Alvarez was 11th, and Bregman will almost certainly be in the top 10. So in terms of overall value, Houston has 5 of the top 50 players: ?. Bregman 11. Alvarez 23. Tucker 25. Valdez 48. Garcia That doesn’t include their HoF-track 2B who is under control for 3 more seasons, their all-star caliber 1B and LF who will be back next year, or their CF who is on track for 3+ war and is under control for 5 more seasons.
So you're saying all of the 'window is closing' articles and posts from last year might have been an over-reaction? Good to hear.
Finally... https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2021/...rs-banned-foreign-subtances-spin-rate-offense Let’s review some recent scandals, all of which have been enabled by conditions MLB helped create. Study after study (after study after study) has concluded that the Astros probably didn’t derive any overall benefit from their sign-stealing scheme—and the Astros’ sign-stealing solution was more sophisticated than the untold number of lower-tech sign-stealing approaches that preceded (or overlapped with) Houston’s. The Braves broke international signing rules to add teenaged talent to their organization, and none of the prospects they signed (and subsequently lost) look like standouts today.
So, trash cans are more sophisticated than apple watches? It is astounding the lengths writers will go to in order to defend why the Astros are "different," and therefore why they have layered so much specific outrage on one team in what was clearly a league-wide phenomenon over many years. (Yes, I know the Astros used a fancy deciphering program, but let's be clear. The vast majority of the time, with no runner on second during the regular season, the answer is as simple as 1, 2, 3)
I know - hence the parenthetical in my post. But, even today, most regular season games with no one on second do not require sophisticated AI to decipher.
From 15 days ago- https://today.in-24.com/sport/News/31610.html “Cesar Prieto had a demonstration for the Houston Astros this afternoon. The second baseman appeared to be physically stronger and his batting speed was noticeably better than during his time in Cuba. He could be the most wanted free agent in the next period of international free agency, ”Pelota Cubana posted on Twitter. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=prieto000ces He's a career .370 hitter in Cuba and slashed .403/.463/.579 with 31 walks to 11 strikeouts in 2020-2021 as a 21 year old before defecting.
https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/alex-bregman-set-for-rehab-assignment-with-triple-a-club The Sugar Land Skeeters play in Oklahoma City from Sunday through Tuesday before returning home for a six-game series against El Paso beginning Thursday and ending on Aug. 3. It’s conceivable that Bregman could rejoin the Astros when they return from Los Angeles on Aug. 5 for the start of a four-game series against the Twins at Minute Maid Park. That would fall in line with the timetable given Saturday by manager Dusty Baker, who said Bregman probably wouldn’t be available for the upcoming eight-game road trip through Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Bregman ran the bases with intensity Saturday and took batting practice on the field once again. “I feel great,” he said. “I’m excited. I felt amazing today and pushed it as hard as I've pushed it and beat times that I had running during the regular season earlier when I was letting it go. It was really good, and I look forward to [continuing] to build up and getting out of here and getting closer to getting ready to play up here.” Bregman hopes to get 15 to 20 at-bats with the Skeeters. Considering he will require a day or two off during his rehab stint, he won’t rejoin the Astros for at least a week. “The biggest thing is just getting the volume of playing in games,” he said. “We’re going to map out how many games and when and where. … I’ll get a lot of at-bats and a lot of games under my belt and get ready to rejoin the boys.” The Astros could also get utility infielder Aledmys Díaz back in time for Monday’s series opener in Seattle.
Per Kaplan, Baez is sitting 88-91 mph with his fastball which is a really bad sign for someone that throwing 95 mph was seen as a drop in velocity.
Recapping: Out: Toro, Straw, De La Cruz, Hartman, Pruitt, Smith In: Graveman, Garcia, Maton, Diaz, Montero Called up: Meyers Updated roster: 2B Altuve LF Brantley 3B Bregman DH Alvarez SS Correa RF Tucker 1B Gurriel CF McCormick C Maldonado Bench: Diaz, Castro, Meyers Rotation: Valdez, Greinke, McCullers, Odorizzi, Luis Garcia Bullpen: Javier, Montero, Stanek, Raley, Maton, Baez, Yimi Garcia, Graveman, Pressly IL: Verlander, Emanuel, James, Urquidy Optioned: Whitley (IL), Solis (IL), Ivey (IL), Stubbs, Robel Garcia, Jones, Bielak, Solomon, Abreu, Rodriguez, Garza, Taylor, Paredes, Scrubb In the offseason, Urquidy, Abreu, Taylor, and Paredes replace Greinke, Raley, Yimi Garcia, and Graveman. Only major offseason need is finding a SS.
Your relief pitching pecking order: 9th Pressly 8th Graveman 6th/7th Baez/Javier/Garcia/Stanek Taylor (only left hander remaining) Maton Abreu There are your top 9 relief pitchers. Does this look about right?
I would say: 8th/9th: Graveman/Pressly/YGarcia 7th: Maton/Baez Multi-inning: Javier Matchup Lefty: Raley Low leverage/extra innings: Stanek, Montero
8/9: Pressly/Graveman 7/8: YGarcia/Stanek/Taylor 6/7: Maton/Abreu/Baez? Wild Card: Javier Filler: Raley/Montero/Scrubb/Whoever That's what I would say. I'm not Dusty though.
Current WAR Astros Only unless [bracketed]. Correa 3.9 Altuve 3.8 Tucker 2.7 Brantley 2.6 Gurriel 2.6 Garcia, L 2.6 Alvarez 2.2 McCullers 2.0 Greinke 1.6 Pressly 1.5 {Urquidy} 1.4 Bregman 1.2 McCormick 1.0 Diaz 0.9 Javier 0.9 Valdez 0.8 Odorizzi 0.7 Raley 0.4 Maldenado 0.3 Abreu 0.3 Taylor 0.2 Graveman 0.2 [0.8] Bielak 0.0 Maton - [0.6] Montero - [0.3] Garcia, Y - [0.1] Meyers - Stanek (-.1) Garcia, R (-0.3) {Scrubb} (-0.4)
WAR Trade evaluation Trade 1 Mariners send ***Graveman 0.8 ***Montero 0.3 Astros send ***Toro 0.4 ***Smith (-.1) 2021 net plus 0.8 Trade 2 Marlins send ***Garcia, Y 0.1 Astros send ***De La Cruz MiL ***Pruitt (-.2) 2021 net plus 0.3 Trade 3 Indians send ***Maton 0.6 ***Diaz MiL Astros send ***Straw 2.0 2021 net minus 1.4 Now I question the 2.0 for a replacement level CF (87 OPS+) I picked up from fangraphs. I suspect an error either there or with me. I double checked, so I think it's with them. 0.2 makes more sense.
