Bregman, Correa don’t play like 23
Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman are both 23 years old. But neither has looked young or inexperienced in the World Series.
The two youngest Astros also have been two of the best players on the biggest stage in baseball. In two Series games, Correa has three hits, including a 10th-inning homer in Game 2. Bregman has three hits (one a homer) and an RBI in each game.
They might be young, but they are playing like they’ve been here before. That bodes well for the Astros. And will for a long time.
It isn’t just the way the
two are performing this week. It’s the way they are handling the circus. The World Series is more of everything. More media, more interviews, more appearances, more exposure.
Correa and Bregman have handled all with ease. They haven’t been stressed or rattled.
They are obviously excited to be here. But they are acting the same as they did in spring training.
“This is awesome,” Bregman said. “This is what you play for. It’s what you dream of growing up. Being able to play in the World Series. I think we all are thrilled to have this opportunity.”
It’s not just about making it this far, though. Neither Correa nor Bregman lacks confidence in this Astros team. They want to win and aren’t afraid to say so.
“We believe in each other,” Correa said. “We know how good we can be.”
Youthful energy
After the two contributed mightily in Wednesday’s 7-6, 11-inning Game 2 win, they were ready to get back home and keep it going.
“You’re dang right we’re ready,” Bregman said.
Young is a word thrown out a lot to describe the Astros.
It’s a bit misleading, though. The average age of the Astros is 29.2, which ranks ninth (oldest) in Major League Baseball.
The Dodgers are No. 22 in average age at 28. Their youngest player is NL Rookie of the Year favorite Cody Bellinger at 22. Corey Seager, last year’s NL honoree, is 23.
“I don’t think we are really that young of a team,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “We have a real mix — some guys who have played a long time, others who have only played a couple of years. There’s a youthful energy in the clubhouse, but I don’t think we are overall a younger team.”
Youthful energy is one way to describe what Correa and Bregman bring. Swagger is another. Both exude an attitude that comes with their youth, their fearlessness and their genuine excitement regarding every new experience.
Bregman and Correa had different journeys to this point.
Bregman grew up in Albuquerque, N.M., which isn’t exactly known as a baseball hotbed. Still, he stood out on the national scene. He won USA Baseball Player of the Year as a junior. He played college ball at LSU, a school known for the sport, and was an All-American in two of his three seasons. In 2015, the Astros drafted him second overall. He spent some time in the minor leagues before moving up in July 2016.
The expectations for Correa have always been high. The Astros drafted him No. 1 overall in 2012 when he was just 17. He wouldn’t take the field with the team for another three years, but when he did, it was one of the most anticipated debuts the Astros have seen.
Correa, who grew up in Puerto Rico, lived up to the lofty expectations. He won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2015 and this year has cemented himself as one of the best shortstops and hitters in the league.
Bregman and Correa have come up together on the Astros. At third base and shortstop, they run things on the left side of the infield. And with each round, each win, each big play, each timely hit, they are feeling more comfortable with the situation.
“A game like this definitely makes us confident,” Correa said after Game 2. “I feel good going home with a win. I feel really, really good.”
At center stage
The experience they are earning at this stage of their careers can do wonders for them down the road. Both have the talent to string together long tenures in baseball.
“They are so talented, so skilled,” catcher Brian McCann said. “Sometimes you forget how young they are. They are some of the best playing the game right now already.”
A few years ago, Correa and Bregman were playing on local fields in their hometowns, among childhood friends. On Friday night in Game 3, the two 23-year-olds will try to lift the Astros to the first World Series home win in franchise history.
They are shining while millions watch.
“The World Series,” Bregman said. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”