***** Official Houston Astros 2026-27 Off Season Thread *****

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jkag89
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11:35a
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Wabs
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11:38a
AG
Why am I getting a sinking feeling that Crane is waiting for the Yankees season to end so he can talk to Ausmus?
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Marvin
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In reply to Wabs • 11:50a
AG
Wabs said:
Why am I getting a sinking feeling that Crane is waiting for the Yankees season to end so he can talk to Ausmus?


Because that would be so on brand for this brain trust to do. It's all about the feels these days, not ball bearings.
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KTAG05
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11:51a
AG
Honest question...what would the general fan bases reaction be to Ausmus? I assume it would be positive to start with?
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superaggie73
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In reply to JBAB • 11:52a
AG
JBAB said:
Farmer1906 said:
Dubon was a league-average hitter this year. He was a mildly below-average hitter for most of his career. Let's not romanticize his production. In a smaller role, Allen was about the same, slightly above Dubon in wRC+.

This. The failure was not in trading Dubon in a clear salary dump. The failure was the inability to use the room created to sign an actual major league capable OF to help the roster. Good plan, poor execution.


While I agree, how was there not an immediate corresponding move along with the Dubon trade? Or was the plan to trade Dubon and just hope that someone is willing to sign with that money afterwards? If so, hope should never be a plan. You don't trade Dubon for hope, you trade him when the next move is already in the bag to be made. That's what real teams do.
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txags92
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In reply to KTAG05 • 11:54a
AG
KTAG05 said:
Honest question...what would the general fan bases reaction be to Ausmus? I assume it would be positive to start with?

I thought he was a reasonably smart catcher, but I have not been impressed with his efforts at previous managerial stops. If we are going to grab a former Astro catcher, I would rather have Maldy or Ashby ahead of Ausmus.
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CFTXAG10
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In reply to KTAG05 • 11:55a
AG
KTAG05 said:
Honest question...what would the general fan bases reaction be to Ausmus? I assume it would be positive to start with?

The true homers and casuals will like it or be indifferent. I think the rest will hate it.
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RED AG 98
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In reply to redline248 • 11:55a
AG
redline248 said:
tjack16 said:
RED AG 98 said:
They are essentially identical except Dubon was a full time player with over 4x the ABs. And a significantly better fielder.


Allen ended up having decent numbers but going into August he was OPS of .591

1 and a 1/2 decent months does not erase three months of horrendous

What I don't understand is why not have both? We clearly had depth issues in the outfield. And they both combined to make $8 million

Neither does a career season, that no one predicted, erase 4 prior below average ones


2019 (SF) .312 / .757
2020 (SF) .337 / .739
2021(SF) .278 / .727
2022 (SF) .245 / .615
2022 (HOU) .254 / .551
2023 (HOU) .309 / .720
2024 (HOU .296 / .664
2025 (HOU) .289 / .644
2026 (ATL) .307 / .709

Was it really though?

No, he's not a world-beater. But he's a better all-around ball player than any of our other AAA / AAAA options. At least as good at the plate and significantly more versatile, and still really cheap.
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txags92
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In reply to superaggie73 • 11:57a
AG
superaggie73 said:
JBAB said:
Farmer1906 said:
Dubon was a league-average hitter this year. He was a mildly below-average hitter for most of his career. Let's not romanticize his production. In a smaller role, Allen was about the same, slightly above Dubon in wRC+.

This. The failure was not in trading Dubon in a clear salary dump. The failure was the inability to use the room created to sign an actual major league capable OF to help the roster. Good plan, poor execution.


While I agree, how was there not an immediate corresponding move along with the Dubon trade? Or was the plan to trade Dubon and just hope that someone is willing to sign with that money afterwards? If so, hope should never be a plan. You don't trade Dubon for hope, you trade him when the next move is already in the bag to be made. That's what real teams do.

If the goal was to make the team better, while staying below the salary cap, then you are right that there was a corresponding move missing. But if the goal was simply to make payroll lower than the salary cap, then the Dubon-Allen trade was the move. Was it business or baseball? Baseball would assume that the goal is always to make the team better as part of any move. Business is sometimes just about making the numbers look better.
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CharleyKerfeld
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In reply to jkag89 • 12:03p
jkag89 said:

It's eerie how much Game 7 of the 2017 World Series emulated the 1980 division playoff.

