Great news.

Who might take Bagwell?

W said:

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AggiEE said:

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RED AG 98 said:

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EastCoastAgNc said:

---

I absolutely hate this idea... Rob is ruining baseball

---

I absolutely hate this idea
I absolutely hate this commissioner

---

I don't hate it

Modern day baseball is boring with the game being so strikeout and home run dominant.

time to bring back the extra base hits

---

you know...I don't hate it either

if infielders can be told where to line up...

40-point drop in BABIP on air balls is not to be taken lightly

---

They already have heavily nerfed it with infielders having to be on the dirt and unable to cross over 2nd base.

Marvin said:

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Great news.

Who might take Bagwell?

---

Anyone can take him for a bag of chalk.

HTownAg98 said:

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Marvin said:

---

Great news.

Who might take Bagwell?

---

Anyone can take him for a bag of chalk.

---

How many bags of chalk will we have to pay them to take him? Whatever it is will be worth it.

Marvin said:

---

Great news.

Who might take Bagwell?

---

Can we find some obscure reason to invalidate the trade and send him back to Boston?

https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-top-prospects-who-are-getting-closer-to-majors?partnerID=web_article-share

Hadn't heard of a couple of these guys before. Fermin sounds intriguing

Fermin is exciting, but super-duper young, still 17 so projecting 3-4 years from now is difficult, but he has a lot of tools that you want to see. Should easily be top 100 if he can bring his production stateside.

Schiavone is the most likely to contribute soon on the position player side now that he's in AAA. The rest of the top ten is still mostly in the A/AA range for the next year.

Still, by 2028 there will be more interesting rosters to follow in the minors.

Yeah it doesn't sound like anyone's close besides maybe Schiavone. Also the only outfielder sounds like he's not a very good outfielder

W said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

RED AG 98 said:

---

EastCoastAgNc said:

---

I absolutely hate this idea... Rob is ruining baseball

---

I absolutely hate this idea
I absolutely hate this commissioner

---

I don't hate it

Modern day baseball is boring with the game being so strikeout and home run dominant.

time to bring back the extra base hits

---

you know...I don't hate it either

if infielders can be told where to line up...

40-point drop in BABIP on air balls is not to be taken lightly

---

Yeah, why would we want anyone pursuing excellence?

Guess the next thing is pitchers can only throw 100mph+ 7 times a game and any time over that is an automatic ball. After 7, anything hit resulting in an out is a single or XBH determined by batted ball metrics.

Beat40 said:

---

W said:

---

AggiEE said:

---

RED AG 98 said:

---

EastCoastAgNc said:

---

I absolutely hate this idea... Rob is ruining baseball

---

I absolutely hate this idea
I absolutely hate this commissioner

---

I don't hate it

Modern day baseball is boring with the game being so strikeout and home run dominant.

time to bring back the extra base hits

---

you know...I don't hate it either

if infielders can be told where to line up...

40-point drop in BABIP on air balls is not to be taken lightly

---

Yeah, why would we want anyone pursuing excellence?

Guess the next thing is pitchers can only throw 100mph+ 7 times a game and any time over that is an automatic ball. After 7, anything hit resulting in an out is a single or XBH determined by batted ball metrics.

---

Another terrible idea in baseball...Any outfielder who makes a four star catch or better according to statcast must leave the field for the remainder of the inning to give the offense a better chance to score.

I'll just drop this here….

linkdude said:

---

The more I hear about the situation behind the scenes with the Astros, the more baffled I get.

I cannot and will not expand details of what I’m hearing.

But, two VERY real possibilities are in play.

1. The best thing ever.

2. Organizational suicide.

Take it FWIW to you.

— Bonda (@BenOndaTop) October 13, 2026

The vaguepost king returns! The possibilities are endless

---

Suicide option: Crane appoints himself the first MLB Owner, GM and on field manager.

"Hey MLB, hitters sucked this year"

MLB: "Why"

"It looks like they've spent their entire life trying to swing harder and uppercut the ball to create the best combo of loft and exit velo. So they whiff more and make weaker contact when they don't connect perfectly"

MLB: "Lets try limiting where outfielders can stand"

"Genuis!"

