Houston Astros off-season thread

[tx 3 putt 76871]

*im talking more about the true #4 OF spot. I expect yordan to get the bulk of LF starts 

[tx 3 putt 76871]

LEFT FIELDERS

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (30 years old, 3.2 WAR)
Joc Pederson (32, 2.7)
Tommy Pham (36, 2.5)
David Peralta (36, 1.8)
Michael Brantley (37, 1.4)
Joey Gallo (30, 1.4)
Travis Jankowski (33, 1.0)
Jurickson Profar (31, 0.6)
Jordan Luplow (30, 0.5)
Eddie Rosario (32, 0.2)
Robbie Grossman (34, 0.1)
Corey Dickerson (35, -0.2)
Ben Gamel (32, -0.2)
AJ Pollock (36, -0.4)
Austin Meadows (30, -0.5)

[Macklemore 2876]

@Wulaw Horn, speaking of morons this will make your head explode like it did mine:

 

[Scraps 13561]

You left off the best guy we could sign on the cheap

[tx 3 putt 76871]

Just now, Scraps said:

You left off the best guy we could sign on the cheap

brantley is on that list 🤔🤔

[tx 3 putt 76871]

Reloading the system !

 

[texashorne 1177]

I so much look forward to a season without managerial fuckery. That's my only expectation in 24, no managerial fuckery. Chas playing 90% of the games at CF/LF, and Diaz playing 90% at C/DH is an immediate and significant improvement over last season.. 

[Dutchrudder 11134]

Brailyn? lol...

[TejasPedro 1857]

Why do I picture Brailyn looking like this.

[Scraps 13561]

His mom is blind and wanted to try and get his name close to braille as she could since it changed her life.

Way to go guys

[tx 3 putt 76871]

I have no clue so im asking, what was the rangers biggest offseason move last year ?

[formermav43 4606]

Signing deGrom

[Scraps 13561]

Getting Bochy

[formermav43 4606]

1 hour ago, Scraps said:

Getting Bochy

Better answer 

[tx 3 putt 76871]

 

[UTPhil2006 3805]

Smoke screen for Ohtani 

[UTexasFight 9429]

33 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

I did not have Jake Meyers as the first guy that the team has gone on record as an “untouchable” 

[UTexasFight 9429]

Tickets secured for the Mexico Series

I sure hope whatever I just paid was denominated in pesos, otherwise…. sorry kiddos, Santa didn’t make it to a Texas this year.

[tx 3 putt 76871]

Surly thread being thrown for a loop. Going have to fine tune jake hate ….

 

[Scraps 13561]

I mean him/chas is a better combo than chas/julks

[tx 3 putt 76871]

6 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

player to be named later has to better these numbers to justify his salary / expense vs. a league min player …

Career Regular Season

AB	AVG	HR	RBI	SB	OPS
298	.245	6	33	15	.649

maybe we can morph the two into one player ?
 

AB	AVG	HR	RBI	SB	OPS
605	.235	17	76	10	.675

[TejasPedro 1857]

Jake Meyers elite defense? Yes he makes routine catches extra slidey 

I can only hope he figures out how to steal bases. Base running is not so elite.

[David Dennison 18850]

46 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

Surly thread being thrown for a loop. Going have to fine tune jake hate ….

 

[Dutchrudder 11134]

2 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

I'm surprised Dubon wasn't mentioned there. I'm guessing Chas, Dubon and Meyers will platoon CF. Chas should take all the LF starts when Yordan hits DH, which is maybe ~60 games a year. Makes sense if they aren't signing anyone else. Maybe bring back Brantley if he's cheap.

[Chuckie Finster 22694]

You know that moment when you realize a family
member is on the decline? They aren’t fully gone yet and there are likely still a few good years left, but deep down you know that soon enough all you will have is the wonderful memories.

Anyway, go Stros.

[formermav43 4606]

1 hour ago, TejasPedro said:

Jake Meyers elite defense? Yes he makes routine catches extra slidey 

I mean, Jim Edmonds has people who think he belongs in the Hall of Fame for that.

[Scraps 13561]

He can make some catches but his arm is worse than me throwing underhand

[tx 3 putt 76871]

It feels like every rumor is more under whelming than the last  …..

The Astros are interested in free agent catcher Victor Caratini, per @Chandler_Rome 

Caratini is switch hitting catcher who would play backup to Diaz if signed. He can also play 1B if necessary.

[UTexasFight 9429]

41 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

It feels like every rumor is more under whelming than the last  …..

The Astros are interested in free agent catcher Victor Caratini, per @Chandler_Rome 

Caratini is switch hitting catcher who would play backup to Diaz if signed. He can also play 1B if necessary.

Idk what your are talking about

 

that sentence and not having the word “Maldonado” in it is the best possible news of the off-season 

[TejasPedro 1857]

Trill Burger needs to add the “Dana Brown”- a double nothing burger served with hot air and a side of false hope. 

[tx 3 putt 76871]

9 minutes ago, TejasPedro said:

Trill Burger needs to add the “Dana Brown”- a double nothing burger served with hot air and a side of false hope. 

 

we better like who we see on our 40 man 

[Storm the Field 5294]

Caratini to Stros. 2nd catcher pursuit is done, and more importantly, any lingering threat of a Maldy comeback. 

