Houston Astros revenge tour has been relatively painless

The 2021 season was expected to be Part Two of the Houston Astros revenge tour. This was to be the year that all those teams that were unable to face the Astros last year got to air their grievances, likely in the form of a high fastball right between the shoulder blades. Based on the reaction of various fanbases to the Astros, the organization would need to purchase aspirin and ice packs in bulk.

It seems that someone forgot to tell the Astros’ opponents about those plans. The Astros have been plunked 16 times thus far, tied for 18th in the majors and seventh in the American League.

Houston Astros not getting drilled as much as expected

Maybe the Astros are just the greatest dodgeball team in the majors. As the saying goes, if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball. While this would apply to the large red rubber balls that caused so much havoc in gym class, it probably holds true for a baseball as well.

The usual suspects are not even leading the Astros in hit by pitch. While the fans wanted the likes of Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman to wear the high hard one, they have been hit a combined total of…one time. Instead, Aledmys Diaz (4) and Yordan Alvarez (3) lead the team. Even Chas McCormick has been hit more than Bregman and Altuve.

So what does this tell us? It says that the players just don’t really care any more about AstroGate. They might make the occasional joke about trash cans or the like, but that is in the past. Several key members of those teams are elsewhere as the roster has undergone turnover since 2017. It just is not worth throwing that fastball between the shoulder blades now.

This does not mean that the fans are ready to forgive and forget. The fans have been merciless in taunting the Astros, bringing trash cans into the stadiums and letting their vitriol fly. Altuve has been a particular target, booed with fury whenever he steps to the plate on the road. But that angst has not found its way onto the diamond and into the arms of the opposition.

The Houston Astros were supposed to be bruised and battered by opposing pitchers this year. The problem is that someone forgot to tell the opposition.