Snake Diggity

See below Yep. Fire tablets are not nearly as addictive as iPads because the OS is not nearly as user friendly. My kids get bored with their tablets, but they scratch the itch of killing boredom with kids educational games and videos. We ban YouTube altogether and they only get YouTube kids when we’re eating at a restaurant (and they’re done with their dinner). I have never even figured out the Fire OS and when my kids ask for help with it I tell them to figure it out themselves or do something else. The fact that they cost 1/4 as much as iPads is just gravy. I am tentatively planning to get an iPad for my kids when they turn 10 but that is the earliest. I would prefer to wait until middle school or to never get them one at all. It would not surprise me if we looked back on the screen time and social media epidemics and saw the consequences were worse than if we’d let our kids smoke cigarettes at that age.

The Diamondbacks looked like a good trade fit until they traded for Suarez.

Bregman’s AAV jumps to $30M if he’s traded. Houston isn’t trading him to an AL team. He is a 3B only at this point. Hes a rental. Those 4 factors eliminate most teams from being matches for a trade. Giants, Dodgers, and maybe the Cubs would be the only teams that remotely match up. Some hypotheticals: To SF for 3B JD Davis, C Joey Bart, P Carson Whisenhunt, and P Reggie Crawford. Only works if Astros believe they can unlock something in Bart and really like the 2 pitching prospects. Also only makes sense if Houston has another deal lined up to add a bat that they need to move salary to make room for (like Robert or Arozarena). To LAD for 3B Michael Busch, P Maddux Bruns, and C Dalton Rushing. Only makes sense if the Astros believe the Dodgers are missing something in Busch. Again, also only makes sense if they have another bat lined up that they need Bregman’s money for. To the Cubs for IF James Triantos, 3B Patrick Wisdom, and P Nazier Mule. Wisdom can hit at the bottom of the order so if they added Robert or Arozarena to the lineup it’d be a wash, plus they’d pick up a couple good prospects. I could see Houston effectively trading Hunter Brown and Alex Bregman for Luis Robert, Dylan Cease, and an average everyday 3B (like JD Davis, Michael Busch, or Patrick Wisdom), with some extra money left over to add a bullpen arm. I’m not 100% sure that makes them better but it’s an interesting idea.

He is FAR beyond hope, and representative of a generation and a half whose overall biggest contribution to the country will be to die off.

My wife’s uncle is a DoD contractor. On Thanksgiving he told me “I have to work tomorrow. Biden is making me work. Trump gave us off on the day after Thanksgiving.” I knew the truth is that congress determines Federal Holidays (and that as a private contractor his company determines holidays unless it’s called out in their contract) but didn’t confront him, I just said “the President determines Federal Holidays? By himself?” He goes “Yep. Sad isn’t it?”

“Yes there’s some things about Trump I don’t like, but Biden is ruining my life. Nobody wants to work. Nobody can get a job. The border is wide open, inflation is totally out of control…” -My FIL, to a person he met 7 minutes prior, who had not said anything about politics I wish I could say that he is a monument to stupidity, a first ballot Hall of Fame moron, somebody whose ignorance will go down in the history books. But no. He is surely a stupid, ignorant moron. But there are tens of millions of people in this country just like him.

That seems like a good bet. The Astros will definitely have a more talented roster in 2024 than in 2023 and will likely not have as much bad luck with injuries. The difference to the downside is that the Rangers and Mariners will be better, but I think taking the over on 88.5 wins is a really good bet.

Props to Sark. This team exceeded my expectations. Been a really fun season. It’s not over yet. Just need FSU to lose today or in their CCG. Texas, UW/Oregon, Georgia/Bama, and Michigan/tOSU.

.... I’m assuming you’re just following up. I appreciate it. The adjuster sent out a different inspector on Saturday. The adjuster got their report on Monday. I haven’t heard anything since. I’m assuming she’s intentionally delaying to just wait me out and hope I go away and stall into the holidays. I’m also assuming the longer this goes on the lower my odds are of getting a good outcome. I have chatted with a lawyer here in town but I am trying to give the adjuster a few working days to do the right thing. Fuck insurance companies ALL the way up their asses.

