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Houston Astros: Three reasons why the team’s window won’t close soon

By Kenneth Cline

HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 03: Justin Verlander , center, along with manager A.J. Hinch, left, and general manager Jeff Luhnow during a press conference to officially introduce Verlander at Minute Maid Park on September 3, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 03: Justin Verlander , center, along with manager A.J. Hinch, left, and general manager Jeff Luhnow during a press conference to officially introduce Verlander at Minute Maid Park on September 3, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 01: Alex Bregman
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 01: Alex Bregman /

The Houston Astros are on a familiar road

The minute the last out is made in the World Series, one question comes about.

Can you do it next year?

Will you go back-to-back?

Are you going to repeat?

Okay, so those are three questions. But they all have the same point. The Houston Astros should be a threat to repeat. Then again, so were the Cubs, the Royals, the Giants, the Red Sox and the Cardinals just to name a few teams.

When was the last time a team has repeated as World Series champions? You got to go back eighteen years ago when the New York Yankees won their third straight tile against their city rival New York Mets in the famous Subway Series. The Yankees were also close to winning it in 2001, but the Diamondbacks rallied to win in the ninth of Game 7. Now how have things gone for the World Series teams in between? Let’s look at how each champion did the following year

Previous 16 Champions

  • 2002 Diamondbacks – Lost NLDS to Cardinals
  • 2003 Angels – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2004 Marlins – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2005 Red Sox – Lost ALDS to White Sox
  • 2006 White Sox – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2007 Cardinals – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2008 Red Sox – Lost ALCS to Rays
  • 2009 Phillies – Lost World Series to Yankees
  • 2010 Yankees – Lost ALCS to Rangers
  • 2011 Giants – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2012 Cardinals – Lost NLCS to Giants
  • 2013 Giants – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2014 Red Sox – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2015 Giants – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2016 Royals – Failed to make playoffs
  • 2017 Cubs – Lost NLCS to Dodgers

Terrifying, ain’t it?

So aside from the fact that the Giants made a habit of winning it all in the even years in three of five seasons, this is pretty much what happens to the teams that won it all.

Then you have to consider that even the best teams will have a certain amount of years where they will be among the top teams to win it all and yet, they’ll come up short either because they weren’t good enough or other teams were better. Four examples come to mind when I think about this.

1994-2001 Cleveland Indians (2 AL Pennants, 0 WS Titles)

The team that had the most feared lineup in all of baseball could not overcome the pitching of the elite (1995 Braves), and the talented one-year wonders (1997 Marlins). Plus disputes amongst them with Albert Belle and trades of Eddie Murray and Kenny Lofton prevented any chances of a potential dynasty.

2007-2011 Philadelphia Phillies (2 NL Pennants, 1 WS Title)

Winners of the World Series in 2008, the Phillies seemed destined to repeat until they ran into the Yankees. The following years saw Philadelphia fail to reach the World Series losing to the Giants in 2010 and the Cardinals in 2011 with even the best pitching staff of Roy Halladay (RIP), Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt.

2010-2016 San Francisco Giants (3 NL Pennants, 3 WS Titles)

The even year trend came to an end in 2016 when the Giants lost to the Cubs. But this team made a habit of winning three titles in five seasons. Led by the usual suspects of Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner and Pablo Sandoval along with Hunter Pence, Brandon Belt, and Brandon Crawford, the Giants were able to pick up World Series titles in 2010, 2012, and 2014. Why they couldn’t repeat and make the playoffs remains a mystery.

2010-2016 Texas Rangers (2 AL Pennants, 0 WS Titles)

Oh so close! The Rangers had it in the bag in 2011 just one year after losing in 2010. But even when they blew it in 2011, they would be back. Well losing two tiebreaking games in 2012 and 2013 followed by an injury-plagued 2014 would help lead them to successive dominating 2015 and 2016 seasons over the Astros. Then it was followed by early playoff exits to the Toronto Blue Jays. Now how did 2017 work out?

So if we have a five-year window, we shouldn’t expect to win every year. We may make another World Series and win another title. We might reach the LCS and lose. Then again, we could be an early playoff exit. Whatever the case is, we have to enjoy this stretch no matter how big the window is.

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