A Victim of His Own Success

The Houston Astros are in rebuilding mode. I know that is common knowledge, but many fans seem to have forgotten that. You see, early on in the season, the Astros were actually winning. They won their first series to get over .500 for the first time in a very long time. They swept the Mets. They took a series from the Cardinals, you know, the World Series Champion Cardinals. Pretty heady stuff. And even when they lost, it was close. A lot of one run games that could go either way.

So now the team is in a little funk. It seems that they just haven't been able to score any runs lately. So the grumbling begins in earnest. Mills is an idiot. Demote J.D. and bring up Fernando. We need to shake things up. NOW!!!! And why? Because Jeff Luhnow has put together a team that has given you a little taste of it. A taste of that elusive, seductive, enticing siren song called winning.

"To Hell with rebuilding," we say. We want to win NOW!!!! Who else was it that always wanted to win now? Who was it that yearned to BE A CHAMPION? I can't quite put my finger on it. Who cares if we totally screw up J.D. Martinez' development? He's having a little trouble hitting major league pitching right now? Well, let's demote him to AAA. He'll figure out how to hit major league pitching down there. So what if he was hitting .313 on April 25th. 108 AB's is plenty of time to figure it out.

Rebuilding mode. Let me say it again. Rebuilding mode. Jeff Luhnow is dancing a quick step on a tightrope right now. He is trying to put a product on the field that will be entertaining and competitive and will win enough to keep the average fan entertained. At the same time, he has to look to the future. He has to figure out which of his players are going to be part of the Astros' future and which players are not.

Some of the same people that are screaming for J.D. Martinez to be demoted are the same people who were screaming earlier that Brett Wallace never got a fair shot. Fernando Martinez is a year younger than J.D. He'll get his shot, but there is no need to rush it. This year is to see if J.D. and Jose Altuve and Chris Johnson and Jordan Schafer and so many others can make it, if they are a flash in the pan or a part of the future.

That's what rebuilding is. It's about seeing who you have, what they can do and what you still need. It's about playing the kids even when they struggle. It's not always going to be pretty. But at least these guys are trying. They are playing their hearts out. They're leaving it all on the field and that's worth the pain. A wise woman once said that the motto for this season should be, "It Ain't Gonna Be Pretty, But It's Gonna Be Fun!"

Just try to have fun and go with it right now. The team is in good hands. We will win some and we will lose some. And the team will get better. And then it's REALLY going to be fun.

This post is dedicated to Andy and Lady Gaga.