2023 Official Astros World Champs Offseason Thread

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

 

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

we didn't need him and urquidy is a very nice asset to still have 

According to the Astros transaction page, here are the players who have elected free agency:

Aledmys Diaz
Yuli Gurriel
Christian Vazquez
Rafael Montero
Jason Castro
Michael Brantley

Still in limbo:
Justin Verlander player option
Will Smith club option
Trey Mancini mutual option

[CycleTex87 2,981]

The first thing you need to ask is Click gone?  I would expect that to happen pretty quickly after the parade.  No sense in prolonging it if that is the deal. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

1 minute ago, CycleTex87 said:

The first thing you need to ask is Click gone?  I would expect that to happen pretty quickly after the parade.  No sense in prolonging it if that is the deal. 

I hope so. I mean I’m not going to be pissed if he’s back but we can do better with Stearns imo. 
Maybe Click comes back and finds some balls. This off-season is so very important for the next 3-6 years. We need someone to mail this and get it right- a caretaker guy would be a very bad thing right now. 
There are so many big decisions to be made. 

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

id be curious to see what free agent relief pitchers they've scouted and think can work in our system

[HtownHorn 14,763]

18 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

I hope so. I mean I’m not going to be pissed if he’s back but we can do better with Stearns imo. 
Maybe Click comes back and finds some balls. This off-season is so very important for the next 3-6 years. We need someone to mail this and get it right- a caretaker guy would be a very bad thing right now. 
There are so many big decisions to be made. 

Apparently, he made a ballsy move to upgrade one of the weakest positions on the team and was over ruled, because of reasons. He also did something that Luhnow never understood or did, build an elite bullpen.

It's crazy how Click really rebuilt the pitching staff from 2019 to 2022. The only pitchers that pitched on the 2019 team still with the club are Verlander, Valdez, Urquidy, Pressly, and Abreu. Pressly was the 5th bullpen option on that team.

Edited November 6, 2022 by HtownHorn

[Make em eat Taco Bell 1,549]

Yuli situation depends completely on his knee rehab.  I'd take his 2022 stats all day + postseason + still Gold Glove if he returns with all that in 2023.  There's something about defense that lifts a team, saves runs. Also something magical about team chemistry which he provides. At worst, he's a backup 1B.  Best to keep him, again depending 100% on medical. 

[Mo Horn 8,853]

I think there's only a 0.00001 chance of happening, but if you're Judge, why would you not want to come to Houston? Your chance of winning it all next year is about as high as it can get. Yes, he will get much not money elsewhere, but $35 million and probably a title, or $50 million and another close but no cigar? I think I take option #1.

[Make em eat Taco Bell 1,549]

after signing JV, how much remaining $ does Houston have to splurge? Will Crane be stingy? No baseball salary cap, will he go full blast?  

[The Dog 44,131]

19 minutes ago, Make em eat Taco Bell said:

after signing JV, how much remaining $ does Houston have to splurge? Will Crane be stingy? No baseball salary cap, will he go full blast?  

We have plenty of room and Crane will spend. Biggest things are Bergman’s salary goes to $30m next year and Yordan goes up $7 million. 
 

We also have several players who will get big numbers in arbitration (Valdez, Stanek, Ted, and Javier).

but otherwise we are in great shape for a defending champ. 
 

Edited November 6, 2022 by The Dog

[CycleTex87 2,981]

Interesting article on Wilson Contreras to the Astros at the trade deadline:

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-cubs-astros-had-willson-212041812.html

Click was the odd man out in the voting process it looks like.

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

This says it all ….

Baker told Passan. "I needed a guy that wasn't going to complain about not playing every day. And this is his [free agent] year. See, that's tough. When you trade for a player in his [free agent] year. Everybody's about numbers and stuff, and I can't blame them, no doubt. But that's not what we needed."

 

[rvm96 1,643]

19 minutes ago, The Dog said:

We have plenty of room and Crane will spend. Biggest things are Bergman’s salary goes to $30m next year and Yordan goes up $7 million. 
 

We also have several players who will get big numbers in arbitration (Valdez).

but otherwise we are in great shape for a defending champ. 
 

I thought for luxury tax purposes Bregman's number doesn't change

[formermav43 4,606]

15 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

This says it all ….

Baker told Passan. "I needed a guy that wasn't going to complain about not playing every day. And this is his [free agent] year. See, that's tough. When you trade for a player in his [free agent] year. Everybody's about numbers and stuff, and I can't blame them, no doubt. But that's not what we needed."

