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

1,073,558 Views | 12340 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by Beat40
Harry Dunne
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I know others have said it but I will take my turn: Heck of a job on these. I have been thoroughly entertained and also learned quite a few things.
Harry Dunne
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bigjag19 said:

EastCoastAgNc said:

So to make everyone happy, just don't tell anyone when you're gonna start it and do it when no one is expecting it.


I use the same strategy for sex.

Big Bucks
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I used a connection (that Crane fired and why Bagwell stayed away a few years) to have incredible seats for that Bruntlett double play game. I'll never see a faster turn for the rest of my life. Just phenomenal how quick that ball got to him and on to first.
McInnis
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"He disappeared in the ALCS and the early part of the World Series, but found his swing after the shaky start."
He was 0 for 4 in Game One and really looked lost at the plate. I worked with a Dodgers fan, a really good guy, who told me sympathetically that Hinch was going to have to figure out what to do with him. Then the switch came on. It was glorious to watch him the rest of the way.
Deluxe
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Big Bucks said:

I used a connection (that Crane fired and why Bagwell stayed away a few years) to have incredible seats for that Bruntlett double play game. I'll never see a faster turn for the rest of my life. Just phenomenal how quick that ball got to him and on to first.

I was there too. Didn't think there was a chance we'd turn that. Unreal play by Bruntlett to even give Everett a chance.

Marvin
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Kashchei said:

Shout out to Marvin and Mrs Marvin for some very good bull. Can't wait to wear this beauty this season!




Enjoy it!
EastCoastAgNc
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jkag89
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Happy for Yuli
Prosperdick
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jkag89 said:

Happy for Yuli
He's definitely a guy I will always root for except when playing the Stros. It will be sad to not see him scoop any throws (and pull his foot off the bag a millisecond after he catches it) anymore for the good guys.
Harry Dunne
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Garrett Cooper is injury prone and nothing special even when he's healthy. I bet Yuli ends up getting a good amount of ABs if he himself can stay healthy.
The Porkchop Express
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Deluxe said:

Big Bucks said:

I used a connection (that Crane fired and why Bagwell stayed away a few years) to have incredible seats for that Bruntlett double play game. I'll never see a faster turn for the rest of my life. Just phenomenal how quick that ball got to him and on to first.

I was there too. Didn't think there was a chance we'd turn that. Unreal play by Bruntlett to even give Everett a chance.


I was at this game as well, the last time I made a playoff game in fact.

No offense to Everett/Bruntlett, but there should be a 30 for 30 breaking down how impossibly slow John Mabry ran on this play.
Life is better with a beagle
All I do is Nguyen
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Happy Monday gents!

Here's a great video to start your week

spadilly
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S
GAMEDAY!!!


n_touch
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Apparently MLB The Show has updated the banners




Has anyone ever answered why they don't put the ALCS championship banners up for the years they won the WS? They are two different things.

Edit: Someone on FB said that the reasoning was that they are putting the banners there to show the result of the year
Farmer1906
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n_touch said:

Apparantley MLB The Show has updated the banners




Has anyone ever answered why they don't put the ALCS championship banners up for the years they won the WS? They are two different things.
Before anyone gets drawn offside, this is from MLB the Show.

I would guess it has more to do with space and not wanting multiple banners for a single season.
Farmer1906
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https://www.mlb.com/news/opening-day-power-rankings-2023?partnerId=zh-20230327-862526-mlb-1-A&qid=1026&utm_id=zh-20230327-862526-mlb-1-A&bt_ee=sYigtVTllT3PIURFYmMKZd6T7L0ocy6jdeL3Us6esFe5U8wtTLb78PxEXwbYT7dd&bt_ts=1679920433999

Quote:

Power Rankings Top 5:
1. Astros (106-56 in 2022)
If you want to be the best, you better beat the best, and considering the last time we saw the Astros, they were celebrating their second World Series title in five seasons, we all know who the best is. The reigning champs may have lost their Cy Young winner to the Mets this offseason, but they remain absolutely loaded with pitching, and they've even fortified their offense, bringing in former MVP Jos Abreu to play first base. Their division looks a little tougher than it was last year, but there's still no one in the Astros' league. It has been 23 seasons since a team repeated as World Series champions. Could Houston end the repeat drought?
All I do is Nguyen
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Farmer1906 said:

https://www.mlb.com/news/opening-day-power-rankings-2023?partnerId=zh-20230327-862526-mlb-1-A&qid=1026&utm_id=zh-20230327-862526-mlb-1-A&bt_ee=sYigtVTllT3PIURFYmMKZd6T7L0ocy6jdeL3Us6esFe5U8wtTLb78PxEXwbYT7dd&bt_ts=1679920433999

