At the end of his career, Bagwell got pissed at the Astros for not letting him play and ending his career what he viewed as prematurely. Are we sure his interference isn't just a giant revenge plot for that?

and there has to be a plan to replace Walker mid-season

because he's going to hit the wall again and fade in August & September

W said:

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and there has to be a plan to replace Walker mid-season

because he's going to hit the wall again and fade in August & September

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Ideally you trade Walker for sodas in the soda machine and pick up half of his salary and then move Parades to 1B before the season begins

W said:

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and there has to be a plan to replace Walker mid-season

because he's going to hit the wall again and fade in August & September

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We saw what happened when we tried to trade him last offseason. No one cared. We'd need to package him with Pena and lose all the value in return just to offload him. We're stuck.

CharleyKerfeld said:

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Crane ... doesn't think he can ever trust a GM/manger combo again to do the right thing.

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Sounds like a very good reason to sell the team then and get out of the baseball business.

W said:

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and there has to be a plan to replace Walker mid-season

because he's going to hit the wall again and fade in August & September

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I really think the Walker issue is moot. Next season is his last contractually and with the CBA issues I just don't see anyone playing.

If there is no season, there is nothing to worry about.

If we magically get a half or truncated season, maybe it's short enough to not have him hit his wall.

Mathguy64 said:

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W said:

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and there has to be a plan to replace Walker mid-season

because he's going to hit the wall again and fade in August & September

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I really think the Walker issue is moot. Next season is his last contractually and with the CBA issues I just don't see anyone playing.

If there is no season, there is nothing to worry about.

If we magically get a half or truncated season, maybe it's short enough to not have him hit his wall.

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Also, no chance to get anything of value for Pena before he signs with the ******rs like a good little Boras client.

superaggie73 said:

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CharleyKerfeld said:

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I agree with everything you said MG, but like I've said before, Luhnow and Hinch put Crane in the terrible spot where he doesn't think he can ever trust a GM/manger combo again to do the right thing. His level of personal and professional humiliation is unfathomable to the rest of us (unless some of you are secret billionaires).He is what their dishonesty made him.

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2 things: a) if the that's true then he just needs to sell the team and b) why put your trust in a guy like Bagwell that has made his own bad choices as well and shouldn't be trusted either.

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Because he knows Bagwell is too much of a white knight to allow cheating to happen like that.

I agree it would be favorable to sell the team for us as fans, but I also believe Crane thinks he's majorly responsible for the 2022 WS win and thus remains the smartest guy in the room for making decisions.

Farmer1906 said:

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FrioAg 00 said:

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Had a last second cancellation - who wants tickets tonight?

Preference for someone who hasn't been or wants to take kids to see baseball (and unlimited ice cream)

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Just wanted to say thank you again. I took my 3 kids Wednesday and let them stuff their faces. I did the same earlier in the season. I think they may be ruined for all other parts of the ballpark.

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Same here a month or so ago. And thanks again St. Frio! Was a really cool experience.

FrioAg 00 said:

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Had a last second cancellation - who wants tickets tonight?

Preference for someone who hasn't been or wants to take kids to see baseball (and unlimited ice cream)

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haven't been before and am interested! also have a 5 year old that'd love the ice cream


7002ga at gmail

Mathguy64 said:

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W said:

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and there has to be a plan to replace Walker mid-season

because he's going to hit the wall again and fade in August & September

---

I really think the Walker issue is moot. Next season is his last contractually and with the CBA issues I just don't see anyone playing.

If there is no season, there is nothing to worry about.

If we magically get a half or truncated season, maybe it's short enough to not have him hit his wall.

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I'd be shocked if they don't come to an agreement with enough time left for something they'll call a season so they can retain the playoff monies.

A.I. tells me that's worth just over $2 billion annually across several networks (not including the petty cash from the sold out games).

superaggie73 said:

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Wabs said:

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Odds Wade Jr. is back at 1B tonight?

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None. Espada won't sit Walker again. Instead Wade will play RF over Cam. Espada cares more about feelings than what's best for the team.

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Thats my feeling as well. I said the same thing in a previous post. Joe needs to let go of the "feelings " bs when we only have 9 games left. I personally don't care if CW has his feelings hurt anyway.

I really dislike Espada, but where is this feeling nonsense coming from?

I highly, highly doubt he cares more about CW's feelings than winning. He just thinks differently than literally everyone else about what will equate to winning.

htxag09 said:

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I really dislike Espada, but where is this feeling nonsense coming from?

I highly, highly doubt he cares more about CW's feelings than winning. He just thinks differently than literally everyone else about what will equate to winning.