 

This would be more logical if they hadn’t gone on to trade for a different catcher in his walk year.

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

9 minutes ago, rvm96 said:

I thought for luxury tax purposes Bregman's number doesn't change

It doesn’t. I use the luxury tax number in all my calculations. And Yordans number will be way bigger than 7M. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

2 minutes ago, formermav43 said:

This would be more logical if they hadn’t gone on to trade for a different catcher in his walk year.

Indeed. This is what drives me crazy- there is no internal logic, that’s not what is happening.  Vasquez is catcher #2 in FA alongside Contreras being catcher #1. They both are the Same in wanting to play everyday and then collect the biggest contract they can. 
 

[The Dog 44,131]

13 minutes ago, rvm96 said:

I thought for luxury tax purposes Bregman's number doesn't change

 

3 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

It doesn’t. I use the luxury tax number in all my calculations. And Yordans number will be way bigger than 7M. 

Good points

so we in great shape.

let’s win another!

[kevwun 15,857]

Not sure why they just didn't say we didn't want to trade Urquidy so we found another trading partner.

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

Just now, kevwun said:

Not sure why they just didn't say we didn't want to trade Urquidy so we found another trading partner.

Yeah. I mean, if JV comes back you want to trade him this off-season but 1/3 of a year of Contreras when you were committed to Maldy being the starter anyway seems like a really dumb deal. 

[formermav43 4,606]

1 minute ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Yeah. I mean, if JV comes back you want to trade him this off-season but 1/3 of a year of Contreras when you were committed to Maldy being the starter anyway seems like a really dumb deal. 

Agreed. He’s worth more than a rental with his years of control.

[kevwun 15,857]

I think they could get a decent prospect or a bullpen arm for Urquidy this winter.  I guess Dusty was being nice instead of criticizing Click for overpaying for a part time catcher.

[HtownHorn 14,763]

27 minutes ago, kevwun said:

I think they could get a decent prospect or a bullpen arm for Urquidy this winter.  I guess Dusty was being nice instead of criticizing Click for overpaying for a part time catcher.

Prospect? We should get an MLB caliber everyday player for Urquidy. Career 4.7 WAR, middle of the rotation starter in the prime of his career with 3 years of team control.

Edited November 7, 2022 by HtownHorn

[WBT 20,656]

3 years of Urquidy for 2 months of Contreras, especially when Dusty wouldn't have played him, would have been Dave Stewart level atupid.

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

49 minutes ago, formermav43 said:

This would be more logical if they hadn’t gone on to trade for a different catcher in his walk year.

Vasquez knew his role. I’ll guess a little bird told Dusty to avoid Contreras 

doenst matter, we didn’t need him. The cubs were dumb for not dumping him 

Edited November 7, 2022 by tx 3 putt

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

 

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

58 minutes ago, formermav43 said:

Agreed. He’s worth more than a rental with his years of control.

Honestly if that was the extent of the deal Click struck I’m really fucking nervous about the idea of him making any decisions that aren’t middle reliever fetish stuff. 

[WBT 20,656]

1 minute ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Honestly if that was the extent of the deal Click struck I’m really fucking nervous about the idea of him making any decisions that aren’t middle reliever fetish stuff. 

Yeah, Luhnow made some bad deals and it happens to everyone, but that one alone is enough for make me think that it might be best for him not to come back.

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

33 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

Prospect? We should get an MLB caliber everyday player for Urquidy. Career 4.7 WAR, middle of the rotation starter in the prime of his career with 3 years of team control.

He’s a hard guy to move. He’s above average but not really really good. A bad tam doesn’t want him bc he’s not enough to be a true difference maker in turning them around- 3 years of club control are nice but might not be on the right time line, and a good team isn’t all that fired up about him because they probably believe they could do better. 
a prospect makes sense because that’s what most good teams trade when trying to improve their major league roster. 
He makes a ton of sense to me in Toronto. They have a ton of highly sought after catcher prospects. Get it done Stearns! Baltimore makes sense. Seattle. Maybe San Francisco. Maybe Arizona?  They should be trying to get better and they have the connection with Strom. 
Cleveland might want to consider that he could be a budget #3 for them. 
He isn’t without value but it’s trickier than you think I bet. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

3 minutes ago, WBT said:

Yeah, Luhnow made some bad deals and it happens to everyone, but that one alone is enough for make me think that it might be best for him not to come back.

