[Official] Astros Offseason

Agreed. It seems hard to tell Detroit "hey, you need a CF. we have one. Sure, we also won't have a CF, but we still don't want him. he's great though, you should take him!"

 

1) small market teams don't sign players to 3yr / $115 million contracts.

2) The minor leagues are FOR development. To say a player who isn't fully developed can't get better playing in AAA is a pretty scary thought.

The Astros play games to win, not to develop prospects. They are not the Marlins or Rockies. That is why they have a minor league system.

If Smith on the roster gives them the best chance to win, he should be in Houston. If not, he needs to be in AAA. But I agree he can't be on the bench.

 

If you want to call the Tigers a mid-market team, fair enough. However, they are not a big-spending team that can afford to lose a player of Tarik Skubal’s caliber for a single draft pick. Do I think they trade Skubal right now? No. But, they are in a tough spot long term unless they can sign him to an extension, and the offers at the trade deadline will be weaker than they are today. They should at least be exploring what teams would offer for him. For example, if they could convince the Mets to trade Freddy Peralta and good prospects for Skubal, that’s worth considering.

As for Cam Smith, the minor leagues are for developing players that are trying to reach the big leagues or have struggled so badly at the big-league level that they need a reset in their approach or mechanics. It’s not for players who proved they could play at the big-league level the year before but need to continue making adjustments for long-term success.

Smith needs to make adjustments against big-league pitching if he wants to succeed at this level. Based on his rookie season, he deserves that chance. If he looks lost at the plate for a long stretch of the season, then sending him to AAA to get his hitting mechanics and swing right makes sense. However, Triple-A pitching isn’t as good as to MLB pitching. Plus, Smith is a better player than Zach Dezenzo and Taylor Trammell. He also has proven more at the MLB level than Zach Cole.

 

#14-15

 

But if Detroit legitimately believes it can win the trophy... that's worth far more than a set of blue chip prospects

 

Yes - but Meyers also has played in the big leagues for 5 seasons and has had an OPS over .730 only once and has a career OPS of under .700%.

Cam Smith has played a total of 32 games in the minors before last year, and even this his OPS was .680 compared to Meyers .720, and Meyers is like 7 years older.

If Cam Smith doesn't have an OPS higher than Meyers this year, he will have had a disappointing season or Meyers will be having a career year.

 

I wouldn't be shocked to see Cole starting in RF over Trammell and Dezenzo to open the season. At this point the only for sure starter is Meyers. At least with Cole, you get another glove out there and Meyers can shadow towards left field.

 

Cole, Meyers, and Sanchez/Yordan is a good outfield if Cole has a k rate <30%. So:

SS Pena
1B/DH Paredes
DH/LF Alvarez
3B Correa
2B Altuve
C Diaz
LF/1B Sanchez/Walker
CF Meyers
RF Cole
Bench: Salazar, Allen, one of Matthews/Dezenzo/Trammell/Smith

 

Meyers had a serious injury that generally takes at least 2 years to recover to about 90%. Meyers having a career year would not be too shocking.

Even then, any of the Astros prospects playing well would be just as good as Cam playing well. Tying the Astros hopes on one young player hitting better than Meyers, who is coming off an average hitting season, is just too much.

 

I don’t disagree. They will probably hold Skubal for now unless someone blows them away with a package that gives them a good front line starting pitcher and at least one blue-chip prospect.

 

If Meyers did what Morgan Ensberg could not in recovering from shoulder injuries, I have confidence he can replicate what he did last year.

 

They were in the top 6 of all MLB in payroll 9 of 10 seasons between 2008 and 2017.

They have not spent because they did not have the young foundation to build upon. Adding payroll did not make sense.

However, they have the history and resources to spend if they wish.

I will repeat- small market teams don't jot pay 3 yr $115 million contracts.

Detroit has the ability to have a top 10 payroll and has shown it.

 

Opening Day lineup (imo):

SS: Pena
DH: Paredes
LF: Yordan
2B: Altuve
3B: Correa
1B: Walker
C: Diaz
RF: Cole/Smith
CF: Meyers
_________
Bench
C: Salazar
OF: Cole/Smith
IF: Nick Allen
Util: Brice Matthews

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/02/tarik-skubal-wins-arbitration-hearing-tigers.html

IMHO this increases the odds of Hunter Brown being traded before he gets to his final arbitration year. If Brown finishes in the top of the CY voting in 2026 and 2027, he could be looking at a $40M+ salary for 2028,

 

Good roster/lineup. I am hopeful. Dezenzo will also be in the mix and it will not shock me at all if Trammell plays his way into the mix this spring. But it won’t surprise me if your guess is accurate.

 

If Trammell makes this team, it will be a huge red flag disclaiming how badly Brown failed at building the outfield roster AGAIN.

Give me more young guys who are getting their first chance over recycled failed journeymen.

Trammell, Hummel, Gamel, Madris, and Heyward all brought in by Dana Brown. None of them were "knock you over" impact additions.

Kenedy Corona had to be brought up when Meyers and Melton were hurt because the OF was so bad.

There are several things Dana has done that I really like, but this is one area that has not impressed me.

* edit. I just looked and Brown was hired 3 weeks after Madris was acquired.

 

Meyers has been a big leaguer for 5 years and has had one year with an OPS over 730 and had a career OPS of like .685.

It is possible that Meyers has a career year, he just has to get hot one month longer than prior seasons and he will have a career year.

Having said that --- I will take the 22-year-old that had an OPS of 671 as a rookie after a month of minor league experience, over the guy that is about to turn 30 and nearly hit .300 but only had an OPS of 727.

I just think there is a lot more upside and native improvement with the younger player..... and if the Astros thought Cam would have an OPS hovering around 700 in 2026, they likely would move him while his value is high.

I'm not trying to be argumentative.

 

I would be stunned if Brown isn't traded - because by that point the Astros will most likely be rebuilding or close to rebuilding and they will not want to lose Brown for nothing. If the Astros do not make the playoffs this season, there is a good chance they move Brown after this season if they are not a playoff team. Especially if Skubal is already moved, there will be a couple teams doing everything possible to counter Skubal.