'Rona-Free Hot Links, Vol. 13

*Alex Bregman is over $1.2m for the Houston Food Bank.

*Everyone's buddy, mine included, Ed Tom Bell wrote this, and it's really good.

*Chandler Rome caught up with Former Astros Great/Current Kia Tigers Great Preston Tucker, as his season is about to begin. Related: ESPN was talking to the KBO about broadcasting games, but the KBO understandably balked at ESPN's offer of $0.

*Michael Bourn owns three apartment complexes in Houston. He waived rent in April, and will do it again for May.

*On July 2, 1994 Jeff Bagwell played RF for his first and only time. He went 1x3 with a home run and a walk in a 5-4 win over the Cubs.

*The ten greatest offensive seasons in Astros history, according to fWAR:

1. Craig Biggio - 1998 (9.3)
2. Alex Bregman - 2019 (8.5)
3. Jeff Bagwell - 1997 (8.0)
4. Jeff Bagwell - 1999 (7.8)
5. Cesar Cedeno - 1972 (7.8)
6. Jeff Bagwell - 1994 (7.8)
7. Jeff Bagwell - 1996 (7.7)
8. Lance Berkman - 2008 (7.6)
9. Jose Altuve - 2017 (7.6)
10. Alex Bregman - 2018 (7.6)

*Alex Bregman is the most-hyped Astros SS prospect of the last 20 years.

*McTaggart: How trading Roy Oswalt sparked the Astros' turnaround.

*Richard Justice: 2005 Roy Oswalt is one of the great underappreciated seasons of all time.

*MLB.com has the Astros' prettiest swing of franchise history and it's...Terry Puhl?

oh my god this Lance McCullers Jr. Chipotle story is incredible and Brett Phillips CANNOT HANDLE IT pic.twitter.com/TTWX8soVew

— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) April 23, 2020

*GQ: Jason Isbell's Redemption Songs.



*The BBC on Eliud Kipchoge: The humble home life in rural Kenya behind athletic success.

*Vice: The man who deleted his past before he was found dead.



*Pitchfork: How a new age hustler sold the sound of the world.



Each day is better than the next.

'Rona-Free Hot Links, Vol. 9

*Alex Bregman is almost to his $1m goal for the Houston Food Bank.

*Brian McTaggart says Dustin Garneau could be a future manager. It took me a minute to figure out what a Dustingarneau was.

*Justin Verlander and Kate Upton are donating 25,000 N95 masks to Detroit first responders.

*Never, ever try to embarrass Frank Robinson.



*SI: What it's like to play in an MLB The Show tournament as yourself.

Former #Astros CF Michael Bourn still lives in his hometown.He owns 3 apartment complexes in Houston w/ about 60 tenants & is concerned w/ how they’re doing during this pandemic. So he’s helping them in a big way. Michael waived their rent in April & expects to do it again in May pic.twitter.com/38Y6Kb701m

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) April 17, 2020

*For many Latino players, Roberto Clemente's #21 is off-limits, too.



*Mental Floss: The town that got away with murder.

*GQ: The gambling nuns of Torrance, California

*Read the June 2019 Texas Monthly profile of Joe Exotic.

*Fiona Apple's new album got a 10 from Pitchfork, a rating which is usually reserved by them for the bass player from Radiohead playing scales over the sounds of whales humping.



*Old School Deadspin: Conquering the Carolina Reaper requires self-deceit, milk, and a lot of barf.



*If you want to read a whole lot about what happened to Leeds United (written by me), then click here.

*This is your brain on silence.





Each day gets better than the next.

Sunday Morning Hot Links

*Jexas took a quick trip to Spring Training and wrote about it.

*Edison Frias got himself thrown out of the first Spring Training game (an 11-4 loss to the Tigers) thanks to hitting Miguel Cabrera after giving up back to back to back home runs in the 3rd. Frias was surprised he got ejected because he hit Cabrera with a breaking ball:
I couldn't command any of my pitches. I was all over the place. 

