Nuke LaLoosh said:

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Prediction: we don't spend any real money, sign 2 back end starters and an outfielder, and Lungow hyped up their nonexistent potential and praises Crane for letting him up the payroll.

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MW13 said:

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I like the idea of Josh Reddick.

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aggie1906 said:

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If Dallas & Lance stay healthy (big if fit lance) our pitching looks worlds better down the stretch.

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Duck Patrol said:

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I don't really want to get into a political discussion here. My point is that Jessica Mendoza is awful, and, I don't think it's sexist to have that opinion.

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MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says that the league is nearing the end of its investigation into the improper accessing of the Astros' computer systems by at least one Cardinals employee, as the Associated Press reports (via USA Today).

"We are in the process of finishing up our investigation," said Manfred. "I wish it had gotten a little more help a little sooner from the U.S. attorney's office. But the cards come up how they come up, and we're going to finish our investigation, and there will be a resolution of that during this offseason."

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Entering the offseason, among the organization's areas to improve are outfield, first base, and catcher, Luhnow said and Jordan Ray of MLB.com tweets. That's a fairly extensive list, though certainly there are a variety of internal options already on hand as well as plenty of open-market (if not also trade) possibilities. While the Astros' pen performed well overall, "one glaring area is from the left side," says Luhnow, via Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter), so that would appear to be another spot that could receive attention.

Given the above comments about the starting staff, it too could receive some consideration. Among several wild cards in the team's plans, perhaps, is 25-year-old righty Chris Devenski. He excelled over 108 1/3 innings, with a 2.16 ERA and 8.6 K/9 against 1.7 BB/9, though he only made five starts in his debut campaign. The "dream" is for Devenski to stick in the rotation, Luhnow said and Berman tweets.

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The stated need for improvement in the outfield is a reflection, in part, on the already-known fact that Colby Rasmus is headed to the open market. He'll do so after a disappointing campaign in which he compiled a .206/.286/.355 batting line over 417 plate appearances. Health certainly played a factor, but the 30-year-old simply "did not have the year that he was hoping to have," says Luhnow, who adds that Rasmus "still has value to major league teams" and will no doubt find an opportunity somewhere. (Via another tweet from Berman.) But the next shot may well come with another team; the GM says that he is "not sure how, or if, [Rasmus] fits into our plans at this point."

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Finally, Luhnow suggested that the team was pleased with the performance of skipper A.J. Hinch and his field staff. Hinch and his coaches will all return for 2017, as Verdejotweets.

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R0GUE said:

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Duck Patrol said:

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I don't really want to get into a political discussion here. My point is that Jessica Mendoza is awful, and, I don't think it's sexist to have that opinion.

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But his tweet started out with "Ladies should stay out of baseball"

If he had simply said Jessica Mendoza is awful, it might not have been as bad.

The first part of his tweet is what shows his true colors.

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Duck Patrol said:

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I would say a power bat, regardless if it comes from 1B or OF. Someone with a legitimate chance of hitting 40 bombs. I think you've got to throw the book at Cespedis. IMO he's really the missing link to this lineup. I doubt Crane spends that much though.

SP is serviceable. As much as we ***** about Fiers and Fister, they're about what you can expect from the back end of the rotation. McCullers getting hurt really hurt them. And Keuchel had a TERRIBLE year. And then you've got Devo who was fantastic. SP is probably 5th.

Priority:
Power bat OF/1B
OF/1B
C
LHP
SP

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Duck Patrol said:

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Are those buttclowns really booing Hamels??

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