The bad news: Astros get swept to open the season to the Yankees. The good news: it can ONLY go up from here. (Right?)

S2 Ep8: Unexpected hiccups, opportunities for improvement, and some help is on the way!

SportsMap Houston is proud to bring you what we believe to be the most informative and interactive Houston Astros podcast: Stone Cold 'Stros! Featuring senior content contributor Charlie Pallilo, http://Sportsmap.com editor Josh Jordan, and digital sports director Brandon Strange, our goal is to make Stone Cold 'Stros is your go-to source for Astros news and reaction without all the noisy hot takes.

New episodes drop Mondays around 4pm on all platforms including the SportsMap HOU YouTube channel, where you can interact with the show. Search for us on your favorite podcast provider today and be sure to subscribe. Let's go 'Stros!

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With another Astros insider saying Joe Espada's hands are tied in the Jose Abreu situation, that only leaves so many voices to intervene and influence change. A player-led intervention could be one of the team's last hopes.

S2: Is a player intervention on the horizon?

Houston's pen takes its lumps and if they don't act now, then when? And the puppet masters start to take focus.

S2 Ep18: Why the response to bullpen struggles will be telling

After losing back-to-back series, Houston has a lot of tough questions to answer as they drift further from playoff contention.

S2 Ep17: Are Astros last hopes enough to repair foundational cracks?

Troubling setbacks for the pitching staff. Jose Abreu makes his controversial return to the team during a critical stretch. Is Houston playing their best players or chasing sunken cost? What's motivating Joe Espada's lineups?

S2 Ep16: Houston's path forward gets even more precarious

Kyle Tucker has become a one-man wrecking crew but the impending return of Jose Abreu has everyone asking "why?"

S2 Ep8: Unexpected hiccups, opportunities for improvement, and some help is on the way!

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