My 2024 Astros Outlook

I’ve always said I’m not a baseball fan, I’m an Astros fan. And until I had season tickets of my own starting in 2018, that was the still the truth. Now, I can say I’m not only an Astros die-hard fan but a baseball fan in general. I miss and follow those players who have been traded, left us or retired and pitchers and catchers returning to Spring Training is a new highlight. From calling it boring and leaving my husband to watch the games on his own, to now quieting everyone down so I can watch the game or not wanting to leave a game early is a new turn of events.

As an Astros fan this 2024 season is looking like it’s going to be intense…this week alone, has brought many new announcements: Lance McCullers will be reporting to Spring Training, Altuve becoming a life-long Astro. I mean c’mon. We are definitely in for some surprises this season and I know I’m not the only one on the edge of their seat in anticipation to find out what’s going to happen.

I, probably, unlike many others have been hopeful for the return of Lance McCullers Jr. I see in my crystal ball, a triumphant return even better after surgeries like Mr. Verlander himself. Who, lets not forget had a no-hitter this last season after returning from Tommy Johns surgery. With France, whom I saw in his debut vs the Mariners in Seattle, (Yes, I even travel to see baseball games now) Abreu, Hader, Pressley and others on the mound, I believe if we can keep a solid bullpen, we will be unstoppable. That’s any ball club though right? That’s not what makes the Astros a force to be reckoned with. It’s the ball club as a whole. Astros have heart, solidarity and respect unlike any other team I’ve seen and that’s what makes us win games. We win games for each other and for each other. With that mentality, the 2024 season is going to look bright.

Fellow die-hard fan, Vanessa Hall, stated, “If Jeremy Pena can get out of his sophomore slump and we can finally answer the question of center fielder, which is Chas McCormick,” we’ll be great and I totally agree. If we can get first year Pena back again after Yordan in the lineup…man! Hold up! If Chas is the answer, with Tucker by his side, that outfield is also going to be dangerous.

I personally am a Bregman fan. He did well last year and I think if his bat can wake up some more this season and get back to the Bregman we love, he’ll take us further than we could without him. His IG says so. I see those workout reels. I still feel we didn’t need a new first baseman and Yuli was and still is a better fit for us so I hope Abreu can finally do something significant for us because times a tickin’.

Biggest change of all…a new manager/coach! Luckily Espada already being an Astro shouldn’t make the transition too difficult and that club atmosphere I was talking about should really pull through this season to showcase just that.

I sound like I know what I’m talking about. Stating players names and all that. Never in my wildest dreams would I think I’d be writing my opinion on baseball. Basketball, maybe. I’m the tallest girl I know, but baseball? Before we won that 2017 World Championship, all I knew was Nolan Ryan and The Killer B’s. Which isn’t too shabby of a list to know. I’ve come a long way if I do say so myself. Of course, the ultimate goal is to win another championship and last year’s loss to that city up north that really doesn’t belong in Texas and shall remain nameless was disappointing. I know myself, along with many others feel that if we were going to go back-to-back, that was the year to do it. With new changes, that are all for the best, I’m not sure if it’s too soon to win it all again, but I’m definitely hopeful for it…they don’t call us “Clutch City” for nothing.

#htowntillidie #burymeintheH #htownvicious

Submitted by Jamaica Negrete