From 2017 to the present, the Houston Astros are experiencing its golden era.
Haters gonna hate.
Asterisks.
Trash cans.
Buzzers.
Yeah, Houston Astros fans have heard it all, especially from fans in New York and Los Angeles.
The Houston Astros won their first World Series in 2017.
However, a cheating scandal from that year still resonates as fans of other teams continue to comment on social media posts with trash can emojis whenever the Astros win a big game.
In 2017, the Astros infamously used video cameras and trash cans to relay pitches to the hitters in the batter’s box.
But by 2022, all the haters should have seen that “America’s Team” does not need any unfair advantage to beat their favorite teams.
Six years later, the Astros dynasty continues to chug along the train tracks of Union Station at Minute Maid Park.
To celebrate Major League Baseball’s undeniable dynasty, RegalMag.com honors the all-time Astros team from their golden era of dominance.
First Base—Yuli Gurriel—True Astros fans still have not gotten over the departure of “La Pina.” Other Astros like Carlos Correa have departed for bigger paychecks and fans eventually got over it. But Gurriel’s style and swag symbolized the golden era of Astros. The crazy hair. The crazy confidence. Crazy number of wins.
Second Base—Jose Altuve—The diminutive second baseman symbolizes so many of us and that’s why so many fans relate to him. Too small. Not good enough. Go home. Your dream is over. However, Altuve listened to zero naysayers. And because of it, he probably has a spot waiting for him in Cooperstown.
Shortstop-Jeremy Pena—This selection should get the most flak from Houston fans. But J.P. showed out so much during the 2022 postseason that the decision to not sign Carlos Correa now looks like a genius move by the front office. As a rookie, the former University of Maine standout won the World Series MVP.
Third Base—Alex Bregman—If the term gym rat applies to a baseball player, it definitely applies to “A-Breg.” As a star shortstop for LSU, Bregman already had the reputation of maniacally hard worker. That work ethic has made him a bonafide star in the big leagues. Haters might not like his cockiness. But that couldn’t care less confidence is what has made the Astros so great, for so long.
Left Field—Michael Brantley—Can you say professional hitter? Uncle Mike is so good, that the Astros waited patiently for about a year to get him back into the 2023 lineup. And almost immediately, he rewarded the club for their patience. But Brantley is not just a great hitter. Earlier in his Astros career he made the tough diving catch in the playoffs look routine.
Centerfield—George Springer—Many might forget the horrible hitting slump Springer found himself in during the 2017 playoffs. But Springer awarded former manager A.J. Hinch’s confidence by regaining his swing so much so that he became 2017 World Series MVP.
Right Field—Kyle Tucker—True Astros fans can remember when other teams made overtures at past trade deadlines for minor leaguer “King Tuck,” but the team made it known that the kid with the Ted Williams-like swing was off the table. Thank God for that because Tucker might be seeing his jersey retired in the rafters at Minute Maid Park if owner Jim Crane does the right thing. The right thing is to “pay the man” as David “Big Papi” Ortiz would say.
Designated Hitter—Yordan Alvarez—The Astros stole “Air Yordan” from the Los Angeles Dodgers just like their fans, and Cody Bellinger, think the Astros stole a title from the boys in La La Land. Oh well. All’s well that ends well. Alvarez’s big bat won several crucial games during the 2022 playoffs. And aside from the Jeff Bagwell trade with the Red Sox, the trade that brought the big man to H-Town will go down as one of the most lopsided in team history.
Catcher—Martin Maldonado—Sure, “Maldy” might not be the most consistent hitter on the Astros roster. Honestly, he is not even the best hitter playing catcher for the Astros because that is the youngster, Yainer Diaz. But no catcher can call a game like the “Machete.” And do not get it twisted, Maldonado does have some pop in his bat and will go yard on you if you take him lightly.
Starting Pitcher—Justin Verlander—Say what you want about Verlander. But the Astros do not win any title without the last-minute trade for the Cy-Young winner on Aug. 31, 2017. Sure, Verlander gives up a lot of homeruns. And he could not win a game in the World Series until 2022. But his dominance on the mound, even at an older age, keeps the Astros in contention.
Relief Pitcher—Ryan Pressly—The Astros have had some great closers throughout the years. But none have achieved quite as much in a Houston uniform as Pressly. He was on the mound when the ‘Stros recorded their final out in game six of the 2022 World Series. He made the All-Sar team in 2019 and 2021. In 2022, he also became the first relief pitcher to appear in two combined no-hitters.
Utility—Marwin Gonzalez—Mauricio Dubon is a heckuva utility player, as was Aledmys Diaz. But those clutch hits that Marwin Gonzales got during the 2017 World Series is one of the main reasons that Houston got its first World Series ring in the first place.
Manager—Dusty Baker—A.J. Hinch was an extremely popular manager. Who can forget when he allegedly got into an altercation with some Dodger supporters at the team hotel during the 2017 World Series? But when the cheating scandal rocked the organization, Jim Crane could not have picked a better manager to steady the ship than ole Dusty Baker. In 2022, he finally got a ring as a skipper. The next stop is the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
