I have a different perspective. As a fan, I want to see my favorite players stay Astros as long as possible. I think it needs to be a special player - one who already has a memorable and important history with the Astros but there are probably 3-4 players on every Astros team that I personally would sign to 7+ year deals into their late 30s. I think Altuve's contract is going to be very bad, on the field, over the last couple of years, but I am still happy they did it. Most of you know I personally put Bregman on very close footing with Altuve. I would have given him 7 years in a heartbeat because of his Astros legacy and my Fandom. I don't want to see all-time great Astros in other uniforms. It's up to the team to have enough good cheap players to offset them. The players I would not give long term deals to are any pitcher, or any player who hasn't left a long and historic legacy on the team (unless it's an extension covering arb and possibly pre-arb seasons). As a general rule this is probably a guy who is among the top 2-3 players at a position in Astros history. Guys like Michael Brantley or Jeremy Pena don't get 5+ year deals that go into mid-30s, IMO Guys like Springer, Correa, Bregman, do.
I guess where I'm sitting, I want the team to be good, if legacy players want to take discounts to stay here forever as they age and becomes ineffective, I'm all for it.....but I'm not going to sacrifice the team's competitiveness to throw ridiculous contracts at guys that used to be awesome simply because they used to be awesome here. Bregman was given a more than generous offer by the Astros and turned up his nose at it. To me, I stopped caring about him the second that happened. It's always franchise over player to me.
I agree. It is sentimental and not rational. But we follow a bunch of grown men swinging a stick at a ball — nothing about sports is rational. So, I’d rather my kids get to tell their kids about the amazing Astros they formed a real (virtual) bond with. I’m passionate enough talking about Biggio and Bagwell that my son asked for a Biggio rookie card because “he was an Astros legend, and I love the Astros.” A rotating team of mercenaries is fun when you are winning, but the legacy is less fun to reflect on. (To be clear the Astros have had plenty of continuity vs mercenaries, but it is still more fun to think about Lance than Cole despite 2019 being the best team I ever saw.)
For the time being we should all be prepared that Houston is going to use Pressly’s money to sign Jorge Polanco to play LF and a cheap RP to replace Pressly. It won’t be popular but it will be a net positive for the roster in terms of projected wins.
Not sure I really want Bregman back on a 6-year deal. (Oh, the 6-year/156 ain’t gonna get it done per Ari? Well good luck!) When does it become a bad deal? Year 2? Year 3? Got Paredes, got Walker, let’s roll. Got my one sentimental, wears one uniform, retires an Astro in Altuve.
I'm willing to chance that last year was a blip for him. If so, he's got an OK bat. But he's about as good an OF possibility as Altuve. Hasn't played OF since he was in rookie ball at the age of 17. Bad range and noodle arm as a 2B.
Nah, it’s a lot more fun to reflect on the joy I got when the final out was made to win the WS than it was watching Biggio and Bagwell never win.
I’d rather see if I could flip Paredes to Boston for Wilyer Abreu and reengage the Cardinals on Arenado than sign Polanco. Sure, he can switch hit, but he was awful last season (sub 700 OPS and sub .300 OBP). I also wouldn’t mind if the Astros reached out to the Cardinals about either Brendan Donovan or Lars Nootbaar. I’d also rather trade for a left-handed outfielder like Mike Yastremski with the Giants and keep Paredes than sign Polanco.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...son-designate-jacob-amaya-for-assignment.html Orioles signed Dylan Carlson to a big league deal. That would seem to make one of their LHH OF expendable (Mullins, Kjerstad, or O’Hearn). Total speculation but any of those would represent an upgrade for Houston.
No such resolution is near, and the Astros continue to show strong interest in another option, veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, two league sources told The Athletic on Monday. Bregman maintains interest from five teams and is no closer to a decision now than before Pressly’s departure. Polanco has only played shortstop, second base and third base at the major-league level, but could contribute in left field if he signs with the Astros, sources said. All winter, sources have indicated Astros owner Jim Crane is unwilling to pay the tax for a second consecutive season. Shipping $8.5 million of Pressly’s salary to Chicago leaves the Astros less than $5 million away from the first tax threshold, according to Cot’s Contracts. Crane’s initial six-year, $156 million offer to Bregman remains on the table, but it’s unclear if the owner has any appetite to increase it. … Whether the owner is willing to wait out Bregman’s market is a mystery, as is his willingness to carry another franchise-record payroll.
I recall Bregman's poor offense during the WS '21 requiring him being moved down the order finally by Dusty
I’m not saying Polanco is some great signing but I think there’s a good chance for a bounce back season for him. T Mobile is the worst park to hit (it’s a more of a pitchers friendly park than Coors is a hitting friendly park) and he rebounded in the 2nd half (.740 OPS).
We’re sending an infielder to the outfield. Whether that’s Altuve or Polanco or Paredes or DeZenzo or Arenado or even Bregman himself. OK, I’m joking about those last two.
If I could get Polanco for a couple million at most, I’d consider it. But, he’s not my idea of an impactful left-handed bat, especially when he has no outfield experience, too.
