Cole to Astros makes the defending champs even more dangerous

With just three games left in the 2017-18 NFL postseason, including the Feb. 4 Super Bowl in Minnesota, I'm slowly beginning to shift into baseball mode.

With just about a month until pitchers and catchers report, it's right around the corner if you really think about it.

The defending champion Houston Astros' recent acquisition of Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Gerrit Cole has me thinking ... is Houston going to repeat?

The addition of Gerrit Cole makes an already-stacked rotation even scarier.

A quick look at the projected 2018 starters for Houston (according to rotochamp.com, anyways):

((2017 stats))

1. Dallas Keuchel — 14-5, 2.90 ERA, 125 Ks in 23 starts
2. Justin Verlander — 15-8, 3.36 ERA, 219 Ks in 33 starts (w/ both DET & HOU)
3. Gerrit Cole — 12-12, 4.26 ERA, 196 Ks in 33 starts (w/ PIT)
4. Lance McCullers — 7-4, 4.25 ERA, 132 Ks in 22 starts
5. Charlie Morton — 14-7, 3.62 ERA, 163 Ks in 25 starts

If Cole, 27, can get back to his 2015 All-Star form (19 W, 2.60 ERA and 202 Ks), this is one hell of a rotation from top to bottom.

Looking forward to mid-February when the pitchers/catchers report to camp!