Yesterday, the Houston Astros shut out the Seattle Mariners 3-0 and, in the process, knocked the Mariners out of first place in the AL West.
Although the Astros have been perennial contenders for most of the past decade, they got off to a rough 10-19 start under new manager Joe Espada. However, on May 1st, I made the case they would not be in the cellar of the AL West for long. Exactly two months later, the Astros climbed over the .500 mark. Less than three weeks later, they are in first place.
After going 17-10 in June, the Astros have continued their torrid pace with a 10-5 mark thus far in July. The Mariners had been solid until recently. They are 5-9 in July thus far and have lost five straight games.
Of course, the dog days have scarcely begun. If the Mariners beat the Astros this afternoon, then it's back to a first-place tie.
Still, considering where the Astros were, Joe Espada could end up as AL Manager of the Year only months after the sports media was claiming he had lost control of the clubhouse. Espada had big shoes to fill with Dusty Baker's retirement. But it appears Espada is filling his own shoes just nicely.
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