In, but mostly lurking

Final Record: 96 (whoop) - 66
Division Finish: WINNER
How Does it End: Champ? WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
Team MVP: Yordan Alvarez
Team Cy Young: Bill Hader. I know his name's not really Bill Hader, but I'm calling him that, and I've got 300 Bill Hader gifs to post when he is destroying people so let me live my life.
Biggest Suprise(s): Yordan stays healthy ,plays 154 games, wins MVP, and makes a push for the triple crown.
Biggest Disappointment(s): The guy who has Jake Meyers in the defend game doesn't post enough Zach Morris gifs for my taste
A Random Hot Take(s): Clock strikes midnight and Team Home Depot misses the playoffs entirely.

Thinice said:

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Anyone catching the boys on the road this year?

I'm planning to knock out 3 of my remaining 6 stadiums to complete my ballpark quest:

@ Detroit 5/11-5/12
@ Minnesota 7/5-7/7
@ Cincinnati 9/4-9/5

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My D.C./Stros plan for next month fell through so I'm hoping to catch them elsewhere. Going to Cincy later in September the weekend of Bourbon & Beyond, but I will be a neutral observer. It's the Pirates so maybe they'll brawl again like they used to. I try to visit 2 stadiums ever year for the first time.

Farmer1906 said:

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Get a roof.

#OpeningDay Update: pic.twitter.com/KSeY6hVtVj

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 27, 2024

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Not going to happen, but I'm not opposed to cutting 2-3 weeks off the beginning of the season and starting baseball in mid-late April.

Final Record: 94-68 or 103-59
Division Finish: 1st place
How Does it End: WS Champion
Team MVP: Yordan Alvarez
Team Cy Young: Justin Verlander

General takes:

I'm incredibly bullish on the Astros this year. At the most basic level, we're a much different team when Altuve and Yordan are in the lineup. Our struggles last year can largely be attributed to the time one or both of them missed.

Excited to see us optimize our offensive personnel via playing matchups and hitting guys in their appropriate spots in the order. Let's see how the engine performs when it's fully revved up. Ridding the Dusty lineup card stank will go along way, as will having guys like Pena, Meyers and Dubon relegated to the 8-9 spots in the order. IMO those guys are all strong as 8-9 hitters and wouldn't be surprised if one of them performs his way to a higher slot.

Overall, I have very little concern about the offense. Same with the back-end of the bullpen (duh).

My one concern is how our starting pitching performs the first few weeks of the season. I made two predictions above (94 wins and 103 wins). The difference between the two will be visible in mid/late April:

• 94 wins - Our starters struggle to get deep into games and guys like Bielak, Martinez and Mushinski are forced to bridge too many innings early in the year. We end up having to call up a AAA reinforcement or two because those three are taxed. JV gets back and we're 9-13 and sliding. We end up grinding for much of the year.
• 103 wins - Framber sets the tone early and appears to have his ace stuff back. The rest of the staff consistently gets us into the sixth. JV gets back and we're 15-7. If the early returns on our starting pitching are good, I think we cruise.

The good news is that I think our offense will be ready to help win us a few games early in the year (unlike early 2023). France, Blanco and Brown will benefit from entering their second full seasons. And a full offseason of rest should also help, as will the chip on shoulder from how last year ended.

A few other random takes

• I think our two headline 2022-23 offseason signings (Montero and Abreu) will have bounce back years
• I think Dubon will be an everyday part of our playoff lineup
• BLANK-ZERO. That is all.

I love baseball. My favorite sport by far, but I'm not opposed to cutting the season by 2-3 weeks.

I guess that's my hot take.

Final Record: 94-68

Division Finish: 1st place

Playoffs: WS appearance

Team MVP: Kyle Tucker

Team Cy Young: Framber Valdez... duh

Biggest Surprise(s):

• Meyers posts a higher OPS+ than McCormick
• Pena hits 15 HR

Biggest Disappointment(s):

• LMJ does not pitch
• Espada proves that Dusty cost us a WS last year (good for '24, sucks for '23).

A Random Hot Take(s):

• Tucker joins the 30/30 list.
• Montero will be cut or traded.

