Monday Morning Hot Links

Hello everybody, I have just finished the busiest week of college I have ever had as a student and have awakened from my slumber on the blog to continue making some Hot Links. New Hot Links this week Monday/Wednesday/Friday and this is my promise to you. But without further ado, let's talk about the Astros and also the Woodpeckers. ⬇⬇⬇

Dallas Keuchel messed around and got another Gold Glove for his 2018 performance. Only four Astros have won at least 4 Gold Gloves.

Martin Maldonado and Alex Bregman lost their Gold Glove Awards to Salvador Perez and Matt Chapman, respectively.

Tony Kemp is just such a good person.

Sig Mejdal, our NASA scientist, is not sticking around in our front office in 2019 just like everybody else in the front office. The Astros have now lost the following:

Sig Mejdal, Analytics Lead/Draft and Major League Personnel Decisions Contributor
Mike Fast, Director of Research and Development
Ryan Hallahan, Senior Technical Architect
Doug White, Bullpen Coach
Jeff Albert, Assistant Hitting Coach
along with these 2019 Free Agents unlikely to come back:
Brian McCann, Catcher
Evan Gattis, Designated Hitter
Dallas Keuchel, Starting Pitcher
and 2019 Free Agents that may or may not come back:
Charlie Morton, Starting Pitcher
Tony Sipp, Relief Pitcher
Martin Maldonado, Catcher
Marwin Gonzalez, Anywhere

This list does not include Joe Espada, who still might find a managerial job in 2019 as well as Astros assistant GM Mike Elias, who has been contacted by Baltimore.

That is a lot of departures.

Our new Class A team is the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, which is arguably the best Astros minor league team they have ever snatched up.

Look at this guy. What a unit. I love everything about this. I love how overly intimidating this bird is, I love how he pecked through his bat, which is just a phenomenal touch that I would have never even thought about including in the logo but it just makes so much sense and it makes me smile from ear to ear. This is the best bird logo in sports. It all just makes sense. Somebody ship me a Woodpeckers hat and don't screw up the mascot costume please.

How does the Clayton Kershaw resigning affect how the Astros attack pitching in free agency?

Will Charlie Morton even be good in 2019 or is that run done?

The Curious Case of Jeff Luhnow.

Boy these Astros really are going to need Forrest Whitley to be good.

A scientist stabbed his colleague because he kept telling him endings of books he wanted to read.

There are gay penguins in Sydney, Australia that are just like my dudes Tux and Flipper on Parks and Recreation.