Thome is fairly straightforward. No matter what we continue to learn in advanced analytics, if a guy is roughly HoF-worthy before digging deep at all (i.e. .950 career OPS over 20+ seasons) and has a counting stat that matters in a stratospheric range (600+ HRs), he's a lock. If someone had 3500 hits, same thing. 300 wins. Etc.
As much as I disliked the Braves (for winning so much), Chipper is a clear 1st ballot HOF guy in my book. One of the top 3 or so switch hitters all-time and had a career .300/.400/.500 slash line. Has an MVP trophy and 8 all-star appearances.
Do y'all expect the Astros to make additional upgrades or do you see them more standing pat? Looks like Gattis will be the full-time DH based on what I've read. I was expecting them to go get another bat but maybe Gattis at DH full-time isn't a bad idea. I know it's still really early in the off-season and no other team has really made a real upgrade yet. I wonder if Crane and company plan to double down and try to make additional upgrades to insure they get the Astros back in the World Series. I think our overall hitters will be better come 2018 and they were legit for 2017. Bregman and Correa will only get better. I hope Correa can stay healthy for 155 games or so. I would love to see them get two horses in the bullpen. Although the Astros got a lot out of their starters working out of the pen, I can't see them wanting to try that again. I'm excited to see what happens for 2018. I think the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Indians, and possibly the Twins are going to get better as well.
Outside of the bullpen, I expect the Astros to replace Beltran. Someone who field a position or two and DH. Veteran experience would be a plus.
Houston will add between 2 and 5 players. Currently Stassi, Fisher, Sipp, Hoyt, and Fiers are pencilled into the opening day roster and each of those could easily be upgraded. My current guess is that they will add 1 position player and 2 relievers.
Stassi's mom is a great lady. When my grandad was getting his radiation treatment, his mother was his nurse. When she found out I was from Houston, she asked me if I knew who her son was. They're from a very small town North of Sacramento. I'm shocked he hasn't gotten more play. Everyone in that town are so excited for him being in the big leagues.
The thing I don’t understand though is why these fat err big-boned players get a total free pass from the media when it comes to steroid suspicions. Frank Thomas and Jim Thome are just born that way, but of course Bagwell and Piazza and Albert Belle did it? I’m not trying to absolve the accused. I’m just demonstrating the hypocrisy in giving Thomas and Thome a free pass. It’s like saying Brady Anderson Bret Boone or Javy Lopez couldn’t juice because they were little. Yes, obviously Thome will get in eventually. But it doesn’t have to be this year. I got ten other guys I’d vote for this year instead, and when the guys who have been in line get in then I would get around to him.
Thome had one hell of a career, but he was aided in large part to longevity and health. He's is certainly a HOF caliber player. It's just frustrating to see, every year, deserving players struggling to garner support. Thome and Chipper's resume's certainly speak for themselves. It's hard to label either as "1st ballot", unless you just put them in the Frank Thomas box. Every year, you have Craigs and Jeffs waiting to get in. Players that should've been in by now, or atleast garnered support to get in down the road. There's a backlog of deserving players, or atleast players with truly fantastic careers that should receive *some* support. Was Thome or Chipper really *that* much better than Edgar, Mussina, Walker, McGriff, Schillings, Kent, etc.? I'm not saying all of those players should get in. I am saying, if you're keeping them out, then it's warranted to hold Thome or Chipper or Frank on the ballot for >1 year. Hell, Thome's only MVP finishes (in 22 seasons): 4th, 6th, 7th, 7th, 12th, 15th, 18th, 19th. That's 1st ballot stuff?
I think were going to kick a lot of tires. The interesting part will be whether anyone of worth wants to play for a WS discount or not. In other words, how much happens is dependent on guys we need willingness to sign the kind of contracts we are prepared to offer.
I expect Astros sign or trade for at least 1 reliever before the season. I expect Astros to do something else as well...just don't know what that will be. I highly doubt it is a big contract like Stanton's. Could be another reliever. Could be a catcher or a bat. Could be a great player. Could just be a depth guy. Astros are in a great position that they can get whatever is the best deal other than for middle IF or a 3B.
Chipper I can see as first ballot for the simple reason that he is not only statistically relevant, but he’s won the awards, and he’s famous in that he was a blue chip prospect that lived up to his potential. Thome on the other hand is lacking the fame part of it. He literally played in obscurity like Curtis Martin. But that was his own doing as he never did anything relevant. Nobody really cared that he existed. I’d have a hard time voting for him at all. Longevity is nice, but I don’t see that as part of the HOF equation, more like a highlight. I just don’t see him as part of the story of baseball, which is what the Hall of Fame is about for me. You could leave him out of baseballs narrative and don’t think anyone would care one lick outside of Cleveland. Now if he had blown up and crispy fried a bird like Randy Jonhnson did, and gone done it on Thanksgiving, I could change my mind. That’s history.
The guy hit 40+ HR's 6 times. He topped 100 RBI's 9 times (9 during an 11 year span). He hit .280+ 8 times. He had an OPS of .900+ 13 times (6 seasons over 1.000). I understand the argument that he's not one of the most famous/popular players, but the fact that he has such impressive counting statistics (and a number of elite level seasons) combined with the fact that he was able to play for 22 seasons makes him a no-doubt first ballot HOF'er.
I think one could make almost the EXACT same argument about Bagwell: Great player who played in relative obscurity and is not one of the central pillars of baseball's story. Bagwell does have two significant awards and wasn't as nomadic as Thome - but, man - I just can't fathom Bagwell and not Thome anymore than I can fathom Frank Thomas and not Bagwell. I know "Fame" is literally in its name, and I think it does have SOME relevance... but it shouldn't be confused with popular, IMO.
