I just find it interesting how often a team that finishes first or second 9 out of the last 10 years does get criticized. If baseball had the same loose playoff structure that the NBA and NHL has then the Astros would have been in the playoffs 9 out of the last 10 years and probably would have won a series or two. If the NBA had MLB's playoff structure, the Rockets would never have won that 2nd championship. Since 1994, with the exception of Atlanta, no NL team has played as consistently well over 162 games than the Astros. Unfortunately, it's games 163-167 that most folks seem to remember.
Exactly, they are one of the worst franchise in pro sports. I don't like all the McClain bashing, but you can't get around this point.
i can absolutely get around this point. they are clearly not one of the worst franchises in pro sports. that's an absolute joke of a statement that you're way too smart to make. you say they didn't start playing in 97...ok..fine...how about the dallas mavericks...are they one of the worst franchises in pro sports...they had YEARS of ineptitude at a ridiculous rate...but i don't think anyone would look at them today and say they are among the worst franchises in pro sports. how about the boston red sox??? talk about a joke, this team has been around since the 19th century and they haven't won a world series since 19freaking12...that's approaching 100 years of not winning the big one...are they a bad organization?? don't get carried away in the particular examples..you get my point. the astros have been very competitive for a very long time now. given, they haven't shown up in the playoffs...but that doesn't mean the franchise sucks...or is one of the worst in pro sports...look to the D-Rays, the Clippers and the Arizona Cardinals, and I think you'll see huge distinctions.
i'n not excited about coming in second in the Central....but geez, this whole freaking site would blow up if the Rockets could be just the 8th best team in their freaking conference. few teams go to the playoffs in baseball...there is a greater emphasis on the regular season...they came down to the end of the wire this year and came up short...nothing to be proud of...but they weren't a joke...and they're not, as you say, one of the worst franchises in sports. come on.
Can you name a team that's been around almost forty years and haven't won a playoff series. I bet there isn't many, which would make them one of the worst.
BTW, when I say one of the worst franchises, I'm speaking strictly of success on the field. They are not a joke, but you can't deny they are one of the least successful franchise in terms of playoffs. They're even less successful than the Titans. They've had a good run with Bagwell and Biggio during the past few regular seasons, but overal this hasn't been a very successful franchise.
Well, everybody but you, apparently... When you're in the playoffs, the object is to win the championship. Anything else is a failure. The Astros have failed, simple as that. I guess it's a glass half empty vs. half full thing. 9 of the past 10 years finishing first and second? How about three out of the past four years missing the playoffs in the NL Comedy Central. It may be easier to get into the NBA playoffs, but you have to win FOUR seven game series to win the title. The Astros can't even win a five game series The Astros have those three division titles in the past seven years. The Marlins don't have any division titles...
It only makes them one of the worst, if your definition of success is winning a playoff series. If that is a person's ultimate definition of success in life, then they will have a pretty miserable time of it. Would you consider the Cubs a bigger success than the Astros over the last 10 years solely based on their playoff success this year?
in baseball you mean?? if you're asking me to do that in all sports, you're comparing apples and oranges. more teams make the playoffs than don't in pro basketball...and in football, the percentage of teams in the league that make the playoffs is far more than baseball. in baseball...do you want me to compare them with other franchises over the 40 year history the astros have been in the league??? teams like the red sox and cubs have been around for over a 100 years now...do i compare them there, as well?? again...baseball isn't all about the playoffs. this is a game that up until the mid-90's had 4 teams in the playoffs every year...big divisions with one division winner coming out...remember the last year they had that system, the giants won 102 games, and that wasn't enough to make the playoffs. the giants had a GREAT season...there's no arguing that....but they didn't even get a shot at the playoffs. that's baseball...and it's very different from hoops or football. it is very regular season-intensive. teams don't fight over who can be the 8th best in the regular season...they fight over who can be the very best within their division.
Believe me, I remember them as much as anyone, but if I based my enjoyment on what a team brings to me over the course of 6 months on the fact that they lost in the playoffs, then I would have invested too much time and emotion into that situation. I tend to dwell on the 6 months of positives than the 1 week of negatives.
Who gives a flying **** what they did before I was born or was old enough to pay attention to the game...hell, KC won the ****ing World Series in my lifetime, so did the Detroit Tigers & Cincy Reds, the Brewers made it to Game 7 before losing, would you care to change places with their fans? In my lifetime, they've been part of 2 of the greatest playoff series ever, '80 & '86, and have been very, very competitive for 9 of the past 10 years. Do I want more...hell yeah, but to call them "one of the worst franchise [sic] in pro sports" is absolutely one of the dumbest things I've heard on this board...and that says a ton, given the state of GARM these days. You're better than that. For the record, the Rangers haven't won a postseason series either, nor had the Angels until '02.
this is my point exactly...the Astros have remained competitive while other teams have fallen back and forth in the cellar. that's a sign of a good franchise, in my view...particularly in baseball. this is not kansas city, which hasn't sniffed the playoffs since 1985....this isn't milwaukee, which won a world series once, but hasn't been even on the map as a competitive franchise in over a decade... we have a fairly solid organization that puts out a team that has a CHANCE to win the title....in baseball today, that's pretty rare.
The Red Sox have advanced in the Playoffs in the past five years. And the Rangers are also one of the worst. Its a joke to call this Franchise successful based on the last few regular seasons only. McClain has definitely improved the organization but until it translates to a playoff series win, in my mind they are one of the worst franchises.
then i guess we're done discussing it. i think you're wrong...but, hey, it's ultimately your opinion. but i will say again...the cubs advanced last year...who had the better success, though, in the past 40 years...the astros or the cubs??? the tigers won a world series in 1984...but i'm not trading places with those guys...saying a team advanced in the playoffs is not the whole story. particularly not in a sport where playoff spots are actually at a premium.
