MLB: 5 teams playing way over their heads
By Robby Sabo
Houston Astros
At this current moment, there are two teams in baseball who are tied with the best record in the game.
One of these clubs resides in the NL, the St. Louis Cardinals, who’ve we’ve come to now know as the “model franchise” in baseball.
The other? Well, the club who seems to compete for the worst record in baseball the last four-years running – the Houston Astros who currently sport a 27-14 mark.
Let’s not get this twisted. Most people in the know have realized that Jeff Luhnow’s plan in Houston was eventually going to pay off. Instead of working on a “quick fix,” he decided to take the slow, patient approach.
It led to bringing in talents such as George Springer, Jose Altuve, Luis Valbuena, Dallas Keuchel, Carlos Correa and Mark Appel.
Even the general consensus that the Houston organizational talent took a hit from last year to this year hasn’t slowed these guys down.
What these players did was take that general consensus and shove it up the rear of all the experts to the tune of 61 home runs, leading all the land.
There’s just one little problem with this phenomenal season Houston is currently enjoying: they are one-season too early.
All along, Luhnow and company have targeted 2016, or more realistically 2017, as the year this team officially arrives. Based on the youth, up and down the farm, it makes complete sense.
Now, with the Astros coming out “guns a blazing,” they’re going to be put in the position of “buyers” in a couple months.
Come hell or high-water, Luhnow will not be a buyer.
The organization has come this far and too close to now alter plans and start shedding young talent for vets. Regardless of what their record might show in a few weeks, the Astros will stay the course.
This will hurt them when playoff jockeying comes into play. And it’ll also hurt them once some of their players start to slow down a bit.
Studs like Altuve and Springer will continue to do what they do best. But when it comes to questionable starts like Colby Rasmus – who has already smashed eight home runs and 17 runs batted in – need to be taken with a grain of salt.
This includes Keuchel’s filthy start that has people uttering the words “Cy” and “Young.”
Next: Number 3