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Probably true, but we're playing Altuve this season (and the next 3) because we're paying him blockbuster (for us) FA money and because of feelings rather than trying to win.

His defensive replacement NA has been a better bat in his 153 PAs and has a 1.1 bWAR while Altuve has a negative bWAR. If not for the $ and emotional aspect Nick would have been given a chance to play his way out of 2b given their performances this season.

I think Walker's FA contract acts as plot armor too, although it goes away once we get through part of next season.

htxag09 said:

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I really dislike Espada, but where is this feeling nonsense coming from?

I highly, highly doubt he cares more about CW's feelings than winning. He just thinks differently than literally everyone else about what will equate to winning.

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Maybe not feelings, but mlb code. You don't sit your high paid veterans unless they are about to get cut. If they are in the clubhouse they don't sit other than the scheduled rest day or injury.

I think many are underestimating two things...Walker's defense and his role as a veteran clubhouse leader.

The defensive dropoff from Walker to whoever plays 1B is huge. It's an especially big deal since our infield defense isn't that great already. Hell we saw just recently Wade replace him and not make a routine play.

Also I've seen from multiple sources how Walker has become the clubhouse leader and a great voice for the younger guys.

Not saying these sole reasons are enough to not move on from him but that there two reasons that are being taken into account heavily when making decisions regarding Walker.

txags92 said:

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[
On another note, how much is Amazon grounding 21 Air going to cut into our payroll spending in the next year if there is a season by some miracle?

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I don't think much. It seems like Crane has separate LLCs and an investment group I over them, so the shipping division won't meet ROI, the others should be fine.

htxag09 said:

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I really dislike Espada, but where is this feeling nonsense coming from?

I highly, highly doubt he cares more about CW's feelings than winning. He just thinks differently than literally everyone else about what will equate to winning.

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Espada was always considered a "player's manager" and a player's manager makes every attempt to make everyone, especially the starters, happy, or at the very least, not make anyone upset, sad, or angry.

Quote:

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In professional sports, a player's coach is a leader who prioritizes building close personal relationships with their players. They lean on empathy, open dialogue, and collaboration rather than strict, authoritarian discipline.

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Quote:

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Since stepping into leadership roles in Major League Baseballmost notably as the manager of the Houston Astroshe has built a reputation centered on strong communication, transparency, and a supportive clubhouse environment.

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BTKAG97 said:

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htxag09 said:

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I really dislike Espada, but where is this feeling nonsense coming from?

I highly, highly doubt he cares more about CW's feelings than winning. He just thinks differently than literally everyone else about what will equate to winning.

---

Espada was always considered a "player's manager" and a player's manager makes every attempt to make everyone, especially the starters, happy, or at the very least, not make anyone upset, sad, or angry.

Quote:

---

In professional sports, a player's coach is a leader who prioritizes building close personal relationships with their players. They lean on empathy, open dialogue, and collaboration rather than strict, authoritarian discipline.

---

Quote:

---

Since stepping into leadership roles in Major League Baseballmost notably as the manager of the Houston Astroshe has built a reputation centered on strong communication, transparency, and a supportive clubhouse environment.

---

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He lost me over how he handled the Framber beaning Salazar situation. A "players coach" doesn't let an aggressor make the victim take the blame for that situation just because he is the lower level player. Framber was a short timer head case anyway, but he should not have walked away unscathed publicly by his manager there.

BTKAG97 said:

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htxag09 said:

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I really dislike Espada, but where is this feeling nonsense coming from?

I highly, highly doubt he cares more about CW's feelings than winning. He just thinks differently than literally everyone else about what will equate to winning.

---

Espada was always considered a "player's manager" and a player's manager makes every attempt to make everyone, especially the starters, happy, or at the very least, not make anyone upset, sad, or angry.

Quote:

---

In professional sports, a player's coach is a leader who prioritizes building close personal relationships with their players. They lean on empathy, open dialogue, and collaboration rather than strict, authoritarian discipline.

---

Quote:

---

Since stepping into leadership roles in Major League Baseballmost notably as the manager of the Houston Astroshe has built a reputation centered on strong communication, transparency, and a supportive clubhouse environment.

---

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What about making the fans and sponsors happy? MLB is a business and everyone doesn't win a trophy.

Farmer1906 said:

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Put it on Dana or Crane, whoever. The leadership failed. They failed in the offseason by making poor moves, but at least there was a plan, and it didn't work out. They failed at the deadline by sitting on their hands. Now we're stuck at .500 in a year when we could have slepwalked to the division title and potentially earned a bye.

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About a month later, I am still ticked off about this.