Assessment of Houston’s current trade chips: Off limits: Alvarez, Altuve, Diaz, Tucker, Valdez, Bregman, Verlander, B Abreu; these players would only be traded in a massive deal for equivalent MLB talent or in some strange trade linked to another trade or part of an inexplicable rebuild/reload 1st tier (equivalent to MLB Top 50 prospect): Pena, McCormick, Brown, Javier; these could be headliners in a blockbuster 2nd tier (equivalent to MLB Top 51-125 prospect): Garcia, Meyers, Pressly, France, Urquidy, Dubon, Corona, Melton, Matthews; these could be headliners for a RP or fringe regular, or complimentary pieces in a blockbuster 3rd tier (equivalent to prospect ranked in org 10-30 range): Dubin, Graveman, Martinez, Mushinski, Whitley, Kessinger, Julks, Baez, Arrighetti, Dezenzo, Loperfido, Gordon, Barber, Leon, Wagner, Daniels, Whitcomb, Dirden, Tamarez, Melendez, Kouba; could be flipped for a bench piece or add-ons in a bigger deal Throw-ins/DFA Fodder: Salazar, Bielak, Blanco, Gage, Kuhnel, Ortega, Sousa, Hensley, Singleton Salary dumps: J Abreu, McCullers, Montero I feel like the only way Houston can make a major trade this offseason is by dealing Hunter Brown.

A dude on Clutchfans who has been a long time reliable insider is saying the Astros are very close to completing a blockbuster trade, and the insinuation is that it’s for a starting pitcher. My guess is Dylan Cease, with Hunter Brown going to Chicago as the headliner. I would love if Michael Kopech was coming to Houston as well. I find it hard to believe Houston can make a match for both Cease and Robert.

I think 40-70 is a grey area where the tendency is correlated with rural vs urban. Rural people in their 40s probably answer their phones a lot more than city folk in their 50s, and city folk in their 60s probably don’t answer their phones much at all. That is just my observation of my own social network so it could be way off. But I think it’s something that has changed significantly since 2016.

NO ONE under 40 answers their phone, not even for people they know. And they don’t respond to spam texts. I am not sure how you accurately poll people under 40 but it isn’t over the phone or via email. Most people in their 40s are the same way. Polling via phone is only going to accurately gauge the over 50 vote.

Yeah I think every fan wants their team to kick ass in the offseason. Wanting and expecting are two different things. I am extremely confident that Brown will at a minimum address the 2 glaring weaknesses (backup C and at least 1 RP). I also feel really good about an Altuve extension. But whether we get more than that, who knows. Crane has shown a willingness to make the big move; he approved payroll expansions for Verlander twice and demanded the GM acquire Greinke, so I don’t think any move should be marked as impossible. There’s gonna be some major major moves this offseason; I think the White Sox will rebuild (which means Cease and Robert are gonna be traded) and Juan Soto is pretty much guaranteed to be traded. There are also half a dozen ToR SP on the free agent market. It wouldn’t shock me if Houston comes out of this offseason with an unexpected big move or two, but for now I’m setting my expectations on Victor Caratini and Matt Moore signings paired with an Altuve lifetime contract.

