Yulieski Gurriel agrees to 5/$47M deal with the Astros

He seems to make a lot of errors.

 

Agreed, but these are the sorts of risks that if they pay off can make us a WS champ. This move gives us more ability to maneuver and allows us to sell high on a guy like Val.

 

If Gurriel and Bregman hit well, league adjusted stats would make it close for those years. If Correa starts pulling his fly balls that are going to CF to RF, I'd favor the lineup proposed. A lot of if's. I don't expect all to hit, but enough to make the Astros lineup likely very scary once Bregman and Gurriel are up.

 

Wonder if the thinking for this season is primarily an upgrade for the DH spot. Gattis is fine as a C but from what I can tell, Gurriel has him beat as an overall hitter.

I think Reed gets the rest of July and maybe the first week or two of August to get adjusted. If they determine he still needs time in AAA, he goes back with a great idea of what he needs to improve on. Bring up Bregs at that time and do the whole V to first, Bregs to 3rd idea.

Still a bevy of options for the lineup from game to game. Bregman to LF here and there, Gurriel to 3rd here and there, Gattis to DH here and there, let Altuve or Correa DH and play Marwin/Bregman/Gurriel play their spots...the possibilities are endless.

Great stuff.

 

this is what Houstons position player roster now features:
3 bonafide young stars: Altuve, Correa, Springer
3 former all-stars who are still in their prime: Gomez, Rasmus, Castro
3 versatile role players who would be everyday players for most teams: Gattis, Marwin, Valbuena
3 unproven players with superstar potential: Bregman, Gurriel, Reed

That's how you construct a championship roster.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> set to roll out $47.5 million-man Yulieski Gurriel noon at MMP. I'll be there with <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronColeman">@ChronColeman</a> for live coverage. <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonChron">@HoustonChron</a></p>&mdash; Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronBrianSmith/status/754322995389214720">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Press conference will be streamed on the Astros website.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> will hold a press conference at noon. You can tune in here: <a href="https://t.co/hKYBPpfnTg">https://t.co/hKYBPpfnTg</a></p>&mdash; Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/754352462186766336">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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If he's "Wade Boggs" then wouldn't that make him leadoff hitter in the line up as opposed to 5th. Or maybe 2nd. But certainly not 5th.

 

And if he is Wade Boggs, that does still leave us missing a true 5th hitter. It may not matter since we still have power in the form of Valbuena and Gattis, but doesn't solve the problem of someone who can just drive in runs.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#Astros">#Astros</a> announce signing of Yulieski Gurriel. Jeff Luhnow: "This is a big day." <a href="https://t.co/6hsKOpgnP0" title="http://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/754360934974447617/photo/1">pic.twitter.com/6hsKOpgnP0</a></p>&mdash; Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/754360934974447617" data-datetime="2016-07-16T17:03:56+00:00">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Luhnow: This is a big day for the Houston Astros. This has been quite an intense process. Delighted to be adding talent of this caliber. Incredible history of success.

He compliments our young team. Can play multiple positions. As soon as we secure him a working visa & some at-bats, short version of spring training, we'll see him here in Houston.

•Y: Give thanks to God, my family & Jeff. He's content. Waited a long time for this day. He's happy to be here, happy it's Houston.

•(How many at-bats?) I don't know the answer. He's maintained himself & is in great [baseball] shape. We'll figure out how to accelerate the process. We want him at MMP as soon as possible.

•(This year?) Absolutely. He wants to be part of a playoff run.

•(Where does he fit?) We got some extraordinary athletes. A surplus of LF or 1B or DH, it's a problem but when we watched him work out, he's good at all positions in the IF and can play the OF. This year, we'll make it work. Next year, we have free agents & don't know who will be back. Teams don't struggle because they have too many good players.

•I saw him at a tournament in Amsterdam 10 years ago & he was the best player on the field. He was the Cuban star. Has power, speed, average, ability to take walks & avoid strikeouts. He's done that for 15 years. Athleticism, plus arm, can run, & good actions, good hands, good feet. 5-tool player with 15 years success on the international stage.

•It's big because we're back in the playoff hunt & playing well. In July, you look for ways to improve your team.

