Monday Morning Hot Links

The Astros - and pretty much everybody else - are running around the sprawling hellscape that is the Opryland Hotel as the Winter Meetings officially open.

*Evan Drellich writes that the Astros' payroll doesn't measure up to Houston's market size.

Dodgers and astros have seemed most active on chapman. Word recently was houston and cincy were having hard time matching up

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 7, 2015

*Drellich, who has been busy!, writes about Lance McCullers and Aroldis Chapman.

*Cincinnati execs are confident they'll move Chapman this week.

*In ESPN's Winter Meetings preview, David Schoenfield predicts that the Astros will land both Aroldis Chapman and Chris Davis, which would then allow the Astros to "trade prospect A.J. Reed for a young, controllable starting pitcher." /apoplexy

*When the A's played the Astros in September, A's players recruited Scott Kazmir to come back to Oakland this offseason.

*Tyler Kepner writes about Billy Wagner's HOF credentials.

Thursday Morning Hot Links

Congratulations to the Murphies (and their fans) who are now World Series-bound. Remember when you were really good at your job for a week and a half and it got you an extra $30m? 

*Brian McTaggart leads us off with a big article about payroll affecting what the Astros do in free agency, given the number of arbitration-eligible players on the team. 

-Despite having Keuchel, McHugh, McCullers, Feldman, Fiers, and a host of younger guys in the mix for a rotation spot, Mactaggart writes that the Astros "will make a run at a veteran starter" like Doug Fister, Mike Leake, and...(gasp) David Price maybe?

-Unsurprisingly, Tags says the Astros will make another run at a power arm at the back of the bullpen.

-Lots of other good notes, so be sure to check it out. 

*The LA Times speculates that the Astros could be a suitor for Yoenis Cespedes and Chris Davis. Cespedes I can see. Davis is a stretch for me. For whatever that's worth.

*Former Astros and current Hooks pitching coach Doug Brocail is one of a handful of guys being "Strongly considered" to join Brad Ausmus on the Tigers' coaching staff. 

*A.J. Reed was 1x4 and Derek Fisher was 0x3 with a walk; Brian Holmes threw 3IP, 0H/0ER, 4K:1BB and Albert Minnis threw 1IP, 2H/0ER, 1K:0BB in Glendale's 1-0 walkoff win yesterday in the Arizona Fall League. 

*Derek Holland, who wiped his butt with a Blue Jays towel, doesn't care for Jose Bautista's zany antics.

Monday Morning Hot Links

Getcher hawt linx heah:

*Evan Drellich writes that the Astros' window of opportunity is "by no means a given."

Luhnow:
Our young players are going to continue to come through the system, and we have some assets. We've got some benefits, some advantages that other clubs maybe don't have. We've got one of the top farm systems in baseball still while having a young team at the major league level that's already competing. That's the ideal situation. Now, we want to maintain that for a long time to come.

But with injuries and player regression, automatically thinking the Astros will compete next year like they did this year is taking too much for granted.

*Bench coach Trey Hillman is apparently a leading candidate to manage the Yokohama BayStars in Japan in 2016. He says he hasn't been contacted, but wouldn't outright say no. The Astros picked up Hillman's option for 2016 and would have to grant him permission to interview.

*Anthony Castrovince writes a recap for Sports On Earth on the ousted playoff teams and their outlook for 2016.
Tomorrow is guaranteed to none of us, much less a baseball team. But the Astros always had the feel of a team ahead of schedule, thereby making anything that transpired in this 2015 postseason gravy.

*Luis Valbuena's tag of Terrance Gore in Game 4 is the set-piece for What's Wrong With Instant Replay. Hinch:
In some ways, it feels like you're getting a speeding ticket for going 60 in a 55. But by the letter of the law, that's how it's played, and until they change the rule, we're obviously going to play that way.

*Nick Cafardo's Sunday notes column includes:
-Chris Davis could be a fit for the Astros (I doubt it)
-"The Astros will search for a veteran presence in their lineup this offseason"
-According to "one major league source," the Astros could dangle Chris Carter as trade bait.

The New Guy Gets His 1st Hit Off the Guy He Was Traded For

In case you didn't watch the Astros' 6-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles last night, you missed L.J. Hoes, the only major-league ready player from the Bud Norris deal, get his first hit off the very man he traded places with at Camden Yards the night before.

I'm pretty sure that's never happened before in baseball.  Kinda cool, right?

It would have been MUCH cooler had the Astros won, but it's 2013 so that didn't happen. Jordan Lyles was solid despite giving up five runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struggled with runners on, but seems to still be continuing to develop and improve his outings.

The first hit off Norris by an Astro? His former batterymate, Jason Castro.  In addition, good friend of Norris, Brett Wallace, hit a very nice homer off of Bud as did Marc Krauss. In contrast, the only extra base hit from the O's was a Chris Davis homerun off of Travis Blackley in the 7th. Yes, it was a very weird night. Do yourself a favor and go watch the game recap.