Jason Castro and Carlos Corporan was still productive, but not nearly as much as they were last year.
Most Surprising Player: Collin McHugh looked like an extra arm during brief stints in the majors with the Mets and Rockies in 2012 and 2013…and all of a sudden, he’s dominant with the Astros. Seriously – McHugh has thrown 142 innings over 23 starts with Houston, punching out 144 and walking 40 while posting a 2.79 ERA. His transformation has been unbelievable, and it’s not like one good month is holding him up – his ERA in the second half (nine starts) is 2.11, and he has a better than seven to one strikeout to walk ratio.
Most Disappointing Player: I think I’m going to have to go with Jason Castro. Last year, a 26-year old Castro hit .276/.350/.485 with 18 homers, and was one of the best catchers in baseball. This year, a 27-year old Castro has hit .226/.293/.374 with 14 homers, and has fallen to the middle of the pack among the catching ranks. His strikeout rate has gone up, his walk rate has gone down, his triple slash has cratered across the board, and his ISO has also dropped. I still don’t know what to make of Castro – he’s been healthy this year, but his production has fallen off to pre-2013 levels. I’ve got nothing. He’s a mystery wrapped in a riddle wrapped in an enigma.
The Future: Astros fans should be excited about the future, moreso than in prior years. There was significant improvement with the major league club this season, and several of the young players that fans have heard about for years made an impact on the team. When you combine those young players with the unheralded players that broke out this year, like McHugh, Keuchel, and Carter, you’ve got the makings of a very interesting and very exciting team. With full seasons of Springer and Singleton on tap in 2015, things could get very interesting in the AL West.
