*****Official Houston Astros 2020-2021 Offseason Thread*****

406,356 Views | 4530 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by tjack16
Farmer1906
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I'd take TED. Enter if it meant Souza in right and he was close to his 2017 season.
MaxPower
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Farmer1906 said:




Makes sense. If Souza or McCormick look like much better hitters than Straw then you may have no option but to play one of them in center.
CFTXAG10
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I like it. Don't ride or die with Straw at CF. Have some pivot options to tinker with. I am still holding out hope for an extra OF signing, but was told a while back pitching was the primary focus with the rest of our $$$$
W
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ESPN still has to get in their digs...even though something that happened 4 years ago is totally irrelevant to the 'stros 2021 outlook
Marvin
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CFTXAG10 said:

I like it. Don't ride or die with Straw at CF. Have some pivot options to tinker with. I am still holding out hope for an extra OF signing, but was told a while back pitching was the primary focus with the rest of our $$$$

I have a feeling that Straw in CF will lead to some highly entertaining meltdown posts this season... and no doubt that I'll be a prime prisoner-of-the-moment culprit.
I love Texas Aggie sports, but I love Texas A&M more.
BCSGrubber
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Straw is this season's Tyler White.....
TarponChaser
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W said:

ESPN still has to get in their digs...even though something that happened 4 years ago is totally irrelevant to the 'stros 2021 outlook

They're still under their BS marching orders to keep scapegoating the Astros when the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, and Cards were all 100% doing the same *****te. And virtually every other team in the league was doing much the same.
Lonestar_Ag09
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BCSGrubber said:

Straw is this season's Tyler White.....
But not fat....Straw is atleast fast and speed is fun to watch
Ag_07
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BCSGrubber said:

Straw is this season's Tyler White.....

So you're saying he'll knock the cover off the ball and earn AL Player of the Month honors in his first full month?
Bobby Jimbo
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BCSGrubber said:

Straw is this season's Tyler White.....
So you're saying that I'm going to see him at The Escape Game Houston?
Deluxe
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Panama Red said:

Have the Astros found their next ace?

Quote:

As a result, the future of the Astros' rotation is mired in uncertainty. But Houston may have found its next ace in 2020.
With Cole gone and Verlander sidelined for all but one start, it wasn't Greinke or McCullers who led the Astros in innings and strikeouts last season. It was Framber Valdez.
After posting a 5.86 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP in 2019, Valdez turned in a 3.57 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP over 70 2/3 innings in the '20 regular season, then added four stellar starts covering 24 innings in the postseason.

All told, Valdez threw more innings than any other pitcher in the Majors in 2020, firing 94 2/3 frames and recording a 3.14 ERA with 102 K's and 26 walks.

Houston also got strong contributions from 23-year-old Cristian Javier and 25-year-old Jose Urquidy last season, but Valdez has the best chance of keeping it up in 2021 and beyond. Here's why the 27-year-old lefty could become a mainstay atop the Astros' rotation.

I could definitely be wrong but I don't think what he did last year was a fluke. He validated his breakout regular season with some pretty salty postseason starts. Seems pretty durable too.
Deluxe
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Farmer1906 said:




I was thinking about this the other day. What if Nova or Pena dominates spring training and shows they can handle LF. Nova/Pena, Tucker and Brantley wouldn't be the best defensive outfield ever but it could be good enough to justify having a not-Straw bat in the order. Siri/Souza could be options too.
Mr.Ackar07
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Ag_07 said:

BCSGrubber said:

Straw is this season's Tyler White.....

So you're saying he'll knock the cover off the ball and earn AL Player of the Month honors in his first full month?


And then we will trade him for an elite pitching prospect
Panama Red
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No matter what Nova & Pena do in the Spring, I think its clear they aren't going to start the season on the team.

Farmer1906
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Deluxe said:

Panama Red said:

Have the Astros found their next ace?

Quote:

As a result, the future of the Astros' rotation is mired in uncertainty. But Houston may have found its next ace in 2020.
With Cole gone and Verlander sidelined for all but one start, it wasn't Greinke or McCullers who led the Astros in innings and strikeouts last season. It was Framber Valdez.
After posting a 5.86 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP in 2019, Valdez turned in a 3.57 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP over 70 2/3 innings in the '20 regular season, then added four stellar starts covering 24 innings in the postseason.

All told, Valdez threw more innings than any other pitcher in the Majors in 2020, firing 94 2/3 frames and recording a 3.14 ERA with 102 K's and 26 walks.

Houston also got strong contributions from 23-year-old Cristian Javier and 25-year-old Jose Urquidy last season, but Valdez has the best chance of keeping it up in 2021 and beyond. Here's why the 27-year-old lefty could become a mainstay atop the Astros' rotation.

I could definitely be wrong but I don't think what he did last year was a fluke. He validated his breakout regular season with some pretty salty postseason starts. Seems pretty durable too.


Framber had one major problem before 2020. It was throwing strikes.

He went from 15.6% & 13.% BB% to 5.6%. That directly lead to more strikes outs too. His K-BB% jumped from 6.5% & 7.3% to 20.8%.

The only real change he made pitch wise was ditching the 4 seamer for his sinker. He's always thrown his sinker more, but last year was dramatic
Lonestar_Ag09
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Didn't he also have an issue focusing and getting locked in. And worked with someone on that....

