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

1,068,522 Views | 12340 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by Beat40
redline248
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I know we just signed Abreu, but it's never too early to start looking for someone to play 1B in 3 years. After watching JJ blast one of Cole's hundos I was excited about his future. He'll definitely need to improve on his numbers from last year, albeit very few ABs.
Beau Holder
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Moe Jzyslak said:



You hate to see it.
JDUB08AG
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Remember when JV missed the year and we still made the WS? I do. No excuses.
W
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the poster that called the Yankees rotation over-rated a couple of weeks ago...

looking pretty good at this moment
Beat40
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OKCAg2002 said:

MLB's distribution rights on networks is so messed up. I just want to be able to buy an MLB.tv streaming package and be able to watch the good guys without a stupid VPN. That shouldn't be so hard. However, the way these networks demand exclusivity makes OKC a "region" for the Houston Astros and we are under blackout restrictions. That's so, so stupid.
Well, the league's wise and long-sighted commissioner says he views baseball as a regional game. Sounds like no issue at all.

It's super frustrating, but the point of the TV deals are people who don't watch baseball end up paying for the deals since it's included in their package.

I'm not sure there are enough people who would spend $50/year for the ability to watch their team through the MLB app to make up the difference of the number of people who buy cable packages.

I would so quickly pay $50-60 per year to be able to watch games via the MLB app.
BMX Bandit
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Well, the league's wise and long-sighted commissioner says he views baseball as a regional game.
along with every owner and tv network.

McInnis
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Bulldog73 said:

I think eliminating the shift will do a lot to bring back small ball. Lots of would be singles were snagged due to a 2B in super shallow RF.


I hope so. My biggest gripe is the hard hit grounder up the middle that gets past the pitcher. For all my life I've been conditioned to that being a base hit. But now there's the shortstop or second baseman behind the bag for an easy out.

The perfect example of today's baseball to me is game 6 of the 2021 WS. Astros offense had been struggling but they get the first two runners on in the first. Correa was up and I'm thinking come on Carlos, move the runners over. I'm sure that thought never occurred to him as he went down swinging for the fences and that did it for the Astro's offense.

It boggles my mind when home teams, in extra innings, when all they need is one run to win, won't bunt the manred runner to third. Won't even try because so many hitters have never done it.
3B Paul 97
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I was thinking of Altuve on there, but that works too.
Deluxe
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redline248 said:

I know we just signed Abreu, but it's never too early to start looking for someone to play 1B in 3 years. After watching JJ blast one of Cole's hundos I was excited about his future. He'll definitely need to improve on his numbers from last year, albeit very few ABs.
That's what's so beautiful about our player development spigot right now. Over the last ~3-4 years, we've had quite a few guys seemingly breakthrough out of no where. JJ could easily be next in line. A winter in the weight room plus a little work on swing mechanics. You never know. And to your point, we'll have a 1B or LF position open next year if Brantley doesn't return.
Farmer1906
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The grounder up the middle will still be shifted on. You can start your SS or 2B one inch from the middle.
Farmer1906
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Looks like an interlocking AM. Couldn't be an Aggie cap, right?
Farmer1906
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Back up catcher talk.

McInnis
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Farmer1906 said:

The grounder up the middle will still be shifted on. You can start your SS or 2B one inch from the middle.


Will teams still do that if infielders have to keep one foot on the infield (isn't that the new rule?). Seems like that would cut down on their range quite a bit.
EastCoastAgNc
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Beau Holder said:

Moe Jzyslak said:



You hate to see it.
I truly can't remember the last time someone traded with the A's for a starting pitcher and it turned out well for the acquiring team. Some people never learn.
Deluxe
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Ronel Blanco torched the Domincan Winter League this offseason and got selected to the pitcher's pool for team DR in the WBC. K rate was about like normal but looks like he cut down on walks significantly (5.4 K/BB over 20 innings). Would love to see him use that as a springboard to emergence as a leverage reliever this year like Abreu did last year.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/can-ronel-blancos-big-winter-help-him-back-into-astros-orbit/

Quote:

He flew under the radar in Houston's prolific pitching pipeline and, when he finally broke out, became a victim of its success. After a brief 2021 big league debut, the imposing 6-foot-1 righthander spent most of 2022 again stowed away in Triple-A.

With another spring training loomingand Houston's entire major league bullpen slated to returnthe onus is on Blanco to force the organization's hand. The 29-year-old has outperformed the minor leagues and put himself firmly on Houston's radar. Now, it is imperative he stay there.

Blanco made his first Opening Day roster last April. He struck out seven and walked four across his first 6.1 major league innings. Houston optioned him to Triple-A Sugar Land to shrink its roster from 28 to 26, a move manager Dusty Baker attributed almost solely to the numbers game.

Many in the organization expected Blanco back in the big leagues in short order. The Astros' dominance didn't allow it. The remaining relievers teamed to form baseball's best bullpen. Baker's insistence on including at least one lefthander made Parker Mushinski the choice over Blanco for the few callups Houston required.

As a result, Blanco remained at Triple-A, where he continued a resurgence many other big league bullpens would envy. Blanco struck out 58 and walked 19 across 44.2 innings before embarking on a second straight winter in the Dominican League.

Stretching to last winter, Blanco hasn't allowed an earned run in his past 38.2 innings in the Dominican League. This season, he struck out 27 of the 75 batters he faced.