I would have sold the farm to land Stowers & Sandy

8/4-today stats

• Stowers - 115 wRC+, 3 HR, 11 R, 13 RBI
• Alcantara - 49.1 IP, 4.38 ERA, 4.34 xERA

But I would have gladly settled for some combination of OF bat and SP

• Nootbaar - 113 wRC+, 4 HR, 9 R, 15 RBI
• Adell - 107 wRC+, 6 HR, 19 R, 30 RBI
• Holmes - 3.46 ERA, 3.97 xERA, 39.0 IP
• Peralta - 3.86 ERA, 3.89 xERA, 44.1 IP
• Soriano - 4.27 ERA, 4.42 xERA, 46.1 IP

Astros OF Production since 8/4

• 72 wRC+
• .189 BA
• .247 OBP
• .381 SLG
• .627 OPS

Astros SP Production since 8/4

• 4.24 ERA
• 4.13 xERA
• IP182.2 (4.2 IP per start)

EastCoastAgNc said:

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At the end of his career, Bagwell got pissed at the Astros for not letting him play and ending his career what he viewed as prematurely. Are we sure his interference isn't just a giant revenge plot for that?

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Scott Hatteburg had a cannon compared to Bagwell at the end of his career.

FrioAg 00 said:

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There are no teams the in AL that look scary (including us). I feel like it's wide open.

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I'm more worried about playing the A's and Mariners to end the season than whomever they would play in the playoffs should they make it in. This team has an uncanny ability to beat good teams and lose to bad teams.

Absolute truth

JYDog90 said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

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At the end of his career, Bagwell got pissed at the Astros for not letting him play and ending his career what he viewed as prematurely. Are we sure his interference isn't just a giant revenge plot for that?

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Scott Hatteburg had a cannon compared to Bagwell at the end of his career.

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I'm convinced that whatever Bagwell was taking during his career was masking that shoulder. Whether it was HGH (which we now know was all over MLB in the early 2000's) or Andro and whatever else he was using, he got off it and as testing was ramping up and the shoulder issue became real and it wasn't an incremental change.

He could have gotten a scope and tried cleaning it. I'll never know why he didn't. He had several more years in the rest of his body.

FrioAg 00 said:

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There are no teams the in AL that look scary (including us). I feel like it's wide open.

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Red Sox SP is pretty damn formidable.

I think the Rays are the most complete team by far.

Yankees without Judge and Stanton look mediocre.

Guards and White Sox don't do anything for me.

Of the playoff teams, the Rays are by far the most dangerous to the Astros.

We have played the Red Sox well, which makes sense since we don't struggle against elite SP the way most do (we only struggle against mediocre and awful SP).

We own the Yankees. Full stop.

I think we are similarly flawed compared to Cleveland and Chicago.

HTownAg98 said:

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FrioAg 00 said:

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There are no teams the in AL that look scary (including us). I feel like it's wide open.

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I'm more worried about playing the A's and Mariners to end the season that whoever they would play in the playoffs should they make it in. This team has an uncanny ability to beat good teams and lose to bad teams.

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This. I won't be at all surprised if the Astros get swept by the A's and miss the playoffs because of that.

07ag said:

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FrioAg 00 said:

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Had a last second cancellation - who wants tickets tonight?

Preference for someone who hasn't been or wants to take kids to see baseball (and unlimited ice cream)

---

haven't been before and am interested! also have a 5 year old that'd love the ice cream


7002ga at gmail

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Hey Frio, just checking in on these,, didn't know if someone sent a pm before my post

Yeah. Sorry, I did get a PM quicker. I need to start specifying the how.

The Astros against Tyler Mahle: Peña 6, Alvarez DH, Paredes 5, Altuve 4, Varsho 8, Walker 3, Trammell 9, Wade 7, Vázquez 2

Lambert RHP

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) September 18, 2026

Riding the hot hand with Wade/Trammell, expecting a Cam PH (maybe for Vazquez) after the starters exit.

linkdude said:

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The Astros against Tyler Mahle: Peña 6, Alvarez DH, Paredes 5, Altuve 4, Varsho 8, Walker 3, Trammell 9, Wade 7, Vázquez 2

Lambert RHP

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) September 18, 2026

Riding the hot hand with Wade/Trammell, expecting a Cam PH (maybe for Vazquez) after the starters exit.

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Betting he tries to PH Cam and we end up with Barbarrosa again instead because Joe is a moron.

Walker is unbenchable

and in the 6-hole no less

maybe his once-a-month 3-run homer is coming tonight

(Bad) money talks

linkdude said:

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(Bad) money talks

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Does it say "Abreuuuuuuu" into Jim's ear while he sleeps?