Marvin said:

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Biggest Surprise(s):

Pena hits 15 HR

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I don't care if he doesn't hit a single home run as long as he has an above average on base percentage and batting average.

In, commenting every now and then but mostly creeping from afar if that's cool with y'all....

Final Record: 100-62
Division Finish: Winner
How Does it End: Third WS Ring
Team MVP: Air Yordan
Team Cy Young: Framber
Biggest Suprise(s): Abreu returns to his old White Sox glory days self after getting an offseason to cure his lingering injuries. Hits 25+ homers.
Biggest Disappointment(s): Im going JV. I think Father Time finally catches up to him.
A Random Hot Take(s): Jeremy Pena rebounds from his sophomore slump in BIG way!

Max Scherzer progressing well. Chris Young says he’s guessing Scherzer won’t be placed on the 60-day IL. Which suggests a possible return in May.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 27, 2024

Final Record: 94-68
Division Finish: Winner
How Does it End: WS loss to Dodgers (gross)
Team MVP: Yordan
Team Cy Young: Javier
Biggest Suprise(s): Jake Meyers takes the next step and contributes in a big way. Dylan Coleman figures out the control issues and turns into a reliable bullpen arm.
Biggest Disappointment(s): Jeremy Pena never really takes the next step at the plate. JV is fine, but no longer the dominant JV he once was.
A Random Hot Take(s): Jake Meyers has a better year at the plate than Chas McCormick.

Farmer1906 said:

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Dodgers with another big extension

BREAKING: Catcher Will Smith and the Los Angeles Dodgers are finalizing a 10-year, $140 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 27, 2024

They're buying out 2 year of arbitration and paying Smith until he's 38. Its more like a tack-on of 8/120 M for ages 31 thru 38. He's been ~4 WAR player over the last 3 seasons. I think this is pretty fair for both sides.

This is something we should think about with Yainer in a year or two.

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He won't be a catcher until he's 38. How much of that WAR is his defense?

Mathguy64 said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Dodgers with another big extension

BREAKING: Catcher Will Smith and the Los Angeles Dodgers are finalizing a 10-year, $140 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 27, 2024

They're buying out 2 year of arbitration and paying Smith until he's 38. Its more like a tack-on of 8/120 M for ages 31 thru 38. He's been ~4 WAR player over the last 3 seasons. I think this is pretty fair for both sides.

This is something we should think about with Yainer in a year or two.

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He won't be a catcher until he's 38. How much of that WAR is his defense?

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A good chunk but that's why it's very reasonable 14 M and not 32 M like 4 WAR would suggest.

Josh Hader's agent who negotiated his five-year, $95 million deal with the Astros this winter — the largest free-agent deal of Jim Crane's ownership tenure. https://t.co/HUdG83pvjj

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 27, 2024

Final Record: 92-70
Division Finish: 1st
How Does it End: Altuve raising the trophy again
Team MVP: Altuve
Team Cy Young: Javier
Biggest Suprise(s): Hunter Brown and JP France both become reliable starters by May and Espada plays even more small ball than we expect!
Biggest Disappointment(s): Framber
A Random Hot Take(s): Is it a hot take to think we win the division by over 10 games?

Penn Murfee had Tommy John surgery last June, so he won't be a factor until the second half of the season.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 27, 2024

Isn't this the dude that pena hit the game 3 homer off of?

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Josh Hader's agent who negotiated his five-year, $95 million deal with the Astros this winter — the largest free-agent deal of Jim Crane's ownership tenure. https://t.co/HUdG83pvjj

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 27, 2024

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Chandler can't even write a complete sentence anymore.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Penn Murfee had Tommy John surgery last June, so he won't be a factor until the second half of the season.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 27, 2024

Isn't this the dude that pena hit the game 3 homer off of?

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Dude has a ridiculously effective sweeper. Why not.

Edit: basically a righty specialist.

Not able to use both of my tickets for Tuesday's blue jays game. Would like to just get what I paid for them. $40 each. But I'd also be good with $35 each if anybody wants them.

I know texasaggie2015 mentioned being interested in them so he has first dibs.

Section 128 down first baseline, row 30 and both have a $15 loaded value on them for concessions

2nd

Go ahead