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2016 Astros Roster

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by Merla08, Oct 15, 2015.

  1. Merla08

    Merla08 Member

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    We had an incredible 2015 season. No one expected us to be in the playoffs a year ago. We saw a lot of positive things this past season from players and I only expect more from here on out. We have one of the youngest teams in MLB, the 2nd lowest salary in all of MLB and we have a very deep minor league system. Jeff Lunhow has essentially run our Astros very much like Daryl Morey, so we're in an excellent position to contend for a very long time.

    Even though we could easily be playing in the ALCS (had we not blown that game 4 at home), this was a great learning experience for our players. It showed that we can compete with the best teams MLB has to offer (beating the Yankees in NY in a must win game was huge! And we essentially had the Royals beat), it proved Dallas Keuchel is a legit ace and big time post season pitcher (when he starts), and we got to experience what a special talent Carlos Correa really is when the spot light is on him.

    2016 Astros Free Agents:
    Colby Rasmus
    Scott Kazmir
    Tony Sipp
    Oliver Perez
    Joe Thatcher

    Luckily, our main core will be back next season. We can do without Perez and Thatcher. Bringing back Rasmus, Kazmir and Sipp should be on our priority list.




    Outfielders: Springer, Gomez, Rasmus (free agent), Tucker, Marisnick

    I feel like our OF is set for 2016. George Springer is going to be a perennial All-Star for years to come so RF belongs to him. Carlos Gomez is under contract for next season, he's been an All-Star in the NL so CF also belongs to him. LF is still up for grabs. Depending on how much Rasmus will command after his amazing post season, we may let him walk if his asking price is too high. He made 8 million last year, so if he is willing to take 8-10 million a year, I could see him coming back. Tucker showed a lot of promise and with every day playing time, he could be a much more productive LF than Rasmus at only 500k.

    Best Free Agent Out Fielders available:

    2015 salary Age
    1. Y. Cespedes - 3.7 mil 29
    2. Justin Upton - 14.7 mil 28
    3. Dexter Fowler - 9.5 mil 29
    4. Jason Heyward - 8.3 mil 26
    5. Colby Rasmus - 8 mil 29

    All the rest are over the age of 33. Cespedes would be a nice upgrade, but he's gonna command a huge salary. All the rest produced about the same production as Rasmus did, so keeping Rasmus or developing Tucker would make the most sense.


    Infield: Correa, Altuve, Lowrie, Carter, Gonzalez, Valbuena

    In 2015, we witnessed one of the best rookies we've ever had in Carlos Correa. He's going to go down as one of the greatest SS ever when its all said and done. SS belongs to him for years to come. Altuve is the other player with a guaranteed spot at 2nd base. 1st base is very interesting. Chris Carter had an awful season compared to 2014. He was supposed to provide us with lots of HRs and RBI, but failed to do so until the final 2-3 weeks of the season, yet he still had 20+ HR. We have AJ Reed coming up next season from the minors who is supposed to be our next Jeff Bagwell/Lance Berkman for years to come. I'd say we're fairly set at 1st base for 2016 with Carter starting the season and Reed getting called up if Carter struggles again. 3rd base is where we can improve the most in my opinion. Unfortunately, there aren't any good 3rd basemen free agents out there. So hoping either Lowrie can stay healthy or Valbuena can improve his batting average and continue to hit for power may be our once choice. Marwin Gonzalez has a guaranteed roster spot with his ability to play every infield position.

    Best Free Agent Infielders:
    2015 salary Age
    1. Chris Davis - 12 mil 29
    2. Ian Desmond - 11 mil 30
    3. J Rollins - 11 mil 36
    4. D Murphy - 8 mil 30
    5. D Freese - 6.4 mil 32

    The best free agent in all of baseball this season is Chris Davis. He's gonna command a huge price tag. If we can land him, he would give us a guaranteed thing at 1st base or even DH if Carter or Reed can out hit Gattis. All of the other names don't spark my interest or improve our team significantly like Davis would.

    DH: Gattis

    Gattis lead the team in RBI, but had an awful post season and an above average regular season for a DH. I feel like he's guaranteed the opening day slot, but if we're able to bring in a huge bat like Chris Davis and Chris Carter, Tucker, or Reed are swinging the bat really well, it could move Gattis
    out of the lineup if he's not producing well enough.

    Catcher: Castro, Conger

    Castro is basically our Brad Ausmus. Good defense, great game calling and pretty much no offense. Castro was known for his hitting in college, so there's still some hope that he can gain some of that back, but its doubtful. Conger is a good backup and a lot of fun in the dugout.