Quote:

Power Rankings Top 5:
1. Astros (106-56 in 2022)
If you want to be the best, you better beat the best, and considering the last time we saw the Astros, they were celebrating their second World Series title in five seasons, we all know who the best is. The reigning champs may have lost their Cy Young winner to the Mets this offseason, but they remain absolutely loaded with pitching, and they've even fortified their offense, bringing in former MVP Jos Abreu to play first base. Their division looks a little tougher than it was last year, but there's still no one in the Astros' league. It has been 23 seasons since a team repeated as World Series champions. Could Houston end the repeat drought?

Farmer1906
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Atlanta keeps is safe with their city connect uni.



It looks like a not quite as good version of their 70s throwback.


Prosperdick
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All I do is Nguyen said:

Happy Monday gents!

Here's a great video to start your week


Great video but he was wrong on one point. He says if we had beaten the Rays in '20 we could have gone to 6 straight World Series, a new MLB record. That's not correct as we also lost to the Red Sox in '18.

Oh well, I guess we'll just need to go the World Series the next 4 seasons to get that elusive 6 number.
Red Five
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Seems kind of strange to base your city connect jersey around one event and one player in your team's history. Have any other teams done that? I think most of them pay homage to the city itself outside of baseball, right? Does Atlanta suck that much? Maybe they should honor the broken water main washing away Republican votes in Fulton County? Or for a real idea, how about commemorating the whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium, the only whale sharks in captivity outside of Asia?
Pahdz
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people call Atlanta "The A?"
Mr.Bond
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Pahdz said:

people call Atlanta "The A?"
Rappers do
Im looking for Ray Finkle.... and a clean pair of shorts. Im just a very big Finkle fan. This is my Graceland, sir.


MAGA

AustinCountyAg
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the Braves absolutely wont suck, however their city jersey's are a bit underwhelming. However, I do think they look good, just nothing different and exciting.
Lonestar_Ag09
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I mean I like it. Sure it might represent a person more than a city but umm yeah most that are the opposite, are trash.
lurker76
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I thought it was "The ATL"'
Mathguy64
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That's more than safe. That's like wrapping yourself in 18" thick bubble wrap level safe.
The Porkchop Express
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THREE days until Opening Day and we're down to #3 on the jersey countdown.



Well apparently Pete Runnels was born in Lufkin of all places, . He was a two-time batting champ for the Red Sox in the late 50s/early 60s and is in their team Hall of Fame. In five seasons with Boston, he never hit less than .314 and holds the MLB record for hits in a double header with 9. He was traded to the .45s for power hitter Roman Meijas and immediately fell off the edge of the world. He hit just .253 with the Colts in 1963 after winning the batting title and hitting .326 the year before. He was cut 22 games into the 1964 season, batting .196.



After Runnels, nobody wore the #3 jersey for almost two decades. But that's when the Astros acquired a fan favorite with my favorite baseball nickname ever. Phil "Scrap Iron" Garner. By the time he came to Houston, Garner had played in three playoff series and been a beast in two of them with the Pirates in 1979, batting .417 in the NLCS and .500 in the World Series (12 for 24). He came to the Astros in a huge trade that netted the Pirates a very good young second baseman named Johnny Ray who was expendable because of Bill Doran in the minors.
After a sluggish start in '81, Scraps was quality at third base for half a decade. He hit .274 with 82 RBI, 24 steals, and 13 dingers in 1982, and had 14 HR, 79 RBI and 18 steals in 1983. His speed dropped off as he hit his mid 30s, but he was still a patient hitter and a strong glove at third. In the 1986 post-season, he had a couple of RBI. Of course, Garner wasn't done with the Astros when he left the team in 1987.
After managing the Brewers for eight years and the Tigers for three, he became the Astros manager at age 55 in 2004 after Jimy Williams was pried from his chair in the dugout. It was later found that his heart had stopped beating four years earlier, but he was just too mean to die.

