James Click Rejects Astros Contract Offer, Won't Return as GM After 2022 World Series
Nov 11, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 11: General Manager James Click of the Houston Astros looks on prior to game one of the Division Series against the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park on October 11, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
The contentious relationship between Houston Astros owner Jim Crane and general manager James Click has come to an end less than one week after Houston's World Series victory.
The Astros and Click parted ways Friday after he rejected the team's one-year contract offer.
Crane issued a statement about Click in the wake of his departure:
Astros owner Jim Crane: ‘We are grateful for all of James’ contributions. We have had great success in each of his three seasons, and James has been an important part of that success. I want to personally thank him and wish him and his family well moving forward.”
The team also parted ways with assistant general manager Scott Powers, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan:
The Houston Astros also fired assistant general manager Scott Powers, sources told ESPN. Powers was a former R&D executive with the Dodgers who was brought in as an AGM by James Click in January. Now Click and Powers are gone from the World Series champions on the same day.
While it is unusual to see a general manager leave after the team wins the World Series, the move isn't a total surprise.
USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported before the playoffs that Houston would likely have to win the World Series for Click to keep his job.
An Oct. 27 report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal noted a number of issues that caused conflict between Crane and Click, ranging from the size of the baseball operations staff to Click's concern that other people in the organization influenced Crane.
Click's contract expired Oct. 31, five days before the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies to win their second championship. He was in Las Vegas this week for the general manager meetings despite not having a contract.
The Astros re-signed manager Dusty Baker to a one-year contract Wednesday. Crane told reporters during the press conference to announce Baker's deal that he was "in discussions" with Click about an extension.
The Astros hired Baker and Click almost simultaneously in 2020 after firing A.J. Hinch and Jeff Luhnow in the wake of MLB's discipline from the cheating scandal during the 2017 season.
The Astros made the playoffs in each of Click's three years as general manager. They reached the World Series in each of the past two seasons and won the title this year.
Houston's 106 wins during the 2022 regular season were the second-most in franchise history (107 in 2019).
Trey Mancini's $10M Mutual Contract Option for 2023 Season Declined by Astros
Nov 10, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 26: Trey Mancini #26 of the Houston Astros flies out to right field during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Minute Maid Park on August 26, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The Houston Astros declined the $10 million mutual option on Trey Mancini's contract for the 2023 season on Thursday, per Brandon Scott of Sports Radio 610.
It was something of a surprise given the fact that the Astros acquired Mancini from the Baltimore Orioles at the 2022 season's trade deadline to better their team for a deep playoff run.
Yet he struggled for the eventual World Series champions and slashed .176/.258/.364 with eight home runs and 22 RBI in 51 regular-season games before going 1-for-21 in the playoffs.
He spent most of his time in Houston in left field but also saw time serving as the team's designated hitter.
Before joining the Astros, Mancini spent the first six-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Orioles. He made his Major League Baseball debut in 2016 but didn't become a full-time player in Baltimore until the 2017 campaign.
Mancini's best season with the Orioles came in 2019 when he slashed .291/.364/.535 with 35 home runs and 97 RBI in 154 games. He hasn't been as great in recent seasons, but he is still an effective player and would be a valuable asset for any contending team.
It's unclear where he will end up, but Mancini said in August that he would "of course" welcome a return to the Orioles.
The 30-year-old should draw some strong interest in free agency.
Justin Verlander Declines $25M Astros Contract Option for 2023 Season, Will Be FA
Nov 10, 2022
HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 28: Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) throws a pitch in the top of the third inning during the MLB game between the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros on August 28, 2022 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Justin Verlander is officially set to join a stacked MLB free-agent class this offseason.
The veteran pitcher declined the $25 million option for the 2023 season on his contract Thursday, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.
Morosi noted that it was an expected result since it will allow Verlander to perhaps pursue a longer and more lucrative contract on the open market.
Verlander agreed to a one-year, $25 million deal with this player option for 2023 in November 2021, although there was something of a workload contingency for the option to go into effect.
He triggered it in August when he surpassed the 130-inning threshold, which was notable given his recent injury concerns.