It’s possible (and would be oh so Tampa bay of him) that there was also some prospects coming back our way and that didn’t get mentioned because the deal didn’t actually happen and nobody would have cared, but if not I could see why Crane would have been looking to move on. 

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

24-13 era 3.74 whip 1.09

that's pretty salty numbers. throw in 3 world series wins. he's the #2 starter on a lot teams, #3 on very good teams  

[Rip76 4,947]

Every other MLB team is Bob Sugar.

 

[rvm96 1,643]

41 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

24-13 era 3.74 whip 1.09

that's pretty salty numbers. throw in 3 world series wins. he's the #2 starter on a lot teams, #3 on very good teams  

His ERA+ has gotten worse the more innings he pitches though minus his first year. 

[rvm96 1,643]

Also in regards to deadline deals from Click, I'm still surprised Odorizzi wasn't traded for a prospect or prospects. 

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

 

[billfromlaketravis 11,522]

4 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

we didn't need him and urquidy is a very nice asset to still have 

According to the Astros transaction page, here are the players who have elected free agency:

Aledmys Diaz
Yuli Gurriel
Christian Vazquez
Rafael Montero
Jason Castro
Michael Brantley

Still in limbo:
Justin Verlander player option
Will Smith club option
Trey Mancini mutual option

What would the number be on Will Smith? I think he can figure it out with spring training and a full season in our system. 
 

JV duh.

I think Vazquez says thanks for the ring and goes back to Boston.

I would resign Montero. Everybody else can walk. I might be interested in Yuli platoon with somebody cheap and not named Manicini. 
 

I think a Chas/Meyers platoon could work until Gilbert is ready. But they need to sign another outfielder that can play all 3 spots and hit. 

[rvm96 1,643]

5 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

THE HOUSTON ASTROS 2022 OPENING DAY ROSTER / 2023 status 

PITCHERS (15)

RHP Bryan Abreu - 2023

RHP Pedro Báez - gone, Martinez

RHP  Ronel Blanco - gone, Abreu

RHP Luis Garcia - 2023

RHP Cristian Javier - 2023

RHP Phil Maton - gone, replace him with younger, cheaper arm

RHP Rafael Montero - gone, Whitley or another rookie

RHP Hector Neris - 2023

RHP Jake Odorizzi - gone, Hunter Brown

RHP Ryan Pressly - 2023

RHP Ryne Stanek - ???? do you bring him back on maybe a 2 year deal ?

LHP Blake Taylor - 2023 

RHP José Urquidy - 2023

LHP Framber Valdez - 2023 

RHP Justin Verlander - ???? might know this week

CATCHERS (2)

Jason Castro - gone, vazquez will get a bigger contract somewhere else. lee or diaz

Martín Maldonado - 2023

INFIELDERS (6)

Jose Altuve - 2023

Alex Bregman - 2023

Aledmys Díaz - gone, henssley ?

Niko Goodrum - gone, dubon or another rookie. need a key swing man here, swiss army knife player here. eat up innings

Yuli Gurriel - ??? abreu or rizzo or bring him back on smaller contract  ?

Jeremy Peña - 2023 

OUTFIELDERS (5)

Yordan Alvarez - 2023

Michael Brantley - ???? does he give us a discount ? 

Chas McCormick - 2023

Jose Siri - gone, jake or julks / leon / rookie ?

Kyle Tucker - 2023 

Stanek doesn't need to be brought back. He has one year of arbitration right?

[billfromlaketravis 11,522]

4 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

Contreas’ shitty defense would have driven the organization nuts. He’s a DH that can occasionally play catcher. He would have raised hell if he came to Houston to just DH. 

Edited November 7, 2022 by billfromlaketravis

[rvm96 1,643]

3 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

What would the number be on Will Smith? I think he can figure it out with spring training and a full season in our system. 
 

JV duh.

I think Vazquez says thanks for the ring and goes back to Boston.

I would resign Montero. Everybody else can walk. I might be interested in Yuli platoon with somebody cheap and not named Manicini. 
 

I think a Chas/Meyers platoon could work until Gilbert is ready. But they need to sign another outfielder that can play all 3 spots and hit. 

It's $13 million for Smith with a $1 million buyout. I would pay the buyout 

[billfromlaketravis 11,522]

Just now, rvm96 said:

It's $13 million for Smith with a $1 million buyout. I would pay the buyout 

Yikes. Yeah I’m out at that number. 