    Best Free Agent Catchers:

    2015 Salary Age
    1. M Wieters 8.3 mil 29
    2. C Iannetta 5.5 mil 32
    3. A Avila 5 mil 28
    4. J. Saltalamacchia 400k 30

    None of these catchers are worth getting and Castro is under contract, so we're not making any moves here.



    Pitching

    Starters: Keuchel, McHugh, McCullers, Kazmir, Fiers, Velasquez, Oberholtzer

    I feel like our starting pitching had a fantastic season. Keuchel had a CY Young season, McHuge was a 19 game winner and McCullers showed us he's capable of being an Ace at the age of 21. The top 3 spots are belong to them. The other 2 spots are still up for grabs. Kazmir is a free agent and can be a solid #4 or 5 starter for the right price. Fiers showed some promise and Velasquez and Oberholtzer are rookies that can still be good. Mark Appel and some other minor leaguers will see some action in 2016 as well.

    Best Free Agent Starters:

    2015 Salary Age
    1. D. Price 7.2 mil 30
    2. J. Cueto 3.8 mil 29
    3. T. Lincecum 18 mil 31
    4. Y. Gallardo 14 mil 29
    5. M. Buehrle 20 mil 36
    6. J Zimmermann 16.5 mil 29
    7. S Kazmir 4.4 mil 31
    8. J Happ 2.3 mil 32

    If our owner is serious about building a championship team and spending money, pitching is where we need to spend. Price and Cueto are going to command a huge pay check and if we're going to spend money, it should be on Price. Lincecum has struggled the past few years, so if we're able to get him at a decent price, he would be a great pick up if he's able to bounce back. Keeping Kazmir or getting Happ for the back end of our rotation would also be ideal and at a decent price.

    Bullpen: Gregerson, Sipp, Qualls, Fields, Harris, Perez, Neshek

    Our bullpen started the season off great, but became unreliable the final 2 months of the season especially in the playoffs. Gregerson is better suited as a setup man, Sipp is an ideal lefty used in certain matchups with lefties and the rest of the bullpen needs to be thrown away.

    Free Agent Relievers:
    2015 Salary Age
    1. Sean Marshall 6.5 mil 33
    2. Motte 4.5 mil 33
    3. Parra 3.5 mil 32
    http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/relief-pitcher/

    The list is very long and no one interesting is mentioned.

    If we're going to improve our bullpen, we need to do it through trades.

    So basically, these are the positions that should be guaranteed on opening day:

    SS - Correa
    2nd - Altuve
    3rd - Valbuena/Lowrie
    C - Castro
    DH - Gattis
    CF - Gomez
    RF - Springer

    Unsure or room for improvement:
    1st base - Chris Davis or Chris Carter/AJ Reed

    Pitching:
    1A- Keuchel
    1B- David Price/Cueto/Lincecum
    2- McHugh
    3- McCullers
    4- Kazmir/Happ/Gallardo/Buehrle
    5- Fiers/Velasquez/Appel or another minor league pitcher

    Relivers:
    Gregerson and Sipp are the only ones worth keeping. We'll have to trade for a real closer and better bullpen. Hopefully Reed gets called up and makes either Carter or Gattis available in a trade if he's hitting well and out performing them so we can acquire a good reliever.

    Ideal lineup:

    1. Altuve
    2. Springer
    3. Correa
    4. Davis
    5. Rasmus
    6. Gattis/Reed
    7. Gomez
    8. Valbuena/Lowrie
    9. Castro

    Rotation:
    1. Keuchel
    2. Price
    3. McHugh
    4. McCullers
    5. Kazmir


    What do you guys think we should do this off season? Who should we target? Who should we try to acquire in a trade? Who's going to get called up in 2016?
     
    3 people like this.
  2. Mattician

    Mattician Member

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    I'd like to target some great contact hitters. I'll trade home runs for hits with runners in scoring position.

    So that means looking at first base, third base, and DH. Even though I like Gattis.

    A closing pitcher and relievers as well.
     
  3. The Hunted

    The Hunted Member

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    The Astros were apparently really close to getting Kimbrel or Chapman at the trade deadline. I would be shocked if one of them weren't on this team on opening day.
     
  4. right1

    right1 Member

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    I would replace Carter, Gattis and Valbuena, Kazmir, Qualls. Look for a Catcher who can hit righthanded. I am ok with Fields and Harris (but would pull him before giving up 4 straight hits in a playoff game) I would love to see Ty White and A.J. Reed on opening day roster. I would sign Sipp and probably Rasmus. Neskek can stay or go as far as I'm concerned. I think they have to give Singleton another opportunity or trade him and his $35 million contract.
     
  5. PhiSlamma15

    PhiSlamma15 Member

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  6. rezdawg

    rezdawg Contributing Member

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    Kazmir and Rasmus are goners.

