I am legitimately excited about 2025. The team has 5 established star level bats, a 6th who has a floor of MLB average, and multiple new/young players with upside. Walker + 2b should significantly improve the infield defense. 1b, 2b, SS, and CF project to be gold glove caliber. Framber, Hunter, Spaghetti, and Blanco are as solid a 1-4 as any team has and only have the injury risks any SPs have. Hader and Abreu could be the best leverage pair in MLB and the depth of upside and quality among the other bullpen candidates is good. This team has been decimated by injuries the past 2 years- it's time for the bad luck to even out. 2025 is going to be a kick ass season.
2b: Rodgers or Guillorme and Dubon? I will be very surprised if the Astros see Dubon playing 100+ games at 2b so one of these other 2 will be on the team and start significant games. RF: Smith, Dezenzo, or McCormick and Gamel? If either Smith or Dezenzo make the team they will likely get nearly everyday starts. So there is little chance both make it. If they decide Chas starts the year as the primary RF, then Gamel will be needed for depth and defense. And both Zach and Cam start in the minors.
I will be pissed if Zach does not start in favor of McCormick. He is beasting. I want Cam too but that is understandable. My dream decision would be cam at 3B, parades at 2nd, and Dicenzo in Rf.
If it comes down to Cam or Dezenzo I hope it's Dezenzo. He's about to turn 25 and is done with the minors. I have no idea if he will ever be a good hitter, but he's earned this job in camp and any more time stuck in AAA is just stalling his career.
No way no where no how. I do love this quote about Smith: “You see that and you see the confidence after the takes,” Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker said. “Like, ‘Yes, I made the right decision.’ I think that’s an important thing, that it looks like he’s always ready to hit and then he makes the decision to not swing, not the decision to swing.”
No way Meyers isn't the primary CF to start the year. Jake is better than Chas or Dubon at everything that the Astros need in CF. It would be great if Jake could be counted on to have, even, a Jeremy level bat, but with Altuve in LF and potentially Smith or Dezenzo in RF what is needed is the maximum range they can get and a natural CF (neither Dubon nor Chas were primarily CFers in the minors) who has 1000s of innings under his belt to understand the position at another level. As a pro, Jake has played 5021.1 innings in CF and 680.2 at all other positions. Chas has 1742.1 in CF, 2090 in LF, and 1776.1 in RF. Even in the minors, Chas played more LF and more RF than CF. Dubon has 1192.2 innings in CF. He has more of both 2b and SS. Jake has over than 2000 more innings in CF as a pro than Chas and Dubon combined. And by every metric you can find, they are better innings. Meyers can help both corner OFers in ways no other current Astro can and that's needed right now.
If Chas can hit again (now .739 OPS in ST, close to his career #s) he's 100% a better option for center than Meyers. You take a B+ offense / B defense 100% of the time over a D offense / A- defense. What is needed is bats. Our lineup is top heavy. A defense-only Jake or Maldonado or whoever in the 9th hole is fine if you've got the 2019 or the 2022 lineup. But this team has 5 proven bats and a bunch of question marks. And I think this "we need Jake's defense" thing oversells his defense - the range is great, the arm is like my little sister's. He's not as good as a player who can both hit and field.
That’s wagering heavy on a McCormick rebound. Meyers is an elite defender and that’s a sure thing. McCormick has a shot to be a really good hitting CF with average defense, but that’s far from a sure thing. Rooting for McCormick is rooting for someone who was one of the absolute worst players in MLB last season.
Chas's defense isn't average. Not gold glove caliber like Jake but is better than average. So it would be above average bat and above average fielding with Chas if he rebounds. That is what pissed me off about 2023. Dusty wasted Chas and Diaz for Dubon and Maldy. I'm so glad he is gone.
Pena is having a heck of a spring training. If he can lay off the breaking balls, he will be too expensive to keep in a few years. Only thing that is concerning is that he hasn't had a walk yet.
Chas's defense was good enough in Game 5 in the 22 series. He's a perfectly fine defensive CF, and his defense wasn't bad last year. Meyers's defense is good, but elite? His RF/9 in CF is career 2.68 when league average is 2.59. He's above average in range. And both guys have weak arms. I've quoted this stat before but it bears repeating - from July 1, 2024 until the end of the season, Jake Meyers hit worse than McCormick's overall 2024 numbers in every month (July, Aug, Sept, Oct). Jake was WORSE than "the absolute worst players in MLB" for a period of 271 PA, which is more PA than McCormick got all season (267). Wagering on the McCormick to rebound from his 267 PA last season doesn't seem any more risky than wagering on Meyers to rebound from even-worse 271 PA to end the season. Especially when Chas has a track record at the plate of success and Jake ... doesn't.
Jake has NEVER had a good season on offense- Chas has a few years. Jake is lucky he's on the Astros- he's basically getting center by default with how shitty the outfield is lol
First if all, Chas' arm is just as bad as Jake's is. I'm so sick of people talking about Jake's weak arm AS A POINT FOR CHAS INSTEAD OF HIM.( not you- this is for the rest of the thread and I don't want to post it alone) Secondly, CF is a defensive position. Of course you never want a bad hitter, but CF is so important, a GOOD hitter can be an overall negative. I agree that Chas is a better than average defender, but he isn't even in Meyers' league. And with Altuve in LF and possibly Smith or Dezenzo in RF this team needs every bit of ability possible from CF. Thirdly, the offensive weakness of this team has been exaggerated. Diaz, Walker, Paredes, Altuve, and Alvarez are all silver slugger contenders. Pena has established himself as no worse than average. As is, I expect this team to be among the 10-12 highest scoring teams in MLB. If one or two of Rodgers, Smith, or Dezenzo can hit to their potential upside then nobody will be worried about Jake's bat.
Whoever is hitting better between chas and Jake should start in CF. There isn't enough disparity in their defensive abilities to justify benching the hitter. Chas plays a mean CF and is actually better and seems more comfortable there than the corners. That being said, it looks like Meyers has pretty much won the job.
Jake is 7th in the league among CF defensive fwar over the last 3 seasons (McCormick is 21st). Hes proven as an elite defensive player. McCormick is not bad, and in the corners he’s a plus defensive player, but as a CF he’s an average defensive player. That’s not to denigrate him, but he’s not on Meyers’ level. Like I said, if you want to bet heavy that McCormick will rebound to his 2023 offense, he’s the better player. But if you factor in the whole of last season and not cherry pick the last half, Meyers is the better bet, especially considering you will have inexperienced guys in RF and LF.
