Houston Astros: Week 21 Round Up: Splits and Storms

As the Houston Astros continue to push for that all-important 80th win on the season, the past week made things a little bit more treacherous.

For the Houston Astros in Week 21, it proved to be as grueling as it was unmerciful. The team lost 2 out of 3 games to the Washington Nationals at home in what could be a preview of the World Series. Not an easy thing for the spacemen to have to deal with.

However, they would prove to turn it around this past weekend in Anaheim. Taking 2 out of 3 from the Halos, the Astros would cap off a series victory before heading out. The team is still holding on to a 5.5 game lead for home field advantage.

In spite of the good news, there was also some negative news as well. Here are some more of the news and highlights from Week 21 in the regular season:

Blame It On the Rain!

Mother Nature threw the city of H-Town a curve ball of her own this past weekend. Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas gulf coast, leaving a trail of devastation in its path.

From Corpus Christi, where the AA affiliate hooks play, all the way up to Houston itself, spawned tornadoes and catastrophic flooding have ravaged the area. Thousands of rescues and a growing number of fatalities add to a situation that was already unparalleled to begin with.

The next series with the Astros and Rangers scheduled for Tuesday thru Thursday has yet to be determined. The spacemen are heading to the DFW metroplex, and both teams are awaiting on word from the league.

But it isn’t just the games they are standing by for updates on. What is most important is the damage assessment from the storm. Such reports can take days, if not weeks.

More from House of Houston

As Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reported after Sunday’s win, everyone is on edge about what is happening back at the team’s home. Most especially, skipper A.J. Hinch. Here is a quote from him:

"“Everything is up in the air,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Sunday. “We might get to Houston sometime in the next couple of days and play. We might not. … Baseball is secondary right now. Our schedule, our flight times, where we’re going to be, the buses, all of that stuff is meaningless compared to what everybody is suffering through.”"

More word should come out soon. In the meantime, as someone that lives up in Fort Worth, I would like to send my personal and deepest thoughts and prayers to those affected down in the gulf coast by this storm. Most especially, my fellow House of Houston colleagues.

Stay Houston Strong, brothers and sisters!

The Bear is Back!

There was only one good thing to have come out of the Hurricane Harvey mess. Catcher and designated hitter, Evan Gattis, returned to the team early in Week 21. The storm cut his rehab stint with the AA Corpus Christi Hooks short.

Since he had no lingering issues from a concussion he sustained back on August 3rd, the team felt it was ready to activate him on Friday to start the series with the Halos. Although he only went 1-for-8 with a single in game one, the bear should be able to find his batting groove again real soon!

At the same time, Max Stassi suffered a blister and inflammation in his left hand. He was put on the 10 day DL in a corresponding roster move. There is a theory that Stassi may be better than the team is letting on.

He is out of minor league options, after all. Stassi would have to clear waivers in order to rejoin AAA Fresno. Since rosters expand on Friday anyways, the skip may have needed some outlet to keep him up with the big league club.

If the injury is that serious, however, the hope is Stassi will get better soon. He has certainly proven his worth, and will be needed by the Astros for a stretch run. Once Carlos Correa and Lance McCullers can get healthy again, maybe the stretch will produce some more consistent winning. Only time will tell.

I Can’t Get No Satisfaction!

Twice during week 21, the Houston Astros had leads over their two opponents blown. Namely, the two acquisitions, Francisco Liriano and Tyler Clippard, have been at the helm of these.

This isn’t to say that this isn’t entirely their fault. But that final game against the Nationals on Thursday can be placed squarely on Clippard. This all continues to illustrate why more moves should have been made up to this point.

And with August 31st fast approaching, it is highly unlikely that the team makes anymore moves on the waiver wire. There really isn’t anyone of value left for the taking. Justin Verlander trade rumors were all just pipe dreams.

Next: THREE things to mull as the Astros hit their stretch run

Despite this, Brent Strom is gonna have to knuckle that bullpen down tight. Lest we forget what happened the last time the team was in the playoffs two years ago. Let us not have history repeat itself. Shall we??!!

#HoustonStrong!

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