***Official Houston Astros 2022-23 Offseason Thread***

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Farmer1906
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In reply to OKCAg2002 • 10:55a, 2/16/23
AG
OKCAg2002 said:
EastCoastAgNc said:


Nice to see JV somehow snuck back to the Astros. In all seriousness, Hunter is a JV clone 100%.
Yes, yes he is. Just in case you or others missed it. He may move like JV, throw hard like JV, and have mechanics like JV, BUT he's a very different pitcher. Fangraphs had a nice article breaking it down.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/hunter-brown-is-framber-valdez-in-a-justin-verlander-shaped-container/
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Farmer1906
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11:06a, 2/16/23
AG


I love seeing big leaguers getting coached up on the finer details of ball.
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texasaggie2015
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In reply to Deluxe • 11:09a, 2/16/23
AG
Deluxe said:
Based on what you've heard, who's one guy that the Astros are expecting a big leap from this year
I've heard Justin Dirden's name mentioned quite a bit. Ronel Blanco as well.

Here's one more... Bligh Madris. Supposedly they think they can unlock something if they make a small adjustment in his swing.
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Farmer1906
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 11:16a, 2/16/23
AG
texasaggie2015 said:
Deluxe said:
Based on what you've heard, who's one guy that the Astros are expecting a big leap from this year
I've heard Justin Dirden's name mentioned quite a bit. Ronel Blanco as well.

Here's one more... Bligh Madris. Supposedly they think they can unlock something if they make a small adjustment in his swing.
One thing that may unlock his swing, is playing in the Juice Box.



Just think how differently the Pirates would have treated him if he had 5 HRs and an extra double or two in 39 games.
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texasaggie2015
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In reply to Farmer1906 • 11:21a, 2/16/23
AG
That's funny... I was told they think he has upside to be a doubles machine. Obviously, it's a low risk, high reward type thing so I wouldn't expect him to light the world on fire. But they think the potential is there.
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Lonestar_Ag09
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In reply to Farmer1906 • 11:26a, 2/16/23
AG
Farmer1906 said:
texasaggie2015 said:
Deluxe said:
Based on what you've heard, who's one guy that the Astros are expecting a big leap from this year
I've heard Justin Dirden's name mentioned quite a bit. Ronel Blanco as well.

Here's one more... Bligh Madris. Supposedly they think they can unlock something if they make a small adjustment in his swing.
One thing that may unlock his swing, is playing in the Juice Box.



Just think how differently the Pirates would have treated him if he had 5 HRs and an extra double or two in 39 games.

Hard to call him a Pirate. He has been a Ray. Which makes me wonder how much we can unlock that their analytics weren't able to
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texasaggie2015
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In reply to Lonestar_Ag09 • 11:28a, 2/16/23
AG
He was only with their organization for about 30 days so I wouldn't look into it too much
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Deluxe
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In reply to Lonestar_Ag09 • 11:30a, 2/16/23
AG
Lonestar_Ag09 said:

Hard to call him a Pirate. He has been a Ray. Which makes me wonder how much we can unlock that their analytics weren't able to
He was a Pirate since he was drafted in 2017. Pirates waived him and Rays claimed him in September 2022. He hit really well in the 10 games he played for Rays AAA. Then Rays assigned him to Mexican winter league where he was hurt and didn't hit well. Rays DFA'd him. Tigers claimed him. Then we got him from the Tigers.

He's had a busy few months.
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Deluxe
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11:33a, 2/16/23
AG
Dirden is very interesting. Big lefty bat who can play all three OF positions. Was undrafted in 2020 when we signed him in 2020, which makes his emergence as a top 10 prospect in our system very impressive.