"Clear the mechanism"
Deluxe
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Panama Red said:

No matter what Nova & Pena do in the Spring, I think its clear they aren't going to start the season on the team.
You're probably right. Nova's on the 40 but obviously he's not going to make it as an infielder (barring injuries). His only chance would be to 1) show he can also play some OF and 2) absolutely rake at the plate. Unlikely though. Agree on Pena too.
Mr.Bond
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Crazy how many recognizable names are still FA this far into February
Im looking for Ray Finkle.... and a clean pair of shorts. Im just a very big Finkle fan. This is my Graceland, sir.




Farmer1906
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We might have some 2019 type issues like Keuchel & Kimbrel.
Farmer1906
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Teddy Perkins
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Deluxe
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Farmer1906 said:



He needs to be quiet until I can get to Vegas
Farmer1906
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That's another good point. Gotta have the qualitative info to go along with the quantitative.

I felt like Hitch and Luhnow were the masters of decision making using both.
tjack16
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Mr.Bond said:

Crazy how many recognizable names are still FA this far into February


A lot of them are asking for too much. Like Bradley Jr
JABQ04
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Teddy Perkins said:






I gained all the weight they lost
iamtheglove
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TarponChaser said:

W said:

ESPN still has to get in their digs...even though something that happened 4 years ago is totally irrelevant to the 'stros 2021 outlook

They're still under their BS marching orders to keep scapegoating the Astros when the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, and Cards were all 100% doing the same *****te. And virtually every other team in the league was doing much the same.
To further this point, go read the soft sell article in espn about the Yankee's pitcher German "apologizing" for his abuse of women. I didn't read the whole thing because it seemed from the start that he was getting the easy pass. Had that been an Astro? I can only imagine the moral outrage and indignation spewed at the Astros that we would take back a person with that history.
redline248
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So here's my question: did people around baseball, and those who cover it, just hate Lunhow's guts? Seems like the media has been particularly aggressive toward Houston, even before the cheating stuff broke.
Deluxe
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redline248 said:

So here's my question: did people around baseball, and those who cover it, just hate Lunhow's guts? Seems like the media has been particularly aggressive toward Houston, even before the cheating stuff broke.

Yes. Most of the scandal boiled down to hatred of Luhnow, the Astros org and all the Astros' success. Baseball establishment selects which cheating is ok and which is abhorrent based on the perpetrator.
Bobby Jimbo
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Deluxe said:

redline248 said:

So here's my question: did people around baseball, and those who cover it, just hate Lunhow's guts? Seems like the media has been particularly aggressive toward Houston, even before the cheating stuff broke.

Yes. Most of the scandal boiled down to hatred of Luhnow, the Astros org and all the Astros' success. Baseball establishment selects which cheating is ok and which is abhorrent based on the perpetrator.
I remember that whenever Yordan was called up, there was all negativity in the media surrounding how the Astros scouted him and later acquired him from the Dodgers. It's like they were trying to nail the Astros on something back then, but they couldn't seem to explain why what the Astros did was wrong. I believe the word "collusion" was even brought up back then, but why would the Dodgers collude with the Astros?

They've always seemed to have it out for the Astros.

Edit: here is a link breaking it down
https://www.crawfishboxes.com/2019/7/16/20695867/tcb-staff-reacts-to-jamey-newbergs-outlandish-inference-a-slack-conversation
Farmer1906
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Guess Lance isn't in the plans. Geez.

bluefire579
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iamtheglove said:

TarponChaser said:

W said:

ESPN still has to get in their digs...even though something that happened 4 years ago is totally irrelevant to the 'stros 2021 outlook

They're still under their BS marching orders to keep scapegoating the Astros when the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, and Cards were all 100% doing the same *****te. And virtually every other team in the league was doing much the same.
To further this point, go read the soft sell article in espn about the Yankee's pitcher German "apologizing" for his abuse of women. I didn't read the whole thing because it seemed from the start that he was getting the easy pass. Had that been an Astro? I can only imagine the moral outrage and indignation spewed at the Astros that we would take back a person with that history.
We got Osuna right after his incident, any talk of his stuff faded very quickly. And of course Chapman is still pitching, I think a lot of people have forgotten about his incident.

Domestic violence doesn't seem like something baseball or baseball writers want to bring attention to in general. It seems to get swept under the rug pretty quickly.
falcon09
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redline248 said:

So here's my question: did people around baseball, and those who cover it, just hate Lunhow's guts? Seems like the media has been particularly aggressive toward Houston, even before the cheating stuff broke.


I feel like a lot of the animosity started around the Cardinals database scandal. A bit of a "how dare the Astros take on one of the historic powers?" Then when they stated to play better shortly after that it gave people outside of Houston an easy reason to jump on the hate wagon.
MaxPower
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I'd pivot to Lance if Carlos can't be signed. He's probably closer to our typical spend limits (4 years, $50-60 million).
3 Toed Pete
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There were a lot of baseball people that did not like the Astros tanking for 3 seasons and were critical of "who can't win with all of those top draft picks". Not to mention Crane was the new kid in the league. As everyone knows, they took statistics to a whole new level with the defensive shifts and a lot of people didn't like that. That was a really big change in defensive baseball with how often the SS was lined up to the right of second base (or shifted the other way). And apparently there were a lot of people in the league that think Luhnow and his staff were pretty arrogant. The sign stealing scandal was their chance to pounce.

I am big fan of Luhnow and think he got a bad deal in all of this. He is the best GM of any Houston team ever (and I think Hunsicker did a phenomenal job seeing as how he always had Drayton and his "that's not how we did it in the grocery business" meddling looking over his shoulder).
tjack16
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https://instagr.am/p/CLwaxxFAOri

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