    White and Reed need to be on the opening day roster.

    I really dont want to see Singleton or Gattis anymore.
     
  7. Merla08

    Merla08 Member

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    Here's a list of our top prospects

    http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=hou

    1. ALEX BREGMAN SS
    2. MARK APPEL RHP
    3. DAZ CAMERON OF
    4. KYLE TUCKER OF
    5. A.J. REED 1B
    6. MICHAEL FELIZ RHP
    7. FRANCIS MARTES RHP
    8. DEREK FISHER OF
    9. JOE MUSGROVE RHP
    10. COLIN MORAN 3B

    I expect to see Reed and Appel here in 2016 for sure. Bregman needs to learn how to play 3rd base. Cameron and Tucker could be our future LF if no one else steps up.
     
  8. cangrejero51

    cangrejero51 Member

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    I think you have many things right here, i will disagree with 2 up front.

    One, I don't believe Lincecum is a number 1 pitcher anymore, he would not make our rotation with what we have already.

    Second, Gattis. I will not take credit on this as other forum member gave me numbers, but Gattis is one of worse DH in baseball. His OPS numbers are very very low. Just look at the DH of the 4 teams in the playoffs, Encarnacion, Fielder, Morales and Gattis, there is only 1 on that group that don't belong.

    I think we should go hard on Price as he is not going to cost us a draft pick, but is going to be very expensive. With what we've seen before, FA usually don't want to go to Houston for some reason, example Miller, Hamels, Robertson, so we are going to spend a lot of money.

    I prefer not to lose draft picks so I would try to re sign Kazmir, Rasmus, and Sipp.

    With that we have a rotation:

    1. K
    2. McCullers
    3. Kazmir
    4. McHugh
    5. Fiers
    6. Feldman

    That is a great rotation

    Bullpen, we need big improvments there but we can do it from inside, how?????
    Make VV and Feliz become great late inning relievers, same way Toronto did with Osuna.

    We could have this bullpen:

    Closer: VV?
    Set up; Gregerson
    Feliz
    Sipp
    Harris
    Neshek
    Fields

    Catcher we are set with Castro and Conger
    1b and 3b, lets talk about those 2 position at the end
    2b Altuve
    ss Correa
    Lf Rasmus
    cf Gomez
    rf Springer
    4th outfielder Marisnick
    Utility Marwin Gonzalez

    We have 22 already there, so 3 spots left

    We have Valbuena, Carter, Lowrie, Gattis, Tucker

    I don't think Lowrie hits enough for a 3b, he does for a SS, not a 3b. We are stuck with 2 more year contract, if we can trade him, do it, but that won't happen. He should be what Marwin is for us, but he is not as good as Marwin and contract is tough. I would try and trade Gattis as he is not a good hitter, same with Carter. Valbuena should start as our 3b with Marwin playing vs lefties.
    I would try to get rid of Lowrie, Gattis, Carter, try sign Morneau as the gap 1st basemen until Reed is ready if not, give Singleton one last chance to win the position at 1b.

    So out of those last 3 spots, Valbuena, Singleton and Tucker but would try to get Morneau and let Singleton and Tucker battle for that DH spot.

    Feldman is a guy that we need to trade, but what are we going to do if we can't and re sign Kazmir? Could we go with a 6 man rotation?

    I think we are very close to be very good.

    Changes next year? Morneau at 1b, Kazmir number 3 in rotation, VV closer, Feliz 7th inning guy, Singleton/Tucker DH and we MUST re sign Sipp as he would be our only left handed pitcher out of the bullpen.
     
  9. cangrejero51

    cangrejero51 Member

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    And this would be the lineup:

    1. Springer RF
    2. Altuve 2b
    3. Correa SS
    4. Morneau 1b
    5. Rasmus LF
    6. Gomez DH
    7. Tucker/Singleton DH
    8. Valbuena/Marwin Gonzalez 3b
    9. Castro C
     
  10. E-Man

    E-Man Member

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    No way Kazmir is back next year. He's damaged goods and probably with Gomez if he doesn't get his injury fixed.

    Singleton is a failed experiment just like Brett Wallace was and should not be back next year.
     
  11. right1

    right1 Member

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    Why would you have two lefties in Singleton and Tucker handling the DH spot? Why not go with White who has produced better in the high minors than those two guys ever did. And why would you have Kazmir as your #3 ahead of McHugh? And why a 6 man rotation? You want Keuchel pitching once every seven days?
     
  12. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    He is also looking to sign a guy with a concussion history, including this past season, as their first baseman. A guy who aggravated his concussion injury this year with a diving attempt to field a ball - a baseball play that occurs quite often. A guy who not only has concussion issues, but who also has neck issues.
     