MLB: "I know"

"When that doesn't work next year, can we try removing an infielder? It's not fair that there's 4 of them and only 3 outfielders"

MLB: "Great idea. But I was thinking more of moving all of the fences up 30 feet"

"Yessssss"

Heineken-Ashi said:

---

"Hey MLB, hitters sucked this year"

MLB: "Why"

"It looks like they've spent their entire life trying to swing harder and uppercut the ball to create the best combo of loft and exit velo. So they whiff more and make weaker contact when they don't connect perfectly"

MLB: "Lets try limiting where outfielders can stand"

"Genuis!"

MLB: "I know"

"When that doesn't work next year, can we try removing an infielder? It's not fair that there's 4 of them and only 3 outfielders"

MLB: "Great idea. But I was thinking more of moving all of the fences up 30 feet"

"Yessssss"

---

As HRs rise and SBs plummet, I'd love for some franchise to go full tilt on becoming a constant running team; like a college football offense that only runs the option these days. With weak-arm catchers all over the league, I'd love there to be some anomaly team bunting for singles and stealing 5 bases a game.

Heineken-Ashi said:

---

"Hey MLB, hitters sucked this year"

MLB: "Why"

"It looks like they've spent their entire life trying to swing harder and uppercut the ball to create the best combo of loft and exit velo. So they whiff more and make weaker contact when they don't connect perfectly"

MLB: "Lets try limiting where outfielders can stand"

"Genuis!"

MLB: "I know"

"When that doesn't work next year, can we try removing an infielder? It's not fair that there's 4 of them and only 3 outfielders"

MLB: "Great idea. But I was thinking more of moving all of the fences up 30 feet"

"Yessssss"

---

Nice fanfic but that isn't what is happening.

CharleyKerfeld said:

---

Heineken-Ashi said:

---

"Hey MLB, hitters sucked this year"

MLB: "Why"

"It looks like they've spent their entire life trying to swing harder and uppercut the ball to create the best combo of loft and exit velo. So they whiff more and make weaker contact when they don't connect perfectly"

MLB: "Lets try limiting where outfielders can stand"

"Genuis!"

MLB: "I know"

"When that doesn't work next year, can we try removing an infielder? It's not fair that there's 4 of them and only 3 outfielders"

MLB: "Great idea. But I was thinking more of moving all of the fences up 30 feet"

"Yessssss"

---

As HRs rise and SBs plummet, I'd love for some franchise to go full tilt on becoming a constant running team; like a college football offense that only runs the option these days. With weak-arm catchers all over the league, I'd love there to be some anomaly team bunting for singles and stealing 5 bases a game.

---

This. We watched the Phillies do it to us towards the end of the season. They put on an absolute clinic in small ball with moving runners, hitting behind them, and generally exposing the limited range of Altuve at 2B. They took what our pitchers gave them and drove it oppo to RF with the runners in motion. Our team is still 100% stuck on trying to pull everything to LF for a home run, no matter where they pitch us.

CharleyKerfeld said:

---

Heineken-Ashi said:

---

"Hey MLB, hitters sucked this year"

MLB: "Why"

"It looks like they've spent their entire life trying to swing harder and uppercut the ball to create the best combo of loft and exit velo. So they whiff more and make weaker contact when they don't connect perfectly"

MLB: "Lets try limiting where outfielders can stand"

"Genuis!"

MLB: "I know"

"When that doesn't work next year, can we try removing an infielder? It's not fair that there's 4 of them and only 3 outfielders"

MLB: "Great idea. But I was thinking more of moving all of the fences up 30 feet"

"Yessssss"

---

As HRs rise and SBs plummet, I'd love for some franchise to go full tilt on becoming a constant running team; like a college football offense that only runs the option these days. With weak-arm catchers all over the league, I'd love there to be some anomaly team bunting for singles and stealing 5 bases a game.

---

This is a tangent, but I think that catcher would be the only position on the field that I couldn't hide for a game. I would definitely not catch some strike 3s and couldn't stop anyone from running at any time. That would be a nightmare.

JYDog90 said:

---

This is a tangent, but I think that catcher would be the only position on the field that I couldn't hide for a game. I would definitely not catch some strike 3s and couldn't stop anyone from running at any time. That would be a nightmare.

---

My brother and I used to play the game of "which of these do you think you could do" in a pro sports game.

1) Make contact on a pitch from an average MLB pitcher
2) Run a 5-yard curl route and catch a pass as a NFL WR
3) Hit a 15-foot jump shot in an NBA game.

CharleyKerfeld said:

---

Heineken-Ashi said:

---

"Hey MLB, hitters sucked this year"

MLB: "Why"

"It looks like they've spent their entire life trying to swing harder and uppercut the ball to create the best combo of loft and exit velo. So they whiff more and make weaker contact when they don't connect perfectly"

MLB: "Lets try limiting where outfielders can stand"

"Genuis!"