[Snake Diggity 4619]

I really like Caratini.  Depends on the contract but assuming it’s a reasonable 2 year deal it’s a great pickup.

[tx 3 putt 76871]

13 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

I really like Caratini.  Depends on the contract but assuming it’s a reasonable 2 year deal it’s a great pickup.

 

all hell will break loose if he starts a game this season  lol

 

if he can provide some relief at 1st, that would be a nice adder 

Edited December 6, 2023 by tx 3 putt

[runthebone 7967]

Brown says things like we are going to resign Tucker, Bregman, and Altuve.  He probably should, like, make sure he has the money before making those types of promises to the fans.

[Scraps 13561]

2 yrs 12 mil jfc

[tx 3 putt 76871]

7 minutes ago, Scraps said:

2 yrs 12 mil jfc

 

that doesn't make sense for a back up catcher, fucking dumb unless they think he'll be catching 25% of the time or more ?

 

Quote

If the salaries are distributed evenly, the contract brings the Astros’ payroll projection to roughly $222MM (via Roster Resource). More notably, the $6MM average annual value puts Houston’s estimated luxury tax tab right at the $237MM base threshold. The Astros have tended to hover around the tax line, aligning with Brown’s comments throughout the offseason that the club is working with a fairly limited amount of financial flexibility. Now that backup catcher has been solidified, they figure to turn their attention to the middle relief group.

 

[Scraps 13561]

Spotrac had his market value at 3mil

Are we just fucking completely retarded or what? 6m/yr for a backup catcher?

[tx 3 putt 76871]

Maton to the cardinals

sucks for us, damn solid reliever 

[tx 3 putt 76871]

[runthebone 7967]

I assume that list starts with the #2 catcher behind Maldonado being Bailey.

[Snake Diggity 4619]

On 10/24/2023 at 11:26 AM, Snake Diggity said:

Offseason checklist in order:

1. Replace Baker with Espada

2. Replace Maldonado with an affordable well rounded backup C (Victor Caratini?)

3. Extend Altuve

4. Add a leverage RP to replace Neris if he opts for free agency (Matt Moore?)

5. See if any other stars bite on an extremely team-friendly extension (Bregman, Tucker, Framber, B Abreu)

6. Be opportunistic on the trade and free agency markets to potentially upgrade other areas that aren’t necessarily weaknesses but also aren’t strengths (CF/LF, SS, SP).

7. Be on the lookout to convert MLB depth into high ceiling prospects (assuming all above tasks are completed)

2024 has a chance to be Houston’s deepest and most talented roster ever, depending on how aggressive/smart Brown and Crane are.

2/2

[Scraps 13561]

Well damn no more Money Maton

[LCHorn 2615]

8 hours ago, Scraps said:

Spotrac had his market value at 3mil

Are we just fucking completely retarded or what? 6m/yr for a backup catcher?

Let me remind you that you were one of the loudest mockers of those of us on Team Korey Lee.  Enjoy your injured and declining Graveman and Caratini overpay with your morning coffee.

 

In all seriousness, I’d rather slightly over-pay at back-up catcher than for an outfielder.  It’s like having a good back-up QB-you might think you can get away without one and then the CFB selection committee decides your whole undefeated season was meaningless. 

[tx 3 putt 76871]

It just feels like an odd move 

[Snake Diggity 4619]

9 hours ago, Scraps said:

Spotrac had his market value at 3mil

Are we just fucking completely retarded or what? 6m/yr for a backup catcher?

Those valuations on Spotrac are pure garbage as are the trade value calculators we see posted from time to time.

Fangraphs projects Caratini to post 1.5 fwar over just 257 pa for Houston.  If he does that for $6M that is a steal.

[Scraps 13561]

Those valuations on Spotrac are pure garbage

Yeah i can see that now.

[Wulaw Horn 19068]

This is a great signing. It means the cancer that is Maldonado is gone and you can have a guy catch 40 games and maybe play backup 1st base for 20 that doesn’t suck shit through a straw. Would I have preferred 3/39 for Garver?  Yes. But this deal is just fine and will help us probably have the best offense from catcher position in baseball. Be happy. 
Also- I nailed the Jake Meyers explanation based upon what Brown said about Chas playing every day. My guess is that if Jake hits average he plays 120 games and if he’s sub average he plays against LHP and as a defensive replacement only. 

[HtownHorn 14668]

Caratini should get all the Singleton playing time as well at backup 1B, if they really plan on Singleton being the backup.

[HtownHorn 14668]

1 minute ago, Wulaw Horn said:

This is a great signing. It means the cancer that is Maldonado is gone and you can have a guy catch 40 games and maybe play backup 1st base for 20 that doesn’t suck shit through a straw. Would I have preferred 3/39 for Garver?  Yes. But this deal is just fine and will help us probably have the best offense from catcher position in baseball. Be happy. 
Also- I nailed the Jake Meyers explanation based upon what Brown said about Chas playing every day. My guess is that if Jake hits average he plays 120 games and if he’s sub average he plays against LHP and as a defensive replacement only. 

I just hate going into the season with 3 green lights as the starting OF.