Houston Astros: 16 positives from the year of 2016

14. Dallas Keuchel wins Gold Glove.

Not much went right for Keuchel in 2016. He cruised through Spring Training looking like he was ready to dominate again in 2016. However, after an opening day snow out in New York, Keuchel’s season was rocky. He just didn’t look like the same pitcher getting hitters to hit the pitcher’s pitches he did in his Cy Young 2015 season.

It turns out that Keuchel pitched with an injury for most of the season, but it didn’t affect his defense. Keuchel is a ground ball pitcher, so he has a delivery that gets him in the perfect fielding position. He is very athletic and can read the ball off the bat very well. Despite losing 12 games in 2016, he was the AL Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner as a pitcher. Keuchel was able to get out of some of his own jams with his ability to field the comebacker.

The Houston Astros will be counting on Keuchel in 2017.

13. Bill Brown wraps up a great career.

As long as I can remember, Bill Brown was broadcasting Astros baseball. When Milo Hamilton passed away, Brown took his place as the Houston Astros’ voice. You can’t replace a legend, but some would say that Brown is worthy. His decision to retire led to a shakeup of the television broadcast team, but Geoff Blum will be returning with Todd Kalas joining.

Why is this positive when we lose Brown? The fact that he left at the top of his game on his own terms was positive. As Kalas said when it was announced that he was the new Stros guy, this type of opportunity does not come around often. The Astros have a passionate fan base that likes winning. Brown has stuck around through the good and bad times. He can now be a fan of the team that he worked for 30 years. The difference is, I’m sure he gets a lifetime ‘you can come and go as you please’ card.

He will still be at Minute Maid Park.