MLB: "I know"

"When that doesn't work next year, can we try removing an infielder? It's not fair that there's 4 of them and only 3 outfielders"

MLB: "Great idea. But I was thinking more of moving all of the fences up 30 feet"

"Yessssss"

---

As HRs rise and SBs plummet, I'd love for some franchise to go full tilt on becoming a constant running team; like a college football offense that only runs the option these days. With weak-arm catchers all over the league, I'd love there to be some anomaly team bunting for singles and stealing 5 bases a game.

---

I would love this. Not only would it work, it would be exciting to watch.

My high school team broke a couple of state steals records in about a 3-year span. I remember going to one game when two different players got on first and stole second, third, and home. We were going bonkers in the stands.

Let's add some facts to the thread.

MLB fixed the stolen-base issue by changing the rules.

2000-2022 (excluding 2020): 2214 min, 3279 max, 2723 avg
2023-2026: 3289 min, 3617 max, 3462 avg.

Did MLB hitters suck this year? Runs were up from '25. And in '25, runs were up from '24. Now we haven't matched '17 or '19 levels of offense because those were the super balls.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6673462/2026/10/14/astros-fire-manager-joe-espada/

It is done.

CharleyKerfeld said:

---

JYDog90 said:

---

This is a tangent, but I think that catcher would be the only position on the field that I couldn't hide for a game. I would definitely not catch some strike 3s and couldn't stop anyone from running at any time. That would be a nightmare.

---

My brother and I used to play the game of "which of these do you think you could do" in a pro sports game.

1) Make contact on a pitch from an average MLB pitcher
2) Run a 5-yard curl route and catch a pass as a NFL WR
3) Hit a 15-foot jump shot in an NBA game.

---

The 15-foot jump shot would be the easiest to accomplish because you'd be given a ton of open opportunities because absolutely no one is going to spend the energy to play tight defense.

wehnerhigh20 said:

---

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6673462/2026/10/14/astros-fire-manager-joe-espada/

It is done.

---

Hooray! (Even though it cost me a bingo square).

The Astros have finished their housecleaning and parted ways with manager Joe Espada - https://t.co/WxoIt797Yw

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 14, 2026

I hope we haven't "finished our housecleaning".......

JYDog90 said:

---

CharleyKerfeld said:

---

Heineken-Ashi said:

---

"Hey MLB, hitters sucked this year"

MLB: "Why"

"It looks like they've spent their entire life trying to swing harder and uppercut the ball to create the best combo of loft and exit velo. So they whiff more and make weaker contact when they don't connect perfectly"

MLB: "Lets try limiting where outfielders can stand"

"Genuis!"

MLB: "I know"

"When that doesn't work next year, can we try removing an infielder? It's not fair that there's 4 of them and only 3 outfielders"

MLB: "Great idea. But I was thinking more of moving all of the fences up 30 feet"

"Yessssss"

---

As HRs rise and SBs plummet, I'd love for some franchise to go full tilt on becoming a constant running team; like a college football offense that only runs the option these days. With weak-arm catchers all over the league, I'd love there to be some anomaly team bunting for singles and stealing 5 bases a game.

---

This is a tangent, but I think that catcher would be the only position on the field that I couldn't hide for a game. I would definitely not catch some strike 3s and couldn't stop anyone from running at any time. That would be a nightmare.

---

I obviously don't know you personally, but I doubt you could hide anywhere else on the field either. Ground balls at the MLB level regularly have exit velos above 100 mph and as easy as an outfielder makes it look, catching a MLB flyball is not as easy as it looks.

I still play baseball regularly in a men's wood bat league (I'm 42 now) and you'd be surprised how many fly balls drop because of how difficult it is to read a ball off the bat, and then sprint 50 feet to the exact place the ball is going to land.

Baseball is the ultimate game of "it looks easy on TV" but that's because the skill level is so high for all of these guys. Unless you are constantly repping some of these skills you'd look like a fool at any position. That's not to mention that on any ball in play your team needs you to quickly get in position to back up another base, be a cut off man, or otherwise direct traffic. Lots of motion on each play that just sort of gets lost in the background until someone makes a mistake and isn't where they are supposed to be.