And now I'm imagining Jimy Williams dealing with Chandler Rome. Scraps lit a fire under the Astros and they finished the season 48-26 after a ****-ass 44-44 start. The Astros won their first playoff series ever before losing to the Cardinals in 7 games in the NLCS. The next year, they started 15-30, went 74-43 the rest of the way to surge into the playoffs and win their first (and only) NL Pennant.

But Garner's greatest moment came in a Brewers' uniform as their manager in 1995 when he went on the field and got in a fight with White Sox manager Terry Bevington.





Firebrand Carl Everett wore the # from 1998-1999 and provide the Astros' offense with some much needed bulldog mentality, even though Carl was maybe 40-60% crazy. He came to Houston in a trade for John Hudek in 1998. He hit .296 with 15 HR,, 76 RBi and 14 steals that year, and was off the charts in 1999 - 25 HR, 108 RBI, 27 steals, and a .325 average. Slugged .571 with a .969 OBP. But he was just as terrible as everyone else in the playoffs and ended up getting traded to Boston for another Everett, Adam.

I've never felt more sorry for a guy than #3 Kaz Matsui. For one, he had to take over for Craig Biggio at second base. But mostly, because the entire world knew he had to have surgery for an anal fissure, which is just the worst sounding thing ever.

King Tuck, professional Lollygagger, wore #3 for a couple of years before giving it up to Myles Straw. One half of my favorite dream team, McStrawmick, he played 196 games for the good guys over parts of 4 years, batting .256 and playing some decent centerfield.

Then there's the new guy. Hadn't done much yet, let's do a brief recap.

Hit his first career home while his parents were being interviewed on TV.
Hit his first career walkoff on April 24th vs the Blue Jays.
Was part of a MLB-record 5 home runs hit in one inning on May 17.
Had his first 4-hit game and multi-homer game and second walkoff home run game on July 3.
Tied Carlos Correa for most home runs by a rookie shortstop for the team (22).
Became the first Astro rookie to win a Gold Glove
Became the first rookie shortstop ever to win a Gold Glove.
Kept the Astros' rally alive in Game 1 of the ALDS to set up Yordan's game winning homer.
Hit a solo shot in the 18th inning of Game 3 to beat the Mariners 1-0.
Was 3 for 4 with 1 run scored, 2 doubles, a homer, and an RBi in Game 1 of the ALCS.
Was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, a homer, and 3 RBI in Game 4 of the ALCS.
Was named ALCS MVP by batting .353 with an .824 slugging percentage and a 1.176 OPS.
2 for 5 with 1 run scored in Game 4 of the WS
3 for 4 with a run scored, a homer, and 2 RBI in Game 5 of the WS
2 for 4 with a run scored in Game 6 of the WS
Was named WS MVP by batting .400 with a 1.023 OPS.
Youngest MVP in WS history.
Only rookie shortstop to ever hit a home run in the WS
First AL player to ever win LCS and WS MVP in the same year.

Decent first year.









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Ag4life80
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All I do is Nguyen said:

Happy Monday gents!

Here's a great video to start your week


The best summation of the entire cheating episode I've seen. It even had a few details regarding the 2018 Red Sox I did not know.
AustinCountyAg
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In their defense the uniforms do look good, and at least you know that going in. Better that than taking a risk and making something vomit worthy such as San Diego, or the Nats imo.
Farmer1906
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I love the wildly varying opinions on the city connects. I really like the Nats. I can't stand the White Sox, but a lot of people (online at least) seem to really like those.
Prosperdick
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The Porkchop Express said:

THREE days until Opening Day and we're down to #3 on the jersey countdown.



Well apparently Pete Runnels was born in Lufkin of all places, . He was a two-time batting champ for the Red Sox in the late 50s/early 60s and is in their team Hall of Fame. In five seasons with Boston, he never hit less than .314 and holds the MLB record for hits in a double header with 9. He was traded to the .45s for power hitter Roman Meijas and immediately fell off the edge of the world. He hit just .253 with the Colts in 1963 after winning the batting title and hitting .326 the year before. He was cut 22 games into the 1964 season, batting .196.



