Do we give him his three year extension now or wait til later this spring?EastCoastAgNc said:How Maldonado lost 17 pounds this off-season. pic.twitter.com/fGERcIIMFI
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 16, 2023
***Official Houston Astros 2022-23 Offseason Thread***
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12340 Replies |
Last: 1 yr ago by Beat40
Martín Maldonado plays with a warrior’s mentality. Like the 2nd half of last season when he played in pain, requiring offseason surgery for a sports hernia: “The good thing is they don’t need me to steal bases. I was slower than normal. I was slow, but now I was even more slower” pic.twitter.com/OYFL0233SB
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 16, 2023
True, but he was already trending in that direction.
The Framchise. pic.twitter.com/O1tRALOrPp
— Houston Astros (@astros) February 16, 2023
Machete will now only get thrown out by half a step...instead of a full step
I lost 13 lbs in 8 hours back in December getting ready for a colonoscopy.EastCoastAgNc said:How Maldonado lost 17 pounds this off-season. pic.twitter.com/fGERcIIMFI
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 16, 2023
Life is better with a beagle
W said:
Machete will now only get thrown out by 1/4 a step...instead of a full step
Thanks bigger bases
44 days until opening days gets us looking at some truly great #44s in Astros history.
Of course, our current guy, #44 Yordan Alvarez. 368 games into his major league career he has 98 home runs, 283 RBi, and a slash of .296/.384/.590 for a career OPS of .973. ROY in 2019, third in the MVP balloting last year, an upper-deck walk off to deflate Scott Servais's balls, and the most titanic home run in World Series history.
But he's hardly our only standout #44. The number was worn by Roy Oswalt from 2001-2010. Country Boy Roy was 143-82 for the Astros in 10 years with a 3.24 ERA, 19 complete games, and 7 shutouts. He won 20 games in 2004 and 2005, led the NL in ERA at 2.98 in 2006, and winning percentage in his rookie year of 2001 when he went 14-3 with a 2.73 ERA and an .824 winning percentage. He would have a dead cinch for ROY that year, except that Albert Pujols was also a rookie that year. Roy finished in the top 5 of the Cy Young voting 5 times, all of those coming in his first 6 years in the Majors. He also had a perfect 4-0 record in the post-season, and was MVP of the 2005 NLCS, going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA vs. the Cardinals. He is the franchise's all-time leader for pitching WAR at 45.7, finished second in career wins by one to Joe Niekro, is third in innings pitches as an Astro and second in strikeouts behind Nolan Ryan.
Before Roy, one of my favorite all-time Astros, Danny Darwin, aka The Bonham Bullet, wore the #44 from 1986-1990 and again when he came back to the team in 1996. As has been discussed previously, my favorite thing about Darwin is that he once got in a fight with Pedro Guerrero. After suffering as a Ranger from 1978-1984 then spending a year and a half with the Brewers traded for Darwin to bolster the bullpen in August of 1986 for Don August and Mark Knudson. He was lights out down the stretch, going 5-2 with a 2.32 ERA in 12 games. He didn't make the post-season roster, but hung around with the team. After a couple of struggling years, he went 11-4 with a 2.36 ERA out of the bullpen in 1989, then led the league in ERA at 2.21 in 1990 as he worked as a starter and reliever, throwing just enough innings (162.2) to qualify.
He returned to the team in 1996 at age 40 and ultimately played 21 years of baseball.
Of course, our current guy, #44 Yordan Alvarez. 368 games into his major league career he has 98 home runs, 283 RBi, and a slash of .296/.384/.590 for a career OPS of .973. ROY in 2019, third in the MVP balloting last year, an upper-deck walk off to deflate Scott Servais's balls, and the most titanic home run in World Series history.
But he's hardly our only standout #44. The number was worn by Roy Oswalt from 2001-2010. Country Boy Roy was 143-82 for the Astros in 10 years with a 3.24 ERA, 19 complete games, and 7 shutouts. He won 20 games in 2004 and 2005, led the NL in ERA at 2.98 in 2006, and winning percentage in his rookie year of 2001 when he went 14-3 with a 2.73 ERA and an .824 winning percentage. He would have a dead cinch for ROY that year, except that Albert Pujols was also a rookie that year. Roy finished in the top 5 of the Cy Young voting 5 times, all of those coming in his first 6 years in the Majors. He also had a perfect 4-0 record in the post-season, and was MVP of the 2005 NLCS, going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA vs. the Cardinals. He is the franchise's all-time leader for pitching WAR at 45.7, finished second in career wins by one to Joe Niekro, is third in innings pitches as an Astro and second in strikeouts behind Nolan Ryan.
