[Official] Astros Off Season

3.5 a year for a veteran platoon decent defense guy. Not terrible

Cant wait for the game threads when he starts looking at strike three though

 

Terrible this move doesn't move the needle.

Astros still need a solid CF and Closer. Plus maybe a low impact SP.

Houston has lost a decent amount of offense so depending on there plan for a CF can tell you alot moving forward

 

Assuming it's 7 million total.

 

Garneau was SO horrible last year that I used to dread his AB’s and runners getting on base when he was behind the plate. So this Castro addition is a little more significant than appears. Obviously there will be more moves made relatively soon with the 40 man roster. We could see a trade pretty soon. Whether it’s a minor or a “big” one... not sure

 

Adding Brantley and Castro has pushed the Astros up to 4th in war projections, behind the Yankees, Dodgers, and Padres. They project to have the highest position player war in the league.

 

Which of our relief pitchers are likely guaranteed a spot?

 

Did you expect to sign a backup catcher that would move the needle? Or did you just not want the team to have a backup catcher?

 

For those with an eye on the future, 2022 Astros currently project for ~40 war with ~$102M in payroll. Needs would be a star infielder (either SS, 3B, or 1B), an ace pitcher, and a serviceable catcher (assuming they acquire a multiyear solution in CF or Leon is ready).

Current WAR/Payroll outlook:
2022: $102M/40war
2023: $116M/42war
2024: $138M/44war
2025: $112M/37war

 

100%: Pressly, Baez, Smith
99%: Stanek, Paredes, Raley
80%: Taylor
?%: Scrubb, Garcia, Perez, Martes, Abreu, Bielak, Rodriguez, Castellanos, Emanuel
Optioned; Whitley, Solis, Ivey, Solomon
DL: Pruitt, James

 

He wanted Realmoto as backup catcher I suppose.

 

You sign Realmuto to be the Starter at C and he stays there till one of the young guys is ready. Then he moves to 1B.

Thats why you want Realmuto

But that moot now so what ever.

Its like taking a dump and returning it back to your colon.
Castro isn't good. Js

 

Castro's 33 and pretty mediocre these days. Still, definitely an upgrade at the backup C. If the goal was nostalgia, bringing in a guy who played both with the Berkman-Oswalt Astros and the baby version of the current core, then I give this an A+.

 

Quick photoshop of Castro in an Astros uni catching sunflower seeds in his mouth. Hope you like it.

 

The Rays have made a living off identifying effective relievers that nobody has ever heard of, and not paying anything for their bullpen (or anything else). They have hoards of dudes who throw hard, weird arm angles, left, right, matchups, whatever. If Click can build a TB quality bullpen, he is worth his weight in gold. If his tenure with TB shows anything, it is that he likely won't pay for pen. He'll go find it.

Edit: Also, we might see the end of traditional bullpen roles. TB rolled out its relievers based on matchup and highest leverage situations during the game. Best bullpen arms could come out in the 6th.

 

I love that. Paying excess for bullpen rarely works out well. If he can find hidden gems, we know that Strom can get the most out of them.

 

I think TB's secret is develop a ton of pitching prospects regardless of type, don't trade away guys prior to arbitration unless they suck, have more guys than you need so cream can rise, have a bunch of guys to minimize back to back days, and have a bunch of guys with options left.

 

Don't know if the money is there, but adding Profar and an upside SP like Walker or Archer would make this a grade A offeason for Click.

 

It's not intended to, it's just plugging a hole at backup C.

Castro will probably struggle to hit his weight but he's a solid enough backup C....and we are the team that carried Brad Ausmus for years as the primary catcher and Castro is unlikely to be that terrible at the plate.

Last season we didn't have a backup C that could even sniff .600 OPS, Castro's career OPS is just over .700 suggesting that he's likely to be a pretty big improvement offensively from what we had last season.

 

This is true, but 2020 was a 60 game season, which is not a comparable sample size. Even great seasons at the plate, MLB stars will have 40-50 game stretches of bad or average ball. Every normal season, some players ball out until the all-star break and lose it in the fall or vice versa.

I'm not saying all those things will happen, but I don't think you can use 2020 as a clear barometer of 2021 performance.

 

.200 hitter is competent?

Stubb's is a good defensive catcher and I'm pretty sure he can hit .200 at a much cheaper price.

Unimpressed with Click