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24/25 Astros Offseason thread


Wulaw Horn

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10 minutes ago, Dnaguy said:

Can you get a Verdugo @ $5-6M or so and is it worth it for the Astros?

That puts us barely at the luxury xry tax line no?

I don’t think I want Verdugo at the major league minimum.  Pretty much every teammate he’s played with has leaked to the press that he’s lazy and bad in the clubhouse.  

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5 hours ago, LCHorn said:

I don’t think I want Verdugo at the major league minimum.  Pretty much every teammate he’s played with has leaked to the press that he’s lazy and bad in the clubhouse.  

Interesting that both decent LHH OF left on the free agent market have attitude problems (Verdugo and Winker).

Heyward wouldn’t be a terrible add, especially if Houston thinks Dezenzo and/or Melton will be ready early in the season.

Ideal semi-realistic add right now is Brandon Lowe or Wilyer Abreu.  Seth Brown would be somebody nobody is talking about who Houston might target.

Edited by Snake Diggity
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4 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

Michael Scott No GIF

 

Really? I thought Singleton would be gone first, since Grae is a good defensive guy. He's great for relieving Altuve, whose defense is slowly degrading. I hope it's much further down the timeline, but at some point we may have an issue of needing the DH spot for Altuve and Yordan at the same time. 

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24 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Really? I thought Singleton would be gone first, since Grae is a good defensive guy. He's great for relieving Altuve, whose defense is slowly degrading. I hope it's much further down the timeline, but at some point we may have an issue of needing the DH spot for Altuve and Yordan at the same time. 

I was really surprised they kept Cooper Hummel over Kessinger.

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24 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

I was really surprised they kept Cooper Hummel over Kessinger.

I mean, I thought Singleton wouldn't make the 40 because you now have Walker/Caratini/Diaz for depth there. They don't really need him, and I'm not even sure how they get all their best bats in the lineup right now. What's the best batting order now? Something like this? This would be 7 guys with over a .700 OPS in the lineup. If they can get another OF worth a shit at the plate, it would be close to Death Star Lineup levels. 

1. Altuve 2b
2. Paredes 3b
3. Yordan LF/DH
4. Walker 1b
5. Diaz C
6. Pena SS
7. Caratini DH
8. Chas RF
9. Meyers CF

Dubon to fill in. 

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11 hours ago, David Dennison said:

We have to get another OF.

We got Walker from AZ. Why not Grichuk? His best days are behind him… and he’s 33 but maybe see if he’d do a 2 year deal at $6-7M total. 
Doesn’t solve our heavy right handed line up problem, though.

Peralta? Platoon with Chaz in right. 

Dang I wish we weren’t so damn boxed in by that dogshit Abreau contract. Yikes.

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11 hours ago, WBT said:

Say what now?

It's not the 2019 lineup, but the best 2023 lineup included Abreu when he was hitting like .230 and Meyers who is still there for defense. Aside from still needing a replacement for Tucker, they are pretty close to that when Yordan plays LF. Walker is a clear upgrade at 1b.

Still need to get a decent OF bat to platoon and they will be pretty damn good next year. 90+ wins and another division title is quite possible. If Crane was willing to spend money like Steinbrenner, who is also worth about 3 billion, they would go get Santander on a 3/70 deal and add a couple pitchers to really round out the lineup. 

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14 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

It's not the 2019 lineup, but the best 2023 lineup included Abreu when he was hitting like .230 and Meyers who is still there for defense. Aside from still needing a replacement for Tucker, they are pretty close to that when Yordan plays LF. Walker is a clear upgrade at 1b.

Still need to get a decent OF bat to platoon and they will be pretty damn good next year. 90+ wins and another division title is quite possible. If Crane was willing to spend money like Steinbrenner, who is also worth about 3 billion, they would go get Santander on a 3/70 deal and add a couple pitchers to really round out the lineup. 

Ain’t happening.

But would be cool.

We’re going to sign a LH outfielder for 3 millish as a stop gap until next year to stay under the salary cap. 
With close to $33M coming available next year I could see a bigger splash signing.

I hear that Tucker kid on the cubs is pretty good. Maybe we go after him.

 

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18 hours ago, Dutchrudder said:

I mean, I thought Singleton wouldn't make the 40 because you now have Walker/Caratini/Diaz for depth there. They don't really need him, and I'm not even sure how they get all their best bats in the lineup right now. What's the best batting order now? Something like this? This would be 7 guys with over a .700 OPS in the lineup. If they can get another OF worth a shit at the plate, it would be close to Death Star Lineup levels. 