Still, Cabrera diffused a situation that could have ended with a fight.

*Brad Peacock, who threw two scoreless innings yesterday, is fighting for a job with the Astros. He'll have to pass through waivers if he doesn't earn an Opening Day roster spot. Peacock:
I know I'm out of options. I really hope I can stay here because I love it here.

*Colin Moran spent the offseason working with hitting coach Jeff Albert. Hinch:
He understands the sequencing of his swing a little bit more and getting in the right slot and being able to maintain his swing through the entire swing.

*RIP Jamie Hildreth. Check out Alyson Footer's tribute.

*Alex Bregman isn't going to the WBC to sit.

*Michael Bourn, who signed a minor-league deal with Baltimore on Monday, broke his finger catching a football on Friday.

*Jon Bernhardt: Who is the worst team in baseball right now?

*The Astros play the Braves today at 12:05pm Central.

Memorial Day Hot Links

The Masked Marvel has your recap of the 13-inning win over the Angels.

*The Astros are 22-29 and have won five of their last six games. They are half a game behind the Angels, seven behind the Mariners, and 7.5 behind the Rangers.

*Memorial Day record, recent memory:
2016: 22-29
2015: 29-17
2014: 20-32
2013: 15-36
2012: 22-27
2011: 20-34
2010: 17-34
2009: 18-26
2008: 29-22
2007: 21-29
2006: 26-26
2005: 18-32
2004: 27-23


*FanGraphs gives them a 16% chance to win the division, a 27.7% chance to make the playoffs. FiveThirtyEight gives them an 18% chance to make the playoffs. Baseball Prospectus gives them a 23% chance to make the playoffs.

*Carlos Correa: "Best day off ever." It was his first not-solo homer of the season.

*Mike Scioscia:
Mike Morin made one bad pitch, a hanging off-speed pitch to Correa and that was it.

Marisnick, on his first home run since September 2015:
It was an off-speed pitch, and (Tropeano) left it up. Things are definitely better for me lately. A month ago, I would've missed those pitches.

*Well I guess Carlos Gomez will be back tomorrow. Hinch:
I think he's feeling a lot better, which is the No. 1 priority. Getting production out of him is the second phase of this.

*Ryan Braun is "the hot name" in trade rumors, with him being linked to the Astros. Braun is in the first year of a 5yr/$105m extension.

*The Cheatin-Ass Cardinals won't get punished for their cheatin-ass hacking of Ground Control before the draft.
Two sources with knowledge of the commissioner's thinking said it would be "unlikely" that any punishment could be exacted before this coming draft. There isn't time, said one, and the plan has been to wait until after the sentencing.

*Michael Bourn will face the Astros today, after having played in the Braves and Blue Jays organizations already this year.

Before you go:

#Astros Jose Altuve has his 88th career three-hit game. Most in baseball since his debut season in 2011. pic.twitter.com/wr64nxJQbZ

— Ace of MLB Stats (@theaceofspaeder) May 29, 2016

Thursday Morning Hot Links

*Read Cockroach's recap of Game 9, if you feel like strangling something.

*Some numbers that are concerning to me after, yes I know, nine games:

Ken Giles: 3.2IP, 4H/5ER, 6K:1BB, three home runs allowed
George Springer: .216/.275/.351, 13K in 37ABs. His one home run was the Grand Slam against the Yankees.
Jason Castro: While the triple was cool (his first since July 12, 2014 when he went 2x4 with a 3B/HR against the Red Sox), he's hitting .136/.240/.318. Since the beginning of the 2014 season, Castro is hitting .215/.283/.364. Which leads us to...

*Evan Gattis is getting ready to catch. Hinch:
One of the things I've never understood is people thinking this is abnormal to have him catch. He's a catcher. We just didn't catch him last season based on the fact we wanted to keep him healthy for 500, 600 plate appearances that he hadn't had while he was catching, and we had the liberty of having the DH.

