especially when he's averaged just 132 games played per season in 7 years.

it doesn't look good that he posted his highest games-played-in-a-season number (159) in his contract year

Deluxe said:

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I think the owners are willing to shell out money from their increased revenues. They just aren't willing to do it on 8-10 year deals anymore because those seem to end poorly 100% of the time.

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I agree with you. I think owners will spend a high amount per year, just for not as long.

I think one thing we might see out of this new CBA is to attempt to make team control shorter.

That makes the most sense to me. Get players to FA sooner. When they hit younger they're more likely to get longer deals and obviously get their money sooner. That's going to be hard to get.

One idea I've read is to raise the tax. Let the Yankees, Dodgers, Sox, etc. spend. they won't be holding back to avoid the tax and give more big deals. But that hurts competitiveness.

It might be as simple as raising the min salary. That gets younger guys more money sooner.

One thing that is hurting free agency is that guys aren't great into their mid 30s as often as they were 10-15 years ago. This is obviously a fall out from PEDs not linger used at the rate they were.

So at what price point do we think Astros would enter as players in the Harper market?

I'd be good somewhere around 5-8 for $170-200 mill

7 years. Up to 200 million.

For him to agree he will need leverage.

If it's only 7 years then I would think he's going to demand around 230.

No doubt about it, but it also took a while for PEDs to really phase out because guys that use them are permanently "enhanced" even after they stop, particularly guys that use them systematically for a long period of time. I suspect it's a big reasons guys like Beltre & Nelson Cruz have continued to be effective late in their careers, but guys that didn't come up taking them should mostly be toast by age 35, as they were during the pre-Roid era.

Is that Reddick that gets covered up by Bregman in that opening video?

Reading that the Reds are close to swinging a deal for Sonny Gray contingent on them getting an extension for him finalized prior to the trade.

Interested to see what the Reds give up and what kind of extension he gets.

That's pretty ballsy to sign a guy you're hoping has a bounce back year to an extension before he steps on the mound for you.

Astros opening our own HOF.

k20dub said:

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Astros opening our own HOF.

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Quote:

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The inaugural Hall of Fame class will be large and will include Astros players who have had their numbers retired -- Nolan Ryan, Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Jimmy Wynn, Jose Cruz, Mike Scott, Larry Dierker, Don Wilson and Jim Umbricht -- and those who have been honored on the Walk of Fame along Texas Ave. -- former players Joe Morgan, Bob Aspromonte, Joe Niekro, J.R. Richard and Shane Reynolds and broadcasters Gene Elston and Milo Hamilton.

Induction into the Astros Hall of Fame will represent the highest honor a player can receive from the club.

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But some also have their number retired. Isn't that the highest honor a player can receive from the club?

Ag_07 said:

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Reading that the Reds are close to swinging a deal for Sonny Gray contingent on them getting an extension for him finalized prior to the trade.

Interested to see what the Reds give up and what kind of extension he gets.

That's pretty ballsy to sign a guy you're hoping has a bounce back year to an extension before he steps on the mound for you.

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That's the kind of thing the Reds have to do. If he has a great year, he wouldn't be re-signing with Cincy.

Harry Dunne said:

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True.

This is a great way for guys like Darryl Kile that died tragically as well as Jose Cruz hall of very good types to be remembered without retiring a number, which should really be reserved for a HOFer.

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Unfortunatrly Jose Cruz already had his number retired. He's the perfect example of who should be in this HOF, not retired. Don Wilson they did because of his untimely death, but to me is more like DK. Same situation with Umbricht.

But your point stands true - this should be exactly who goes into this HOF, not have numbers retired. These should be reserved for those who were all-time greats in an Astro uniform.

I knew Cruz' number had been retired but I couldn't think of another good example. I was going to say Berkman but you might make an argument for him having his number retired, he's borderline HOFer who played almost his entire career for us and deserves it more than some of the guys whose numbers are up there...IMO even more than Joe Morgan who didn't even have 1000 hits as an Astro.

BTW neither DK nor Berkman's # has been issued to another player.

Harry Dunne said:

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I knew Cruz' number had been retired but I couldn't think of another good example. I was going to say Berkman but you might make an argument for him having his number retired, he's borderline HOFer who played almost his entire career for us and deserves it more than some of the guys whose numbers are up there...IMO even more than Joe Morgan who didn't even have 1000 hits as an Astro.

BTW neither DK nor Berkman's # has been issued to another player.

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Who think ls joe Morgan should have his Astros number retired?

I'm not saying I'm for it but there has been some talk of it. He's a HOFer who played more seasons for the Astros than anyone else, though obviously his best years came for the Reds.

I just think that there needs to be some standard. HOFer who played most or all of their career in Houston is a no brainer. But what about beyond that? Joe Morgan played more seasons than Nolan and made as many All-Star teams and is also in the Hall of Fame. What about Clemens? What if Verlander retires after this season or next? What about Berkman, who won't make the hall but is about as close as you can get? Oswalt? Wagner?

The problem is you have Cruz and Jimmy Wynn up there and all due respect to them but you're not going to have any numbers left if you start retiring everyone who is as good as those guys were.

yes, either Drayton or Tal or somebody else went overboard with the jersey retiring for the Astros back in the 90's & 00's.

and now as a result the franchise is boxed in. Both Berkman and Oswalt absolutely should have their numbers retired based upon Cruz, Wynn, Scott, and Dierker having their numbers already retired

My article about the new Astros Hall of Fame!
http://houseofhouston.com/2019/01/22/houston-astros-team-hall-fame/?fbclid=IwAR3dvvt3X3q2DJLybNuiaI8GaCUQdEsqKfBKVVXoFCU68FY3lAQSIR0RGGk

They'll have a thousand members if you start letting people like Sean Berry and Derek Bell in.

Morgan has less than 1,000 hits as an Astro so he doesn't belong IMO.

Dave Smith, Ken Forsch, Lidge and Billy Wagner belong as pitchers Terry Puhl, Cedeno and Bob Watson as hitters. My opinion having seen my first live game at Colts Stadium in 1964.

Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno said:

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Bryce Har....

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I like where your head is at