I don't like the idea of giving up pitching and getting back hitting. If JV walks, we better have some pitching upgrade options open to us. That said, I want a lefty bat also
As to this thread, its turning into the The Official Astros Offseason Argument Thread Should I post real off season posts somewhere else?
You know there's been a conversation behind closed doors. Crane is krafty and the chance of something like that happening . . . it's NOT 0%.
R Altuve R Pena L Alvarez R Bregman L Tucker R Abreu L Benintendi R McCormick R Maldonado I still hold out some hope we switch our mentality on Maldy and get Vazquez as starting catcher and Maldy as our backup. Imagine that lineup.
love this lineup - agree with Vazquez swapping roles with Maldy. Killer lineup with no easy outs Edit: a healthy Brantley would be even better - sign him to be on bench with Gurriel and Hensley
I'm just not sold on Pedro Leon. He struck out in over 35% of his AB's and that .228 avg. in Sugar Land is not showing any improvement. Sure he had a good obp but mlb pitchers in the show have much better control and that obp is not going to translate when they know he can't make contact. His high sb is good, but he also has a lot of cs for AAA. I hope I'm wrong and he improves a ton, but his Dominican winter league #'s are bad so far.
Agreed. So in reality the choices are... My plausible dream. Find the money for JV, resign uncle Mike if healthy, to be LH bat on a fair deal. Yuli if cheap enough. Trade for what you need by deadline based on injuries and who emerges from the rookies or doesn't. That gives players like Leon and Lee a chance to develop. JV gone scenario I want Brandon Nimmo. His ability to get on base with this lineup would be a perfect fit. But I'd guess he will get a too long of an offer else where. That leaves Conforto as last really good lefty bat IMO. Not bad choice. No Cody for me. Unless Altuve gives the all clear. I don't think he'll ever be great, maybe he could be average with this lineup. The scenario that it sounds like we're headed towards. Willson Contreras. They'll sell him on teaching them how to play catcher better let him bat more as a DH and some as a left fielder. Its a good move but rather get a solid lefty and plug Lee in for 70 games by Sept. Great problems to have.
I think Brantley's status is uncertain until March as Crane has indicated. This leaves two options Sign him to a split contract with Minor and Major league values. For a veteran, there is usually an agreement to give him a release if he's not on the major league roster. It may me called a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring training now. The specific nomenclature changes from Master agreement to Master agreement. The other is to go ahead and sign him to a contract with a low guarantee and big incentives. I have bigger doubts about his ability to return to baseball at all than many. But if he can return at the level early last season even, I'd like him splitting DH/LF with Alvarez; however, I suspect a reversal of playing time with Yordan getting more time in LF than DH. Honestly, I'd rather see if we can convince Vasquez to split time with Maldy with an understanding he will become the primary catcher in 2024. On the bench, Hensley is the utility infielder and bat off the bench, C2, hopefully Vasquez/Maldy platoon. An OF Utility Role, most likely Meyers and we really need a BAT, preferably a lefty as a PH/PR option. I really don't see a role for Gurriel on the field.
Right now the only pitching upgrade without a trade is probably Maton. He is a very decent RP. The pitching is stacked and the pipeline is rich.
Cots contracts shows 2023 CBT payroll at $172 + Abreu ($19.5) Leaves $41.5 before the threshold I think Contreras, Yuli, and Brantley are signed. Contreras is, reportedly, looking for a 4yr deal in the $20M per range. The Astros don't want to go that long. 3yrs $60M + $12M players option w/$3M buyout. He gets the 4yr commitment and $72M or can be a free agent again at 34 after collecting $63M for 3 seasons. AAV counts as $18M Yuli signs 1yr $5M +$5M team option w/ $1M buyout. AAV $5M Brantley (once proven healthy) signs 1yr $8M +$1M for each 100PA 300+. That's $31M (+ Brantley's incentives which I don't know how to determine) Leaves $10M under CBT
In my opinion, there is no way Lee getts 70 games this season. He has less than eight complete games of MLB experience behind the plate.
Would it really be that bad to bring back Vazquez and guarantee him 400 PAs/100 Games started and split the Catching Starts between him and Maldy? He has 1/2 season with the Astros pitching staff + spring training and his bat is much better. For the rest of his starts, give him ~20-30 games at DH. Likely save a lot over Wilson and the Astros could still bring in an additional lefty bat for the OF (ie. Nimmo, Benintendi, or Brantley). Maldy would start 80-90 games at catcher with Vazquez getting the remainder and Maldy can play bench coach the rest of the time.
Where did you get 35%? K% is based on PA not AB. His K % is right at 29% but with a 14% walk rate to take the sting out of it. For context Pena had a K rate of over 28% in AAA in 2021 but only a 4.5% walk rate. Pena did fine so no reason to sour on Leon based on this alone
Has Vazequez been mentioned by Crane as a target ever? Yuli-yes. Brantley-yes. Verlander-yes. Vazquez-no. He’s gone.
I think that's because he has probably told the FO that he wants to start. I'm arguing for splitting the catcher duties between Maldy and Vazquez - and I guess i'm wondering why not considering Vazquez has history with the pitching staff and also caught Javier's No-No in the World Series, for example. The guy can obviously handle the Astros pitching staff well - he'd be lower cost than Wilson and still a big upgrade at C. Frees up money to add another LF bat and hell, maybe more (like a LH RP).
Wisely or not—thats because the Astros are fully committed to Maldy as the primary starter. Contreras would offer what Vazquez cannot—viability as a large share DH. And contreras may be willing to play that role.
Maldy C Contreras C ,DH Abreu 1B Altuve 2B Bregman 3B Pena SS Alvarez LF, DH McCormick LF, CF Brantley DH, LF Tucker RF Gurriel 1B, 3B, 2B Meyers OR Leon CF Hensley OR Dubon SS, util. *in the event of an injury to Pena it may be possible to start Vregman there until he returns. This may be more important if the team determines they are not comfortable with Hensley playing short.