Blanco's arsenal is predicated on a four-seam fastball that can reach the high 90s. His short slider can sometimes be confused for a cutter, but it sits in the high 80s, and it makes him a valuable weapon against righthanded hitters.

For Blanco to distinguish himself, though, he could stand to improve either his curveball or changeup to make him more viable against lefthanded hitters.
Farmer1906
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McInnis said:

Farmer1906 said:

The grounder up the middle will still be shifted on. You can start your SS or 2B one inch from the middle.


Will teams still do that if infielders have to keep one foot on the infield (isn't that the new rule?). Seems like that would cut down on their range quite a bit.


Here is how Altuve was shifted. Why would the 2nd baseman not just get where the blue X is? It might not be the most optimal shift but it's probably close to it.


Farmer1906
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bearkatag15
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I want to see Gracia's new delivery. I'm genuinely concerned that him changing it might alter his performance
chico
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Farmer1906 said:

Back up catcher talk.


No comment other than to say I know Kenny (twitter author) quite well! He and my son are great friends having played a lot of baseball together growing up.
Farmer1906
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chico said:

Farmer1906 said:

Back up catcher talk.


No comment other than to say I know Kenny (twitter author) quite well! He and my son are great friends having played a lot of baseball together growing up.

He's been killing it this offseason with news. Seems like a sharp kid.
chico
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Farmer1906 said:

chico said:

Farmer1906 said:

Back up catcher talk.


No comment other than to say I know Kenny (twitter author) quite well! He and my son are great friends having played a lot of baseball together growing up.

He's been killing it this offseason with news. Seems like a sharp kid.
He is a sharp kid, very polite, really knows his baseball. Worked for the Space Cowboys last summer. I could tell you more - but it's all good. I suspect he'll have a bright future.
McInnis
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Farmer1906 said:

McInnis said:

Farmer1906 said:

The grounder up the middle will still be shifted on. You can start your SS or 2B one inch from the middle.


Will teams still do that if infielders have to keep one foot on the infield (isn't that the new rule?). Seems like that would cut down on their range quite a bit.


Here is how Altuve was shifted. Why would the 2nd baseman not just get where the blue X is? It might not be the most optimal shift but it's probably close to it.





Well I guess you're right.
Farmer1906
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Reynolds has stayed firm on the stance that he wants to be traded if the Pirates won't pay him. Here is a snippet on where they are dollars wise.


Quote:

Earlier this month, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Pirates had put forth a six-year, $76MM offer as their most recent bid to keep Reynolds on a long-term deal. Mackey reported in January that the two sides were around $50MM apart in their talks. Reynolds didn't offer specifics this morning but acknowledged that reporting on the situation has been generally on the mark. "Pretty much everything out there has been fairly accurate," the outfielder said (via Mackey).
I would say he's a fair comp to TED (I would taker TED over him tho).
  • 14.4 WAR over ~2k PA vs 12.8 WAR over 1.5K PA.
  • Career .842 vs .837 OPS.
  • Career 127 vs 129 OPS+

Reynolds is 2 years older and 1 year ahead in arbitration. If Reynolds is willing to take a ~6/130 deal then that would equate to about 15 M for his last year of Arb and then a 5/115 extension for age 29-33. If that is the market for stud OFer, then maybe Tucker would be willing to take something similar. 9 M in year 2 of Arb, 15 M in year 3, then an AAV of 23 until he's 33. That would total 9/185. Just spitballing here. Do your thing, Dana.
Ag4life80
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What's going to be interesting is to see how much the infielder positioned near second base will be in the line of sight of the pitcher's release point. Could be some gamemanship going on there
Deluxe
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It's a good data point. The $$ feels a little low relative to what I think Ted would be willing to accept at this stage.

Also, I think a deal to get him through his age 33 season would be 8 years total, not 9.
spadilly
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Farmer1906 said:



Looks like an interlocking AM. Couldn't be an Aggie cap, right?



$320 for a hat.

A hat.

https://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/p/amiri-mens-ma-logo-baseball-hat-prod177790047
Farmer1906
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Counting is hard sometimes.
Moe Jzyslak
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Way better than some dude making $15/hour spending $50 on an ugly ass New Era hat
Deluxe
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Farmer1906 said:

Counting is hard sometimes.
Actually I might have been wrong too. If you don't count the 2023 season which his salary is already locked in, it would only be a 7 year deal. Two more years of arb plus five tack-on gets through age 33 season.

If it was $30mm total for the two remaining arb years and $150mm for the 5 tack-on (7/$180mm total starting in 2024), would you do it if you were Ted?
bearkatag15
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JYDog90
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Farmer1906 said:


This doesn't bode well. He's gonna get rocked throwing it that slow.
Formerly Willy Wonka
Ag4life80
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If I'm Ted, no way I sign before gambling that I'm going to kill it with diminished shifts.
Ag_07
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I'm fascinated at how an organization especially one as advanced as the Astros starts ST.

Like logistics of evaluation/data gathering and finding out where everyone stacks up and how they compare to where they left off and where they need to get to.

I can't imagine coordinating and having a plan for that process. Just incredibly interesting to me.
The Porkchop Express
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bearkatag15 said:




You know your franchise sucks when Barstool is teeing off on you.
Life is better with a beagle
Keeper of The Spirits
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Astros Twitter made it seem like Luis was gone! Scared me
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