Minute Maid has a classic feel with the brick and green iron/seats. Feels like a more modern, indoor Fenway. Should last for decades. Definitely the jewel of Houston sports facilities.
If that's the case then why did Conforto turn down the 2 year 30 million dollar offer they made to him last year...
I would still like Conforto at 2 yrs. If it's opt out or 1 yr + player option it would suck but not the end of the world. He is the only impact bat left on the market ( I don't consider Benintendi impactful) and it's much different than a 4+ yr contract. The fact that so many signings this off season are for longer than expected just makes the deal less worrisome. It's just the expected cost now. If he signs elsewhere then just start the year with Hensley, Y.Diaz, Matijevic etc until a trade that fits becomes available.
The difference is that you might be able to platoon Benintendi at CF with McCormick in the playoffs, which gives you a really strong righty/lefty matchup. Don’t think Conforto can play anything but LF (maybe RF). I haven’t looked at Conforto’s splits. If he can hit both righties and lefties, that would put him over the defensive edge to Benintendi IMO, but would make Brantley unlikely.
Boras screwed Conforto by having him opt out of 18 mil with the Mets. Now he's trying to squeeze him out like an old dishrag..
I don't like the idea of Benintendi in CF and expect Chas and/or Meyers to be better both offensively and defensively. I just think he is exceptionally overrated and will be much much more expensive than he is worth.
Maybe. I see it as LF/CF/DH platoons of: Yordan, Brantley, Benintendi and McCormick vs Yordan, Conforto, McCormick and Meyers And we don’t know what Conforto is going to look like after being out for a year. Don’t have a strong conviction either way. Probably prefer the security and depth of the 1st option, but can see a reasonable argument for the other.
Glad the Astros only have Stanek, Maldonado too re-sign and Neris' option too pick up in next years free agency, Maybe chase a tier 2 OF like Happ (depending on what contract they take on this offseason). Maton can walk. Teams are gonna go nuts over Ohtani, Devers, Machado, and that pitching: Nola, Urias, Snell, Hader, Darvish, Flaherty, etc. Let them spend big.
Benintendi last 3 seasons vs McCormick's 2 seasons and Meyers 2021 season when he was healthy. I'm betting he is healthy again in 2023 and this is his floor. Per 500 PA Andrew .282. .346/.410 / .756 Chas. .255. .326/ .428 / .754 Jake. .260. .323/ .438 / .761 R: Andrew 54, Chas 65, Jake 67 2B: Andrew 23, Chas 17, Jake 25 3B: Andrew 2, Chas 2, Jake 0 HR: Andrew 10, Chas 19, Jake 18 RBI: Andrew 56, Chas 65, Jake 86 SB: Andrew 8 of 14 = 57.1% Chas 6 of 9 = 66.7% Jake 9 of 9 = 100% BB: Andrew 45, Chas 49, Jake 31 K: Andrew 86, Chas 144, Jake 153 In 2022 Chas reduced his K rate from 32.5% to 26.0% and increased his BB% from 7.8% to 11.3%. Both Chas and Jake are still improving with less than 800 PA and under 28 years old. Benintendi is on the way down. I admit some areas like strikeouts are much worse, but most are in the 2 young players' favor. I would not spend on Benintendi when that would mean stunting one or both of these players.
Interesting! May point to some logic for avoiding Benintendi, but again, interested in how Meyers handles righties and his recovery in general.
