I don't think anyone is arguing that Walker was or will be an All-Star candidate. But some of you are acting like he didn't provide any production last season and can easily be benched.

Is there an outfielder on this roster who can provide what Walker did last season? If you pencil in Cam and Jake as starters, then you're looking at Cole, Loperfido, and Dezenzo to fill that gap. Are they ready to do that? Hell, will Jake hit as well as he did last year? Will Cam take a step forward in year two? Our outfield is one of the weakest in MLB. Lots of hope. Little to nothing in terms of proven production.

The Astros had two trade paths to clear the logjam in the infield. Trade Walker and clear enough of his salary to sign a free agent outfielder. Trade Paredes for an outfielder who can provide similar offensive output.

We weren't able to pull off either trade. It's not that teams didn't want either player. They didn't want either player at the trade price the Astros had on them.

We have a better batting lineup with both Paredes and Walker in it. Trying to argue otherwise is putting some lofty expectations on unproven players. The solution is for Joe to figure out how to get them both in the lineup as much as possible.

Walker was 112th in OPS in MLB last season. That's about four guys per team that were better. And you just want to bench him or give a bulk of his ABs to a less productive hitter?

07ag said:

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CharleyKerfeld said:

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W said:

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also remember Walker hit 4 HR's in his final 3 games...

after the Astros were effectively eliminated after losing the first 2 games at Sacramento earlier in the week

he raised his season OPS 22 points...from .695 to .717 due to the 'garbage time' home runs

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Sean Berry syndrome.
13 RBI in the last week of a season to get his RBi count from 82 to 95. Still holding a grudge 30 years later.

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why? what effect did those 13 rbi have?

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It made him look like he had a good season when he was a constant letdown and then got hot in the last week of the campaign after the Astros had been eliminated.

Just a little over three weeks until Opening Day. Hard to believe.

iBrad said:

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I don't think anyone is arguing that Walker was or will be an All-Star candidate. But some of you are acting like he didn't provide any production last season and can easily be benched.

Is there an outfielder on this roster who can provide what Walker did last season? If you pencil in Cam and Jake as starters, then you're looking at Cole, Loperfido, and Dezenzo to fill that gap. Are they ready to do that? Hell, will Jake hit as well as he did last year? Will Cam take a step forward in year two? Our outfield is one of the weakest in MLB. Lots of hope. Little to nothing in terms of proven production.

The Astros had two trade paths to clear the logjam in the infield. Trade Walker and clear enough of his salary to sign a free agent outfielder. Trade Paredes for an outfielder who can provide similar offensive output.

We weren't able to pull off either trade. It's not that teams didn't want either player. They didn't want either player at the trade price the Astros had on them.

We have a better batting lineup with both Paredes and Walker in it. Trying to argue otherwise is putting some lofty expectations on unproven players. The solution is for Joe to figure out how to get them both in the lineup as much as possible.

Walker was 112th in OPS in MLB last season. That's about four guys per team that were better. And you just want to bench him or give a bulk of his ABs to a less productive hitter?

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In my opinion, if healthy, Parades should play 150 games. So should Carlos, Pena, and Jose. I also hope this is the year Yordan plays 140+ games. The question is how do you make that happens with Walker and give him sufficient playing time?

Let's say Parades plays 12 games at 3B, 2B, and 1B - that's 36 games. Let's say Yordan does play 140 games and splits 50/50 LF and DH, so 70 of 162 games. That leaves 92 games remaining for an DH. If you give all of those 92 games at DH to Parades, that's only 128 games.

So, assuming the above works out - how do you get Parades the additional 22 games? If healthy, they aren't pulling those games from Correa, Pena, and Altuve - so it stands to reason they have to come from Walker. That puts him at 140 games max in the above scenario, which isn't too bad. But, any more games played by Yordan, CC or Jose that number will go down. If Yordan plays 150, CC and Jose play 153, the 140 becomes 124 games.

None of that is including the utility player Nick Allen as well. Of course assuming everyone stays healthy.


For you, is that workable scenario you think is sufficient playing time for Walker?

Braves a trading partner? They now need a DH.

BREAKING: Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time, sources told ESPN. News free at ESPN: https://t.co/Od2Cht2QUO

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 3, 2026

agproducer said:

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Braves a trading partner? They now need a DH.

BREAKING: Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time, sources told ESPN. News free at ESPN: https://t.co/Od2Cht2QUO

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 3, 2026

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Once again I'm so glad we didn't sign him.

Meyers, Paredes for Harris, a high-level minors pitcher and lotto ticket?

texasaggie2015 said:

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Just a little over three weeks until Opening Day. Hard to believe.

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CharleyKerfeld said:

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texasaggie2015 said:

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Just a little over three weeks until Opening Day. Hard to believe.

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agproducer said:

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Braves a trading partner? They now need a DH.

BREAKING: Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time, sources told ESPN. News free at ESPN: https://t.co/Od2Cht2QUO

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 3, 2026

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Ah. Profar is applying to be a member of the ManRam club.

Being functionally an imbecile is a requirement to join.

I said it last year. He didn't learn to do this in Atlanta. He learned it in San Diego. With other drug users on that team.

