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2022 Astros Minor League Thread

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by tellitlikeitis, Dec 8, 2021.

  1. htownbball

    htownbball Member

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    Agree. If we can get Uncle Mike back for maybe $6-8M I think it might be worth it. Play him 75% of the time in a DH/LF role and split with Chas and Jake. I also wouldn't mind bringing Benentendi or Joc (platoon with Chaz) in if it's a good deal
     
  2. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

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    I think Brantley signs for 1 yr $10M w/ mutual $8M option, $1M buyout.

    Trade Garcia for Christian Walker. ( projected $7.4 arb salary)

    Resign JV for 3 yrs $120M

    Salary still under CBT at about $225M

    Altuve 2B
    Pena SS
    Yordan LF/DH
    Bregman 3B
    Tucker RF
    Walker 1B
    Brantley DH/LF - McCormick LF
    Meyers or Leon CF
    Maldy C

    Bench: K.Lee, Hensley, Dubon.

    Rotation: JV, Framber, McCullers, Javier, Brown, Urquidy

    Bullpen: Pressly, Neris, Abreu, Stanek, Maton, Mushinski, Paredes or Dubin
     
    No Worries and red5rocket like this.
  3. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

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    If you set the bar for position player additions at a ~.330+ wOBA projection, here’s the list of candidates:

    Free agent: Nimmo, Contreras, Benintendi, Bell, Haniger, JD Martinez, J Turner, Brantley, Abreu, Rizzo, Drury, Mancini, Carpenter, Pederson, Conforto, Belt, Y Gurriel


    Trade: Reynolds, Murphy, Mullins, Arozarena, Kirk, Jansen, Yaz, Walker, Y Diaz, Santander, Hiura, Voit, Cooper, Urshela, Happ, Renfroe, Wong, T Hernandez, Longoria, L Gurriel

    Some wide variance in what those guys will cost, but all would be reasonable targets for the Astros; I didn’t include any of the SS candidates as they don’t make sense for Houston. Based on what I expect their values to be, my picks would be Abreu and Brantley. Take todays lineup and sub Abreu and Brantley in at 1B and DH and you’ve got an extremely deep lineup, especially if they end up with a backup C who can hit (whether that’s an internal option like Diaz or Lee or an external option like Zunino).
     
    #2643 Snake Diggit, Nov 1, 2022
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2022
  4. Astrofan59

    Astrofan59 Member

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    Zunino can hit?
     
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  5. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

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    Yes. In his 8 full seasons (which don’t include his debut year or the covid year), he has been a very good hitter (wRC+ 117-134) in 3 of them and a below average hitter (wRC+ 83-87 in 2 others, which is ok for a catcher). He’s been a terrible hitter in the other seasons, including 2022. However, he was injured for most of this season which undoubtedly affected his hitting.

    I wouldn’t want Zunino to be counted on as a core offensive player, but he would be very very likely to be a better hitter than Maldonado if he’s healthy. And for a very low 1 year make-good contract he could represent a great value. He was a 4.5 fwar player in 2021.
     
  6. Astrofan59

    Astrofan59 Member

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    For his career, Zunino's OPS is below .700 and his wRC+ is 88. His 88 wRC+ places him in the bottom third of catchers since 2013, but it is above Maldanado's 72. Seems to me you would be replacing one bad hitter with another bad hitter, albeit slightly better. If you want to believe that Zunino can hit, that is fine, but it is not an opinion I share.

    Edit: Both are above average defensively according to fangraphs, with Maldanado being slightly better
     
    astros123 likes this.
  7. Nook

    Nook Member

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    The Astros sustained their biggest lose to the organization since they lost Luhnow.

    The man that scouted and drafted Valdez, Javier, Urquidy and a lot of others has left the Astros for the Marlins (who now have an incredibly good front office).

    The loss of Ocampo and Putila are MAJOR loses for the Astros as they represent the last of the major decision makers from the Luhnow era.

    Bill Sharp is still involved and he provided a lot of input but he is in his 70's by this point. Bill Furkis will likely stick around.

    Hopefully Sarah Goodrum is promoted as she is excellent and Gelles may be ready for a new challenge.

    We need to infuse enough of the young and bright people into the game like Luhnow did.
     
    Joshfast, rockbox, RasaqBoi and 5 others like this.
  8. Redfish81

    Redfish81 Member

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    Zunino had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. No way I gamble on that.

    I'm out on bringing back Verlander. I don't care what he does tonight.

    He's going to be 40. He didn't even have a full work load this year with having a 6 man rotation several times, and he missed games with the calf injury. He will want an insane salary and it will make it very difficult to bring him back and extend guys like Tucker, Javier, or Framber anytime soon. Framber and Javier look like legit aces. Hunter Brown has been impressive and now has post season experience. I would rather boost the offense and extend guys than pay Verlander 40 million a year until age 43. He wants to pickup his 25 million dollar option.... fine, but I'm not down for paying 40 million plus for him.

    I would sign Jose Abreu, Michael Brantley, and bring back Vazquez. I'm sick of hearing about Maldy being so great behind the plate. Vazquez had no problem calling a no hitter in the World Series. I bring him back and make him the starting catcher. Maldy catches Framber only. Then in 2024 Maldy leaves and Lee becomes the backup for Vazquez.

