I don't take what the Astros are saying publicly about CF as disrespect toward Chaz, nor do I think it was a bad thing to shop for a catcher with Maldy under contract. And I certainly see no issue with the Astros putting their price on Tucker in the arbitration process. If you are a professional athlete you are not only highly skilled but also driven and competitive. Most guys with that makeup use the challenge as motivation. I mean Maldy dropped 17 pounds in the off season. He wants to be the starter, is ready to fight for it and that makes him better and the team better. Same with Chaz and Tuck. And if Gilbert is better would we really complain if Chaz was riding the pine??

Reading Tucker's quotes - he gone. But I'll take the monster season he is gonna have to prove to the front office and other teams he is well worth the extra cash.

We still have him for three years. I think that Brown will make an effort to get Crane to pony up. We'll see if it works.

Ya by saying he gone, he'll run out his contract here and go to the highest bidder in 3 years. Enjoy him while we have him. Kinda like Springer - they remember the snubs and lost earnings the club fought against.

Out of curiosity, anybody making it out for opening weekend at MMP? I'll be there the Sunday game

Bulldog73 said:

---

Clearly, it's not my money, but it's really curious to quibble over 2 million dollars for Tucker. Hopefully having a true GM in place can help smooth some of this over, but I'm doubtful he stays. Less doubtful than Carlos, but pretty doubtful still.

---

1) We don't know what was said in that meeting. Players also have incentives to skew the message to gain fan support.

2) Perhaps their willingness to fight is them indicating they already know they can't extend him so why not save a few bucks? Keep in mind it isn't just $2.5M this year but now the starting point next year is $5M vs $7.5M.

yes, they do remember.

and for the folks that prefer Bregman long-term over Tucker...this is a good development

That 2017 roster was so uniquely constructed. You either had guys on rookie deals, or old vets. Not a lot of in between on that roster until the JV trade

To me, I look at the 2021-2022 core as the group that will take the franchise through probably 2028. That core group will likely all be here still until late into the 2020s (give or take a couple of them)

Mathguy64 said:

---

Leaving aside Maldy, the whole arbitration process is unhealthy. It leaves the club in the position of badmouthing it's own player. They toss millions upon millions at FAs and turn around and tell their own player "you aren't worth an extra $500k or $1MM and these are the reasons why".

---

I imagine the owners would be fine with an escalating uniform base salary for years 4-6 that paid millions.

Regardless of how this short term goes with LMJ, I still won't trust his arm until I see it throughout the season and the playoffs.

That's why Hunter Brown is IMO the most critical piece of the puzzle. We need to know for sure that we have 3 strong starters for the playoffs.

Agree, but also think he sees this season and the shift adjustments as the year to set his bar.

Farmer1906 said:

---

FrioAg 00 said:

---

And his interviews didn't appear to me at all to be someone holding a grudge over it, either.

I think he truly likes playing here and this team - I just think he's going to make us match whatever the market is. And I don't fault him at all for that.

---

Agreed

---

If he has a monster year and it starts to look like the Astros won't be able afford to to keep him do they start thinking about a trade?

Ryan Pressly: not a fan of the pitch clock - https://t.co/JKkev76Zmz

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 18, 2023

Healthy Phil Maton hopes to win back bragging rights from brother https://t.co/Xf6X5uyoIi

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 18, 2023

Question on Hunter Brown. If he wins the ROY are we eligible for extra draft picks? My understanding is he has to be on the opening day roster with less than 60 days service time and a top 100 prospect on two of MLB, ESPN or Baseball America can net the team a draft pick. He was called up 9/1 so I think he has less than 69 days.

Farmer1906 said:

---

McInnis said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

FrioAg 00 said:

---

And his interviews didn't appear to me at all to be someone holding a grudge over it, either.

I think he truly likes playing here and this team - I just think he's going to make us match whatever the market is. And I don't fault him at all for that.

---

Agreed

---

If he has a monster year and it starts to look like the Astros won't be able afford to to keep him do they start thinking about a trade?

---

Not if you're playing for titles.

---

and as has said many times….we have control for 3 more seasons.

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

McInnis said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

FrioAg 00 said:

---

And his interviews didn't appear to me at all to be someone holding a grudge over it, either.

I think he truly likes playing here and this team - I just think he's going to make us match whatever the market is. And I don't fault him at all for that.

---

Agreed

---

If he has a monster year and it starts to look like the Astros won't be able afford to to keep him do they start thinking about a trade?

---

Not if you're playing for titles.

---

and as has said many times….we have control for 3 more seasons.

---

I get that but wouldn't that make him a lot more attractive to other teams than if he's in his contract year? Obviously a team would have to offer a pretty good package but sooner or later those four top draft picks the Astros lost will probably need to be made up for in some way, won't they?

Obviously I wasn't suggesting to trade him now while he still has three years left. I thought I made myself clear.

McInnis said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

McInnis said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

FrioAg 00 said:

---

And his interviews didn't appear to me at all to be someone holding a grudge over it, either.

I think he truly likes playing here and this team - I just think he's going to make us match whatever the market is. And I don't fault him at all for that.

---

Agreed

---

If he has a monster year and it starts to look like the Astros won't be able afford to to keep him do they start thinking about a trade?

---

Not if you're playing for titles.

---

and as has said many times….we have control for 3 more seasons.

---

I get that but wouldn't that make him a lot more attractive to other teams than if he's in his contract year? Obviously a team would have to offer a pretty good package but sooner or later those four top draft picks the Astros lost will probably need to be made up for in some way, won't they?

---

I, personally, would need some other team's version of Pedro Leon, Hunter Brown and some lower down top prospect - at a minimum - for Tucker. That might even be too cheap.

Farmer1906 said:

---

redline248 said:

---

McInnis said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

McInnis said:

---

Farmer1906 said:

---

FrioAg 00 said:

---

And his interviews didn't appear to me at all to be someone holding a grudge over it, either.

I think he truly likes playing here and this team - I just think he's going to make us match whatever the market is. And I don't fault him at all for that.

---

Agreed

---

If he has a monster year and it starts to look like the Astros won't be able afford to to keep him do they start thinking about a trade?

---

Not if you're playing for titles.

---

and as has said many times….we have control for 3 more seasons.

---

I get that but wouldn't that make him a lot more attractive to other teams than if he's in his contract year? Obviously a team would have to offer a pretty good package but sooner or later those four top draft picks the Astros lost will probably need to be made up for in some way, won't they?

---

I, personally, would need some other team's version of Pedro Leon, Hunter Brown and some lower down top prospect - at a minimum - for Tucker. That might even be too cheap.

---

That wouldn't be nearly enough.

---

I didn't think so, but my point was it would need to be multiple big league ready, high potential guys. No project types, and probably no draft picks.

As long as we're making the postseason I'd prefer the lottery ticket winner for the few seasons we have left of control in lieu of a bevy of prospects ready for their turn whom we hope might be as good as Tucker if we luck out.

EastCoastAgNc said:

---

Man Dusty really hates chas. I wonder what he did to piss him off. If making a game winning catch in the world series and hitting two key homers in the alcs still has you in the dog house, nothing will get you out.

---

Used to be dusty hated Jake and loved Chas. Hard to keep up with the fake dusty hate

Chas was sealed his spot in Astros history with that catch. But let's it act like he's Bregman at the plate.