It is about the least surprising World Series championship in quite some time. The Houston Astros seemed ordained to lift the trophy from at least the trade deadline as the Yankees fell back to Earth and the Astros boosted an already formidable team. Adding Christian Vasquez and Trey Mancini to an already dangerous offense will do that. It was the best team in baseball and the only one that could be seriously thought of as having no glaring weaknesses. They have won it for Dusty and clinched the title at home for the first time but more importantly maybe they have finally closed the book (or the trash can) on the sign-stealing scandal that marred their first title in 2017.
Yes, there are holdovers from the trashcan era that are still roundly booed in ballparks across the Major Leagues but there are also many key contributors on this team that are not soiled by that whole affair. From World Series MVP Jeremy Pena to the Cuban crusher Yordan Alvarez whose three run shot decided things in game 6, this a team now five years removed from the shenanigans of 2017 with new faces merging with the old to carry the load. As far as we know, this Astros team won cleanly and fairly. To boot, they won in far more dominant fashion than in 2017. They dispatched the Yankees in a rout this time around, not in seven or even six games as they did in their two prior ALCS meetings. This came after a sweep of a very good Seattle team. In the World Series is where they faced their only serious playoff adversity. Besides, after four trips to the World Series in six years, I think we can admit, however grudgingly, that this is a very well run organization with an elite core and that we can give them their due whilst still not allowing the sign-stealing scandal to be swept under the rug.
The most mind-boggling thing of all is that they could conceivably be back here again in a year’s time. Much of the nucleus will be back. They can again bank on the indomitable Jose Altuve, an Alex Bregman seemingly resparked by fatherhood, the ultra-dangerous Alvarez and the five tool talent that is Kyle Tucker. Justin Verlander is a pending free agent but even if he leaves, that still leaves Framber Valdez, Christian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia. Hunter Brown maybe winds up the heir to that spot. The bullpen will likely be a force again next year though I doubt they will post a sub-3.00 ERA again. They also have depth. But most importantly, they will likely have once again the grudging respect of even the fanbases most hurt by the events of 2017. This team can win cleanly it seems and they can do it consistently. And if Dusty Baker chooses to give another kick at the can, it will be a well led squad come 2023 as well. Maybe this is the team of the 2020’s in the end. If they lose another star somewhere down the road, maybe there’s another Jeremy Pena waiting in the wings. It feels like forever ago now that this team was the laughing stock of baseball.
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