Do we really need Dubon? If healthy, why can’t Meyers cover all outfield spots. It’s not like dubon has an arm.
I’m agnostic to what the Astros have done this off season. Having said that, there is some truth to the better organizations or GM’s not spending like crazy. Astros, Dodgers, Braves, Red Sox and others have tracked a certain player but overall avoided spending just to spend. The Dodgers, Astros and Braves all targeted and made strong offers to a number of players but didn’t increase their offers. I think it’s fair to question letting Verlander to go after failing to add another major piece, but that’s about all I question honestly after the market developed. Also for an organization that lacked a GM or top assistant GM, Crane sure predicted the market well and was smartly aggressive early. Abreu and Montero would have gotten quite a bit more if they had waited longer.
Myers should be healthy by now or he’s got bigger issues. His injury happened over a year ago. I think he and Dubon are fairly redundant defensively and Myers has all the upside. I wish they’d get rid of Dubon and maybe bring in Longoria
I tend to agree with you, if a guy can hit, he can hit anywhere in the line up. I do expect Pena to overall be a better hitter next year. If you look at a break down of his hitting from week to week or month to month, he had one period where he was HORRENDOUS but most of the rest of the way he was an above average hitter to a very good one. Last year his OPS+ was around 100, I think an OPS+ of 110-115 is possible once he settles in. Right now the Astros are set up with 8/9 of the line up having hitters that are average or better.
do you think Astros will go after another veteran SP or bat ? Or does the Brantley signing mostly wrap the off-season
Altuve Bregman Alvarez Abreu Tucker Brantley McCormick Pena Maldonado 1-6 is probably the best in baseball, no easy outs or even average hitters, all plus plus hitters. 7-9 are probably well above average because McCormick and Pena are above average MLB hitters most likely. Maldonado is an easy out but hits enough homers to keep him from being an afterthought. If the Astros get more production out of catcher than expected, they could be the best offense in baseball. They are probably more balanced than Toronto and LA.
Not sure Brantley changes much in what they do the rest of free agency. They have ranges for Conforto and some of the pitchers and if they can get them signed in that range, they will. If I had to guess this is the last big signing, but if Conforto, Rogers or Kluber accept a deal in the range, the Astros WILL sign them and figure it out. I would love Conforto but would like Rogers a lot too.
DH Alvarez 70 games; Brantley 40 games; Conforto 40 games; 12 others LF Alvarez 80 games; Brantley 50 games; Conforto 22 games RF Tucker 140 games; Conforto 22 games CF McCormick 100 games; Dubon 22 games; Conforto 40 games Alvarez 150 games Brantley 90 games Tucker 140 games Dubon 22 games McCormick 100 games Conforto 126 games It is possible to get Conforto plenty of ABs depending on how the Astros handle the OF. Meyers would need to be traded. This also suggests Brantley get less than a full season. It would be an insurance move.
Brantley or Yordan is LF or DH. If Yuli comes back he’s left being the Diaz of 2022. I don’t know what they’ll do about Yuli. Could go either way.
Any other potential veteran FA SP would the Astros consider? There's Kluber, Wacha, Cueto, and Eovaldi on the top of my head
Taylor Rogers would give the Astros the best bullpen in baseball and 7 guys who could close for multiple lesser teams (Pressly, Montero. Abreu, Rogers, Neris, Stanek, Brown), with Maton being the only questionable guy, and he has shown flashes of dominance. Even if they end up having to overpay rather dramatically, I think they should do it as long as it stays at 3 years or less. Unless a trade for Danny Jansen materializes for an unexpectedly low cost, I am fine with HOuston going with Lee as the backup C, although I'd like to see Robinson Chirinos or Sandy Leon brought on with a minor league deal as insurance.
