It is probably close to a push, but we definitely could see a lot of flexibility in where our guys play this year.
and that presumably means Rodgers is our starting 2b. Don’t think he’d accept a bench role - which leads to the (good) conundrum of where all these promising players are getting ABs from
I think the Altuve experiment goes for as long as Rodgers is producing in the 90-100 wRC+ range. Dezenzo deserves playing time, and not just a break glass in case Walker's obique can't stay unstrained.
Dezenzo will get plenty of playing time just like the end of last season. There are always rest days and nagging injuries. Dezenzo has nothing to prove in AAA.
Rodgers and Dubon will split time at 2B with Rodgers getting most of the burn since Dubon pretty much backs everyone up.
ALOT of versatility on this team. More than I’ve seen on any Astros team since I’ve been following them : Altuve : LF/2b Paredes: 3B/2B/1B/LF Alvarez: DH/LF Walker: 1B (he’s also played 3B and OF) Diaz: C/1B Smith: RF/3B/LF Rodgers: 2B/SS Pena: SS (presumably 2B but why would you ) Myers: CF/RF/LF McCormick: RF/CF/LF Dezenzo: RF/1B/3B/LF Dubon: 2B/SS/3B/1B/CF/RF/LF Caratini: C/1B pretty freaking versatile
Taking a stab at playing time assuming good health: Walker: 1B 90% Pena: SS 90% Alvarez: DH 80%, LF 10% Paredes: 3B 85%, 2B 5% Smith: RF 85%, 3B 5% Altuve: LF 70%, 2B 10%, DH 5% Diaz: C 75%, DH 10% Meyers: CF 70% Rodgers: 2B 70% Dezenzo: 1B 10%, RF 15%, LF 20% Dubon: SS 10%, 3B 15%, CF 5%, 2B 15% McCormick: CF 30%, DH 5% Caratini: C 25%
I doubt Paredes plays any 2B with all the other 2B options on the team And I think Chas gets more than 30% of the work in CF. I just have no faith that Jake will do much offensively, with Chas there is at least the possibility that he rebounds, and if he is anywhere close to 2023 that's a level Jake can't get to Rodgers is an interesting piece. He is good on defense, but he is going to have to be significantly better offensively than he has been in order to carve out 70%
Rodgers projects as an everyday starter and only plays 2b. Short is a true middle infielder and projects as a platoon/bench guy. Keeping Short makes it easier to move Altuve to 2b if the LF experiment does not work and play Dubon in CF, as it adds another SS to the roster. That said, I still think it needs to be Rodgers unless they abandon the Altuve in LF experiment and give Dezenzo the job.
According to Baseball Reference, Kyle Tucker's career high for WAR is 5.5. For Fangraphs, he's never gotten above 5.0 WAR. I think this works on paper, but not in reality. Outside of a utility player like Dubon, I don't think the Astros are going to be jerking people around between the outfield and infield. They'll find a general position and keep them there. Altuve is going to be struggling enough to learn LF - no need to occasionally put him back at 2B for a game here and there and screw with all his mechanics and instincts again. Same with Cam Smith - he needs to get comfortable and in a routine just being in the majors. Putting him at 3B for like 8 games while he's trying to master right field just doesn't seem beneficial to anyone. And Walker doesn't need to be adapting to the throwing patterns of four different 2Bs, a bunch of 3Bs, etc. Ultimately, Rodgers/Dubon will likely man 2B and if Rodgers sucks, maybe they shift Altuve back full time and it becomes Altuve/Dubon. But it's rare that a -non-utility player is going to move back and forth just for a game or two. LF/RF/1B are easier so those rotations make sense, but I don't think Smith or Altuve will be doing that type of thing.
Do you have any definitive proof they were putting feelers out? Before the Trade Deadline, during the offseason? They got comfortable in 2023 because the division was so terrible (and ultimately, a terrible team in the Rangers got hot and ended up winning)but it was clear they didn't have it. So they rested on their laurels and rode it out. Two position players and a prospect is not a big ask for an MVP candidate when you have some leverage. Once you lose it, you're scrambling. It's really not more complicated than that.
The Astros really don't seem to want to play Paredes at 2B, at least right now. Getting regular AB's for Chas and Dezenzo is gonna be really difficult if they don't. I guess we can get Chas split reps in CF to figure out if he has any rebound left, but Dezenzo feels like he's stuck in a holding pattern for now.