1. Altuve 2b
2. Paredes 3b
3. Yordan LF/DH
4. Walker 1b
5. Diaz C
6. Pena SS
7. Caratini DH
8. Chas RF
9. Meyers CF

Dubon to fill in. 

Singleton still has real value as the 13th position player whose primary role is pinch hitting for a player who hits poorly against RHP in key situations (of course he can also backup DH and 1B).  As it stands, Pena and at least one OF project to struggle against RHP; having Singleton available to pinch hit for those guys if they come up against a RHP at a critical point in the game is as good of a use of the 13th spot as any.  13th men usually get <200 pa in a season, whether as a 3rd catcher, 5th OF, 6th IF, pinch runner, or bench bat.

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If Houston adds one OF who hits RHP well, here’s how their lineups project:

 

Vs RHP:

2B Altuve wRC+ 123

3B Paredes 110

DH Alvarez 167

C Diaz 127 

1B Walker 112

OF TBD 110+

CF McCormick 96

OF Dezenzo/Trammell/etc. TBD

SS Pena 88 

Singleton is a good hitter against RHP and could PH for Dezenzo or Pena if they came up against a righty at a critical moment.  Dezenzo and Melton both have potential to be plus plus against RHP so there’s upside there.
 

Vs LHP:

2B Altuve 149

SS Pena 132

DH Alvarez 166

3B Paredes 136

RF McCormick 142

1B Walker 112

C Diaz 103

CF Meyers 114

LF Dubon 111

That could be the best lineup in the league against LHP.

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Would love to try to trade for Mullins and platoon him with Chas in CF, then sign a  couple of cheap vets like Heyward and Laureano to platoon in RF. Then just give the everyday LF job to Denzenzo.

Altuve, Paredes, Alvarez, Walker, Diaz, Mullins, Pena, Heyward, Denzeno.

Altuve, Paredes, Alvarez, Walker, Diaz, McCormick, Pena, Laureano, Denzeno

Bench - Caratini, Dubon, McCormick, Laureano.

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Left Fielders

Mark Canha (36)
Dylan Carlson (26)
David Dahl (31)
Adam Duvall (36)
Nick Gordon (27)
Robbie Grossman (35)
Austin Hays (29)
Teoscar Hernandez (32) – declined qualifying offer
Ramon Laureano (30)
Manuel Margot (30)
Nick Martini (35)
Whit Merrifield (36)
Tommy Pham (37)
Jurickson Profar (32)
Eddie Rosario (33)
Alex Verdugo (29)
Jesse Winker (31)

 

Center Fielders

Harrison Bader (31)
Garrett Hampson (30)
Aaron Hicks (35)
Travis Jankowski (34)
Manuel Margot (30)
Kevin Pillar (36)
Michael A. Taylor (34)

 

Right Fielders

Dylan Carlson (26)
Adam Duvall (36)
Adam Frazier (33)
Ben Gamel (33)
Avisail Garcia (34)
Randal Grichuk (33)
Teoscar Hernandez (32) – declined qualifying offer
Jason Heyward (35)
Connor Joe (32)
Bryce Johnson (29)
Ramon Laureano (30)
Manuel Margot (30)
Whit Merrifield (36)
David Peralta (37)
Tommy Pham (37)
Amed Rosario (29)
Eddie Rosario (33)
Anthony Santander (30) – declined qualifying offer
Gavin Sheets (29)

Edited by tx 3 putt
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3 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

Left Fielders

Mark Canha (36)
Dylan Carlson (26)
David Dahl (31)
Adam Duvall (36)
Nick Gordon (27)
Robbie Grossman (35)
Austin Hays (29)
Teoscar Hernandez (32) – declined qualifying offer
Ramon Laureano (30)
Manuel Margot (30)
Nick Martini (35)
Whit Merrifield (36)
Tommy Pham (37)
Jurickson Profar (32)
Eddie Rosario (33)
Alex Verdugo (29)
Jesse Winker (31)

 

Center Fielders

Harrison Bader (31)
Garrett Hampson (30)
Aaron Hicks (35)
Travis Jankowski (34)
Manuel Margot (30)
Kevin Pillar (36)
Michael A. Taylor (34)

 

Right Fielders

Dylan Carlson (26)
Adam Duvall (36)
Adam Frazier (33)
Ben Gamel (33)
Avisail Garcia (34)
Randal Grichuk (33)
Teoscar Hernandez (32) – declined qualifying offer
Jason Heyward (35)
Connor Joe (32)
Bryce Johnson (29)
Ramon Laureano (30)
Manuel Margot (30)
Whit Merrifield (36)
David Peralta (37)
Tommy Pham (37)
Amed Rosario (29)
Eddie Rosario (33)
Anthony Santander (30) – declined qualifying offer
Gavin Sheets (29)

As it stands Dezenzo/Trammell project to combo with Meyers/Dubon to produce 2 roughly league average hitters with plus defense in 2 OF spots, with McCormick in the other spot.

