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A20 SPORTS
Friday 3 November 2017
Keep the train rolling: Astros could be back for more titles

By KRISTIE RIEKEN ... believed in the process.
AP Sports Writer I believed in what Jeff Luh-
HOUSTON (AP) — It’s not now and Jim Crane used
just one World Series title to (say) to me: ‘Hey, we’re
that has Houston excited. going to be good. We’re
With Jose Altuve, Carlos going to be good.’”
Correa, George Springer Altuve said their encour-
and more locked in for agement and seeing the
years to come, the Astros pieces slowly come to-
are ready to be a force for gether helped get him
some time. through the difficult times.
Houston’s plan to endure a “(I was like) ‘OK, let me
difficult rebuild has put the keep working hard. Let me
team in a great position get better every year and
moving forward. No player try to be part of the win-
in Houston’s starting lineup ning team,’” he said. “I al-
for Game 7 of the World ways believed that we’re
Series will be free agent going to become good.
earlier than 2019. Then I saw Springer get
Alex Bregman and Yuli drafted, Correa and Breg-
Gurriel are under team man, and I was like: ‘OK,
control until 2023, and All- here we go.’”
Star shortstop Correa can’t The heart of this team, Al-
hit free agency until 2022. tuve followed up a brilliant
Springer, the World Se- The Houston Astros celebrate with the trophy after their win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in regular season where he
ries MVP, is under control Game 7 of baseball’s World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. The Astros won 5-1 led the majors with a .346
through 2021, and prom- to win the series 4-3. average by hitting seven
ising young starter Lance Associated Press homers and driving in 14
McCullers Jr. is under team agent. few of them. In Luhnow’s ton passed on to take Ap- runs in the playoffs.
control until 2022. Altuve All of that was made pos- first draft in 2012, Houston pel, won National League His work this year made
has team-friendly club op- sible by patience from took Correa with the first MVP and helped the Cubs him a front-runner to be-
tions for the next two sea- owner Jim Crane and gen- overall pick and nabbed win the World Series last come the first Astro to be
sons that will keep him in eral manager Jeff Luhnow. McCullers at 41st overall. season. named MVP since Hall of
town through 2019 at least. The Astros were the laugh- Then in 2015, they grabbed Only four players on the Famer Jeff Bagwell won
While everyone else is ingstock of baseball after Bregman with the second World Series team were the NL award in 1994.
chasing high-priced free trading away their veter- overall pick. around for any of the 100- With Altuve returning to
agents, Houston should be ans to shed payroll, losing They weren’t without their loss seasons, and Altuve lead this team and am-
q
set, especially after acquir- 100 games every year from misses. Most notably Mark was the only one with Hous- ple talent around him,
ing ace Justin Verlander on 2011-13, including a fran- Appel, who they famously ton for all three. the young and confident
Aug. 31 from the Detroit Ti- chise-worst 51-111 mark in drafted first overall in 2013. “It’s a crazy journey, man,” bunch has plenty of reason
gers. Verlander is owed $56 2013. The right-hander never Altuve said. “I was the only to believe that this could
million over the next two With the losing came a played for the Astros and one in 2011, ‘12 and ‘13, be the first of many titles for
seasons combined before bevy of high draft picks, was eventually traded, those 100 losses, three years a team that waited so long
possibly becoming a free and Houston hit big on a while Kris Bryant, who Hous- in a row. It’s not easy. But I for the first one. q
Who’s next? 7 MLB

teams await their 1st title

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Who’s 10, 1962 — the same day one season as the Seattle
next? Houston beat the Chicago Pilots, went bankrupt and
The Houston Astros won Cubs 11-2 in its first game. headed to Wisconsin.
their first World Series Seven of the 30 clubs re- Also without titles are the
crown in their 56th season main without a title, all ex- Seattle Mariners, who start-
since starting play as the pansion teams. ed play in 1977; the Colo-
Colt .45s. And they did it The oldest is the Texas rado Rockies, who took
Wednesday night with a Rangers, who began play the field for the first time in
5-1 victory at Dodger Stadi- as the expansion Washing- 1993, and the Tampa Bay
um, which opened on April ton Senators in 1961 and Rays, known as the Devil
moved west after the 1971 Rays from 1998-2007.
season. Among the teams without
Three other franchises that titles, only Montreal/Wash-
took the field in 1969 are ington and Seattle have
still seeking their first World not even reached the
Series rings: the San Diego World Series.
Padres; the Washington The Cleveland Indians
Nationals, who began as have the longest title
the Montreal Expos and drought. Cleveland won
left Canada after the 2004 the World Series in 1920
budgetaruba@setarnet.aw season; and the Milwau- and 1948, then lost in 1954,
kee Brewers, who spent 1995, 1997 and 2016.q