The Houston Astros have replaced the Kansas City Royals as this year's designated gritty, low-payroll postseason darling. While the Royals enjoyed that underdog status last year, what may be forgotten by many is that they captured the American League Pennant by playing a lot more like Goliath than David. The Royals, who went 8-0 in getting to the World Series last year, didn't just sweep the 96-win Orioles and 98-win Angels -- they dominated them. Consider this astounding fact: Kansas City only trailed at the end of two innings in taking seven straight games from the two American League teams with the most regular-season wins. Kansas City returns to the playoffs this year with an even better version of the 2014 low-strikeout, base-stealing, lights-out bullpen and stellar defensive team that looked like a blueprint for postseason success.
It's often said that the NFL is a copy-cat league, but it looks like the Astros took some of the Royals' formula (excellent defense, aggressive baserunning and a bullpen with extreme swing-and-miss capabilities) and added power while otherwise disdaining contact. The Astros were second in the majors in home runs (behind Toronto) and second in strikeouts (behind the Cubs), but they weren't a modern version of the "take-and-rake" offensive juggernauts the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees annually fielded a decade ago. The Astros were just 10th in walk rate, and despite all those home runs, just 16th in slugging percentage.