After Runnels, nobody wore the #3 jersey for almost two decades. But that's when the Astros acquired a fan favorite with my favorite baseball nickname ever. Phil "Scrap Iron" Garner. By the time he came to Houston, Garner had played in three playoff series and been a beast in two of them with the Pirates in 1979, batting .417 in the NLCS and .500 in the World Series (12 for 24). He came to the Astros in a huge trade that netted the Pirates a very good young second baseman named Johnny Ray who was expendable because of Bill Doran in the minors.
After a sluggish start in '81, Scraps was quality at third base for half a decade. He hit .274 with 82 RBI, 24 steals, and 13 dingers in 1982, and had 14 HR, 79 RBI and 18 steals in 1983. His speed dropped off as he hit his mid 30s, but he was still a patient hitter and a strong glove at third. In the 1986 post-season, he had a couple of RBI. Of course, Garner wasn't done with the Astros when he left the team in 1987.
After managing the Brewers for eight years and the Tigers for three, he became the Astros manager at age 55 in 2004 after Jimy Williams was pried from his chair in the dugout. It was later found that his heart had stopped beating four years earlier, but he was just too mean to die.

And now I'm imagining Jimy Williams dealing with Chandler Rome. Scraps lit a fire under the Astros and they finished the season 48-26 after a ****-ass 44-44 start. The Astros won their first playoff series ever before losing to the Cardinals in 7 games in the NLCS. The next year, they started 15-30, went 74-43 the rest of the way to surge into the playoffs and win their first (and only) NL Pennant.

But Garner's greatest moment came in a Brewers' uniform as their manager in 1995 when he went on the field and got in a fight with White Sox manager Terry Bevington.





Firebrand Carl Everett wore the # from 1998-1999 and provide the Astros' offense with some much needed bulldog mentality, even though Carl was maybe 40-60% crazy. He came to Houston in a trade for John Hudek in 1998. He hit .296 with 15 HR,, 76 RBi and 14 steals that year, and was off the charts in 1999 - 25 HR, 108 RBI, 27 steals, and a .325 average. Slugged .571 with a .969 OBP. But he was just as terrible as everyone else in the playoffs and ended up getting traded to Boston for another Everett, Adam.

I've never felt more sorry for a guy than #3 Kaz Matsui. For one, he had to take over for Craig Biggio at second base. But mostly, because the entire world knew he had to have surgery for an anal fissure, which is just the worst sounding thing ever.

King Tuck, professional Lollygagger, wore #3 for a couple of years before giving it up to Myles Straw. One half of my favorite dream team, McStrawmick, he played 196 games for the good guys over parts of 4 years, batting .256 and playing some decent centerfield.

Then there's the new guy. Hadn't done much yet, let's do a brief recap.

Hit his first career home while his parents were being interviewed on TV.
Hit his first career walkoff on April 24th vs the Blue Jays.
Was part of a MLB-record 5 home runs hit in one inning on May 17.
Had his first 4-hit game and multi-homer game and second walkoff home run game on July 3.
Tied Carlos Correa for most home runs by a rookie shortstop for the team (22).
Became the first Astro rookie to win a Gold Glove
Became the first rookie shortstop ever to win a Gold Glove.
Kept the Astros' rally alive in Game 1 of the ALDS to set up Yordan's game winning homer.
Hit a solo shot in the 18th inning of Game 3 to beat the Mariners 1-0.
Was 3 for 4 with 1 run scored, 2 doubles, a homer, and an RBi in Game 1 of the ALCS.
Was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, a homer, and 3 RBI in Game 4 of the ALCS.
Was named ALCS MVP by batting .353 with an .824 slugging percentage and a 1.176 OPS.
2 for 5 with 1 run scored in Game 4 of the WS
3 for 4 with a run scored, a homer, and 2 RBI in Game 5 of the WS
2 for 4 with a run scored in Game 6 of the WS
Was named WS MVP by batting .400 with a 1.023 OPS.
Youngest MVP in WS history.
Only rookie shortstop to ever hit a home run in the WS
First AL player to ever win LCS and WS MVP in the same year.

Decent first year.



Red Five
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All I do is Nguyen said:

Happy Monday gents!

Here's a great video to start your week


I think if there is one thing to take away from this video, its **** that filthy rat Mike Fiers.
Farmer1906
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Farmer1906
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These Fangraphs projects feel so so off.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2023-positional-power-rankings-bullpen-no-1-15/


We have the 6th best bullpen? What?
Farmer1906
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