Astros Crawfish Boil: October 24. 2023

While it’s true that nothing good lasts forever...

keep in mind that Houston’s seven-year ALCS streak is as yet-intact. Chances for an eighth straight visit is certainly within reach (and a ninth). I know today’s Boil is going to be heavy with negative comments, but I ask you to keep gloom-and-doom to a minimum. Negativity is allowed, but not encouraged, and personal attacks are unwelcome. Trolls will be removed after I get off my day job, unless someone else gets to them first.

Houston Astros News

Baker to ‘evaluate my situation’ amid rumors of retirement

Justin Verlander on loss, future | 10/23/2023 | Houston Astros

Houston Astros: Dusty Baker expected to retire but won’t say yet (Houston Chronicle)

Dusty Baker commends Astros after ‘grind’ of a season (ESPN)

Here’s what’s next for Houston Astros following ALCS (SportsMap)

AL West News

Adolis gets last word in, sends Rangers to World Series

Adolis mashes his way to ALCS MVP honors

Rangers clinch home-field advantage in World Series

Bochy an all-timer by taking third club to World Series

Mariners coach Stephen Vogt to have second interview for Guardians manager’s job, AP source says (AP News)

Making the ugliest opening day roster the Mariners have ever put on the field (Sodo Mojo)

A’s prospects show off wares in front of Kotsay, Forst

Las Vegas Stadium Authority to negotiate lease with Oakland A’s (Fox 5 Vegas)

Lucas Giolito’s Performance Declines After Trade to Angels (BVM Sports)

Angels’ Mike Trout Put In Body Bag During Eagles-Dolphins (NESN)

MLB News

D-backs defuse Phillies’ home-field edge, force decisive Game 7

‘All hands on deck’: Phillies staring down 1st Game 7 in club history

Bold NLCS Game 7 predictions: Home runs, extra innings, surprise heroes, the final out!

Hyped for another Game 7? Here are the key storylines

D-backs vs. Phillies NLCS Game 7 FAQ (Tonight, 8 ET, TBS)

Inclusivity Win: Angel Hernandez Makes History As First Ever Blind Umpire

Houston Astros Birthdays

RHP Mark Grant (60) pitched 11 innings over six games with the 1993 Astros. He had a 1.455 WHIP, a 3.26 FIP, and 5.4 K/9.

CF Omar Moreno (71) played 97 games with the 1983 Astros. He hit .242 with 30 stolen bases before joining the New York Yankees for the stretch run.

RHP Wander Severino (20) has a 3.91 ERA and 70 K’s in 69 innings for the DSL Orangestros.

OF Luis Perez (21) was two-for-41 in 12 games for Fayetteville in 2023.

The Countdown

This offseason, I’ll be revisiting each of the 975 players to appear in a game for the Houston franchise from 1962 through the present day. There will be 121 chapters, so I’ll need to continue through the weekends in order to complete it by the start of Spring Training (give or take a few days). The first of these articles will be on October 26, and feature 15 players, as will the articles running on days two through nine. On day 10, the articles will begin featuring 14 players, then on day 18, 13 players, day 26, 12 players, and so on.

I used minimum number of plate appearances/batters faced to parse out the results. Benchmarks are set at five, 20, 100, 500, and 500+. The first four groupings are ordered by bWAR per BF/PA within that grouping, and the 500+ grouping will be ordered by total bWAR over the course of a player’s career.

During the 121 article span I won’t be giving you Astros birthdays, instead including that info with each player’s unique “capsule.” What do you think? Still too raw on 2023 to think about that? It’s only baseball — and the Astros will be back next year. In the meantime, we’ve got a loaded hot stove season, the annual meetings, a possible free agent frenzy, and changes likely at the top to look forward to. See you next spring!