His father was dying at that point and time and his family could not afford the medical treatment needed… he also had undiagnosed AD/HD and an extreme anxiety disorder. He smoked a lot of mar1juana and ate a lot. I don’t remember him ever getting in trouble other than mar1juana. You won’t find many players or coaches with a negative thing to say about him. 95% of people in his position would have given up, he didn’t and he turned into a big leaguer. He is a good story - and had overcome a lot… he also deals with a shocking amount of racism on social media… Has a strong wife and kids and is generally a role model. Seems like good success story to me. Having said that, he can go start at 1st base for the Pirates or Diamondbacks…. Good guy but don’t want him on the Astros.
I’m surprised you don’t want him on the roster. I think the role Houston originally had planned for him (before Jose Abreu disintegrated) is totally fine. A 13th position player working as a bench bat who can pinch hit for Pena or McCormick late in the game against a RHP in a crucial situation, plus play a handful of games at 1B to give the starter a rest, knowing he won’t be a problem in the clubhouse even if he’s not playing…that’s got good value. Of course if another team wants to toss Houston a lotto prospect because they think he’s a starting 1B, sure, do that instead, but otherwise I think he makes a great use of that last roster spot.
Both the Priates and Diamondbacks have better 1B than Jon Singelton. I doubt any MLB team in baseball would give him the starting job, or the number of ABs he got last year from the Astros.
The hard part about Singleton on the roster is his complete lack of flexibility. He's a 1B only (and not a good one), and we have an everyday 1B. That said, it is hard to think he wouldn't be on the team, as we lack 13 good position players, especially LHB. If we played Yordan (or Walker) in LF against LHP, Singleton could see somewhat regular playing time. If not he's pretty much just pinch hitting, which is so hard to do when you aren't getting regular ABs.
Yeah but the 13th guy is just not a consequential spot in terms of regular season on-field impact. Going back 11 seasons, the 13th man for Houston has only eclipsed 200 pa twice, and that spot averages about 150 pa in a season (playing 30-40 games). Singleton would get that as a pinch hitter and backup 1B. The primary considerations of that 13th spot imho are: -Not cost any money -Not be a problem in the clubhouse even though they aren’t playing regularly -Not damage a young player’s development -Be able to provide unique value, especially in the playoffs That 1st criteria eliminates going out into free agency to replace Singleton. The 2nd and 3rd criteria eliminates giving it to a young player like Whitcomb or Dezenzo. The 4th is where I think the choice is. You either give that spot to a 3rd catcher (Salazar), a player with elite baserunning skills (?), or a bench bat who complements your weaker everyday hitters (Singleton). As its stands, Singleton would be in the lead for that spot, in competition with Salazar. If Houston adds an OF without DFA’ing Hummel or Trammell, those 2 guys would also be in the mix. But my main point is that the role Singleton is projected for just isn’t important and Singleton fits the main criteria to be successful in it. The only other sensible use of that spot is to rotate prospects thru in order to get them exposure to the. If leagues. Whitcomb, Leon, Dezenzo, Salazar, Corona, etc. could each spend a week or two up with the big league club to rest from playing and get exposure to the big league routine.
Yeah, it's the lack of roster spots that prevent us from carrying guys who can only play one position on the bench. 4 bench spots - one will be a backup catcher (Caratini), one will be a UI (Dubon), a 4th OF (Meyers or Trammell, whoever isn't starting). The last spot is probably a young guy like Dezenzo, who they like, or another OF we bring in as a FA or in trade. For that matter, carrying a 3rd catcher like Salazar (letting you start both our other catchers together from time to time) is a better use of the roster spot than a bench 1B.
His ops vs rhp was among the top half in the league for first basemen last season. Right there with Pete Alonzo & Matt Olson and better than Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Bell, etc. His ops vs rhp was higher than Christian Walker's ops vs lhp.
They’re not going to carry a guy like Dezenzo as the 13th man. That would be a total waste of a year of control for him. If Dezenzo or any other decent prospect makes the roster, it’ll be as an everyday player. They’re also not going to go out and spend millions of dollars on a guy they expect to be the 13th man and get <200 pa. If they bring in a FA, it’ll be for an everyday spot. If they don’t keep Singleton, then they’ll keep another cheap veteran they think has more to offer (like Hummel or Trammell) or they’ll use it for a 3rd C (Salazar or Hudson).