"I wasn't pitching to get to 130 innings," he told reporters at the time. "When we were doing the contract, [Astros owner] Jim [Crane] told me they wanted 130 innings for my player option. I was asking for a straight player option and they said they'd like 130 innings, and that was that. I thought that was a very fair number the way I like to pitch."
Verlander pitched just one game during the shortened 2020 campaign and missed the entirety of the 2021 season thanks to Tommy John surgery. He also missed time in 2022 with a calf injury and will be 40 years old during the upcoming season.
While durability and age may be fair reasons for concern, he is a future Hall of Famer and one of the best pitchers of his generation. He also looked as dominant as ever for much of the 2022 campaign when he was on the mound, which likely contributed to this decision since he could make more money on the open market as a free agent.
Even with the calf injury, he was perhaps the best pitcher in the American League, leading the AL with 18 wins, a 1.75 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP, while striking out 185 batters in 175 innings.
He also help the Astros win the World Series, marking his second championship during his time in Houston.
Verlander has been with the Astros since they landed him in a trade with the Detroit Tigers in 2017, and he has solidified what may have already been a Hall of Fame resume.
He showed no signs of slowing down last season, and provided the Astros make a fair offer, it is difficult to envision him signing elsewhere despite opting out.
Astros 'In Discussions' with GM James Click About New Contract amid Rumored Tension
Nov 9, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 28: General Manager James Click of the Houston Astros looks on prior to Game One of the 2022 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Minute Maid Park on October 28, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Four days after winning the World Series and amid rumored tension with ownership, James Click could be on the verge of returning to the Houston Astros in 2023.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Astros owner Jim Crane said he is "in discussions" with Click on a new deal.
In a report on Oct. 2, USA Today's Bob Nightengale noted Click's job security may depend on the Astros winning the World Series because Crane has "never warmed up to him" and has "long questioned whether he’s the right guy" to be general manager.
Following the Astros' 7-0 postseason start ahead of the World Series, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal provided more insight about Crane's reasoning for not being sold on Click as general manager:
"Sources familiar with the Astros’ situation who are not authorized to talk about the team’s operation cite a variety of potential reasons for the uncertainty surrounding Click: Stylistic clashes between the 44-year-old executive and the 68-year-old Crane, disagreements about the size of the baseball operations staff and concern from Click about other voices in the organization influencing the owner."
Click and manager Dusty Baker were hired in 2020 in the wake of Jeff Luhnow and A.J. Hinch being fired as a result of the cheating scandal during the 2017 season.
Baker's original deal with the Astros was for one year with a team option for 2021. He signed a one-year extension for 2022 in November 2021.
The Astros announced on Wednesday that Baker has extended his deal to return next season.
Click has been working without a contract since October 31. The 44-year-old spent 15 seasons working in the Tampa Bay Rays' front office from 2005-19 prior to being hired by the Astros.
In three seasons with Click as general manager, the Astros have made the playoffs three times and reached the World Series in each of the past two seasons, including a victory over the Philadelphia Phillies this year.
Houston's 106 wins in 2022 were the second-most in franchise history (107 in 2019).
Dusty Baker Agrees to New Astros Contract After 2022 World Series Title
Nov 8, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 07: Dusty Baker Jr. #12 of the Houston Astros participates in the World Series Parade on November 07, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Dusty Baker isn't going anywhere.
Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston reported the Houston Astros will announce during a Wednesday press conference the longtime manager is returning in 2023 to lead the reigning World Series champions.
Despite the success the organization has recently enjoyed, apparently it wasn't always a sure thing Baker would return.
In September, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle (h/t Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors) said Baker and general manager James Click's contracts were "a topic that has been whispered about in the Astros organization, people both in and out of the clubhouse, since the beginning of the season" with Click in particular "not just a rubber-stamp thing."
According to Rome's reporting on Tuesday, that remains the case for Click:
I need to write, but here is the gist: James Click does not have a contract next season. His current one expired Oct. 31. He has not agreed to anything for next season and tomorrow's press conference is not about him. Click said he's staying in Vegas tomorrow.
