The Astros' World Series win "may be remembered as the moment the analytics movement conquered the game for good," according to Dave Sheinin of the WASHINGTON POST. Other teams with a "clear analytical bent have won titles in the past," but no team "did so with the same aggressiveness and thoroughness and the same all-encompassing, top-down embrace of the Astros." It started with GM Jeff Luhnow and "filtered down through the organization." There are "many examples of how the Astros turned their analytical edge into wins on their march to a title." If observers had watched the Astros all month and "never knew anything about their deep analytics bent," what would strike them most of all about the team is the "deep sense of humanity they all seem to possess." That "unquantifiable quality had a role in the Astros' success," and even the most analytical minds "understood a championship team needed that quality up and down its roster" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/3). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jared Diamond writes the Astros under Luhnow "developed into the industry’s most analytically driven organization, relying almost entirely on data to navigate through a full-blown rebuild." However, for "all of their bold ideas, the Astros too often forgot about one important aspect: their players." Astros P Dallas Keuchel said, "There was a disconnect. Every player was a number instead of a person." Diamond noted Keuchel "felt a change" last offseason. The front office that "seemed to care only about quantitative elements, appeared to put genuine effort into connecting with the athletes in the clubhouse." That willingness to "defy their reputation by embracing the value of chemistry and culture paid enormous dividends" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/3).
WORST TO FIRST: In Houston, Brian Smith notes as the Astros rebounded from three consecutive 100-loss seasons, it became clearer that Luhnow and Astros Owner Jim Crane were "putting together the makings of an annual title contender." They "received constant criticism in the early years and, at times, rightfully so." The team's "meager payroll was embarrassing" and the roster "was mostly laughable." However, there was "always the grand plan and vision" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/3). On Long Island, Erik Boland writes even as the Astros earned an AL wild-card berth in '15, there were "rumblings in the game that the Astros’ approach was too numbers-driven and that it was devoid of the human touch, something Luhnow and Crane always push back on." Boland notes Crane, "while involved, lets Luhnow and his staff go about their work" (NEWSDAY, 11/3). In Austin, Kirk Bohls writes Luhnow has "worked his magic for the past several years" and it "all came together in a championship season." This was "one of the biggest turnarounds in sports." Astros President Reid Ryan said, "The exciting thing for Astro fans is the majority of this team will all be back next year. And 2018 should be a lot of fun" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11/3).
ESPN's Dan Le Batard said the Astros' success proves that "tanking" works. He said, "When you draft the way that they have drafted, you get a lot of chances, You remove some of the margin of error" ("Highly Questionable," ESPN, 11/2). But the Dallas Morning News' Tim Cowlishaw said the way the Astros built this team is “not really a blueprint” for other organizations. He said, "Nobody else is willing to take the payroll down to $22 million, as they did four years ago, and alienate all your fans in the hope of building it back up.” The N.Y. Daily News’ Frank Isola noted there is a question as to whether fans will "still come to the ballpark” during an Astros-like rebuild. In a "lot of these big markets, you can’t do that.” The L.A. Times’ Bill Plaschke called it a "perfect blueprint for a middle-market team," but he noted that would never work in L.A. Plaschke: "Big market teams cannot tank” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 11/2).
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? In DC, Cindy Boren notes the Astros "now find themselves next in line to answer the question: Will they visit President Trump in the White House if an invitation is extended?" The Patriots, Penguins and Clemson football team "chose to celebrate their championships with a traditional visit since Trump took office, but the president disinvited" the Warriors. Neither the White House nor the Astros have "signaled their intentions." Crane "says he’s 'neutral' when it comes to politics." But he has "professed his admiration for former president Barack Obama" and the two have "played golf" together (WASHINGTON POST, 11/3). Actress Jennifer Lawrence, who guest hosted ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Thursday, said, "Congratulations to the Astros. They not only won the championship, but a once-in-a-lifetime chance to turn down the visit to the White House” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 11/2).
