Predicted Record: 98-64
Team MVP: Yordan Alvarez
Team Cy Young: Cristian Javier
Rookie of the Year: Yainer Diaz
Surprise Player of the Year: Yainer Diaz
Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:

• Yordan Alvarez becomes the first Astro with 45 HR since Berkman in 2006
• The Astros (Alvarez, Tucker, Bregman, Pena, Abreu) have 4 players with 30 HR for the first time since 2019 and 5 players with 30 HR for the first time ever
• Cristian Javier throws 2 no-hitters
• Despite not being the starter at any position, Yainer Diaz mashes 20 HR in limited rotation playing time to have the best rookie slugging campaign since Alvarez in 2019

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:

• McCullers struggles to stay healthy after returning to the rotation
• Pitching overall regresses slightly and does not appear to replace Verlander without a hitch

Let's do this!

Predicted Record:95-67 - Losing Altuve for 2 months has to catch up with the record at some point.
Team MVP: Yordan
Team Cy Young:Javier - He pitches an actual no hitter not a combined one.
Rookie of the Year: Yanier

Surprise Player of the Year: Yanier
Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:

• Framber and Javier finish top 5 CYA
• Tucker emerges from the shift as a $300MM guy

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:

• It takes until August for Jose to get back to normal
• Brown struggles

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqTh-ZWvU5b/?igshid=Mzc1MmZhNjY=

Our https://t.co/Z3s2EpgF39 experts predict who will win it all in 2023.

Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/VjssJ8nG3N

— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2023

Farmer1906 said:

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I watched this with a huge **** eating grin on my face.

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This was my favorite part... "They're really really good... They are so good they don't need to do any trickery"

That was beautiful coming from Jomboy's mouth

Quote:

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He played 133 games for the 45s in 1964, hitting .265 and leading the NL with 20 sacrifice hits.

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Remember when Dave South started a controversy using this term? Turns out he was right in that it is a proper, if also confusing, term. I think it was Nellie Fox who made the error that let Pete Rose get on base to score the only run in the no-hitter that Ken Johnson lost.

As I recall Bregman chose his jersey number when he was drafted no. 2 by the Astros to serve as motivation, feeling he should have been no. 1 that year. The first overall pick was Dansby Swanson of Vanderbilt who has had a pretty good career although not near as good as Bregman's.

Does anyone know what time the banner will be unveiled on opening night?

I'll make a longer form "season preview" post in the next few days, but to get my picks on the record for now:

Predicted Record: 98-64
Team MVP: Yordan
Team Cy Young: Javier
Rookie of the Year: H Brown
Surprise Player of the Year: Y Diaz

Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:

• Yanier Diaz shines in the "Contreras" role and carries the load at the bottom of the order while Brantley/Altuve are out.
• Despite Diaz's emergence, Hunter Brown still wins team ROY and earns a few October starts. Rotation mainstay this year even though we'll probably shelf him at some point to keep his innings down.
• Javier finishes top 5 CY, Framber takes a slight step back but still finishes top 10 CY.
• Offense finishes top 3 in baseball (fWAR). Pitching repeats as best in baseball.

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:

• Last year we had a four game losing streak and two three games losing streaks. That's it. This year I think we might be more susceptible to a 5-6 game cold stretch/losing streak. JV's influence as a reliable "stopper" will be missed at times this year.
• Hope I'm wrong but I'm not expecting much from Chas or Jake this year. Jake reveals himself as a AAAA player. Chas wins the 2H 2023 job by default. I think we go into Spring 2024 with an open competition in CF.

100-62

ws champs

hunter brown roy

bregman and alvarez top 10 mvp

framber top 10 cy

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:
uncle mike never gets healthy enough to make meaningful contributions
bullpen regresses

Predicted Record: 99-63
Team MVP: Yordan
Team Cy Young: Framber Valdez
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Brown

Surprise Player of the Year: Bryan Abreu

Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:
We see 2 10 game win streaks and 1 15 game win streak
Yordan w 40 dingers


Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:
LMJ sees only 10 starts - back on DL
Still looking for hitting catcher at all star break (really could've used Vasquez here)

Big Al 1992 said:

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Predicted Record: 99-63
Team MVP: Yordan
Team Cy Young: Framber Valdez
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Brown

Surprise Player of the Year: Bryan Abreu

Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:
We see 2 10 game win streaks and 1 15 game win streak
Yordan w 40 dingers


Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:
LMJ sees only 10 starts - back on DL
Still looking for hitting catcher at all star break (really could've used Vasquez here)

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This is an interesting pick. He kind of broke out last year and just showed all of the baseball world he's got huge balls with his 11.1 IP, 19K (not a typo), and .315 OPS (yes, on-base + slug). What does he have to do to surprise this year? Edwin Diaz type year? Turn into Cristian Javier / Spencer Strider?

Also, this is #5 on predicting LMJ's doom.