Coaches not returning next year: Catching Instructor Tim Cossins, Game Planning Coach Tommy Kawamura, Third Base Coach Tony Perezchica, Assistant Hitting Coach Anthony Iapoce and Assistant Pitching Coach Ethan Katz.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) October 14, 2026

Perezchica is going to put up a stop sign for them as they exit the building and they will have to run through the sign.

Omar Lopez conspicuously absent from that list, hmm.

Here is the list of returning coaches (currently), thank goodness we kept Bracamonte:

Coaching staff moves from the Astros: pic.twitter.com/0X5u7mB0Wv

— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) October 14, 2026

Curious which league you play in. I played here in Houston up until last year. Agree with everything you said.

Espada peaked during 2023 ALCS Game 5 and never could recapture that magic

Tough to convince ownership we were heading in the right direction when it's been technically downhill ever since

BTKAG97 said:

---

CharleyKerfeld said:

---

JYDog90 said:

---

This is a tangent, but I think that catcher would be the only position on the field that I couldn't hide for a game. I would definitely not catch some strike 3s and couldn't stop anyone from running at any time. That would be a nightmare.

---

My brother and I used to play the game of "which of these do you think you could do" in a pro sports game.

1) Make contact on a pitch from an average MLB pitcher
2) Run a 5-yard curl route and catch a pass as a NFL WR
3) Hit a 15-foot jump shot in an NBA game.

---

The 15-foot jump shot would be the easiest to accomplish because you'd be given a ton of open opportunities because absolutely no one is going to spend the energy to play tight defense.

---

That was always my choice. The other 2 seem to have a high possibility of me getting physically destroyed.

Omar Lopez offered a 'new role'

AggieEP said:

---

JYDog90 said:

---

CharleyKerfeld said:

---

Heineken-Ashi said:

---

"Hey MLB, hitters sucked this year"

MLB: "Why"

"It looks like they've spent their entire life trying to swing harder and uppercut the ball to create the best combo of loft and exit velo. So they whiff more and make weaker contact when they don't connect perfectly"

MLB: "Lets try limiting where outfielders can stand"

"Genuis!"

MLB: "I know"

"When that doesn't work next year, can we try removing an infielder? It's not fair that there's 4 of them and only 3 outfielders"

MLB: "Great idea. But I was thinking more of moving all of the fences up 30 feet"

"Yessssss"

---

As HRs rise and SBs plummet, I'd love for some franchise to go full tilt on becoming a constant running team; like a college football offense that only runs the option these days. With weak-arm catchers all over the league, I'd love there to be some anomaly team bunting for singles and stealing 5 bases a game.

---

This is a tangent, but I think that catcher would be the only position on the field that I couldn't hide for a game. I would definitely not catch some strike 3s and couldn't stop anyone from running at any time. That would be a nightmare.

---

I obviously don't know you personally, but I doubt you could hide anywhere else on the field either. Ground balls at the MLB level regularly have exit velos above 100 mph and as easy as an outfielder makes it look, catching a MLB flyball is not as easy as it looks.

I still play baseball regularly in a men's wood bat league (I'm 42 now) and you'd be surprised how many fly balls drop because of how difficult it is to read a ball off the bat, and then sprint 50 feet to the exact place the ball is going to land.

Baseball is the ultimate game of "it looks easy on TV" but that's because the skill level is so high for all of these guys. Unless you are constantly repping some of these skills you'd look like a fool at any position. That's not to mention that on any ball in play your team needs you to quickly get in position to back up another base, be a cut off man, or otherwise direct traffic. Lots of motion on each play that just sort of gets lost in the background until someone makes a mistake and isn't where they are supposed to be.

---

The point is, if I'm in RF, I can hide because not everyone is going to hit it to RF. I don't think we would ever get to the end of a game if I was playing catcher.

RAUSR is our only user to get the square on Espada 8-14.

We're down to just 2 options left for the winner.

Brewers beat the Dodgers, ED-209 ties Teddy Perkins at 8 and wins on the tie-breaker
Dodgers beat the Brewers, wessimo ties Teddy Perkins at 8 and TP wins on the tie-breaker, making him the second member of the TexAgs Astros Bingo Hall of Fame.


Other squares still open

Brewers win NLCS - RO519

Dodgers win NLCS - Charley Kerfeld, n_touch,

Rays win the ALCS - CFTXAG10, dixiechkn

Once we have a winner, I'll start sorting out the all-time Astro draft. Have 3 people (plus me) interested, would love to get to 8, 10, or 12.