I’m glad we resigned Montero, regardless if he’s overpaid or not. Our bullpen with be great again next year. Our SP will be really good to great again next year (depending on what JV will do). Our lineup should be better with another big bat or 2. We have so many holes in the lineup this year and we still won 106 games during the season. Who care how much Crane wants to pay for his players. As long as we’re competing for WS every year, that’s all it matters.
Yep. Even if we don't do anything including not resigning JV, we will be contending for the next 3 years. What we are doing now will determine if we are favorites or not.
JV hated the six man rotation he would not be a fan of that if he comes back he was resistant to it earlier in the reason and likes pitching on the regular rest from the 5 man rotation.
While it looks like he clearly hated it at first, I think later in the season he actually came around to liking it. Just my gut feeling, though.
Not my money. As long as Crane is willing to go into the Luxury Tax I don't care. Now if the Stros lose out players based on this deal I will be aggravated. MLB isn't like the NFL or NBA
When did he speak out against it this year? He’s been incredibly adaptable since coming over to Houston and has lauded when the front office or coaching staff was able to make him “better” by adopting new strategies/regimens/techniques. His numbers were great on 5 days rest this year. And he was coming off TJ surgery and pitched an unprecedented amount for somebody at age 40 coming off that injury. Next year is traditionally the year where post TJ pitchers do very very well. The biggest downside of the 6 man rotation is the potential strain it puts on the bullpen… and that was also mitigated this year thanks to the makeup of the staff.
on Graveman, I was more thinking it was a heist (toro for either Graveman or Montero would have been great, Nevermind both), than us making Graveman better. Montero is more of a case of us unlocking something
This is true. Heard an interview with him (right before the playoffs) and he said it really helped him from being worn down.
On mlb yesterday, Verducci said the Stros have six of the top 20 pitchers in mlb in Spin rate on breaking pitches. This is one of the things they saw in Montero and felt like they could fix him. They also love the movement on his FB.
I was hearing reports on I work a lot during the season when the games are played in the afternoon so I listened to many games on the radio while at work on 790. On the A team there were many talks with Astros insiders and other people talking about JV not liking the 6 man rotation. I get most of my information about the Astros from 790 and stats and analytics about players from Baseball Reference.
At this point, if the Astros ask you about a pitcher you have, you may want to hold on to them. I have to say I was wrong about Strom leaving. I thought we would be worse, not better.
Strom laid the foundation for Miller and others that come after him to follow if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Montero was fantastic during the regular season and again in the post season. Arguing about that seems silly. If he can repeat that, it’s worth it.
Again… this was based on JV’s previous preferences before this season. JV was not against the 6 man rotation this season. Clanton and Wexler are less “insiders” than several board posters here.
Bullpen pitching was the cherry that took the Astros over the top. The Astros can have the best offensive lineup, but it would be a bigger struggle to win it all. It’s like a broken record cliche, elite pitching beats elite offense, time after time. Seems the key is having a formidable offense, doesn’t have to be the best. Playing above solid to elite defense. Having reliable and strong starting pitching. Yet I think that The elite bullpen got the Astros over the top, the bullpen was so much fun to watch!
Montero threw breaking balls 12% of the time in 2022. 4-seamer (46%) Sinker (23%) Changeup (19%) Slider (12%)
This deal doesn't bother me for a number of reasons. First, I don't consider it that much of an overpay. The reliever market has changed. Edwin Diaz gets a 102 million over 5 years and Suarez who made his mlb debut this season at age 31 gets a 5 year 46 million dollar deal. Montero's agent saw that deal and probably asked for 4 years since he is one year older than Suarez. So the Astros up the AAV a couple million to bring it down to a 3 year deal. I don't consider it an overpay in today's market especially when Montero had 14 saves and another team could justify making him their closer and paying him like a closer... Another reason this deal doesn't bother me is after the 2023 season Stanek and Maton are free agents. Also, the Astros have a player option on Neris after 2023 as well. So the Astros have the 3 guys (Pressly, Montero, and Abreu) who pitched the biggest innings in the playoffs locked up for a few years with some potential flexibility in the pen coming up after 2023. Now the last thing I will say is my first reaction to seeing this contract is it made me think Verlander is gone. According to fangraphs the Astros are estimated at 179 million in luxury tax payroll which includes this Montero deal and arbitration estimates. If Crane wants to bring back Verlander and fill the holes at LF and 1B with guys like Brantley, Conforto, Abreu, Bell, etc he pretty much has to go into the luxury tax after this signing. Hopefully he is willing to do it and I've said a number of times this last season he should. Considering that the Astros have nobody that would warrant a qualifying offer after next season so draft pick compensation is a moot point, and the Astros aren't repeat offenders the cost for going even 20 million over the luxury tax would only be 4 million dollars and probably mean they should not sign a guy with a qualifying offer attached next offseason. If you go over the CBT by 40 million your 1st draft pick drops 10 spots. I hope Crane really goes for it the next couple seasons while all these guys are under team control.
Breaking pitches (slider, curve, sinker, splitter, etc etc). ANY pitch that breaks and I also said they loved the movement on his fastball. Do you argue just to argue even when you're WRONG??
