Astros Crawfish Potluck: August 1st, 2020

The first full week of the 2020 season is in the books and it’s certainly been an interesting one.

The Astros have a tenuous hold on first place after going 4-3 across the first 7 contests. But they don’t have wiggle room in this shortened season and the Mariners, A’s and Rangers all sit within a game and a half of them. Of course, so early in the season that usually doesn’t really mean much, but in the case of 2020, one bad losing streak can end it all for each team.

But beyond the game there’s an existential problem and we all know what it is: COVID-19. In just one week we’ve seen one team have its season suspended, another forced to go into lockdown because of it, and now it’s looking like the Cardinals are now having an outbreak of their own.

While I desperately want baseball to continue I have doubts that this season can survive constant delays and game cancellations, especially considering the tight timeframe it’s working under. There’s just not enough time to be able to makeup so many games. While there are workarounds, I don’t know how keen I would be if a team that only played 35 games makes the playoffs because they beat up mostly on non-contending teams whose only virtue was managing to not get sick.

That’s not even touching the potential for long-term internal injuries to players who do become sick. I would hate to see a potential future start brought low because the league believes that it needs to try to stick to baseball just to try and turn a buck. Either way baseball will continue, but we’ll just have to wait and see how long that lasts.

Anyways, on to the potluck. I’m returning to a three questions format but feel free to add any appropriate questions or subjects of your own in the comments.

1. Do you believe the 2020 season will be completed?
2. Who do you think will be the Astros’ team Rookie of the Year?
3. What’s been your favorite Astros moment so far?