texasaggie2015 said:

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It's also worth noting that former #Astros infielder Taylor Jones is a hitting coach for the FCL Astros this year. Jones last played professional baseball last season for Triple-A Salt Lake.

— Kenny Van Doren (@thevandalorian) January 29, 2024

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Was this the wish.com Aaron judge

The Porkchop Express said:

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Nobody should ever expect McCullers to pitch again unless they see his name in the lineup card at this point. He's pitched 47 innings since the 2021 ALDS. That was a long time ago.

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63 IP with the postseason.

How many injuries has he had since then? One. One injury that they should have handled differently instead of trying to rehab it twice. its easier in hindsight, obviously, but the 2021 ALDS injury is the same one that he had surgery on 2023.

Now that said injury is repaired, why should we expect him back?

Farmer1906 said:

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Mr.Bond said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Lance laid it out pretty clearly.

Will need about 4 rehab starts. Can't pinpoint exactly until those happen. Everything going well. Throwing multiple times a week at 80'. Would love to be back by the ASB but if not late July/early Aug is extremely doable. Will set dates to get back on the mound once ST starts.

McCullers says he’s throwing from 80 feet and his rehab is going well. He’s eyeing a July return. pic.twitter.com/jJwkIHfWBL

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) January 20, 2024

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July of 20NeverEver

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Is there a reason why every post you make is so negative? Do you not enjoy the Astros?

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Factually inaccurate. McCullers is who he is. A guy that will likely never contribute meaningful innings to this team again. He's a great rah rah guy though

Yup

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Can confirm that the Angels have signed OF Aaron Hicks. @JeffFletcherOCR first reported.

This changes the dynamic of the Angels’ outfield. The four spots seemingly belonged to Trout, Ward, Moniak and Adell.

Now, the OF has more depth. But also some decisions this spring.

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) January 29, 2024

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Quote:

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Hicks' presence isn't expected to prompt Trout to move off center field.

"Mike's our center fielder," Angels general manager Perry Minasian said on a video conference with local reporters.
We've learned this over the last couple of years, at least since I've been here -- you need players that can play multiple positions. You don't know what's gonna happen.

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Farmer1906 said:

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The Porkchop Express said:

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Nobody should ever expect McCullers to pitch again unless they see his name in the lineup card at this point. He's pitched 47 innings since the 2021 ALDS. That was a long time ago.

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63 IP with the postseason.

How many injuries has he had since then? One. One injury that they should have handled differently instead of trying to rehab it twice. its easier in hindsight, obviously, but the 2021 ALDS injury is the same one that he had surgery on 2023.

Now that said injury is repaired, why should we expect him back?

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None of us are doctors. Nobody here can says he is a-ok. Bearkat spelled it out above. He gets hurt repeatedly. The longer you spend not playing baseball the tougher it is to come back and be good against mlb talent. A guy like Verlander is 1 in a million for missing a season and coming back just as good. You cant expect that from younger, frequently injured guys.

The Porkchop Express said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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The Porkchop Express said:

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Nobody should ever expect McCullers to pitch again unless they see his name in the lineup card at this point. He's pitched 47 innings since the 2021 ALDS. That was a long time ago.

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63 IP with the postseason.

How many injuries has he had since then? One. One injury that they should have handled differently instead of trying to rehab it twice. its easier in hindsight, obviously, but the 2021 ALDS injury is the same one that he had surgery on 2023.

Now that said injury is repaired, why should we expect him back?

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None of us are doctors. Nobody here can says he is a-ok. Bearkat spelled it out above. He gets hurt repeatedly. The longer you spend not playing baseball the tougher it is to come back and be good against mlb talent. A guy like Verlander is 1 in a million for missing a season and coming back just as good. You cant expect that from younger, frequently injured guys.

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Some people do expect that. The smartest org in baseball, the LA Dodgers, just committed 136 M to a McCullers clone.

Look how infrequent Sale has pitched the last several years. The Braves to have up pieces to get him (relatively cheap) and then extended him (less cheap)

Verlander is a different animal. I think we'd be foolish to compare many pitchers to him when it comes to health, innings, pitches, age, etc.

I'm not saying McCullers is going to pitch 200 innings in 25 and 26 while winning back to back Cy Youngs. I'm saying we should expect him back this year because McCullers and the org expect him to be back. Is the a guarantee? Nope. Is he injuryprone? Obviously.

I view McCullers as at best a guy you claim off waivers August 1st who maybe gives you a spot start or some work out of the bullpen. At this point he's just a better Brandon Backe - bulldog mentality, can pitch a hell of a single game but can't stay on the field to save his life.