While there was some uncertainty, keeping Baker in the dugout means the Astros still have one of the best managers in the league leading the way.
The 73-year-old, who was also a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner as a player, has three Manager of the Year awards and two league pennants on his resume. He has managed the San Francisco Giants (1993-2002), Chicago Cubs (2003-06), Cincinnati Reds (2008-13), Washington Nationals (2016-17) and Astros (2020-present) with a 2,093-1,790 overall record.
His teams have made 12 playoff appearances, but an elusive World Series crown remained the one glaring omission until this season.
He came close in the past when his 2002 Giants lost the World Series in seven games to the Anaheim Angels, the 2003 Cubs fell one win short of reaching Fall Classic and the 2021 Astros lost the World Series to the Atlanta Braves.
It was championship-or-bust in 2022 for Houston, and it was no surprise that Baker steered the team through such a pressure-packed situation given his track record.
The Astros won the American League West with ease at 106-56, which was the best record in the AL and good enough to earn a first-round bye in the new playoff format as one of the top two seeds.
Then they parlayed that into the crowning achievement of the manager's career.
Even before the championship, it was impossible to classify Baker's time with Houston as anything but a success given the reality of the situation when he took over ahead of the 2020 campaign.
Houston's sign-stealing scandal had just stunned the baseball world, and MLB responded by fining the franchise $5 million, stripping it of its first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021, and suspending then-general manager Jeff Luhnow and then-manager AJ Hinch for one year.
The Astros fired both Luhnow and Hinch in the aftermath.
All Baker did was lead the team to the American League Championship Series in the shortened 2020 campaign, the World Series in 2021 and the title in 2022.
Now he is back and looking for a second championship ring.
MLB Rumors: Dusty Baker, James Click to Be Offered New Astros Contracts for 2023
Nov 8, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 07: Dusty Baker Jr. and Melissa Baker , Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Astros Owner Jim Crane and wife Whitney Crane, participate in the World Series Parade on November 07, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Houston Astros owner Jim Crane will formally offer contracts to both manager Dusty Baker and general manager James Click for the 2023 season, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
"I'll be back, but we're working on it," he told reporters. "It's as simple as that."
The Astros took home the 2022 World Series by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. It was Baker's first title after 25 seasons as a manager in MLB.
Baker previously agreed to a one-year deal to remain the Astros manager for the 2022 season, his third with the team. In that time, Houston has gone 230-154 in the regular season with three trips to the ALCS, two World Series appearances and one championship.
Click also joined the organization in 2020 as part of the organizational restructure after Houston fired manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow for their roles in the team's sign-stealing scandal.
The 44-year-old had spent the previous 15 years with the Tampa Bay Rays, working his way up to vice president of baseball operations.
Though most of the Astros' contributors this season have been in the organization for more than three years, Click made aggressive moves to bolster the roster ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline, acquiring Trey Mancini and Christian Vazquez.
Crane praised the team's leadership in helping to bring home another championship.
"I appreciate all the hard work they've both done," Crane said of Click and Baker. "They've done a good job."
Houston has work to do in the offseason—notably, starting pitcher Justin Verlander will be a free agent—but the Astros are set up well to contend for a title in 2023.
Man Arrested for Throwing Beer Can at Sen. Ted Cruz at Astros' World Series Parade
Nov 7, 2022
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing to examine a post-Roe America, focusing on the legal consequences of the Dobbs decision, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The Houston Police Department announced on Monday that a man was arrested and charged with assault after allegedly throwing and striking Sen. Ted Cruz with a beer can during the Astros World Series Parade.
Nearby HPD officers arrested the male without further incident. He was taken to jail and faces assault charges. We will release the suspect's name and booking photo here when formal charges are filed. 2/2
It is unclear why Cruz, who has no formal connection to the Astros beyond spending most of his childhood in Houston after being born in Calgary, was a part of the parade, though often local officials feature in teams' title celebrations.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also took part in the festivities, riding on a humvee one vehicle ahead of Cruz.