He shredded AA last year. Didn't do a ton in AAA late last year but seems like definitely someone to monitor this year.
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tjack16
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In reply to Deluxe • 11:34a, 2/16/23
AG
Deluxe said:
If you had to buy any two of these 2023 upside cases:

1) Chas takes another step forward and drop off from 7 to 8 in the order virtually disappears
2) Yainer, JJM or Hensley emerge as a possible 2024 starter
3) Whitley claims our #7 spot and makes 10 starts
4) Maton posts elite performance in contract year and is leverage option down the stretch
5) Hunter or LuAce have a season that makes one of them bonafide 1d to Framber/Javier/LMJ 1a-1c
6) Blanco has his Abreu lightbulb moment and is bullpen mainstay all year
7) Meyers bounces back from injury-ridden 2022 season in a big way, CF controversy ensues
8) Tucker posts 160 OPS+ sans shifts and finishes top 10 MVP voting


1, 2, and 8

This might be a bad take when we look back on this thread in the future, but I think Yainer will be better than Lee at catcher
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texasaggie2015
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11:37a, 2/16/23
AG
Quote:
This might be a bad take when we look back on this thread in the future, but I think Yainer will be better than Lee at catcher
I've actually heard the opposite. They don't project him to be a catcher long term. Concerns about his work ethic and desire to be a catcher. They do love his bat. Obviously, we all would love for them to be wrong here.

The front office was also very underwhelmed with what they saw from Lee during his limited stint in the big leagues. This is a big year for him to prove himself.
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Lonestar_Ag09
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In reply to Deluxe • 11:41a, 2/16/23
AG
Ahhh my bad I thought it was flipped. He's good friends with a family friend but that guy was also in the pirates organization at one point.
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EastCoastAgNc
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 11:47a, 2/16/23
AG
texasaggie2015 said:
Deluxe said:
Based on what you've heard, who's one guy that the Astros are expecting a big leap from this year
I've heard Justin Dirden's name mentioned quite a bit. Ronel Blanco as well.

Here's one more... Bligh Madris. Supposedly they think they can unlock something if they make a small adjustment in his swing.

Blanco seems to be what Bryan Abreu was a few years ago... Raw potential but needs some refining
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11:49a, 2/16/23





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Mathguy64
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11:54a, 2/16/23
AG
Wasnt there an earlier tweet that said everyone was in camp?
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Lonestar_Ag09
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In reply to Mathguy64 • 11:55a, 2/16/23
AG
I believe it was everyone that was expected to be there was present.
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Deluxe
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In reply to texasaggie2015 • 12:06p, 2/16/23
AG
texasaggie2015 said:
Quote:
This might be a bad take when we look back on this thread in the future, but I think Yainer will be better than Lee at catcher
I've actually heard the opposite. They don't project him to be a catcher long term. Concerns about his work ethic and desire to be a catcher. They do love his bat. Obviously, we all would love for them to be wrong here.

The front office was also very underwhelmed with what they saw from Lee during his limited stint in the big leagues. This is a big year for him to prove himself.
Yea. My sense is that we view Yanier more in the projected Contreras role (ie backup C, 1B, DH, LF). If he is who we hope he is, then his bat will be more important to our roster construction than his ability behind the plate. We'll find a Maldy 2.0 to do most of the catching and manage the staff.
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Deluxe
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In reply to . . . • 12:07p, 2/16/23
AG
. . . said:
I agree with Boras about this
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07ag
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In reply to Deluxe • 12:13p, 2/16/23
AG
Deluxe said:
. . . said:
I agree with Boras about this
What?
https://ts.la/eric59704
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Deluxe
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In reply to 07ag • 12:17p, 2/16/23
AG
They both have five letter last names that start with B! I was confused! It could happen to anyone!!!!
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The Porkchop Express
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12:18p, 2/16/23
AG
Breaking news: Jose Altue and Alex Bregman have announced their retirements.
Life is better with a beagle
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EastCoastAgNc
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12:26p, 2/16/23
AG




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EastCoastAgNc
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12:26p, 2/16/23
AG

I'll believe it when I see it
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EastCoastAgNc
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12:27p, 2/16/23
AG
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EastCoastAgNc
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12:42p, 2/16/23
AG


Brewers ace goes to arb hearing, they basically blame him, a guy who pitches every 5 days, for the team not making the postseason. This after they torpedoed the clubhouse by trading away Hader. Yikes...
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Lonestar_Ag09
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12:46p, 2/16/23
AG
Sounds like they want to keep him cheap so they can trade him away and get more back
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The Porkchop Express
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12:48p, 2/16/23
AG
It's really exciting to see guys like Pena and Yordan at camp early, shows the hunger and the love of the game. Yordan was a mid-season injury away from challenging for one of the greatest seasons in Astros history.