    I don't see the Astros improving CF. Nimmo is the only good CFer on the market and he will be overpaid. Reynolds is a pipe dream that would cost a stupid package that we shouldn't pay. I let McCormick, Meyers, and Leon fight it out in spring training. Strengthen the lineup at every other position.

    Altuve 2B
    Pena SS
    Yordan DH/LF
    Bregman 3B
    Tucker RF
    Abreu 1B
    Brantley LF/DH
    Vazquez C
    McCormick/Meyers/Leon CF
     
  9. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

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    Correa should start next season in AA and will definitely be worth following. He makes good swing decisions, rarely misses, has decent power, and has some defensive value. He is extremely unlikely to be a star level player like his brother but a Marwin level career value isn’t out of the question.

    Astros hitters have had a good Fall League. Will Wagner leads his team in OPS and both Correa and Scott Schreiber have shown well. Zach Daniels hasn’t done as well but he does have the longest HR of the Fall League season.

    On the pitching side, Matt Ruppenthal has a 0.87 era; he’s a sleeper candidate to be added to the 40 man or taken in the Rule 5. The other pitchers from the Astros (Sprinkle, Kouba, Gordon) have struggled.
     
    #2649 Snake Diggit, Nov 4, 2022
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2022
  10. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    Verlander was 8th in the AL in innings pitched. 15th in the majors.
     
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  11. prospecthugger

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    Gordon has a nice strikeout to walk ratio and is 2nd on the team in innings. The ERA is pretty ugly, but this is probably the toughest competition he's faced and a fairly hitter friendly environment. Excited to see what he does next year.
     
  12. Redfish81

    Redfish81 Member

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    At least get accurate info when you reply. AL pitchers with more innings than Verlander....

    Valdez, Cole, Bieber, Manoah, Perez, McKenzie, Ray, Quantrill, Gilbert, Cease, Gonzales, Irvin, Piveta, Lyles, and Taillon.

    That would make Verlander 16th in innings pitched in the American League and 34th in all of MLB.

    https://www.mlb.com/stats/pitching/american-league/innings-pitched/regular-season
     
  13. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    Weird. I thought I did. But... my resource included post season.

    Screenshot_20221104_195401_Chrome.jpg
     
  14. SKYGODZ187

    SKYGODZ187 Member

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    Honestly guys Im For Signing Anthony Rizzo. Then trade what ever Pitcher for Mullens.
    And roll with that. If Rizzo is to expensive I circle back to Bell then Abreu to play 1B.
    A. DIAZ should be gone. He has done ok for us but I think Hensley is that guy now.
     
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  15. Nook

    Nook Member

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    This is kind of where I am.

    The Astros really like their #1 pick last year as a fast moving up the system centerfielder and they still think Meyers is solid. The cost of centerfield I’m trade and free agency is too high. Let McCormick and Meyers battle it out. They can hit well enough to bat 8 or 9 in the line up.

    Bring in someone like Abreu or a corner outfielder.

    Make a competitive offer to Montero and let Verlander go.

    Work to extend Tucker etc.
     
  16. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I think you count the post season innings, it’s still wear on the arm in a high stress environment. Of course the downside is I think you figure in the struggles as well.
     
  17. El_Conquistador

    El_Conquistador King of the D&D, The Legend, #1 Ranking
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    Verlander has been a key piece of our glorious run over the last 5+ years, but sacrifices must be made to the salary gods in order to ensure that our system replenishes itself. Opportunities must be given to younger players... which promotes healthy competition and advances the next cycle of leaders on the team.

    For 2023, I like the following starting rotation:
    1. Framber Valdez
    2. Cristian Javier
    3. Lance McCullers
    4. Luis Garcia
    5. Hunter Brown

    This means that Verlander's salary could be utilized elsewhere to plug holes or extend young stars (Framber, Tucker). It also means that Urquidy could be traded for a nice return. Dylan Carlson of the Cardinals is someone I would target in a trade for Urquidy. If we wanted to do a bigger trade, perhaps consider Jazz Chisholm of the Marlins... although he has personality concerns.
     
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  18. RunninRaven

    RunninRaven Contributing Member
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    In that scenario I wouldn't want them to trade Urquidy. We either stick with the 6 man rotation or put him as long relief. I know Urquidy wouldn't want to be in the bullpen, but with the injury history of McCullers and the relative unknown of Hunter Brown over the course of a full season, I wouldn't want someone that is pretty proven like Urquidy to be traded away. If we re-sign Verlander then I think we should trade one of either Urquidy or Garcia, but not if he walks.
     
  19. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

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    Agreed

    No way the team only keeps 5 sp
     
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  20. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

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    Yep. You want 10 viable SP entering every season, and for contenders 7 of them need to be guys who would be in most rotations in the league. Houston will have 4-6 solid SP prospects on the 40 man in AAA (Whitley, Bielak, Dubin, Tamarez, Murray, France), but only 2-3 of those will likely be good. The Astros need to go into spring training with 6 good SP options. If against odds they all stay healthy it’s not an issue to have Urquidy or Garcia or Brown as a multi inning weapon in the pen until a spot opens up.

    The Verlander decision will dominate the Astros offseason. If they resign him their finances to address offense will be quite limited and they’ll need to trade from their SP surplus to acquire a bat. If they let JV walk they’ll need to keep all their SP (but should have the money to address the offense via free agency).
     
    AznH-TownFan likes this.

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