Neither were reportedly greeted with the warmest of receptions. Per Ariana Garcia of the Houston Chronicle, "Cruz—who wore Astros colors—was shown waving at the crowd, smiling, and giving a thumbs up, despite several fans giving him thumbs down and booing at him in return. Patrick, who floated by in a humvee before Cruz, was also reportedly the subject of jeers."
Ted Cruz pulled off what I thought was impossible- getting booed at a championship parade. pic.twitter.com/B4oVgP404Q
The Astros were celebrating Monday after beating the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Saturday night, 4-1, closing out the series with three straight victories, including two in Philadelphia. It was Houston's second title in the past six years and their fourth trip to the Fall Classic in that span.
The Astros last title was controversial given the team's sign-stealing scandal, though no such controversy currently looms over this iteration of the squad.
Astros Parade 2022: Route, Date, Time, Live Stream and TV Info
Nov 6, 2022
The Houston Astros celebrate their 4-1 World Series win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
After a dominant run through the postseason, the Houston Astros will celebrate their World Series title with a parade on Monday at 12 p.m. local time.
The parade will travel down Smith Street, starting at Preston Street.
#WorldSeries parade will be tomorrow at 12pm‼️ Please utilize @METROHouston or ride share to get to the Parade. Services from @METROHouston will be free tomorrow. ⚾️⚾️🥳🥳
For those who can't attend in person, the parade will be shown on MLB Network.
The Astros closed out the 2022 championship with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6, leading to a massive celebration in front of the home crowd:
One swing changed the game and the series as Houston secured its second championship in six years.
Jeremy Peña was named the World Series MVP after hitting .400 with three extra-base hits in the six games.
The fans will now celebrate the 2022 season, which featured 106 wins in the regular season and an 11-2 record in the playoffs. After losing twice in the World Series and twice in the ALCS over the past four years, the squad is finally back on top of the baseball world.
Perhaps no one will be celebrating more than manager Dusty Baker, who finally earned his first championship after 25 seasons leading a major league club. The 73-year-old has 840 regular-season wins and three Manager of the Year Awards, but he can now add a ring to his Hall of Fame resume.
World Series 2022: Examining Likelihood of Astros Repeating in 2023
Nov 6, 2022
Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly, left, and the Houston Astros celebrate their 4-1 World Series win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros have had some of the best staying power of any Major League Baseball team over the last few decades.
Houston's second World Series title in franchise history came in its fourth championship appearance since 2017.
The Astros are perfectly built for another push to the World Series in 2023, even if some of the most important pieces from the 2022 title run are not back.
Houston's player development and pitching depth were two of the main reasons why it has sustained success since the first World Series appearance of its current dominance.
For example, World Series Most Valuable Player Jeremy Peña seamlessly transitioned into the starting shortstop role that Carlos Correa occupied for so many years.
Peña was one of the most important contributors during Houston's championship run and he will be a core piece of the group for many years in the future.
Houston returns a majority of its top bats for 2023, but it will have some work to do to make the bottom of the order better.
Catchers Martín Maldonado, Christian Vázquez and Jason Castro are all scheduled to become free agents, as are first basemen Trey Mancini and Yuli Gurriel.
Yainer Diaz, one of Houston's top prospects, could fill one of those spots in the order, but Houston would still need to add depth at catcher and first base.
The Astros need more consistency at the plate from those two positions to be even better offensively when dealing with the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and other contenders in the American League.
Gurriel has been one of the key parts of Houston's sustained success, but he is 38, and the Astros may be willing to move on from him, or relegate him to a smaller role.
Mancini did not make a good case for himself in the World Series, and he could hit the open market instead of returning to Houston. The Astros could lure another free agent to fill that role. They do not need a superstar at first base. They just need a quality hitter that can back up the likes of Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman in the middle of the order.
The other big lineup decision will come with Michael Brantley, who missed a good chunk of 2022 with a shoulder injury. Brantley, like Gurriel, has been a vital part of Houston's success, but it may be hard to justify bringing him back on a big deal at 35.