  13. Rileydog

    Rileydog Contributing Member

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    At the 1,000 foot level: This is an 86 win team that will get better with just internal improvement and hthat as a pipeline of young talent pushing to the majors, ready to be dealt to be a contender. Don't get attached to our prospects as some will get moved. Martez, Feliz, Velasquez, Appel, Moran, AJ Reed... someone's getting moved in a trade. We can reasonably expect a team that pushes 90 wins just by internal improvement and reasonable health.

    At 100 foot level:
    - The starting rotation was among the best in baseball and will be so again. Keuchel, McCullers, McHugh, Fiers are locks for the rotation unless they are traded. Plethora of options for the 5th spot that we need to keep open for high upside folks -- Appel and Velasquez. Big question -- if McCullers takes that next step, we may not need to deal for another No 1.

    - Bullpen: Luhnow will consolidate assets and land a top end closer. Top offseason priority. Luxury item for a mid tier team, but a necessity for contenders. This alone pushes us near the 90 win mark. Neshek and Gregerson are under contract for $6MM+ and will be back unless dealt. Fields and Harris make 500K and can be brought back. Sipp made $2.4MM and is a UFA.

    Bats:
    - Gattis makes 500K and will be back. Unfortunately, he is 30 years old and is likely who he is.
    - Valbuena made $4MM+ and is arb eligible. I think we can non-tender and land draft pick if he signs elsewhere, right? I think he is gone.
    - Lowrie is back at $7.5MM unless dealt. Too injury prone to be counted on, but could start the year as our 3b.
    - Carter made $4MM+ and is arb eligible. Our management believes in Carter and he will be back. I see a Carter/Reed platoon.
    - Marwin made 1MM, is arb eligible and will be back as superutility.
    - RF is wide open and Tucker is the cheap/wait and see option.

    Luhnow needs to get a legit bat at 3b or LF. If not, we're just not being serious about winning it all. We desperately need a "professional hitter" in the No 2 hole like Ben Zobrist (who is a FA).
     
  14. Air Langhi

    Air Langhi Contributing Member

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    We should get ben zobrist. High OBP guy
     
  15. No Worries

    No Worries Contributing Member

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    There is going way more trading action this offseason versus FA signings.

    While looking at roster construction for 2016, note that the Astros for a good part of 2015 carried 12 position players and 13 pitchers.

    With 12 players, that means there are 3 bench players: backup C, backup IF, and backup OF. This positions will likely be filled by Conger, Marwin and Marisnick. The following starters are locks:

    2: Castro
    3:
    4: Altuve
    5:
    6: Correa
    7:
    8: GoGo
    9: Stringer
    DH:

    Competing for the four open positions are Gattis, Carter, Valbueno, Lowrie, and Tucker. Down on The Farm, Singleton, Duffy, White, Grossman, Hoes, Kemp (as OF) and Villar are also competitors, of which only White and Kemp are not on the 40 man roster.

    The Astros internally do not lack for candidates for roster spots. One can even argue that this surplus of candidates are where the trades will happen. Some of the players are blocked by their MLB counterparts: Kemp (at 2nd), Hoes, Grossman, and Villar (at SS). Some of the players may soon be blocking better prospects: Singleton (Reed) and Duffy (Moran).

    The Astros need to thin the herd by trading their depth. A trade of know MLB comodity (like Carter or Gattis or Valbuena), AAA surplus and a top 10 prospect might just land the Astros their next starting first, third, LF or DH.
     
  16. HstnSprtsFan101

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    Morneau is done.
     
  17. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Contributing Member

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    I agree with a lot of what's been said already, but I would really like to get a good look at these three prospects in Spring training:

    1. Tyler White -- all he does is hit. That's pretty much the opposite of what we have at 1B right now.
    2. AJ Reed - all he does is hit and hit for power.
    3. Matt Duffy - had a tremendous season at AAA, and at a position of need for us.
     
  18. Bear_Bryant

    Bear_Bryant Member

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    I bet Carter will get until the super 2 deadline to try and contribute to the team and if he struggles like last year then they'll bring up AJ Reed.
     
  19. Hey Now!

    Hey Now! Contributing Member

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    I honestly believe (hope) that the Super 2 deadline is no longer a consideration moving forward; it made sense when the team was bad - no reason to burn literally millions of dollars on 90-100-loss teams. But now there's urgency and I expect they'll act with it.
     
  20. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Contributing Member

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    I hope you're correct here. With the Angels and Rangers in our division, we'll need to be focused on winning every single game, as the competition will be fierce.
     

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