The 2023 Houston Astros were coming off their fourth American League pennant and second World Championship in six seasons. They won 90 games, won the AL West yet again, and won the Silver Boot series for the seventh-consecutive season. However, despite all that success, there was a weird, underlying issue with the 2023 Astros…they didn’t play well at Minute Maid Park (finishing the regular season 3 games under .500).
This issue proved fatal in the ALCS, when the Astros failed to win a single game in the Juice Box and lost the series 4-3.
Much has changed with the 2024 Astros - new manager, new starting catcher, and a huge turnover in the pitching staff as a result of free agency and the injury bug. Partially as a result of all this change, the 2024 Astros struggled out of the gate, going 12-24 in their first 36 games. Thankfully, they have rebounded nicely to go 37-20 since then.
One other big change with this year’s squad is the way they play at Minute Maid. Not only are they 8 games over .500 at home, but they haven’t lost a game at home since June 15th. On the season, their run differential is -11 on the road and +60 at home.
That brings us to tonight. The Rangers come to town having won 7 of their last 10 games to get back to within five games of .500. The Stros will definitely have their work cut out for them, but a series win this weekend can really set the tone for a big run following the All-Star Break. And, should the Astros manage a sweep, they would lock up the Silver Boot for the eighth-consecutive season and move above .500 in their all-time record against the Rangers.
With all that said, you know the drill:
I call on all Astros OB’s to get in this thread early and often to help get this series win and extend the Mamelhorn thread streak into the All-Star Break. GO STROS!
This issue proved fatal in the ALCS, when the Astros failed to win a single game in the Juice Box and lost the series 4-3.
Much has changed with the 2024 Astros - new manager, new starting catcher, and a huge turnover in the pitching staff as a result of free agency and the injury bug. Partially as a result of all this change, the 2024 Astros struggled out of the gate, going 12-24 in their first 36 games. Thankfully, they have rebounded nicely to go 37-20 since then.
One other big change with this year’s squad is the way they play at Minute Maid. Not only are they 8 games over .500 at home, but they haven’t lost a game at home since June 15th. On the season, their run differential is -11 on the road and +60 at home.
That brings us to tonight. The Rangers come to town having won 7 of their last 10 games to get back to within five games of .500. The Stros will definitely have their work cut out for them, but a series win this weekend can really set the tone for a big run following the All-Star Break. And, should the Astros manage a sweep, they would lock up the Silver Boot for the eighth-consecutive season and move above .500 in their all-time record against the Rangers.
With all that said, you know the drill:
I call on all Astros OB’s to get in this thread early and often to help get this series win and extend the Mamelhorn thread streak into the All-Star Break. GO STROS!
