New York Yankees versus the other super six, win-now teams

If You Mean You Age Like a Fine Wine, You Don’t

Verlander is 35 and might start to show his age before this campaign is through. Especially as he threw 227 innings two years ago and a regular and postseason combined 243 last year.

That will take a toll at some point; whether that is this year remains to be seen.

Morton is no spring chicken at 34, and he, McCullers and Keuchel all failed to put up more than 147 innings last year; Lance finished with just 119. Cole, meanwhile, did his work in the NL, so seeing a rise in his ERA would not be unusual.

And if all of that means Peacock is needed as a sixth starter, the bullpen looks a little lighter.

However, the positives vastly outweigh the negatives. The Astros won the WS then went out and added a significant starter to the rotation, for depth if nothing else. Both the players and the fans have to love that move.

And some of the players are still young enough to improve, although it is hard to imagine Altuve getting better.

Champions in the Best Sense

But best of all has been the team’s attitude in camp. Like all reigning champs, the players have talked about wanting to repeat and still being hungry; their repeated jabs at the Cubs have been meant as self-motivation.

Their actions, however, have matched their words. The Astros have played with heart and hustle since the first spring training game, and look as hungry and gritty as if they had lost the series. It is tough to repeat, but the Astros look like the toughest out in baseball.

Now back to those Cubs…