Astros-Team Venezuela exhibition tonight: pic.twitter.com/W4VAD9dwhR

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) March 3, 2026

Union will file a grievance, source said

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 3, 2026

Get your popcorn ready

texasaggie2015 said:

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Just a little over three weeks until Opening Day. Hard to believe.

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Also....

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Union will file a grievance, source said

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 3, 2026

Get your popcorn ready

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No chance that gets reduced. Dude is an idiot.

OKCAg2002 said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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Union will file a grievance, source said

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 3, 2026

Get your popcorn ready

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No chance that gets reduced. Dude is an idiot.

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Unless they can prove the test was tainted or the sample was somehow not kept following rules of evidence he's toast.

What an absolutely terribly designed stadium.

Currently a YouTubeTV subscriber, last year I switched to FUBO for baseball season to watch the Astros and the experience was less than positive (ie- FUBO sucks).

What's the optimal baseball watching subscription service these days.

I did Youtube TV with a SCHN sub. I also have the MLB.tv package.

Some afternoon updates from Espada:

- RHP Nate Pearson had been throwing bullpens, but will have his throwing program slowed down because of elbow soreness.

- Enyel De Los Santos (knee) will throw first bullpen tomorrow.

- Josh Hader (biceps) could throw bullpen next week.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 3, 2026

Espada tonight will be a really good test against for Cristian Javier against Venezuela's stacked lineup. He wants Weiss and King to pitch against Venezuela's stars, as well, so they will pitch behind Javier. He could go 2-3 innings.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 3, 2026

Espada on Paredes at 1B today: "Just kind of getting familiar with the position, also the work around the bases has been good -- holding runners, scoops. ... His next start, I'll play him at third base."

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 3, 2026

I'm going on record right now.

If Paredes becomes the new Dubon (plays everyday everywhere) it will be a defensive disaster the likes of which we have not seen in a very long time. He will make Altuve look like a Gold Glove candidate.

Mathguy64 said:

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I'm going on record right now.

If Paredes becomes the new Dubon (plays everyday everywhere) it will be a defensive disaster the likes of which we have not seen in a very long time. He will make Altuve look like a Gold Glove candidate.

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Nah, it should be fine

For those that typically sit in the 200s, is the rise for each row enough that two elementary boys could see over the people in front of them if we are a few rows back? I'm looking at taking them to a few WBC games but figure we may need row 1 of our section, and then we have to deal with looking through the railing.

AggiEE said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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I'm going on record right now.

If Paredes becomes the new Dubon (plays everyday everywhere) it will be a defensive disaster the likes of which we have not seen in a very long time. He will make Altuve look like a Gold Glove candidate.

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Nah, it should be fine

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I know you are set on this path but this has defensive hot mess written all over it. You are asking a guy who is not a good defensive player to play not one but two new positions, one of which requires a lot of skill. If he's playing 2B it's a third new position and that also is a skilled position. Just the footwork alone at 1B and 2B is hard. And you are asking him to change what he does daily.

There is no chance this ends well. He's going to hemorrhage runs.

I would go up a row or two.

Haven't had cable for two years, and I've used https://thetvapp.to/mlb to watch every game that wasn't on Apple/Prime/Espn.
You can even watch those on here, just choose to go through the respective app when that's the case.

Only drawback is it is the broadcast for whoever the home team is, so no road game Julia.

There are instructions on site for adding it to your Firestick but I normally just pull it up on my phone and screencast it.

Mathguy64 said:

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AggiEE said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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I'm going on record right now.

If Paredes becomes the new Dubon (plays everyday everywhere) it will be a defensive disaster the likes of which we have not seen in a very long time. He will make Altuve look like a Gold Glove candidate.

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Nah, it should be fine

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I know you are set on this path but this has defensive hot mess written all over it. You are asking a guy who is not a good defensive player to play not one but two new positions, one of which requires a lot of skill. If he's playing 2B it's a third new position and that also is a skilled position. Just the footwork alone at 1B and 2B is hard. And you are asking him to change what he does daily.

There is no chance this ends well. He's going to hemorrhage runs.

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I agree he will be a problem defensively. But he does have experience at these positions. It's not completely new.

However, I still think we're going to run into issues in the clubhouse. These guys don't want to platoon and take lots of extra rest. Guys are going to get sick of it. Paredes is going to not be happy how he's being used, especially if he's an issue defensively. I like Espada, but I'm not sure he's the big balls manager to handle this situation well when vets are complaining.

Dana's hoping like hell that someone's third baseman goes down this spring.

Shay Whitcomb mashing the ball for Team Korea pic.twitter.com/R5YTjT8ruS

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) March 3, 2026

Phillies OF Johan Rojas did fail a test for PEDs. He, like Profar, is appealing the positive test. @wilberdata 1st reported Rojas’ failed test.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 3, 2026

Good for MLB for testing and catching the idiots.

Now catch Cal.

I know it early in Spring Training, but Javier back to not throwing off speed near the zone and leaving fastballs dick high. He needs to get right again for this rotation.

Are you counting on Yordan for 150?

2 innings, 2 double plays after lead off baserunners. The crew is in mid season form already.