Both were a one-game winner take all at Dodger Stadium.

The Astros were on the precipice of achieving something never done before in franchise history.
1980: Make the playoffs for the first time
2017: Win the World Series for the first time

Both Astro teams got off to a huge start early in the game
1980 Astros jumped on the Dodgers for 2 in the first and led 7-0 after 3-1/2
2017 Astros jumped on the Dodgers for 2 in the first and led 5-0 after 2-1/2

The Astros pitching lines for the game were almost identical.
Niekro pitched the whole game, allowed 6 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 6 Ks
LMC, Peacock, Liriano, Devenski, and Uncle Charlie combined for 6 hits 1 run, 2 walks, and 9 Ks

Both got huge performances from a batter going thermonuclear at just the right time
Art Howe was 3 for 5 with 4 RBI in the 1980 game. Howe hit .382 with a 1.046 OPS in his last 25 games that year.
George Springer went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored, a double, and a bomb. He had gone 3 for 26 (.115) in the ALCS vs. the Yankees. In the World Series, he hit 379 with an OPS of 1.471.

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WES2006AG
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In reply to KTAG05 • 12:08p
AG
KTAG05 said:
Honest question...what would the general fan bases reaction be to Ausmus? I assume it would be positive to start with?

Is he an analytics guy? Feels like he is not and we should go find a nerd.
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superaggie73
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In reply to WES2006AG • 12:15p
AG
WES2006AG said:
KTAG05 said:
Honest question...what would the general fan bases reaction be to Ausmus? I assume it would be positive to start with?

Is he an analytics guy? Feels like he is not and we should go find a nerd.


He's is not, but Crane probably thinks he's like the analytics nerds because he's an Ivy League guy. I can see Crane thinking he's getting the best of both worlds. An Ivy League guy who is also more of an old school back of the baseball card guy. It's a dangerous thought. It's gonna set this organization back a while.
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Farmer1906
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12:23p
AG
Ausmus would be one of the worst names I could think of for the GM or Manager position.
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Johnsy3
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In reply to Farmer1906 • 12:23p
AG
Farmer1906 said:
This is cool

Came here to post this. Fascinating
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Ag_07
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12:26p
AG
Ausmus would be what I would consider a disaster of a hire.
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txags92
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In reply to Ag_07 • 12:35p
AG
Ag_07 said:
Ausmus would be what I would consider a disaster of a hire.

Which is why that is who Bagwell will be pushing.
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CharleyKerfeld
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In reply to Marvin • 12:38p
Marvin said:

I'd be interested, but only if you've untwisted your Star Wars panties over my FULLY DISCLOSED use of Claude for the playoff Bingo. And by the way, the 50/50 venture is looking pretty competitive so far (lol).

The problem is I don't know if Marvin or Claude posted this. What if Iraq2xVeteran has infiltrated your account?
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Hornbeck
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12:59p
AG
I'm just lost as to why we're chasing Ausmus when there's a ML ready manager already sitting on our bench.
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Ag_07
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In reply to Hornbeck • 1:03p
AG
I don't think they're chasing Ausmus. No real info suggesting that's the case. That's just what we are all afraid of.

And I'm not sold on Lopez. Something about going in house again scares me since I thought the same of Espada.
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iamtheglove
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1:20p
To me the GM hire is the key, and whether that GM has the authority to shape the roster or whether the shadow GM (crane) continues to be the daily decision maker on drafts and player movement. All else is window dressing.
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tjack16
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In reply to Hornbeck • 1:20p
AG
Hornbeck said:
I'm just lost as to why we're chasing Ausmus when there's a ML ready manager already sitting on our bench.


I'm guessing because we just did that move a few years ago (promoting Espada) and it did not work out
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07ag
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In reply to Marvin • 1:23p
AG
Marvin said:
CharleyKerfeld said:
ASTROS ALL-TIME TEAM DRAFT (coming soon)

Once the World Series ends, I want to try the 8 to 12 poster all-time Astros draft which has its own website and a colossal database of everybody who has ever played for the team.

