Correa or a vet SS too back up Pena like Simmons or Iglesias. Getting a strong LHRP are musts. Adding a starter like Rodon or McHugh is more icing.
With a CBA likely ratified today and likely less than a week before players will report (and only 4-5 weeks before the season starts), a quick recap on which free agents are still available who could reasonably help the Astros: SS Carlos Correa 1B Freddie Freeman SS Trevor Story OF Kyle Schwarber OF Nick Castellanos OF Kris Bryant 1B Anthony Rizzo OF Michael Conforto OF Tommy Pham OF Joc Peterson OF Jorge Soler OF Eddie Rosario OF Andrew McCutcheon Bench bat Brad Miller Bench bat Dan Vogelbach Aside from Correa and Story, who would simply relegate Pena to AAA or a utility role, the others on that list would require a position change that would likely downgrade the defense; the OF would force Tucker to CF, while the 1B would shift Gurriel into a super sub role. I listed Miller and Vogelbach simply because they project to be good enough hitters that it might make sense for Houston to sign them to displace Taylor Jones as the 13th position player. Rodon and Kershaw are the only 2 SP that would project as a meaningful upgrade from any of Houston’s top 7 projected SP, and I don’t view either of them as realistic options. The Astros currently have a full bullpen and there aren’t any surefire dominant relievers left on the market, so it’s hard to guess at who might be a fit, although the top lefties (Diekman, Chafin) and McHugh would seem to make sense assuming a trade or injury opens up a slot. Gonna be a crazy next few weeks. Here’s hoping Correa’s market doesn’t materialize and he comes back for a “reset the market” year. Or that the new CBA minimizes the luxury tax penalties such that Crane can say “f it, I want to win” without putting the franchise in a financially untenable competitive position down the road.
Correa and Bryant. Trade Odo and Brantley, win 110 games. Be set offensively for half a decade. Be good enough with pitching. Hope to develop an ace out of Brown, Whitley and a couple other guys. Trade for TOR starters in walk years if/when that doesn't materialize. Go all in to win a pennant now. I expect none of this to happen. I really really think we have spent way too much money in the bullpen and really neglected getting another big bat to replace decline in Uncle Mike to a slappy hitter, Yuli being a slappy hitter, and Springer moving on. We are just killing ourselves by having two of the top offensive positions being slap hitters in LF and 1b. We could make up for that by having guys who were freaking studs up the middle, but if Correa moves that goes from 3 all stars up the middle to an aging Altuve in the space of 14 months. Not good without adding offensive talent elsewhere.
Agree on the SS We have already proved you don't need a lhrp to be successful, you just need relievers who are good against LH hitters. But, Dusty don't understand that so as long as he is our manager I suppose you are right, we need one who throws with his left hand McHugh wouldn't be a starter, but would be a great add
MLB has dug its heels in on low CBT numbers. Players are gonna have to commit to missing games or accept $220M
My bet is that we start sometime around June 1. Which will suck. But I think they are going to have to miss a significant portion of time before they get back at it. They are in a pissing contest now. Those things don't get solved until someone experiences a fair bit of pain. That doesn't happen on March 3 with 1 week of games cancelled.
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...ntended-to-miss-games-and-view-april-as-debt/ While it's impossible to prove either Heyward or Taillon correct, there is a good amount of evidence suggesting there's something to their theories. The league wanted to delay and shorten the 2021 season, though that was framed as a response to the pandemic. It's clear that COVID-19 wasn't on anyone's mind on Monday, when the owners "indicated a willingness to miss a month of games" as part of negotiations, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic. Why would the owners be so eager to sacrifice April? The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal noted earlier this week that April games tend to be poorly attended, and that teams may not have to offer rebates on their local television contracts until about 25 games are missed -- 25 games being, of course, a full month's worth. Because teams won't have to pay players for missed games, it reasons that the owners may be coming out ahead financially in that trade-off. What's more is that, if the owners time things right, they can agree to a CBA in time for a season long enough that their television deals will pay in whole. Factor in that the eventual CBA could include an expanded postseason (worth an additional $85 million in revenue) and perhaps on-uniform advertisements (another $150 million), and the owners are sitting prettier than most outsiders might realize. To think, that's without the possibility of them settling the CBA and then agreeing to new broadcasting and streaming deals that could create an even larger windfall, as sources speculated they might to The Score's Travis Sawchik. In other words, what Heyward and Taillon have suggested may have some legs to it. The owners know exactly how to turn a profit, and it doesn't have to include April.
I actually think a delayed and shortened season could be a blessing for the Astros. McCullers and JV coming off surgeries could use the extra time, plus this will also limit their innings to keep them strong at the end of the season. Garcia was gassed by the WS, he also could use the extra rest and shorter work load. Bregman, Yordan, Brantley, Yuli, are either old or injury prone - less games and more offseason rest could be a benefit. Then perpetually injured guys like Baez, also more time and less workload. On the front office side, other than the SS situation it's not like there will be a frenzy to fill a ton of roster holes once the lockout ends, just a few transactions and I'm sure Click already has his plan in place. On the selfish side, I'm still burned out as a fan after our WS loss, I myself am not ready for the daily stress of what the Astros are doing. Silly, but wins and losses have a tremendous effect on my mood. I don't know but I'm kinda ok with all of this.
I love baseball, was my first real love outside of my family.... BUT the MLB owners have always been shady. They complain about everything, they have conspired 30-40 years ago, and while I cannot prove it, it sure seemed like they did a few years ago.
Yea, I was always amazed at how well he did as a batting coach. Cause I mean the guy was a stud, but didn't exactly go at it like most
All of those things are true. The one thing I would counter is that if we end up with a short spring training (like 3 or 4 weeks) I'm a little concerned about some of the guys you were talking about not being ready. I hope that we plan on working those guys into things very slowly.
It's not the start, it's the beginning, middle and the end. Lots of guys start from lots of different places.