•(Working visa?) Should be straight forward. Not anticipating any bumps.

•(Working with Crane & building this payroll up?) Jim has been supportive. We do have an understanding of where we are as an organization. We want to plan for immediate success but also sustained success. Community is supporting us.

•(Was there a time you think you wouldn't play in the U.S./MLB?) Always had the hope to play in the U.S.; it always seemed like something far away. Thanks to these new relations with Cuba & the U.S., it never felt closer to being able to play here. ... It's been his dream his whole life to play next to big league players.

•He's played against U.S. players often. It's not a secret they're quality players but no fears.

•(Altuve, Correa, Gomez, Valbuena, did that help the decision to come here?) He watched the team last year and part of the reason he's glad to be coming here is that spirit of the team. The spirit they bring is the spirit of playing great baseball. He feels proud to be part of that group & to be part of a great club, makes him very proud.

•Looking forward to his leadership. We do have a young, Latin core but a good, young core overall. With the experience & success he has, he'll assume a leadership role on this team. The makeup is what you look for in your ball club, in your clubhouse. Our players are thrilled. They know about him and of him. They're excited the organization made this move. (Mentioned they'll be fighting to also bring his brother here too.)

•(Start at AAA or lower?) Depends. The idea of maybe sending him to Corpus and then come up. We'll play it by ear. He'll go to Florida & start working out.

•(Favorite position?) In Cuba, he plays 3B. Internationally, moves over to 2B but has no favorite position.

•He'd like to be called El Yuli. Hasn't decided on a walk-up song but he'll figure it out sooner than later.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>"He needs to see live pitching, but he's in great shape. The goal is to get him playing at MMP as soon as possible." -Luhnow on Gurriel</p>&mdash; Adam Wexler (@awexlerKPRC) <a href="https://twitter.com/awexlerKPRC/status/754362318331318272" data-datetime="2016-07-16T17:09:26+00:00">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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How bad ass is it that Jeff Luhnow can speak fluent spanish to him.

He seems very happy to be here. Love this signing even more & he looks in good shape.

 

we might underestimate how valuable that is as far as foreign players having a comfort level with a certain team

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Luhnow said Gurriel can play INF, OF. Luhnow wants to have as many good players (bats) as possible. Positions will work themselves out.</p>&mdash; Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronBrianSmith/status/754362877952135168" data-datetime="2016-07-16T17:11:40+00:00">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Luhnow added that <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#Astros">#Astros</a> have several FAs after this season. Positions now could change next year.</p>&mdash; Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronBrianSmith/status/754363501825568768" data-datetime="2016-07-16T17:14:08+00:00">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Wow he seems like a huge astros fan. Said the main reason he came is the spirit of the players,followed them last year. Mentioned Correa, Altuve, Gomez, Springer. Proud to be here.

 

This lady translator seems really out of place. Should of just let Lunhow handle it.

 

She is really bad. Luhnow even notices her mistakes. lol

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> know Gurriel not perfect fit for '16, but DH spot will help create ABs for both him and Bregman. Reed, Gattis likely to lose ABs.</p>&mdash; Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/754361730525003776">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gurriel can play 2B, 3B. Bregman can play 3B, SS, 2B. Altuve already has DHed some. Correa can as well. Bregman could be in CF or LF in '17.</p>&mdash; Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/754361752553459712">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> will not trade Bregman, sources say. But they have other pieces, perhaps even Reed, and they are in the market for another SP.</p>&mdash; Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/754362274954014720">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That's what happened <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gurriel?src=hash">#Gurriel</a> <a href="https://t.co/cah56ktLt2">pic.twitter.com/cah56ktLt2</a></p>&mdash; Lauren Blackwell (@Lo_Blackwell) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lo_Blackwell/status/754362028379078656">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Astros have designated IF Matt Duffy for assignment to make room on 40-man roster for Gurriel.</p>&mdash; Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/754363364281757698">July 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Luhnow seems like he could walk into any Latin players home and charm the hell out of them. He's got such a look of conviction to where they would listen and such a boyish one at the same time. Throw in the fact that he's as white as white can be, then busts out the Spanish speaking along with a little humor, that man could charm the hell out of anybody.