this seems about right to me, with White being the only guy on the bubble http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/215694464/astros-roster-largely-set-entering-camp/
Color me shocked if Musgrove doesn't begin the season in HOU. Sipp will be an interesting watch this ST. I think we go with: McCann, Gattis Gurriel, GOAT1, GOAT2, Bregman, Marwin Springer, Reddick, Aoki, Marisnick, Beltran -- Kuechel, LMJ, McHugh, Musgrove, Morton Devinski, Feliz, Fiers Sipp, Harris (County), Gregerson, Giles --- 25th spot: blood bath between White, Kemp, Teoscar, Hoyt, and Gustave. Think we go Hoyt unless one of the hitters above go bazurk. Kemp and Teoscar will have an uphill battle. As a side note, I absolutely love the defensive flexibility of this team. Really opens up opportunities for Kemp and White to slide in if they have great springs. Same with Reed, though I expect him to start the season in AAA.
1. McCann 2. Gattis 3. Gurriel 4. Altuve 5. Bregman 6. Correa 7. Reddick 8. Springer 9. Beltran 10. Marwin 11. Aoki 12. Marisnick 1. Keuchel 2. LMJ 3. McHugh 4. Musgrove 5. Morton 6. Giles 7. Gregerson 8. Harris 9. Sipp 10. Fiers 11. Devenski 12. Feliz Think the final spot is between Reed, Teoscar, Hoyt, maybe Martes or Paulino as a dark horse.
This is the real question wrt the 25 man roster. Do the Astros go with 13 pitchers or 13 position players? The Astros rolled most of last two years with 13 pitchers. The 12 above position players make for an opposing lineup. You gotta think that the Astros are set with their 12 position players and will fill the last roster spot with a pitcher. My guess is that Hoyt has the inside track on the last spot in the bullpen. The Astros are also rumored to be looking for a situational lefty, which Sipp has not been. A late waiver wire LHP acquisition would not surprise.
C 2 McCann, Gattis 1B 2 Gurriel Reed 2B 1 Altuve SS 2 Correa Gonzalez 3B 1 Bregman OF 4 Reddick, Springer, Beltran, Marisnick SP 5 Keuchel, McCullers, McHugh, Musgrove, Morton RP 8 Giles, Harris, Feliz, Gregorson, Devenski, Hoyt, Sipp, Gustave Fiers, Aoki traded. Astros are going to try Beltran at LF and I think he'll be fine there most games. If it works, Aoki is gone. I listed Reed, but could be Aoki, Hernandez, White, Fisher, or Moran for last position player. A lot depends on Beltran's ability to demonstrate he can play LF. On pitching, I don't see Fiers making team unless there is an injury. Too many bullpen guys that are better bullpen pitchers and a couple that might be better spot starters.
Of course there will be an injury or two that changes things, but for now this is my prediction for the opening day roster: CF Springer 3B Bregman 2B Altuve SS Correa DH Beltran RF Reddick 1B Gurriel C McCann LF Marisnick Bench: Gattis, Marwin, Aoki, Stassi Rotation: Keuchel, McCullers, McHugh, Morton, Fiers Bullpen: Peacock, Devenski, Chapman, Sipp, Harris, Gregerson, Giles I think all 3 out of options guys (Peacock, Chapman, Stassi) will be lost if exposed to waivers, so Houston will try to give them a chance to start the season. Stassi can be the backup catcher (letting Gattis DH and maybe even play some LF, if nothing else just saving his knees for a month or so). Peacock could work nicely as a long reliever, and Chapman as a 2nd lefty. Musgrove, Hoyt, Feliz, Gustave, White, Reed, Moran, and Kemp all could be in the battle for the 24th and 25th roster spots, and all will likely spend a good portion of the year in the majors this season, but for now I think their remaining options will work against them. The AAA roster is going to be absolutely stacked, and that depth will really come in handy throughout the year: C Heineman 1B Reed* 2B Kemp* SS Brignac 3B Moran* RF Teoscar* CF Fisher LF Tucker* DH Singleton Bench: White*, Kemmer, Centeno, Aplin* Rotation: Musgrove*, Martes, Paulino*, Rodgers*, Feliz* Bullpen: Holmes, West, Tolliver*, Guduan*, Jankowski, Hoyt*, Gustave*
If Houston decides the 3 out of options guys aren't worth the roster spot, then I think White will make it instead of Stassi, Musgrove will make it instead of Peacock (pushing Fiers to the bullpen), and Hoyt instead of Chapman.
