Shout It out

Exclamation point added to Astros perfect season as Jose Altuve is named MVP

Jose Altuve hits home run against Boston in Game 1 of ALDS

Astros fans were right.

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

After much anticipation, it's official: Jose Altuve is your American League Most Valuable Player for 2017. Minute Maid Park will get to continue to chant "MVP!" into the 2018 season when their best player steps up to the plate.

It should be no surprise that Altuve was able to claim one of the league's top honors for this season, at least for anyone outside of New Yorkwho was probably feeling strongly about the Yankees' Aaron Judge after his stellar rookie year.

Altuve had an outstanding regular season, a career year, in fact. He led the AL in hits with 204, making it his fourth straight 200-hit season, and finished with an incredible .346 batting average to earn his third batting title. In addition to the best batting average of his career thus far, Altuve also had his best on-base percentage (.410), slugging percentage (.547) for a combined .957 slugging plus on-base percentage which was third in the AL.

Altuve was second in the league in runs scored at 112 and in stolen bases at 32. He was also second in WAR, wins above replacement, at 7.9 games, a pretty telling number that shows that without him, the Astros would've been a totally different team.

He was also solid on the defensive side of the ball, finishing fifth among AL second basemen in fielding percentage at .982 and fourth in assists at 351 while committing 10 errors on the year.

All in all, even though the postseason is not considered in the MVP voting, Altuve's remarkable year was definitely one of the driving forces that led the Astros to their first championship in franchise history.

It's hard to say if Altuve still would've been named MVP if Judge hadn't had his second-half slump, or if Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout hadn't been sidelined for a chunk of the season, but there's no question that all things considered Altuve deserved to be in the running, and it's no surprise he won this year and should continue to be a contender for years to come.

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This story originally appeared on SportsMap.

sports

it's about time

Astros and Rockets finally launch streaming service for Houston sports fans

Houston Astros/Facebook

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Houston sports fans finally have a way to watch their favorite teams without a cable or satellite subscription. Launched Wednesday, December 3, the Space City Home Network’s SCHN+ service allows consumers to watch the Houston Astros and Houston Rockets via iOS, Apple TV, Android, Amazon Fire TV, or web browser.

Available at SCHNPLUS.com, a subscription to SCHN+ allows sports fans to watch all Astros and Rockets games as well as behind-the-scenes features and other on-demand content. It’s priced at $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually (plus tax). People who watch Space City Network Network via their existing cable or satellite service will be able to access SCHN+ at no additional charge.

As the Houston Chronicle notes, the Astros and Rockets were the only MLB and NBA teams not to offer a direct-to-consumer streaming option.

“We’re thrilled to offer another great option to ensure fans have access to watch games, and the SCHN+ streaming app makes it easier than ever to cheer on the Rockets,” Rockets alternate governor Patrick Fertitta said in a statement. “Providing fans with a convenient way to watch their favorite teams, along with our network’s award-winning programming, was an essential addition. This season feels special, and we’re committed to exploring new ways to elevate our broadcasts for Rockets fans to enjoy.”

Astros owner Jim Crane echoed Feritta’s comments, adding, “Providing fans options on how they view our games is important as we continue to grow the game – we want to make it accessible to as large an audience as possible. We are looking forward to the 2026 season and more Astros fans watching our players compete for another championship.”

SCHN+ is available to customers in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the following counties in New Mexico: Dona Ana, Eddy, Lea, Chaves, Roosevelt, Curry, Quay, Union and Debaca. Fans outside these areas will need to subscribe to the NBA and MLB out-of-market services.

The announcement couldn’t have come at a better time. Spurred by its offseason signing of superstar Kevin Durant and second-year guard Reed Sheppard, the Rockets are off to a strong, 13-5 start to the season that’s has them currently ranked third in the Western Conference.

The Astros are looking to bounce back after missing the playoffs in 2025. The experts at the Stone Cold Stros podcast predict the team will looking to add pitching to bolster its prospects for 2026.

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