Houston's biggest offseason question comes from its pitching staff. Justin Verlander can opt out of his contract and become a free agent.
Verlander will likely win his third American League Cy Young Award, but he is 39 and the Astros have a plethora of young arms ready to take over spots in the starting rotation.
Houston could enter 2023 with a rotation of Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers Jr., Cristian Javier, Luis García and Hunter Brown. José Urquidy could also be utilized in the rotation.
One or more of those pitchers could be used as trade bait to bring in another bat, or permanently shifted to the bullpen if there is no room for them in the starting five.
With or without Verlander, the Astros are set to have one of the best pitching staffs in the majors. As we saw in the recently-concluded World Series, that could be the deciding factor in winning a championship.
The other decision that needs to be made is about Dusty Baker's future as manager. Baker is out of contract. That call may come down to Baker and whether he wants to retire after winning the World Series.
If Baker comes back, he will have a loaded team set up for yet another run to the World Series.
Houston will once again be in the championship mix and it will be difficult for any team to dethrone it at the top of the American League.
World Series Champion Astros Prove That Even Villains Can Have a Dynasty
Nov 6, 2022
The Houston Astros celebrate with the trophy after their 4-1 World Series win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros are World Series champions. For real this time. No ifs, ands or buts about it. And no asterisks, real or imagined.
So, let's call them what they deserve to be called: a dynasty.
Judging from all the boos and jeers that the Astros have heard away from Minute Maid Park over the last few seasons, this is bound to register as an Unpopular Opinion. And, to be fair, said boos and jeers were well-founded. Nobody likes a cheater, and that's what the Astros were when they won their first World Series in 2017.
But this time around? This time around they were simply the best team in Major League Baseball.
This seemed true enough as the Astros tallied 106 wins in the regular season, and then increasingly so as they won each of their first seven in the playoffs. The Philadelphia Phillies positioned themselves to upset the narrative by winning two of the first three games of the World Series, but three straight victories by Houston put the kibosh on that.
The Astros outscored the Phillies 12-3 in Games 4, 5 and 6. In other words, the victors got as many runs on Yordan Álvarez's epic go-ahead home run in Saturday's decisive game as the losers scored in the last three games combined.
That plus Christian Vázquez's run-scoring single later in the sixth inning pretty much put the game on ice. The last nine outs that Houston had to get felt like so many formalities, up to and including the one that nestled in Kyle Tucker's glove for the third out of the ninth inning.
Thus did the Astros secure the World Series ring that eluded Dusty Baker in his first 24 years as a manager, and at least open the door for a conversation about their dynasty credentials.
What's In a Dynasty?
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker Jr. and the Houston Astros celebrate their 4-1 World Series win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
There's at least one obvious complication in attempting to slap the "dynasty" label on the Astros, and it's that the dictionary definition of the word doesn't exactly apply in this context.
Heck, even the Astros weren't sure of their dynasty status as of a couple of days ago.
When Sam Blum and Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic asked around on the eve of the World Series, they got yesses from Justin Verlander, Yuli Gurriel and Martín Maldonado but a no from Jose Altuve and what amounted to "not sures" from Lance McCullers Jr. and Alex Bregman, though both of them added the same caveat.
As summarized by Bregman: "I think we’ve got to win this series."
Well, now they've done that. And it does feel like a sort of exclamation mark on a list of organizational accomplishments that also include:
Six straight trips to the American League Championship Series
World Series appearances in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022
That's a whole lot of winning over a sustained stretch of time. And if there was to be an officially recognized definition of "dynasty" in a sports context, that's our submission.
Of course, there is the elephant in the room. Or rather, the banging scheme in the dugout.
Yes, it happened. Specifically, in 2017 and into 2018 per MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's findings on the matter. The scheme might not have actually helped the Astros all that much, but suggesting as much is sort of beside the point. That they even had the gall do to it was crime enough.
"We obviously cheated baseball and cheated fans," was how ex-slugger Evan Gattis put it in 2020. "Fans felt duped. I feel bad for fans."
And yet, much has changed since then.