So I need 7 to 11 people who want to try their hand at picking the best possible Astro team possible. It's totally free, and you'll send me an email address - more on that later - so you can register for the site. You can choose to be texted or emailed each time it's your turn to pick.
There are no time limits for each pick, but obviously I need people who are actually going to commit to it and not leave the rest of us in limbo while you forget all about it. My idea is to post the picks here as they happen and then let the rabble rousers vote on who had the best team and maybe dial Julia Morales on Cameo up for the winner.

I'm open to what the rosters look like - surely not a 25-man roster, but probably something like each position player (including a DH, who can be any hitter) - 2-3 starters and 2-3 relievers. Myself and 4 friends did an 8-round 1980s movie draft last spring and we had a blast, and mostly lamented that we should have made it a lot more round.

So just keep it in mind if you're interested. Feel free to send me a DM if you know you're in or if you don't have stars you can email me at charleykerfeld @ proton.me and check in.


I'd be interested, but only if you've untwisted your Star Wars panties over my FULLY DISCLOSED use of Claude for the playoff Bingo. And by the way, the 50/50 venture is looking pretty competitive so far (lol).

I'm interested in the draft,, but i'm also more interested in learning about whatever drama this is that i missed
https://ts.la/eric59704
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JYDog90
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In reply to Farmer1906 • 1:25p
AG
Farmer1906 said:
Ausmus would be one of the worst names I could think of for the GM or Manager position.

would you rather have him as a GM?
Formerly Willy Wonka
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Farmer1906
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In reply to JYDog90 • 1:26p
AG
JYDog90 said:
Farmer1906 said:
Ausmus would be one of the worst names I could think of for the GM or Manager position.

would you rather have him as a GM?

No. GM is more impactful than a manager.
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JYDog90
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In reply to Farmer1906 • 1:36p
AG
Farmer1906 said:
JYDog90 said:
Farmer1906 said:
Ausmus would be one of the worst names I could think of for the GM or Manager position.

would you rather have him as a GM?

No. GM is more impactful than a manager.


Well we know he can screw up a team thru the managerial job, should we give him a chance to prove that he won't screw up a team thru the GM job? I'm just kidding.
Formerly Willy Wonka
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Ag_07
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1:40p
AG
Pick one...

Bagwell as GM with Ausmus managing
Ausmus as GM with Bagwell managing
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Farmer1906
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In reply to Ag_07 • 1:42p
AG
Ag_07 said:
Pick one...

Bagwell as GM with Ausmus managing
Ausmus as GM with Bagwell managing

No
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CFTXAG10
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In reply to Ag_07 • 1:43p
AG
Ag_07 said:
Pick one...

Bagwell as GM with Ausmus managing
Ausmus as GM with Bagwell managing

Russian Pneumonia Plague
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Hornbeck
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In reply to Ag_07 • 1:43p
AG
Ag_07 said:
Pick one...

Bagwell as GM with Ausmus managing
Ausmus as GM with Bagwell managing

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txags92
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In reply to Ag_07 • 1:44p
AG
Ag_07 said:
Pick one...

Bagwell as GM with Ausmus managing
Ausmus as GM with Bagwell managing

Soccer
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SpaceCityAg05
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1:47p
AG
Either one could at least finally get them both fired and out of the way of influencing our future.
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superaggie73
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1:58p
AG
Ideally we get a GM from the Tampa front office and hire Rodney Linares as manager. But Crane will never do that because Tampa doesn't believe in the back of the baseball cardโ€ฆ.they just win at a high level with minimum payroll.
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Wabs
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In reply to Ag_07 • 1:58p
AG
Ag_07 said:
Pick one...

Bagwell as GM with Ausmus managing
Ausmus as GM with Bagwell managing

Sledgehammer to the balls
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Mathguy64
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In reply to Farmer1906 • 1:59p
AG
Farmer1906 said:
Ausmus would be one of the worst names I could think of for the GM or Manager position.


Ausmus paired with Bagwell would be worse.
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txags92
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In reply to Wabs • 2:06p
AG
Wabs said:
Ag_07 said:
Pick one...

Bagwell as GM with Ausmus managing
Ausmus as GM with Bagwell managing

Sledgehammer to the balls

I already said that...
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