Pena changed his swing down the stretch and tore it up in the playoffs. I assume he's excited to keep tweaking it in spring training, get away from that leg lift, and have a super sophomore season. The last 7 games of the regular season, Pena hit .357 (10 for 28) with 3 homers and a triple for a .750 slugging percentage, then hit .345 with a .638 slugging percentage in the playoffs.

So that's an 18-game stretch to end the season in which he went 30 for 86 (.349) with 5 doubles, 1 triple, and 7 home runs for a .674 slugging percentage. None of thus are expecting that sort of craziness for the whole year,
but if he's healthy throughout. I gotta believe that average can hit .280 with 25-28 HR and a lot more RBI.
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texasaggie2015
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In reply to Deluxe • 12:52p, 2/16/23
AG
That's exactly right.
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Deluxe
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In reply to The Porkchop Express • 12:53p, 2/16/23
AG
Agreed. I was just thinking how cool it is to see Abreu already there working on his defense. He knows he has a big glove to fill at 1B and he's already putting in work, even though he's a vet without much left to prove. Seems like he fits our team MO.
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EastCoastAgNc
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12:58p, 2/16/23
AG
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The Porkchop Express
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In reply to Deluxe • 1:12p, 2/16/23
AG
That's a great point, too. Abreu has been a masher for his whole career, won an MVP and a rookie of the year, but he's been in the league since 2014 and has played fewer playoff games (7) than Jeremy Pena did last year (11) and has never made it out of the first round.

Gotta show up early and show these guys you want to win, not just impress with your own numbers. I hadn't looked at his stats much before today, but he's been great in the post-season. Those 7 games in 2020 and 2021 he's got a .321 average and an .871 OPS.
Life is better with a beagle
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Farmer1906
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In reply to The Porkchop Express • 1:32p, 2/16/23
AG
To piggyback - since 9/10 when Pena switched up the toe tap vs Ohtani.



Those numbers kind of have a Xander Bogaerts feel. Maybe even a Trea Turner. Michael Harris II too.



If Pena gets us anywhere close to that kind of production, we may have the best offense of all time assuming everyone performs about as projected.
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Harry Dunne
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In reply to redline248 • 1:35p, 2/16/23
redline248 said:
Harry Dunne said:
Eff Rob and his tinkering…

But I think if anything, this is going to help Luis.
Why?
Because in any repetition sport/event the most simple technique is the best. The harder something is to repeat, the less consistent it is going to be. The more drastic the difference between pitching from the windup and from the stretch, the harder it is to transition from one to the other.

He was also spending energy doing something that wasn't (at least physically) helping him throw a better pitch. Not a ton of energy and I don't think it would make a difference over 5 innings in the MMP AC, but on the hot summer afternoon outdoors when he's throwing 110 pitches, the less superfluous movement the better.

The "if it ain't broke" approach is underrated and he has pitched well and I assume that's why they let him go on doing it but as you get into the elite levels of anything, it's the small things that make a difference. You certainly wouldn't teach a young pitcher to rock the baby and I suspect he has been good despite this and not because of it. Whatever aspect of it helped him mentally can be accomplished with a more simple move and he's young enough and has been doing it a short time enough that he's going to be fine.

Point of note: His OPS last year with bases empty was .728 and with men on was .596.

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EastCoastAgNc
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1:37p, 2/16/23
AG
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Deluxe
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In reply to Harry Dunne • 1:37p, 2/16/23
AG
Good post Harry
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