So, the era of Framber Valdez as an Astro comes to a close. I feel it’s important to recognise him & his time with us properly.
Many will focus on the Salazar incident, which was undoubtedly a terrible look for Framber. I would prefer to focus on the good & the great times though.
We watched this man develop, from practically out of nowhere, as a young talent who lacked the belief in himself to a dominant ace at the peak of his powers, not to mention a true workhorse.
We saw a player with visible mental struggles who, while he never fully conquered them, was able to rise above them to deliver consistently on the greatest stage in baseball.
Framber could be an incredibly frustrating watch whenever he lost control of his emotions, but there is so much greatness he gave us at the other end of the scale to remember:
From that Correa-inspired triumph vs the Twins, to THAT ALCS start in Boston, to the no-hitter vs the Guardians, to the numerous other near-miss no-hitters &, of course, to that magical World Series in 2022 where he would have been a worthy MVP choice - Framber was a wonderful pitcher for the Astros.
We will miss seeing that deadly curveball in Houston, but we will never forget it.
Forever an Astros WS Champion. So long and farewell, Viper.