JDUB08AG said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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JDUB08AG said:

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I'm a little frustrated by the Neris deal. Could we not make the same offer? Did he not want to be here? I just have some questions.

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Sure. But the team felt more comfortable making a big splash with Hader. He's younger, better, and doesn't allow as many runners as Neris even in Neris's best season.

Hader, paired with Abreu has our back end locked up for 3 more years.

Or do you mean adding Neris in addition to Hader? I think it has to do with money. We lead the league in 2024 Payroll Dollars allocated to the bullpen, Avg payroll per reliever, & are 2nd in % of total payroll allocated to the bullpen (Reds #1 but their payroll is tiny).

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I meant in addition. Love the hader signing. We can all appreciate how important our bullpen has been. The figures offered to neris seemed relatively palatable and his clubhouse presence was an intangible.

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Just noticed how down his velo was last year.

2022 -> 2023
Sinker - 94.5 -> 92.9
4 Seam - 94.3 -> 93.0
Slider - 87.6 -> 85.9
Split Finger - 85.1 -> 82.9

I wonder if people are worried that it will go down more.

Then a few others I knew were not great but maybe worse than I remembered.

K% was the lowest it's been over the last 3 seasons 31.6 % to 30.0 % to 28.2%

2nd in ERA minus FIP at -2.11

119 out of 162 relievers in xFIP @ 4.45

Here's hoping this is who we get this year

CFTXAG10 said:

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Couple of interesting things I was told today….

1) Neris wanted us to give him a 3 year deal. We wouldn't. He focused his free agency efforts elsewhere
2) Don't be surprised to see Whitley in the bullpen

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I can confirm that they're working on transitioning Whitley into a reliever.

Source: Justin Turner and Blue Jays are close to agreeing on a deal.

🇨🇦@MLBNetwork @FAN590

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 30, 2024

Farmer1906 said:

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Source: Justin Turner and Blue Jays are close to agreeing on a deal.

🇨🇦@MLBNetwork @FAN590

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 30, 2024

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That would close the door on Chapman for them, right?

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

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Haven't we known this about Forrest for at least a month? There were articles and tweets about it even

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Correct. Dana Brown mentioned it at winter meetings & Whitley talked it at Fanfest (I believe)

Quote:

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"I'm excited about [Whitley] coming into camp," Brown told reporters at the annual winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn. "I think we have a need in the 'pen and we're just going to use him out of the bullpen. He has a real chance."

"We hope we get the Whitley that we saw in the scrimmage game that we played earlier in the year, I think it was in March. We're hoping we get that Whitley. We think he has a chance with his power to pitch, you know, somewhere between the fifth and seventh inning."

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Quote:

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"There wasn't a ton of prior conversation to me moving to the bullpen," Whitley said. "However, I kind of saw the writing on the wall with just how scarce the health has been the last three seasons. I don't want to shut off having the opportunity to be a starter with this organization, but at this point I'll do anything that the team needs, anything to get on the 26-man roster."

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Source: Justin Turner and Blue Jays are close to agreeing on a deal.

🇨🇦@MLBNetwork @FAN590

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 30, 2024

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That would close the door on Chapman for them, right?

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He's more of a DH who can play some 3B & 1B now in his career.

I would guess, no.

Boris is playing chicken with the league with Snell, Monty, Chapoman, & Belli. I am not sure any of them is going to get close to the projection.

I wonder if there will be a repeat of a couple of years ago where overvalued FAs with QO (Keuchel and Kimbrel?) get no offer into the QO period expires in June.

That would be wild.

I think 10-15 years ago both Snell & Belli get massive deals. Executives have gotten smarter (outside of NYM & SDP) and aren't going to throw away 250 M on guys with major question marks.

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

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Haven't we known this about Forrest for at least a month? There were articles and tweets about it even

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I hadn't heard it with this much enthusiasm before re Whitley. Apparently he has flipped a switch. I'm still in a "I'll believe it when I see it" frame of mind but the early returns from workouts at MMP are that he's ready.

Yea, Montero is a very prideful cat. I think he's gonna figure it out. This bullpen is gonna be filthy.

Free Agent Spending by Team (not extensions, arb, etc)




We have spent more than 10 other teams combined, but the Dodgers have spent more than 25 teams combined (including us).

Rays, Twins, and Marlins getting outspent by Oakland is embarrassing.

Boston 17th & Yankees 19th... how the mighty have fallen.