Farmer1906 said:

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Big Al 1992 said:

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Predicted Record: 99-63
Team MVP: Yordan
Team Cy Young: Framber Valdez
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Brown

Surprise Player of the Year: Bryan Abreu

Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:
We see 2 10 game win streaks and 1 15 game win streak
Yordan w 40 dingers


Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:
LMJ sees only 10 starts - back on DL
Still looking for hitting catcher at all star break (really could've used Vasquez here)

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This is an interesting pick. He kind of broke out last year and just showed all of the baseball world he's got huge balls with his 11.1 IP, 19K (not a typo), and .315 OPS (yes, on-base + slug). What does he have to do to surprise this year? Edwin Diaz type year? Turn into Cristian Javier / Spencer Strider?

Also, this is #5 on predicting LMJ's doom.

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Take Pressly's job? I agree with you, I think thats about the only way he would qualify as a surprise this year (in a good way).

Predicted Record:
96-66

Team MVP:
Kyle Tucker

Team Cy Young:
Christian Javier

Rookie of the Year:
Hunter Brown

Surprise Player of the Year:
Yanier Diaz

Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:
Jose Abreu leads the team in hits
Astros have 7 players (125 AB minimum) post an OPS above .800
Astros steal more than 100 bases (not done since 2016)

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:
Valdez sees a drop in stats because of the shift ban
Maldy catches 100 games or less (maybe a positive) and does not post an OPS above .575


And Abreu leads the team in games played.

Predicted Record: 102-60
Team MVP: Jeremy Pena
Team Cy Young: Framber Valdez
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Brown
Surprise Player of the Year: David Hensley
Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:

• Kyle Tucker and Jeremy Pena finish in the top 10 of MVP voting.
• Yordan Alvarez plays the entire season and hits .325+ with 50+ HR's
• Jose Abreu hits .300+ with 35+ HR's and wins a silver slugger.
• David Hensley forces his way into an everyday player, just have to find him a position.

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:

• Altuve comes back and promptly goes back on the IL. David Hensley takes over at 2nd.
• Jake Meyers continues to struggle and ends the season in the minors.
• Brantley is on and off the IL all year.

iamtheglove said:

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Nguyen, great opening post. That last gif of Yordon's bomb with Breggy in the background jumping up and down like a small child literally gave me chills. Had never seen that angle before. Can't wait to get the season started! Back to back has a nice ring to it!

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McInnis said:

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Quote:

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He played 133 games for the 45s in 1964, hitting .265 and leading the NL with 20 sacrifice hits.

---

Remember when Dave South started a controversy using this term? Turns out he was right in that it is a proper, if also confusing, term. I think it was Nellie Fox who made the error that let Pete Rose get on base to score the only run in the no-hitter that Ken Johnson lost.

As I recall Bregman chose his jersey number when he was drafted no. 2 by the Astros to serve as motivation, feeling he should have been no. 1 that year. The first overall pick was Dansby Swanson of Vanderbilt who has had a pretty good career although not near as good as Bregman's.

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I knew a sportswriter a long time ago (not me) who incorrectly marked down a quarterback running the option as pass attempts and completions. He called a score into the bigger newspaper one Friday night saying the QB had completed 38 of 41 "passes" for 457 yards.

Predicted Record: 102-60
Team MVP: Jose Abreu
Team Cy Young: Christian Javier
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Brown

Surprise Player of the Year: Ronel Blanco
Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:

• Jose Abreu with 35 HR and 115 RBIs
• Christian Javier with 20+ wins and top 3 Cy Young

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:

• No contract extensions completed during the season
• Julia announces she is pregnant and will miss the post season celebrations where she gets wet in the clubhouse

Predicted Record:95-67
Team MVP:Yordan
Team Cy Young:Framber
Rookie of the Year:Hunter Brown

Surprise Player of the Year:Blanco
Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:

1. Tucker absolutely blows up this year and is a serious MVP candidate
2. Yuli makes a surprise return

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:

1. McCullers is a non factor this year
2. Garcia doesn't make the jump we are hoping for and cruises in with a 4+ ERA

Predicted Record: 91-71
Team MVP: Yordan
Team Cy Young: Christian Javier
Rookie of the Year: Hunter Brown

Surprise Player of the Year: Yanier Diaz

Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:

• Alvarez wins the Triple Crown
• Brantley comes back in Professional Hitter form.
• Tucker wrecks

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:

• Same as others, I think LMJ continues to have injury issues.
• Altuve has issues getting back and doesn't play in the majors before the All Star game.
• Abreu struggles in HOU.

LFG!!

Predicted Record: 93-69
Team MVP: Bregman
Team Cy Young: Javier
Rookie of the Year: Brown

Surprise Player of the Year: Martin Maldonado

Make 2 or more Positive Predictions:

• Machete hits above .250
• Bregman top 3 in AL MVP
• Abreu 110+ RBI

Make 2 or more Negative Predictions:

• LMJ injury issues continue, doesn't play until late August
• Urquidy struggles and gets moved back to the BP; Astros trade for another starter mid-season.
• Meyers lasts until early May, then sent back to minors (or traded).