Every opt out has a value. The problem is it is being given away without receiving that value. In my humble opinion, the Verlander contract has about 7M of value assigned to the Opt In. I feel, even with his coming off TJ, he would command a match of his 2020-2021 contract for a one year, let's see, contract. If he has a good year, it would not surprise me if they negotiate something similar with a higher 2023 salary and a 2024 player option. Doing the same each year protects both the club from over-commitment and the player from an off season at a time everyone is looking for the end of career slide. I think both JV and the Astros think he could pull a Nolan Ryan and pitch into his mid or upper forties.
And that’s the problem I don’t think anyone is really excited about giving him a long term big money deal, he doesn’t want a long term deal on the cheap, and who wants to lose the draft pick for one year of him
If I read the article right, we already have humidifiers and I assume that means we were already using them last season. But I suppose it could mean that they've already arrived for use this season for the first time.
They used one last year. On balls hit about 95 mph at 20 degrees: 2021 305 ft 2020 305 ft (small sample) 2015 309 2016 316 2018 317 2019 324 2017 325
Alternative explanation, Altuve and Bregman pulling the ball more. Oppos from Tucker and Alvarez. I think the expectation would be dryer balls going farther at MMP.
Astros may have stored balls in an air conditioned room which would have dried out balls prior to humidor plus the late 2015-2019 had a lower drag ball. Pulling or going opposite field should not make much of a difference (probably within a couple of feet to account for hooking and slicing over an average) for how far a ball travels with a given exit velocity and given launch angle. Considering they condition the air for the stands on game days, even an unair conditioned room likely is getting feed air that was chilled (dried) from the stands.
Another name that was thrown around in a potential future trade target is off the board. Arizona about to extend Ketel Marte. I guess they could still trade him unless he has a ntc.
