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Houston Astros: building a champion

By Bobby Mueller

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 16: Alex Bregman #2 (R) and Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros look on before Game Three of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park on October 16, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 16: Alex Bregman #2 (R) and Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros look on before Game Three of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park on October 16, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Cooper Neill/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
(Photo by Cooper Neill/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

The Houston Astros created their ALCS roster with a balanced mix between players they developed and players they acquired from other organizations.

Many baseball fans know the general story about the Houston Astros over the last decade. Before they were good, they were really, really bad. This started with a significant teardown that resulted in three straight 100-loss seasons from 2011 to 2013. These were the worst three seasons in the history of the franchise.

Prior to this stretch, the Astros had previously enjoyed a nine-year stretch of good teams from 1997 to 2005. Those were the teams of Bagwell, Biggio, Berkman and Oswalt. They made the playoffs six times in nine years, including their first World Series appearance in 2005, when they were swept by the White Sox.

After that World Series season, the Astros slipped into the pool of mediocrity, winning between 73 and 86 games each season for the next five years. This led to their first 100-loss season in 2011, which was the beginning of the transformation from basement-dweller to World Series champions in 2017.

Through draft picks, free agent signings, and trades, the Astros rebuilt their roster. With four teams still vying for the 2018 World Series trophy, I thought it would be interesting to look at how each of these four teams acquired the players on their 25-man League Championship Series roster and how much value those players have contributed this season. Previously, the Milwaukee Brewers were analyzed. Then it was the Los Angeles Dodgers under the microscope. Today, it’s the Houston Astros.

Of the four teams remaining in the postseason, the Astros have received the least value through the major league free agent market, but are tied with the Dodgers for the highest percentage of value received from international free agents.

Here’s the Astros’ breakdown for number of players acquired through the different pathways:

Acquired through trade: 9 players (36%)

Signed as free agents: 5 players (20%)

Drafted and developed: 8 players (32%)

Signed as international free agents: 2 players (8%)

Added through waivers: 1 player (4%)

Here’s the Astros’ breakdown for value accrued by these players:

Acquired through trade: 35% of total WAR

Signed as free agents: 14% of total WAR

Drafted and developed: 33% of total WAR

Signed as international free agents: 13% of total WAR

Added through waivers: 4% of total WAR

Let’s look at those different categories in more detail.

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