This thread kind of sucks when it's one sided like it is right now.

Only kind of sucks tho

Did Aroidis get one in the ribs today?

Os are a bunch of poo says if they let him get away with that.

jkag89 said:

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South Platte said:

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https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/astros-place-lance-mccullers-jr-on-il-with-foot-sprain.html

Don't follow the Astros much other than the standings, but I had no idea Blanco was out with TJ. Garcia, Blanco, McC, Javier, France, Arghetti. That's an insane amount of pitching on the sidelines.

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The 'Stros could field a contending team with the players currently on the IL.

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The Astros JV squad is rollin'. https://t.co/6a7MODjB9w

— Jeremy Branham (@JeremyBranham) July 2, 2025

There's nothing to crow about right now so we're laying low.

The Astros are hot right now so you should enjoy puffing you're chests. The new of the Astros demise was premature.

Maybe the second half will be better.

Do they have any left hand bats that are worth anything? Seeing as how they will be sellers at the trade deadline.

Kevin Pillar speaks on his experience with the Rangers:

"I thought they would be a little bit tighter as a group. I thought it'd be like my experience in Atlanta. Everyone wanted to pull on the same rope, everyone wanted to hangout and do everything together. Winning was the… pic.twitter.com/oGWOMs4crb

— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) July 2, 2025

Some of his comments may be sour grapes, but, I don't think there has been a cohesiveness the past two years. Guys look like they're going through the motions. I've mentioned it several times on our thread and I think most people see it.

Some of the guys aren't hungry anymore and it is obvious, at least to me.

Fuzzy Dunlop said:

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Some of his comments may be sour grapes, but, I don't think there has been a cohesiveness the past two years. Guys look like they're going through the motions. I've mentioned it several times on our thread and I think most people see it.

Some of the guys aren't hungry anymore and it is obvious, at least to me.

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I'm sure it is sour grapes to an extent -- but also an observation.

Pillar is a decent -- but aging player.

Kinda like Walker?

Rangers demote Josh Jung.

Wasn't he the second coming of….someone?

All I do is Nguyen said:

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Wasn't he the second coming of….someone?

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Dean Palmer?

The Original Houston 1836 said:

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Rangers demote Josh Jung.

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Josh Jung 2022 - 113 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
Josh Jung all other years combined - <90 wRC+, 1.0 WAR

No trash talk (for once) but the team the '23 Rangers really remind me of is the '86 Astros; except Texas finished the job - winning the ALCS and the WS.

'86 was my favorite Astros' squad to date (I was 12), but looking back on them with history's long lens, you see remarkable similarities in the # of career years had all at the same time, both younger guys and several vets who were just about done. Even with '87 right after it, where the ball was juiced or something, many Astro bats still did their best in '86, including:


Glenn Davis: MVP runner-up 31 HR 101 RBI, .265 average, .837 OPS.
Denny Walling: Hit .312 while playing 130 games at 3B. .846 OPS at age 32. Highest AVG and OPS of his career.
Jose Cruz: His last year as a contributor, hitting .278 with 72 RBI at age 38
Kevin Bass: 20 HR, 22 SB, 7 RBI, 184 hits, .311. He never hit .300 in a full season again, and never reached 20 HR again.
Super-sub Jim Pankovits hit .283 with a .727 OPS. His career OPS was .656.

Pitching wise, obviously you had Mike Scott win Cy Young with his mysterious scuff oops split finger fastball. He remained a very good pitcher overall from 85-89, but 18-10 with a 2.22 ERA and 306 K is ungodly.
Bob Knepper went 17-12 with a 3.14 ERA. He and Scott each had 5 shutouts. Was Knepper's best year since 1978.
Jim DeShaies was 12-5 wit a 3.25 ERA as a rookie. He was better in '89, but for a rookie, 12 wins was huge.
The Astros' no-name bullpen behind Dave Smith was ludicrous.
Charlie Kerfeld was 11-2 with a 2.59 ERA and 7 saves and never did anything again.
They traded Don August and Mark Knudson for Danny Darwin, who was a swingman who went 5-2 with a 2.32 ERA
Signed Larry Andersen after the Phillies cut him in May, he went 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA in 38 games. And 5 years later they turned him into Jeff Bagwell.

The Original Houston 1836 said:

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No trash talk (for once) but the team the '23 Rangers really remind me of is the '86 Astros; except Texas finished the job - winning the ALCS and the WS.

