Daytona SP3 at $2.2 million Spending $2M for the equivalent of a Prius will not make us better. Being willing to pay $2M for the Daytona SP3 Ferrari would. It's the right player or the right car, not spending $.
How could you say that Matijevic projects to be a league average bat from 67 career ABs, being a 26 year old rookie, and never really being highly regarding in the minor leagues? Feels like he would be lucky just to make it in the majors.
Which team is better: Option A: 2B Altuve SS Pena DH Alvarez 3B Bregman RF Tucker 1B Evan Longoria LF McCormick CF Meyers C Maldonado Rotation: Verlander, Framber, McCullers, Javier, Garcia, Urquidy Option B: 2B Altuve 1B Josh Bell 3B Bregman DH Alvarez LF Mitch Haniger RF Tucker SS Pena CF McCormick/Meyers C Maldonado Rotation: Framber, McCullers, Javier, Garcia, Urquidy, Brown I’d personally take option A, but both would make me happy.
Sign JV and Abreu, trade Maton and another arm for something intriguing, DFA the flotsam and call it an off-season. Go win 100-110 in 2023. Option B is a better regular season team. Option A is a better playoff team. Unless the rotation breaks out to be Javier, Brown, LMJ, Framber by playoff time. Then, option B would be much better in the playoffs. And the thing is- I think that could happen
That top lineup would be really bad against RHP, if grandpa Longoria even stays healthy. I think option B is a better team, and still has money left to spend. I would prefer they retain Verlander and get creative like a cheap platoon partner for Chaz (Brantley) and a 1B. If Crane is serious we should be able to do both, even Verlander and Bell should be doable. In a vaccum if it came down to Verlander and almost nothing else vs. no Verlander and 3 other noticeable upgrades I'm taking no Verlander.
Yeah. He’s a career 3.5 playoff guy going into this start. This is about his 6th ok to lousy post season start in a row, after his innings have been managed. We simply don’t need him in the regular season as we showed last year, and if he isn’t going to be an ace in the playoffs rather have the increased hitting.
I think Hensley should start at DH over Mancini, he does a great job working counts and putting together professional at bats. Not to mention he somewhat gives off a Peter Parker vibe.
I wonder what Crane is thinking right now...resign Dusty, let him walk? Only resign him if we win the WS? If not, wondering if he was still thinking of Joe as a successor
Still playing here. Seems like an interview and even a quiet agreement might be in order but we are not finished with him yet. At this critical juncture what is needed is less distractions not more. When did this suddenly become OK?
If the Astros lose Joe Espada that will hurt. That said, many owners and/or GMs don't like handing a World Series contending team to a rookie manager. Espada was always going to be a manager somewhere in 2023. It's a minor miracle that he wasn't gone in 2022. If the Astros considered him for the 2023 position, he would not be interviewing. They would just say "no" until after the playoffs. Then consider him for themselves. This tells me that Dusty is almost sure to return in 2023. But it's also a very classy move towards Joe Espada.
Bold is returning starter Underlined is Starting Italicized is an Acquisition None of the above are returning candidates 2B Altuve 1B Josh Bell 3B Bregman DH Alvarez LF Mitch Haniger RF Tucker SS Pena CF McCormick/Meyers C Maldonado Rotation: Framber, McCullers, Javier, Garcia, Urquidy, Brown BIG off season. 1. Who is the GM 2. Who is the manager 3. Can we come to an agreement with JV? 4. Will Tucker reconsider a longer term contract? 5. Can we swing a trade with a rebuilding team? ...and this is before the free agency signing period.
The bench coach before Joe Espada was Alex Cora. Being a bench coach in this organization is about as good of a finishing school as one can get for top managerial candidates. While losing guys like Espada and Putila aren't great, it does open up opportunities for talented people with different perspectives to fill the roles. Strom is on my short list of best pitching coaches of all time, but it's hard to see a drop off after he left.
I want whoever helps the most towards winning a World Series. Option B likely is the better team slightly in more scenarios. Option B likely is significantly worse if Framber gets hurt or multiple SPs get hurt for significant portions of the season. I'd pick Option A assuming Brown is still on the team though not a SP until someone gets hurt. The results weren't as expected yesterday and needed Alvarez coming to the plate in the night to salvage the game, but I love the idea behind Verlander, Javier, and Brown pitching yesterday. If the Mariners get lucky to play a game 4, I think the strategy of shoving SPs will result in a victory without needing Alvarez to play hero.
I have watched every playoff game the Astros havevever played. Many many times in the past I would have been discouraged or expected the worst with the team down 6-2 and the bullpen coming in after 4 innings. Yesterday I just felt winning was possible throughout these whole game. Then Alex got them within 3 in the 8th. Then Hensley worked his PA to get on base. Then Pena came through. Then they put in Ray and I was thrilled !!!