houag78 said:

---

If I'm not mistaken we were one game away from the WS in '23. Wasn't like that was a bad playoff run.

---

And we only even got in because the Mariners and Rangers choked worse than we did down the stretch. Then went 0-4 at home against the Rangers.

W said:

---

EastCoastAgNc said:

---

Carlos Correa said the Astros had a team meeting after yesterday's loss. He did not get into specifics but said the overall message was "just to encourage guys to go out there and bring the energy and go out there and play the brand of baseball that we’re accustomed to playing."

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) August 20, 2025

Oh great...we've reached the team meeting stage.

---

Larry Dierker always said he didn't like team meetings

because what do you do if you lose again after the team meeting?

which is what the Astros just did today

now what?

---

Often, a team meeting simply ensures everyone is engaged and encouraged. It's not a mandate or declaration to win the next game. I think that is a bit myopic by Dierker.

txags92 said:

---

Drunken Overseas Bettor said:

---

I got so down about the Astros today I agreed to go see the Aggies play football next month.

---

Damn man. I can be pretty negative at times, but when you find yourself in a hole, put down the shovel and quit digging. Maybe listen to some Tori Amos to perk you up or something…

---

I know , right. Although A&M football broke me back at the UCLA game and I haven't given a flip if they win or lose since. Plus, I'm going with my Dad, who hasn't been to Kyle Field since 1997, so I'm pretty excited.

We've had one bad year in the playoffs out of the last 8. Not a bad run. The recency bias of last year is still fresh in our minds. While this year looks pretty bleak right now, a healthy Yordan and a couple of starting pitchers could change all that.

houag78 said:

---

We've had one bad year in the playoffs out of the last 8. Not a bad run. The recency bias of last year is still fresh in our minds. While this year looks pretty bleak right now, a healthy Yordan and a couple of starting pitchers could change all that.

---

Fair enough. The trend is downward though, which isn't unexpected for a team on the tail end of a dynasty like ours. I just think the number of "ifs" necessary for a good run into and through the playoffs is getting too long to be realistic.

1 If Yordan completes his rehab without incident
2 If Yordan stays healthy the rest of the season
3 If Yordan starts hitting like previous years instead of the first part of the season
4 If Yordan's return sparks a return to form by guys like Walker, Diaz, and Smith
5 If Altuve pulls out of his slump
6 If we get Meyers back to bolster a very weak OF
7 If Meyers hits like 2025 Jake instead of 2024 Jake
8 If Framber and Hunter return to early season form
9 If one or more guys who haven't pitched in 2 years can come back in post season form
10 If one or more guys who have been not good can suddenly turn a switch and make up for the loss of Hader in leverage situation

Do I need to go on? That is the list of things I think it will take to make a strong run in the last 35 and into the playoffs. We have a lot of holes and a lot of weaknesses. We all knew June was a mirage as evidenced by the constant wonder at how we were doing it with a AAA roster. Now we are reverting to where we would expect to be relative to our offensive output since our pitchers have run out of miracles. A lot has to change to get us out of this hole and I am skeptical we can pull it off (but will be ecstatic if we can).

houag78 said:

---

a healthy Yordan and a couple of starting pitchers

---

Good one

No clue who that is but all professional athletes should just stay off twitter and their immediate families. 0 to gain from going in that cease pool

Ags #1 said:

---

No clue who that is but all professional athletes should just stay off twitter and their immediate families. 0 to gain from going in that cease pool

---

A professional athlete having their DMs active on social media for the public is about the same as walking outside the stadium in your jersey after giving up the game-winning homer. Every idiot is going to scream at you.

the Astros need Yordan to come back and be a .900 to .950 OPS hitter

basically carry the team for the last month -- like he has in the past

W said:

---

the Astros need Yordan to come back and be a .900 to .950 OPS hitter

basically carry the team for the last month -- like he has in the past

---

I'll bet anyone here that ain't happening

txags92 said:

---

8 If Framber and Hunter return to early season form

---

Hunter has given up 5 runs total in his last five starts. I'm not sure how much better you expect him to do than that.

Harry Dunne said:

---

txags92 said:

---

8 If Framber and Hunter return to early season form

---

Hunter has given up 5 runs total in his last five starts. I'm not sure how much better you expect him to do than that.

---

Hunter needs to go back to his performance when the offense scored more runs than he gave up

txags92 said:

---

Harry Dunne said:

---

txags92 said:

---

8 If Framber and Hunter return to early season form

---

Hunter has given up 5 runs total in his last five starts. I'm not sure how much better you expect him to do than that.

---

And in the previous 4 starts he gave up 15 runs in 21 inninings. He has certainly been better in August than he was in July, but can't say the same for Framber. We will need both in full ace form to have a chance at making a good run into make the post-season.

---

Kyle Tucker is sitting out his third game as he works his way out of a slump. We now have a diagnosis, per a source, for his finger/hand injury suffered back in June. Story here: https://t.co/NVkJxALIPe

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 21, 2025

So he played through an injury in Chicago... That should go over well both in Houston and Chicago

EastCoastAgNc said:

---

Kyle Tucker is sitting out his third game as he works his way out of a slump. We now have a diagnosis, per a source, for his finger/hand injury suffered back in June. Story here: https://t.co/NVkJxALIPe

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 21, 2025

So he played through an injury in Chicago... That should go over well both in Houston and Chicago

---

The smell of money, like the smell of a good woman, has made many a man do things they don't normally do.

txags92 said:

---

Harry Dunne said:

---

txags92 said:

---

8 If Framber and Hunter return to early season form

---

Hunter has given up 5 runs total in his last five starts. I'm not sure how much better you expect him to do than that.

---

And in the previous 4 starts he gave up 15 runs in 21 inninings. He has certainly been better in August than he was in July, but can't say the same for Framber. We will need both in full ace form to have a chance at making a good run into the post-season.

---

Take your L.

Hunter has been as good in August as he has ever been. Its not his fault we couldn't hit water if we fell out of a boat.

Mathguy64 said:

---

EastCoastAgNc said:

---

Kyle Tucker is sitting out his third game as he works his way out of a slump. We now have a diagnosis, per a source, for his finger/hand injury suffered back in June. Story here: https://t.co/NVkJxALIPe

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 21, 2025

So he played through an injury in Chicago... That should go over well both in Houston and Chicago

---

The smell of money, like the smell of a good woman, has made many a man do things they don't normally do.

---

Joe Biden, is that you???

Finally pic.twitter.com/pwa6mRi0ur

— Steve From Houston (@EsteBangBang) August 20, 2025

Yordan wants the team to fly him to Baltimore to play tonight. They were hoping to give him a few more ABs and bring him up this weekend. We'll see what happens. He says he's ready to go.