Astros sign JV, Contreras, Nimmo. Lineup: altuve Pena Alvarez Bregman Tucker Abreu Nimmo Contreras McCormick What’s yours?
The Rangers make the playoffs (cough/cough) Baltimore wins more games than the NYY in 2023. LAD loses TOR in first month of season. Pena is better than Correa, again Some team hires Luhnow in 2023.
Astros have improved every year under Dusty Baker so in 2023 the Astros get the record for most wins in a season all time and then go 11-0 in the post season. No more of this bull **** 11-2 crap like these past playoffs.
Astros resign JV Sign Contreras. Trade Luis Garcia, Enoli Paredes, Jaimie Melendez, and Ryan Clifford to the Diamond Backs for Daulton Varsho. Lineup Altuve 2B Pena SS Alvarez LF/DH Bregman 3B Tucker RF Abreu 1B Contreras DH/C Varsho CF Maldonado C. / McCormick LF Rotation Verlander Valdez Javier McCullers Brown Urquidy Bullpen Pressly Montero Neris Abreu Stanek Maton S.Martinez. Lots of options for bench because Varsho would be 3rd/emergency catcher to allow Contreras to DH. McCormick would be available to sub into CF 99% of the time because Alvarez would be in LF in this scenario.
Astros will win somewhere between 110 and 120 games, depending upon injuries, luck and how they finish out the roster.
Benintendi and Vazquez are signed. The Astros lead the league in batting average, OBP, SLG, OPS (duh), HRs and runs scored. Astros win 113 games and repeat as Champions. New York Yankees don't make the playoffs, coming off a 53-52 ending to their season.
How's this for outlandish: R DH Altuve R SS Pena L LF Alvarez R 2B Bregman L RF Tucker R 1B Abreu R 3B Correa R C Contreras R CF Judge
I see no problem with that if he gets the PAs. He was on a pace for 4.4 bWAR in 2021 before his injury using 600 PA for a full season.
The challenge with carrying 3 catchers would be finding room for Meyers. I’d love to see him compete with Chas for CF. We would have to cut Dubon to place Meyers on the active roster.
More of a wish but Houston signs recently posted pitcher, Shintaro Fujinami. Astros pitching staff feels they can fix his control issues. He was compared to Ohtani early on in his career. He becomes Ohtani 2.0.
Japanese Player who costs more cash, but a smaller contract for CBT. I had not thought we would venture into the Asian Market, but this looks like a good one to try.
How's this for outlandish: R 2B Altuve R SS Pena L LF Alvarez R 3B Bregman L RF Tucker R 1B Abreu R DH Meyers R CF McCormick R C Maldonado C2 Danny Jansen Super U Leon IF Hensley LF/DH Brantley
Ok, I'll play... - Contreras signs and catches 90+ games. - Leon becomes our everyday CF answer before season ends. - JV resigns after pushing Crane to $37M/yr for 3 years. - Hensley becomes best utility INF since Marwin's heyday. - Javier becomes an All Star
When asked about the Astros' most pressing needs now that a void has been filled at first base, Crane said "we have to look at the catching and maybe another outfielder, and you never have enough pitching. I think those are the spots that are very obvious." Catcher: Contreras OF: Benendendi, Nimmo or Brantley P: JV or LHRP
Meyers has 1.4 fWAR in 88 career games INCLUDING his poor year in 2022. If he gets the playing time I don't see why he wouldn't get at least 2.5
