Whatever you think of the Wild Card Game, those debates can be laid to rest for at least another year. By any definition, the Astros are now officially in the playoffs, starting Thursday night in Kansas City to kick off the American League Division Series.
The Royals, overall, are a very different style of opponent from the vanquished Yankees (or from the Blue Jays and Rangers, for that matter). They rely less on taking pitches and working counts, and more on a high-contact approach that emphasizes putting the ball in play. Essentially, they take the same approach the Astros do, only their hacks make contact a lot more often, and launch the ball over the fence a lot less.