Houston Astros: 16 Astros Resolutions for 2016

#6: Try to travel more

Oct 9, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals players celebrate after defeating the Houston Astros in game two of the ALDS at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

But Bring the Wins with You This Time

By: Elliott Jenkins

The Astros were 53-28 at home, tied for 1^st in the American League with the Toronto Blue Jays. In the National League, only the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers posted more wins at home, while the Pittsburgh Pirates tied the Astros. All five of those teams made the playoffs. Two of those teams made Astros fans very grateful for the 2012 move to the AL West.

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But the Astros were 33-48 on the road. That is good enough for dead last in the American League. The Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics finished 34-47, and the Boston Red Sox finished 35-46. The Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Angels finished 36-45. Not a single one of those teams made the playoffs. Only the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies were worse than the Astros on the road. Yuck.

The Astros need to improve their road record in 2016. I suppose you cannot do much worse than dead last, but as indicated by other team’s records, even a slight improvement could pay off dividends later in the season. As if you needed a reminder after the Astros’ down-to-the-wire finish last season, every game matters.

Next: #5: Rekindle old relationships