Almost none of those remaining guys projects to be a meaningful upgrade over what Houston already has.

Santander and Hernandez are clear upgrades but are going to be overpaid and cost draft picks.  Profar is interesting but will carry a similar upside/downside profile to Dezenzo.

Winker and Verdugo are probably significantly better than Dezenzo/Trammell, but both carry attitude concerns and may not be looking to be paid like the part time players they’d be on the Astros.  
 

Heyward is the guy who seems like a true fit for this roster, if he’s willing to come on board for a 1 year 7 figure deal.

I still think Houston should be gunning to trade for either Brandon Lowe or Wilyer Abreu, with Lamont Wade, Mike Yastrzemski, Seth Brown, and Alek Thomas as secondary options.  Brandon Lowe would essentially replace Tucker’s offense and deepen the lineup such that they’d be on par with just about any other team assuming McCormick returns to his 2022-2023 form. 

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If Bregman is the latest Boras client who missed on a long contract and takes a one year prove it deal with a player option for second year, why not do it with the Astros? Just pride, not wanting to let your old team know they were right? Is it worse than taking the same deal with Detroit or Toronto? Can Paredes play OF?

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8 minutes ago, Murfdogg21 said:

If Bregman is the latest Boras client who missed on a long contract and takes a one year prove it deal with a player option for second year, why not do it with the Astros? Just pride, not wanting to let your old team know they were right? Is it worse than taking the same deal with Detroit or Toronto? Can Paredes play OF?

No, but Pena can. Put his ass in the OF.  

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1 hour ago, Murfdogg21 said:

If Bregman is the latest Boras client who missed on a long contract and takes a one year prove it deal with a player option for second year, why not do it with the Astros? Just pride, not wanting to let your old team know they were right? Is it worse than taking the same deal with Detroit or Toronto? Can Paredes play OF?

Paredes would be totally fine in LF.

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46 minutes ago, Dnaguy said:

This doesn’t really solve our RF problem but I guess we stick Chas there? Parades and Dubon just float around the very position either giving that person a day off or having them DH?

If the Astros signed Bregman, Paredes would become the everyday LF.  Chas would also play every day, CF against RHP and RF against LHP.  Meyers would play CF against LHP.  They’d still need to find a CF/RF to play against RHP, as if they did nothing, that spot would be a spring competition between Trammell, Hummel, Dezenzo, Whitcomb, Leon, Melton, and Corona.  That wouldn’t be the end of the world since that player would slot into the 7 or 8 hole and would only play 70% of the games (only against RHP).  Trammell, Dezenzo, and Hummel all would project to be roughly league average in that role with upside for more (especially Dezenzo).

Edited by Snake Diggity
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53 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

If the Astros signed Bregman, Paredes would become the everyday LF.  Chas would also play every day, CF against RHP and RF against LHP.  Meyers would play CF against LHP.  They’d still need to find a CF/RF to play against RHP, as if they did nothing, that spot would be a spring competition between Trammell, Hummel, Dezenzo, Whitcomb, Leon, Melton, and Corona.  That wouldn’t be the end of the world since that player would slot into the 7 or 8 hole and would only play 70% of the games (only against RHP).  Trammell, Dezenzo, and Hummel all would project to be roughly league average in that role with upside for more (especially Dezenzo).

Still would rather see Winker, but Paredes, Chas and Dezenzo in the OF against RHP with Meyer’s in for Dezenzo against LHP would be fine. Jayson Heyward would be good too. 
that would be 32 if it was Bregman and Heyward. Meaning we’d need to cut about 28M. Trading Presley, Caratini and Montero would get you there. Should be able to dump those 3 for pretty much what- a top 10 ish prospect from our farm system and call it a day?  

vLHP

Altuve, Bregman, Yordan, Paredes, Walker, Diaz, Pena, Chas, Meyers. 
 

vRHP

Altuve, Bregman, Yordan, Paredes, Walker, Diaz, Heyward, Chas, Pena. 
 

no easy outs v LHP. 7 above average bats v RHP. 
Thats pretty sexy.  
I’d trade Framber for 3 prospects and call it a day. 

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