There are a couple of spots on the pitching staff up for grabs this spring. Not so much with the position guys.
If they are going with 12 pitchers to start the season then Reed, White, Kemp, Tucker, Hernandez are fighting for one spot. Should be fun. Fresno lineup is going to be stacked.
24 of the 25 roster spots seem pretty set in stone. The real question is do they carry an extra position prospect, or extra pitching prospect. The only caveat is that maybe we want to give Musgrove a later start to the season instead of trying to conserve innings mid season, so maybe he's not on the roster the first few times through the rotation. Otherwise I would be shocked if he isn't there opening day.
The OF is interesting. Just wanted to point some facts out in 1 post that you've probably already thought through. Looking at OPS for a quick glance--which I realize isn't everything: -Reddick is really bad against LHP (.650ish 2015, .366 2016). With the options we have, there's no reason he should ever start against a lefty. -Aoki has split roughly the same (.745ish) both ways over his career, but varied in both directions in diff seasons -Marisnick is awful vs RHP (.520 2016). Not great vs. LHP (.700) and still worse than LH Aoki on that side. Should be on the bench always and ideally only start vs. lefties. -Springer last yr crushed LHP (.945) and was worse than I realized vs RHP (.769) -Beltran last yr crushed LHP (.970) and was worse vs. RHP (.800)--still better than everyone on the list Fielding -Springer/Marisnick are your only CFs. So regardless of the above, wouldn't be prudent to leave Marisnick off the team -Beltran can't play in the OF all the time to prevent injury -Aoki had a bad rep even in LF last year in SEA Based on available ABs, I find it hard to leave Aoki or Marisnick off the team. But I could see Teoscar beating out either one if the team is open to that (though Teoscar needs defensive improvement if he's going to be the 2nd CF on this team).
From that it looks like Houston's best lineup config is such: CF Springer 3B Bregman 2B Altuve LF Beltran SS Correa DH/C Gattis C/DH McCann 1B Gurriel RF Reddick/Marisnick platoon Bench: Aoki (playing LF when Beltran or Springer need a break; when subbing for Springer Marisnick will shift to CF. If Marisnick doesn't hit lefties well to start the season then Aoki can platoon with Reddick and Marisnick shifts to be the bench OF. When Gattis or McCann need a real day off Aoki can play LF and Beltran DH.) Marwin (giving each infielder a break as needed)
From Hinch's quotes this offseason it sounds like he wants a LHH at 2 and Aoki in the lineup against RHP. Gattis will sit against a good amount of RHPs which is good because 1. he is not good against RHP and 2. there won't be the 'backup C at DH' problem. Reddick mashes RHPs so I would expect him to start the season hitting 2nd against them. RHP Springer Reddick Altuve Correa Beltran (DH) Bregman McCann Gurriel Aoki LHP Springer Bregman Altuve Correa Beltran (DH/LF) Gattis Reddick Gurriel Gonzalez (could also be White/Hernandez/Marisnick, if the former two are even on the 25) Pretty damn good.
People are sleeping on Reed. I think the Astros would love to have a left handed hitting first baseman. He could win the job in spring training and if he can't keep it up the early part of the year they will send him back down. Lots of guys fail their first time up.
I don't think anyone is sleeping on him. Houston has stated clearly that Gurriel is going to be the everyday 1B to start the year. So that means (outside of Gurriel getting hurt) the only way Reed makes the roster is as a platoon 1B; and since he has zero defensive versatility (and Beltran is LH), that's the only value he brings which makes it really difficult to justify him on the roster. All that combined with the memories of Wallace, Singleton, and White all busting and it's easy to see why no one expects a ton from Reed this season. I have not given up on him by far, but at this point his most likely path to success is to go down to AAA and mash and wait for an everyday opportunity, whether it's someone in Houston getting hurt or getting traded to another team.