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

2 minutes ago, rvm96 said:

It's $13 million for Smith with a $1 million buyout. I would pay the buyout 

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:

24-13 era 3.74 whip 1.09

that's pretty salty numbers. throw in 3 world series wins. he's the #2 starter on a lot teams, #3 on very good teams  

Define very good team. 90 wins would be my cut

line for that. 
that’s Houston, NYY, Cleveland, Toronto, Seattle, dodgers, Mets, Braves, Padres, Cards

Who exactly from that group is he a number 3 for?  Maybe Toronto, but they’ve got 2 other guys with more pedigree they are paying more for that had down years. Cards?  I don’t know, maybe. 
 

He starts game 4 at best for most of them, but. It Braves or Yanks or Dodgers or us if  everyone is healthy. He’s a great 5 for a really good team, a perfectly fine 4 if you want to win 95 or 100 games and probably a stretch as a #3

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

As of today, here's who will be back from the World Series roster:

Pitching:
-McCullers
-Valdez
-Javier
-Garcia
-Urquidy
-Brown
-Neris
-Pressly
-Abreu
-Stanek

Position:
-Altuve
-Peña
-Bregman
-Alvarez
-McCormick
-Tucker
-Maldonado
-Dubon
-Hensley

19 players returning

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

12 minutes ago, rvm96 said:

Stanek doesn't need to be brought back. He has one year of arbitration right?

Yes. Maybe 2. 

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

we need to ditch 'play ball' and yell this before every home game ....

 

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

Not on the World Series roster but who contributed this year:

Free agents:
-Brantley and Castro

Team control:
-Maton
-Meyers
-Martinez
-Lee (1 game)
-Belak
-Mushinski
-Taylor
-Paredes
-Y. Diaz
-Matijevic
-Perez

[Wulaw Horn 19,147]

1 minute ago, tx 3 putt said:

As of today, here's who will be back from the World Series roster:

Pitching:
-McCullers
-Valdez
-Javier
-Garcia
-Urquidy
-Brown
-Neris
-Pressly
-Abreu
-Stanek

Position:
-Altuve
-Peña
-Bregman
-Alvarez
-McCormick
-Tucker
-Maldonado
-Dubon
-Hensley

19 players returning

A little misleading on the pitching as Maton, Martinez and Taylor are all back so that gets you to 13 without even dealing with Montero and JV.
Just shows : 1) how much pitching we had, and 2) how much work there needs to be done on offensive side of the ball. 

[HtownHorn 14,763]

2 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

He’s a hard guy to move. He’s above average but not really really good. A bad tam doesn’t want him bc he’s not enough to be a true difference maker in turning them around- 3 years of club control are nice but might not be on the right time line, and a good team isn’t all that fired up about him because they probably believe they could do better. 
a prospect makes sense because that’s what most good teams trade when trying to improve their major league roster. 
He makes a ton of sense to me in Toronto. They have a ton of highly sought after catcher prospects. Get it done Stearns! Baltimore makes sense. Seattle. Maybe San Francisco. Maybe Arizona?  They should be trying to get better and they have the connection with Strom. 
Cleveland might want to consider that he could be a budget #3 for them. 
He isn’t without value but it’s trickier than you think I bet. 

Yet the Cubs were ready to trade one of the best catchers in the majors for him.

[tx 3 putt 77,355]

rewatching the game, just hit me ..... with the new shifting rules, how far up can players ? how far into the grass can they go ?

 

im 1000000000% against the new rules. if a team wants to put 7 players in LF, fucking let them 

[Huckleberry 33,076]

Players are apparently against it, too. It's dumb. 

I believe they have to have 4 on the dirt, 2 on each side of second base. 

[HtownHorn 14,763]

19 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Define very good team. 90 wins would be my cut

line for that. 
that’s Houston, NYY, Cleveland, Toronto, Seattle, dodgers, Mets, Braves, Padres, Cards

Who exactly from that group is he a number 3 for?  Maybe Toronto, but they’ve got 2 other guys with more pedigree they are paying more for that had down years. Cards?  I don’t know, maybe. 
 

He starts game 4 at best for most of them, but. It Braves or Yanks or Dodgers or us if  everyone is healthy. He’s a great 5 for a really good team, a perfectly fine 4 if you want to win 95 or 100 games and probably a stretch as a #3

Nice, so according to you the team that played in the World Series from the National League wasn't a very good team because they finished with under 90 wins.