'86 was my favorite Astros' squad to date (I was 12), but looking back on them with history's long lens, you see remarkable similarities in the # of career years had all at the same time, both younger guys and several vets who were just about done. Even with '87 right after it, where the ball was juiced or something, many Astro bats still did their best in '86, including:


Glenn Davis: MVP runner-up 31 HR 101 RBI, .265 average, .837 OPS.
Denny Walling: Hit .312 while playing 130 games at 3B. .846 OPS at age 32. Highest AVG and OPS of his career.
Jose Cruz: His last year as a contributor, hitting .278 with 72 RBI at age 38
Kevin Bass: 20 HR, 22 SB, 7 RBI, 184 hits, .311. He never hit .300 in a full season again, and never reached 20 HR again.
Super-sub Jim Pankovits hit .283 with a .727 OPS. His career OPS was .656.

Pitching wise, obviously you had Mike Scott win Cy Young with his mysterious scuff oops split finger fastball. He remained a very good pitcher overall from 85-89, but 18-10 with a 2.22 ERA and 306 K is ungodly.
Bob Knepper went 17-12 with a 3.14 ERA. He and Scott each had 5 shutouts. Was Knepper's best year since 1978.
Jim DeShaies was 12-5 wit a 3.25 ERA as a rookie. He was better in '89, but for a rookie, 12 wins was huge.
The Astros' no-name bullpen behind Dave Smith was ludicrous.
Charlie Kerfeld was 11-2 with a 2.59 ERA and 7 saves and never did anything again.
They traded Don August and Mark Knudson for Danny Darwin, who was a swingman who went 5-2 with a 2.32 ERA
Signed Larry Andersen after the Phillies cut him in May, he went 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA in 38 games. And 5 years later they turned him into Jeff Bagwell.

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What kind of season did Nolan have in 86?

ChipFTAC01 said:

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The Original Houston 1836 said:

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No trash talk (for once) but the team the '23 Rangers really remind me of is the '86 Astros; except Texas finished the job - winning the ALCS and the WS.

'86 was my favorite Astros' squad to date (I was 12), but looking back on them with history's long lens, you see remarkable similarities in the # of career years had all at the same time, both younger guys and several vets who were just about done. Even with '87 right after it, where the ball was juiced or something, many Astro bats still did their best in '86, including:


Glenn Davis: MVP runner-up 31 HR 101 RBI, .265 average, .837 OPS.
Denny Walling: Hit .312 while playing 130 games at 3B. .846 OPS at age 32. Highest AVG and OPS of his career.
Jose Cruz: His last year as a contributor, hitting .278 with 72 RBI at age 38
Kevin Bass: 20 HR, 22 SB, 7 RBI, 184 hits, .311. He never hit .300 in a full season again, and never reached 20 HR again.
Super-sub Jim Pankovits hit .283 with a .727 OPS. His career OPS was .656.

Pitching wise, obviously you had Mike Scott win Cy Young with his mysterious scuff oops split finger fastball. He remained a very good pitcher overall from 85-89, but 18-10 with a 2.22 ERA and 306 K is ungodly.
Bob Knepper went 17-12 with a 3.14 ERA. He and Scott each had 5 shutouts. Was Knepper's best year since 1978.
Jim DeShaies was 12-5 wit a 3.25 ERA as a rookie. He was better in '89, but for a rookie, 12 wins was huge.
The Astros' no-name bullpen behind Dave Smith was ludicrous.
Charlie Kerfeld was 11-2 with a 2.59 ERA and 7 saves and never did anything again.
They traded Don August and Mark Knudson for Danny Darwin, who was a swingman who went 5-2 with a 2.32 ERA
Signed Larry Andersen after the Phillies cut him in May, he went 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA in 38 games. And 5 years later they turned him into Jeff Bagwell.

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What kind of season did Nolan have in 86?

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12-8. He never won more than 16 in a season for the Astros and by then was on a pinch count

Mathguy64 said:

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A quick DallasAg prediction update.

His magic out of left field mark was 87-75 for the 3rd place South Okie Rangers to tie the first place Houston Astros.

To get there South Okie would need to go 43-29 (with the 4th hardest remaining schedule) for a .597 winning percentage all while hoping Daddy goes 32-40 (with the 4th easiest remaining schedule) for a .444 WP.

You can do it!

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FIFY.

It could happen but it would take the planets aligning and strange stuff to occur. The Astros have an entire lineup on the IL already, so I guess anything is possible.They're at the point now of finding call ups for injured call ups. Hopefully, the team gets healthy by August and makes those predictions even more outlandish.