The Houston Astros aren’t thinking about fighting off a World Series hangover.
After a wildly successful 2017 campaign that saw Houston win the title, the focus now has shifted toward accomplishing one of the most difficult things in sports: doing it all over again.
Many teams have fallen victim to the proverbial “World Series hangover”, with the 2016 champion Chicago Cubs being a prime example. During the first portion of the 2017 season, they were an ugly 26-27 before beginning to turn their season around.
Astros starter Dallas Keuchel was given that as an example of teams who have faded after winning a championship, and he countered with quite a shot at the Cubs to illustrate how he thinks Houston will be just fine.
“We’re not the Cubs,” he said to the Orlando Sentinel. “I firmly believe we have better players.”
Alrighty then.
The Cubs did end up making it to the National League Championship Series in 2017 despite the slow start, but it’s pretty clear the ‘Stros have their eyes set on more than just an American League Championship Series appearance in 2018.
