Stone Cold Stros: A Houston Astros Podcast

It's part blame game, part needs analysis in Houston.

Astros survive some slobber-knockers against the reigning champs and comments from Houston's front office have fans feeling a certain way.

As the Astros navigate a bumpy start to 2024, Ronel Blanco appears to be a stabilizing force for Houston.

The bad news: Astros get swept to open the season to the Yankees. The good news: it can ONLY go up from here. (Right?)

The Astros drop their opener to the Yankees. These were the takeaways!

One last wrinkle at the top of the lineup could pay dividends for the Astros offense. Brown and Javier wrap Spring outings on encouraging notes.

Now that the Snell sweepstakes is over, the Astros must look elsewhere for reinforcements. Here are some things to watch.

With Jose Urquidy's health in questoin and Astros' tied to Blake Snell, there arm so many question regarding the future of Houston's rotation. On the brighter side, some unlikely standouts are raising eyebrows in Spring Training.

The updates from the Grapefruit League look especially positive on the pitching side of things. ESPN's MLB Top 100 list makes a convincing case for Jim Crane's business sense.

Early MLB starting pitching power rankings are out. Where are the Astros slotted, the opportunities available, and why a look ahead (and behind) is revealing for Houston's schedule.

Spring training updates and why the next likely Astros player to be extended might surprise you.

How Chandler Rome's report on Jose Urquidy goes a long way to explain the pitcher's strange 2023 season.

Astros manager Joe Espada is seemingly brining some consistency to his batting order with at least one exciting change. What the skipper's update on rehabbing pitchers means for the rotation. A New York author ranks his top 50 Astros and the debate is on!

Will 2024 be the year of Yordan?

Pecota makes a strong win projection for Houston, Alex Bregman and Jeremy Pena have made some big changes, and a time share in the outfield begs some questions about Yordan and Chas!

What do early setbacks mean for Astros starting rotation? Who is the bullpen's biggest x-factor outside of 7-8-9?

A report from Bob Nightengale has our attention!

The Houston Astros extend superstar 2nd baseman Jose Altuve but what does that mean for other Astros players like Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker?

Now that the dust has settled on the shocking Josh Hader acquisition, how does Houston intend to use their 7-8-9 relievers and how do they stack up to the legendary trio of Lidge-Dotel-Wagner?

Reaction to free agent closer Josh Hader signing with Houston!

Welp. That sucked. Brandon, Charlie, and Josh break down how it ended, final thoughts on this season, and look ahead to 2024.

Astros are spiraling but still control their destiny. Who will be held accountable for the starting pitching implosion?

Taking a look at how the AL West race shapes up in the final stretch. The Astros offense is clicking on cylinders but the results haven't been reflective of that. Is the fallout from WeightGate spilling into the locker room and team morale?

The offense is clicking on all cylinders. How does it compare to the 2019 Astros and, more importantly, the 2023 Atlanta Braves? is there any way either Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown, or Jose Urquidy get a start over JP France in the postseason? We examine WeightGate and the benefits of banana pudding.

The implications of the Astros beat down of the Rangers. The domino effect of Michael Brantley's return. Jim Crane may be seeking help to clean up a messy offseason.

Seattle leapfrogs both Houston and Texas in the division, but the Astros have some advantages down the stretch. Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez have bounce-back performances. Alex Bregman and the Astros offense look like they are shaping into form at just the right time.

Houston holds a players-only meeting after being swept by Seattle. The schedule becomes critically important as the Division and Wild Card race tighten. Can Houston's pitching be fixed this year?

The Astros are rolling but so are the Rangers and a familiar division rival. Injury news is a mixed bag. New York media is already looking to smear Justin Verlander now that he's back in Houston.

Houston has made some roster moves in response to a struggling offense, but is the order of Houston's lineup making a tough situation worse? How does Dusty Baker navigate a bullpen that has so many arms that are currently "unusable" in leverage situations?

The Houston Astros have traded for Justin Verlander at the deadline. Let's break it down!

Houston's division rivals have shoved their chips in the middle with some big trades. The Astros are finding the cost of poker very high on a short stack. Dusty Baker is losing his patience with the questions regarding his lineup and usage of Martin Maldonado and Yainer Diaz.

Cristian Javier has taken some nice steps in the right direction. Is he fixed? What about Framber? Is Justin Verlander's no-trade clause an advantage for Houston? How long will Houston be Kyle Tucker's kingdom?

The Astros limped into the break with a series loss but the division lead is still within their grasp. This week Brandon, Charlie, and Josh bounce around what they learned in the first half of the season and who/what can potentially put them over the top in the second half.

What are the implications from the Lone Star Series? Who is the Astros mid-season Rookie of Year and mid-season MVP?

After some bullpen implosions, the Astros have some tough decisions. How much falls on the GM to force Dusty Baker's hand? Good thing they are getting some critical help from some unexpected places!

Who's to blame for the Astros current slide? Do context clues indicate when Houston could turn it around?

The most important things that need to break the Astros way to get back on track. Big D energy applies to 2 unlikely heroes. Is Dana Brown winning a leadership power struggle?

Alex Bregman bat just work up in a big way. How do Framber and Javier match against the AL's best rotations? Who are the bigger threat to the Astros: the Rays or Rangers?

Updates on Jose Urquidy and Lance McCullers. JP France and Brandon Beilak are pulling their weight.

On this week's episode: who's stepping up during this stretch. How do the Astros solve the Altuve-Abreu-Dubon puzzle? Let's feast on some tasty national media cope.

Can Houston's young pitchers help bridge the gap to a healthy Astros roster? Who's taking the most bullets in the Astros "blame game" on social media? Projecting the Astros offense in the second quarter of the season with a healthy Jose Altuve.

How and when will returning players impact Houston? Is another player catching unfair bullets in the Jose Abreu conversation? What's going on with Alex Bregman?

What to make of a strange April. Dusty Baker makes an odd comment about the catching situation. Who can step up for starting depth? Is anyone panicking yet on Jose Abreu?