Houston has 12 MLB caliber pitchers on their 40 man roster: Verlander, Valdez, Pressly, Abreu, Montero, Graveman, Javier, Brown, Urquidy, France, McCullers, and Garcia. But there are some issues: Garcia and McCullers are hurt but expected back between July 1 and Aug 31. 8 of those 12 are starters. So if they keep the roster as it is then at least 2 guys are going to have to move into a bullpen role. Not necessarily a bad thing but probably not ideal. Houston might want to trade one of their SP for an elite RP if they can. While all 12 guys certainly have a place on a big league roster, There are really only 2 sure-fire playoff-caliber SP (Valdez and Verlander) and 2 playoff-caliber high leverage relievers (Pressly and Abreu). Houston might want to replace 2 of their questionable SP for 1 proven playoff caliber SP and/or 1 proven high leverage RP. The free agent pitching market is very deep this year. Some team is going to get a very good deal on a SP. Houston might be able to take advantage of that situation. I.e., if teams are all focused on Snell/Montgomery/Nola, a guy like Eduardo Rodriguez or Yariel Rodriguez might end up signing for far less than they’re worth and be a #2 guy for 4-5 years getting paid #4 salary. I like the idea of Houston adding a SP because I think a playoff bullpen of Pressly, Abreu, McCullers, Brown, Garcia, Graveman, and Montero would be badass, with a playoff rotation of Verlander, Valdez, TBD, and Javier (with France and Urquidy available for emergency starts or multiple inning relief appearances).

People I would be willing to vet for the job (I know nothing about almost all of them except they’re famous Texans with Q scores I think would give them a chance): Morgan Fairchild Ethan Hawke Lucy Baines Johnson Kris Kristofferson Eva Longoria Lance Armstrong (mf seems to be Teflon) Greg Popovich Matthew McConaughey Mark Cuban Rhett Miller Any HEB heir named Butt between 35 and 65

If opening day were today, the pitching staff would consist of: Verlander, Valdez, Brown, Javier, Pressly, Abreu, Graveman, Montero, Urquidy, France, Bielak, Sousa, and Whitley. Those last 3 names are question marks (and nothing changes if you sub in Dubin, Blanco, Ortega, Kuhnel, Gage, Mushinski, or Martinez). I like Dubon and I doubt a scenario comes up where it makes sense to trade him. But if a team offers a legit cheap controllable 8th inning RP option for him, there’s definitely room on the pitching staff to make that move.

2 fixed cats. Leave them outside with an automatic feeder and a place to keep warm when needed. This is the way. Spraying orange oil worked for keeping all wildlife away from my shed. But that is a temporary solution. The cats will work for years.

Good organizations maximize value. Your comment could have easily been a response to someone suggesting trading Myles Straw in 2021. If Houston gains more wins by giving Dubon’s playing time to Kessinger and/or Meyers (or another cheap young player) while trading Dubon for a vastly underrated underrated pitcher and/or prospect, they should do that.

“Y’all single handedly killed the Big 12” (the conference they will continue to play in after this year) ”Yall are so arrogant”. LMFAO

That is totally possible but he is a very high ceiling prospect whose skill set translates well to be stashed as a 4th OF on a crummy big league roster for a year.

That is extremely surprising to me. Colin Barber should be a lock to be taken. I would also consider Whitcomb, Tamarez, and Robaina as prospects that teams will heavily consider taking.

Barber and Corona are pretty much locks. Whitcomb, Tamarez, and LHP Julio Robaina are likely. Melendez is an unknown. I can’t see Dirden, Palma, or Daniels getting protected or drafted.

While I generally agree with your point, the 2020 actual map with AZ, GA, and WI flipping is far from impossible. Trump doesn’t need MI or PA. He needs the rednecks to show out in AZ/GA and then get lucky* in WI. It is probably unlikely, but anybody writing off Trump’s chances probably wasn’t paying much attention in 2016.

He got 323 pa. Alvarez only got 496, so half of those would go to Alvarez if he stays healthy. McCormick only got 457, so the other half should have gone to him. But in an ideal world I don’t think Dubon gets 492 pa and Meyers gets less than 341. So there’s definitely room for a near-everyday OF in the lineup. I haven’t totally written off Meyers, and if they stick with him I will be hopeful that he can put up a career year and finish as a 2.5+ win/yr player. But I am pretty confident that 2023 was peak Dubon and that asking him to significantly improve on that is probably unrealistic.