Before Roy, one of my favorite all-time Astros, Danny Darwin, aka The Bonham Bullet, wore the #44 from 1986-1990 and again when he came back to the team in 1996. As has been discussed previously, my favorite thing about Darwin is that he once got in a fight with Pedro Guerrero. After suffering as a Ranger from 1978-1984 then spending a year and a half with the Brewers traded for Darwin to bolster the bullpen in August of 1986 for Don August and Mark Knudson. He was lights out down the stretch, going 5-2 with a 2.32 ERA in 12 games. He didn't make the post-season roster, but hung around with the team. After a couple of struggling years, he went 11-4 with a 2.36 ERA out of the bullpen in 1989, then led the league in ERA at 2.21 in 1990 as he worked as a starter and reliever, throwing just enough innings (162.2) to qualify.
He returned to the team in 1996 at age 40 and ultimately played 21 years of baseball.
Life is better with a beagle
Korey Lee said he gained 12 pounds of muscle this winter. pic.twitter.com/pCQ9gIYuiF
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 16, 2023
World Series champion Houston Astros pitching staff at spring training. pic.twitter.com/Ty4lLGqjRR
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 16, 2023
Michael Brantley, Yordan Alvarez and José Abreu pic.twitter.com/UP5PRYdSjk
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 16, 2023
Astros bench coach Joe Espada said there are no injuries to report and everyone who is supposed to be here is here.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 16, 2023
The spring training "best shape of my life" talk is always great.
Remember when yuli showed up last year having lost a bunch of weight when he dropped eating pizza and drinking Coke? Maybe he shouldn't have given it up
Chandler Rome in mid-season form on Feb. 16.EastCoastAgNc said:Astros bench coach Joe Espada said there are no injuries to report and everyone who is supposed to be here is here.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 16, 2023
Life is better with a beagle
That's alot of Cuban firepower in the middle of our order
Position players I’ve seen in camp: Jeremy Peña, José Abreu, Michael Brantley and Yordan Alvarez. Jose Altuve is not here yet, Joe Espada said.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 16, 2023
He is hitting, but Joe Espada was coy as to whether he’ll be ready for opening day. https://t.co/GipV3uoKyz
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 16, 2023
Is it just me or does anyone really care if he is ready by opening day. I just want a healthy Brantley. Maybe it will be opening day. Maybe it'll be the first road trip. Maybe it will be mid May. Just get him ready to play and in a position to stay on the field late into Oct.
I do not care. Gives JJM, Yainer, Hensley and Meyers more opportunities to get into the lineup early in the year and see who might be able to help us down the stretch. Healthy Uncle Mike in October is priority #1. No reason whatsoever to rush him back.Farmer1906 said:
Is it just me or does anyone really care if he is ready by opening day. I just want a healthy Brantley. Maybe it will be opening day. Maybe it'll be the first road trip. Maybe it will be mid May. Just get him ready to play and in a position to stay on the field late into Oct.
FWIW- I've heard it's unlikely he'll be ready by opening day
BSOHL is hereEastCoastAgNc said:How Maldonado lost 17 pounds this off-season. pic.twitter.com/fGERcIIMFI
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 16, 2023
https://ts.la/eric59704
Based on what you've heard, who's one guy that the Astros are expecting a big leap from this year
Ty Buttrey and Hunter Brown play catch pic.twitter.com/cZcWguVnZ2
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 16, 2023
Pitchers getting work in on first day pic.twitter.com/O7UHpcDwX4
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 16, 2023
Cristian Javier will meet with the media here at Astros spring training for the first time since signing his 5-year/$64 million contract. pic.twitter.com/OCDoOOS3tV
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 16, 2023
.@koreyleeeeee hitting with Martín Maldonado watching. pic.twitter.com/FmcDta7AEZ
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 16, 2023
Cristian Javier, Héctor Neris, Framber Valdez and Luis García pic.twitter.com/TjJ62B0jz4
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 16, 2023
Non-roster invitee Bryan Garcia, a former Tigers reliever, got another former Detroit pitcher’s number pic.twitter.com/pcfndLYYuX
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 16, 2023
I don't know how I feel about someone else using that number so soon
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) 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
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 seasons that make 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
Buy as in most likely to happen?
2 & 8
If I could choose which happens?
1 & 5
That's probly the correct answerFarmer1906 said:
Buy as in most likely to happen?
2 & 8
If I could choose which happens?
1 & 5
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
I would like to see 2&5.
Farmer1906 said: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 seasons that make 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
Buy as in most likely to happen?
2 & 8
If I could choose which happens?
1 & 5
Farmer knows his shlt
EastCoastAgNc said:Ty Buttrey and Hunter Brown play catch pic.twitter.com/cZcWguVnZ2
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 16, 2023
Nice to see JV somehow snuck back to the Astros. In all seriousness, Hunter is a JV clone 100%.
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