This goes for the environment around the Astros, as the threat of teams copy-catting their method of using video to steal and decode signs in real time has since been diminished through new protocols and the introduction of the PitchCom system.
It also goes for the Astros themselves. Banging scheme ringleaders Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran were already gone by the time the scandal burst into the open in 2020, an event which also cost general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch their jobs.
There's even shockingly little connective tissue between the 2017 team and the 2022 team roster-wise. Altuve, Bregman and Gurriel are the only surviving members of the former's ill-begotten historic offense, with only McCullers and Verlander remaining on the pitching side.
To hold the misdeeds of the 2017 Astros against the 2022 Astros is therefore beyond holding the sins of the father against the son. It's more like demanding a son pay for the sins of his great-grandfather.
Instead of holding that grudge, how about acknowledging the non-nefarious ways the Astros built their dynasty?
The Astros Are a Machine
Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena celebrates with the trophy after their 4-1 World Series win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
It's never easy to summarize any team's organizational philosophy, but the Astros' seems to be "look wherever and do whatever to find and develop good players."
Take Álvarez, for example.
The Astros acquired him from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for middle relliever Josh Fields in Aug. 2016. Baseball America tabbed his bat control as his calling card, noting that his power only showed up in workouts.
Cut to now, and Alvarez is a 6'5", 225-pounder with 98 home runs in 368 career regular-season games, plus another six in 47 playoff games. Each of the three he hit in this postseason were all go-ahead shots in the sixth inning or later, which MLB.com's Sarah Langs noted as a first for MLB history.
For another example, take Jeremy Peña.
The Astros drafted him out of the University of Maine, a place that, with all respect to Bill Swift, is not known as a prospect factory. Next thing anyone knows, Peña is Houston's heir to former No. 1 pick and AL Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa at shortstop. And now, he's a Gold Glover and the first AL player to ever claim MVP honors for both the LCS and World Series.
But if anything has made the Astros the envy of MLB in recent years, it's surely the organization's ability to take seemingly any random pitcher and turn him into a military-grade weapon. And for a very simple yet nonetheless very good reason.
As Mike Fast, formerly Houston's research and development director, once put it: "The Astros have not, for a while now, had any hesitation about just, ‘Throw your best pitches.’”
To this, there's perhaps never been a more glowing testament than a moundstaff that featured some of MLB's best fastballs and breaking balls and, oh yeah, was generally just very, very good in 2022.
Though Verlander was already well decorated by the time he arrived in Houston, it was the Astros who fully unlocked his slider and, with it, arguably the best years of his Cooperstown career.
Albeit on a longer timeline, they also fully unlocked Framber Valdez as a stifler of hard contact and Cristian Javier and a misser of bats. Their six playoff starts yielded just four earned runs over 36.1 innings, with Javier working the tip of the spear for Houston's combined no-hitter in Game 4 of the World Series.
Ryan Pressly, meanwhile, is but one of many talented hurlers who can take credit for the MLB-best 2.80 ERA that the bullpen posted in the regular season and, well, all of the other-worldly numbers it put up in the postseason:
The Astros’ bullpen this postseason, with ranks among 94 teams with 35+ IP from bullpen in a single postseason:
0.83 ERA, lowest .126 Opp BA, lowest .215 Opp OBP, lowest .208 Opp SLG, lowest 0.75 WHIP, lowest
The awkward part is who, specifically, should get the credit for the Astros approach and all its benefits. James Click is running the front office now as the team's GM, but every single one of the players mentioned by name in this piece was originally acquired by Luhnow, who's now out of baseball and into soccer.
And yet, this really only matters if you're going to insist on personnel consistency as a stipulation for a proper dynasty. And if we must, well, dare we ask that people give it time?
It's not as if a breaking of the band is upon the Astros. They could sustain some losses this winter, including Baker from the manager's chair, Verlander from the rotation, Gurriel from first base and Rafael Montero from the bullpen. Everyone else, though, is in for 2023. And beyond, in many cases.
Whether the Astros will ever be able to outlast the boos and jeers is one question. Whether they'll keep contending for championships, however, is not a question at all.
