The rebuilding of the Houston Astros has been one of baseball's longest-term projects. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow, upon taking over the reins after a nine-year stint with the St. Louis Cardinals, was not brought in to do touch-ups or some routine maintenance, but rather to lead a complete overhaul of the franchise's organizational structure.
Three-and-a-half years later, Houston stands atop the AL West as we near June, a feat that has happened a bit earlier than expected in the rebuilding cycle. But is Houston's current first-place status a mirage, or will this team be in the thick of things in September?