Well, he did recommend keeping McCullers - why, I'm not sure... I think most of us pretty much assumed they'd bring back their budding 21-year old ace....
Things have changed for the rebuilt Houston Astros. They arrived a year ahead of schedule, winning 86 games this year and beating the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the American League wild-card game before losing a hard-fought Division Series to the Kansas City Royals. Astros owner Jim Crane, team president Reid Ryan and GM Jeff Luhnow got a taste of the postseason, and you better believe they're geared up to make this team better this offseason in order to make it further. The team is in pretty good shape for 2016, but it will look to make one or two key moves to become a legit title contender. Potential free agents: Colby Rasmus, Scott Kazmir, Tony Sipp, Oliver Perez, Joe Thatcher Objective 1: Who stays and who goes among the free agents? The Astros have interest in re-signing at least a few of their free agents, including outfielder Colby Rasmus, left-handed starter Scott Kazmir and lefty reliever Tony Sipp. They'll do everything they can to get those guys back, especially Rasmus and Sipp. Objective 2: Find a bullpen anchor Houston's bullpen faded down the stretch and almost cost the team a postseason berth. Look for the Astros to be aggressive in improving the back end of it, and that includes a possible trade for a proven closer such as Craig Kimbrel of the Padres, Aroldis Chapman of the Reds or Drew Storen of the Nationals. Objective 3: Figure out how to replace Kazmir in the rotation As noted above, the 'Stros will try to get the veteran lefty back, but even without him, they still like how their starting rotation looks with Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, Lance McCullers and Mike Fiers as the first four guys. As much as they hope one their top pitching prospects -- Mark Appel, Vincent Velasquez or Michael Feliz -- will be ready next year to nail down that fifth-starter spot, they'd probably feel better with Kazmir or another reliable starter being the No. 2 or 3 man and pushing the others back a slot. Look for GM Jeff Luhnow to be aggressive yet sensible via free agency or trade to see what's available to him. Objective 4: Consider trade offers to upgrade a position The Astros really don't have to do much this offseason in terms of position players. They'll look to bring back Rasmus, but the rest of the hitters are under team control. That said, they'll listen to anything that can improve their big league club. For example, as much as they like Jed Lowrie and Luis Valbuena as their third base options, they would listen to the Cincinnati Reds if Todd Frazier were made available or the Tampa Bay Rays were they to relent and listen to offers for Evan Longoria. And as much as they like sluggers Chris Carter at first base and Evan Gattis at DH, if another team offers them a better overall player, such as Freddie Freeman of the Braves, that's a conversation worth having. Objective 5: Stay the course The Astros will continue to show patience with their young players and won't sway from their long-term plan. As such, don't expect them to make huge changes this offseason. They'll look to continue the path they're on in hopes of bringing the first World Series title to Houston.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Luhnow said Crane has given support to increase payroll if necessary. Luhnow thanked ownership group for support this year. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a></p>— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChronBrianSmith/status/654734484315631616">October 15, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> yes.
Luhnow has emphasized repeatedly in this PC that he will have the necessary resources to improve the roster this offseason. Music to my ears.
Astros are the one of if not the youngest team in baseball. They will still develop and grow as a team. They don't need much too be put over the top. They just reached the ALDS when the goal was finishing above .500 in Luhnows words before the season. There's only one open spot among position players, barring a trade. And if you spend money on a free agent. You're forcing Preston Tucker back to AAA. And that is my point. Same goes for signing a starting pitcher, it forces the Astros to send McCullers back to AAA or have Fiers or Feldman take up a valuable spot in the pen. These are guaranteed contracts that can't just be cut or released.
This is the kind of lazy complacency I hope the Astros avoid. It was a fun year - it was also a down year, both for the division, as well as the league overall. Standing pat would be a significant misstep for this regime. Fortunately, I don't think they will. Currently; but they could upgrade as many as five positions: C, 1B, 3B, LF and DH. a) you don't; b) who cares? I'm all for Tucker being a part of this team next year - but he's not an uber-elite prospect. Right now, his ceiling looks like competent Major Leaguer, which teams need - but at the expense of adding a significant bat? Yeah, he's not that valuable. I don't think they should spend big money on a starting pitcher - but Lance McCullers isn't going anywhere; he's their second best pitcher right now (which is why I don't think they should overpay a starting pitcher). Fiers, Feldman, I think Kazmir, even McHugh... nice pitchers and I think a rotation with three of them at the back end can win - but, as with Tucker, let's not inflate their worth - they're all roughly league-average pitchers. Actually, Fiers was better than that - but the other three...
Maybe we can go after Drew Storen, he seems to have fallen out of favor with the Nats and he is a Stanford grad.
When you take into account Kazmir and Gomez's pro rated salaries, the Astros payroll was up over $80 million this season. The salary for next season is about $60 million before some of the arbitration eligible question marks (projections are Carter 5.5 million, Valbuena 6 million, Gattis 3.5 million, Castro 4.5 million, Conger 2 million) They could have as much as 30-40 million to spend, depending on how much more they are willing to increase salary.
I'd say it'll be closer to 30 max if the players out there warrant it. But we could add to that by moving players (Feldman, Lowrie, Carter, Valbuena, Gattis) depending on where the FAs are upgrading or what the plans are for the young guys.
They should at least spend near the middle of the pack which is 115 mil so they should have 55 mil to spend. They should really be spending closer a top 10 team which would be 125 or so.
well I was assuming 110. Which is around 30 when you add the arb projections to the payroll...that's how I arrived at my guess
I think it's a risk to deviate from HR to BA given our success, but we really did struggle to get a big hit. And so we have to consider a true clean up hitter first with power and average. That is hard to find.. But that seemed the biggest struggle to me. Gregerson was good enough. The bullpen was good enough. The starting pitching was great. So fix the problem which was hitting with RISP.
I wonder what trade package it would take to get someone like Edwin Encarnacion. He has one year left on his contract and im not sure if the blue jays can afford him if they resign Price, with Batista also becoming a free agent in one year and also paying tulo, and having to pay Donaldson in a few years.
They desperately need bullpen help. Gregerson and Sipp were good, but we all saw how little confidence that Hinch had in his bullpen. If the Astros can somehow shore that up, everything else will fall into place.
Heyward would be my priority. He is the perfect age (26) where the risk of a huge long term deal is mitigated, he is a good on base guy, and he actually improves a strength of the team with his gold glove outfield defense. I also think he could get better since he just turned 26 and he already was a 6 WAR player last year and has been a 5.25 WAR player on average the last 4 years. I can't decide on throwing money at Price or Grienke but I think a fireball closer would be worth the trade pieces. I think the bullpen was good but ran out of gas and if you add a super stud at the back end everyone should have more juice in September next year If you add Reed at 1b, White/Tucker at DH, and Heyward in left I think you can platoon Lowrie/Marwin at third till Moran or Bregman is ready.
I'd like him as well - my only issue is that we'd have three OFers who are all somewhat redundant - and it places a greater emphasis on finding a power bat to play 3B, which I think is infinitely harder than finding a power bat in LF. I want a Matt Carpenter*-type at 3B; a Nelson Cruz-type (or, you know - Nelson Cruz) in LF. That'd be my dream scenario. * Luhnow drafted Carpenter; I wonder if, in Colin Moran, Luhnow saw/sees a Matt Carpenter-type?