I think there is enough to like from an offensive stand point to keep Jon. 70% of the pitchers in the league are RH. He is patient, works pitchers and takes walks. He has great power (even if his swing doesn't maximize it) He rarely looks like the moment is too big. The problems are all other aspects of the game He brings no defensive versatility. He brings no baserunning value. He is a poor defender. The roster has several guys who can play 1b. Many of the players on the roster aren't complete, in that they have weaknesses that make them poor choices to start everyday. There simply aren't many bench spots. The fact that Walker and Paredes were the two players who replaced Tucker and Bregman make him even more expendable. The only way I want Singleton on this team is if at least 2 of the OF spots end up being filled by guys who hit both RH and LH pitching and project as everyday starters. Even then, guys like Leon, Dezenzo, and Whitcomb would be better choices for what is needed on the bench. That said, right now he is, without question, among the 13 best on this roster.
And Lance McCullers Jr was in the rotation of both World Series champions but they could never win it all with Michael Brantley in the outfield. Baseball is a team game. What's your point.
I agree about Dezenzo. He either starts 75+% or gets OF reps in Sugar Land. However I disagree about the veteran getting <200 PAs. RH makes up 70% of the pitching in this league. I could see them bringing in a guy like Heyward on a $3-5M deal and him getting 300-400 PAs but sit vs LHP in favor of Meyers, Chas, or Dubon in order to maximize the matchups and rest his legs.
I thought 6/165 would be enough for Bregman if the Astros were willing to increase their offer a tad. But if Bregs camp is stuck on $30/yr then I don't know the Astros would even do a 5/150.
You misunderstood my post - I wasn't suggesting that they would bring in another guy to be the 13th man, or that they'd have Dezenzo in that role. What I was saying is that Dezenzo may well be starting in RF, or we might be bringing in a FA to do so. Which would put us with a 5th OF, using the 13th spot in that fashion, with two of Chas / Meyers / Trammell on the bench. A baseball roster is in flux throughout the year, especially the last couple of bench spots. I'd be surprised if they used a spot all season on a backup 1B in his mid 30s. As I said, a 3rd catcher or a backup OF give you additional defensive options late in game that carrying Big Jon does not. How many teams carry a backup 1B that isn't part of a platoon and doesn't play any other positions?
Plenty of teams carry a bench bat with minimal defensive value. The Astros planned to do just that last season before they gave up on Abreu.
I have doubts they'd do 3/90. I have doubts about the 6/156 being still available, too. Feels like the die has been cast.
Abreu was coming off a terrible season in 2023. Singleton was a backup plan that turned out to be necessary. They may not value a backup plan at this point. Especially given they have let's say Paredes, Dubon, maybe Dezenzo, all capable of playing the position if needed. Jon's bench bat also has minimal value. He's amassed at a negative WAR thru about 500 PA in his 2023/2024 comeback. He's very mid
This is reasonable thinking. His original hope was Xander Bogaerts money which was pie in the sky. His first realistic goal was 7/$200, which is $28.58M AAV. He has not been able to find a 7 year offer, do is begrudgingly willing to accept 6, but wants a higher AAV of $30M (which he is also not finding) or 6/$180M If the original offer is still on the table, as reported, then they are only $24M apart and apparently can at least move forward on the years part. It feels like just splitting the difference (6/$168) is not working for either side. What if Boras and Alex agreed to go down to $28.5M per season if the Astros were willing to add a small option that is very unlikely to get picked up? 6/$166M + a $9M player option with a $5M buyout. $40M, $35M, $30M, $25M, $20M, $16M. The MLBPA can't complain about a big drop in salary from the final year to the option ( unlikely anyway) and if a trade makes sense to both groups late in the deal, it is easier to accomplish. example, if a trade makes sense after 4 seasons the new team will owe him $41M with a $15M AAV for his final 2 seasons with a very unlikely chance of 1 more year and an additional $4M. Alex gets his $28.5M per over 6 years. Likely $171M total if option is declined. $25M AAV= Astros get to save $3.5M per season, and $1M from original offer ($25M AAV) to use on payroll improving the roster. For a $4M difference, there is very little risk of the option actually getting accepted