First: With the Astros trying to keep more bats in the lineup (i.e., White, Tucker) it makes perfect sense for Gattis to get some time behind the plate in order to give themselves flexibility.

*Hinch, on Giles, who has now blown two games with multi-run homers allowed:
A ball left in the zone, and (Perez) put a good swing on it. Nothing happened to Giles. It's more a mistake at the wrong time to the wrong hitter, and he took advantage of it.

*Astros scout Tim Bittner talks about being the guy who signed Tyler White. (Alt Link)

*FanGraphs: Rotations and payroll.

*Grant Brisbee: Carlos Correa is the most valuable player in baseball.

*Can you identify 18 ballparks based on satellite imagery? (I got 10 out of 18)

*I hate the Cardinals, yes, but this story on Jeremy Hazelbaker is a good one.

*I hate umpires, yes, but this story on how MLS is trying to improve its officiating is a good one.

*I hate Pablo Sandoval, yes*, but this story on how his marriage to Red Sox is dissolving is a good one.

*The Braves released Michael Bourn.

(*I don't hate Pablo Sandoval, just trying to keep the motif going)

Sigh...

Zachary Levine tweeted this picture. Big question is, who would buy an autographed misspelled uniform of a former Astro for $175?

How the Michael Bourn deal went down

There is simply too much to pull from, so stop what you're doing and read this oral history of the Bourn trade.

Interestingly enough, however:
At 7 p.m., Wade’s phone rings as he’s about to head home. It’s the general manager of another team inquiring for the first time about Bourn.

Astros: Wade – Our briefcases are packed up now, all we have to do is just say novenas for the rest of the night hoping Michael doesn’t get hurt. And I’m just about 10 paces from the elevator to push the button to go down to the parking garage. I said, “Out of respect, I don’t want to waste your time. I think we’re pretty far down the road on something.” And the response is, “Even if I’m willing to give you better players?” And I said, “Just take me at my word. We’ve known each other for a long time, stay out of it.”

Michael Bourn is texting the Astros. Frequently.

According to the Augusta Chronicle, Michael Bourn is all over his phone, texting the Astros.

So with those happy thoughts, Braves fans will be sweating it out on the final day for the second season in a row. The Cardinals facing the last-place Astros an hour later in Houston. It’s reached the point where Bourn is texting his old Astros teammates and pleading with them to continue fighting from the abyss. Fans were chanting “Let’s go Houston!” at Turner Field while the Braves were getting hammered 7-1.

What do you think the texts say? Best response wins...something.

2008 Bourn was one of the worst of the last 50 years

Baseball-Reference has a blog post looking at the worst everyday players of the last 50 years*, and Michael Bourn was one of them.

(* Most plate appearances in a season since 1961 by a player with an OPS+ of 60 or worse, provided that they didn't play at least half their games at 2B, SS, or C)

Michael Bourn's 2008 season - where he hit .229/.288/.300 in 514 PAs - made the Top 20. Glad we could work out those kinks for you, Atlanta.

"Bourne" almost went to Toronto

Before the Blue Jays got themselves some Colby Rasmus, the Astros and Blue Jays were talking about "speedy centre-fielder Michael Bourne" (Canadians and their gratuitous vowels!):

The Astros scoured the Jays' minor-league ranks at double-A New Hampshire and class-A Dunedin. The Jays ended up acquiring centre fielder Colby Rasmus from the St. Louis Cardinals instead.

Ed Wade really wanted Ross Detwiler

According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, the Astros wanted LHP Ross Detwiler as a centerpiece to any deal with the Nationals for Bourn.

LHP Ross Detwiler, is 25 years old, and has thrown 15.1IP in six games for the Nationals - with one start. He's spent most of his time at Triple-A Syracuse, with a 4.53 ERA/1.49 WHIP, in 16 starts.

But I guess it doesn't matter now, does it?

Reaction to the Bourn deal

Yahoo's Jeff Passan:
I'd say I'm stunned the Astros didn't get one potential impact piece in return for Michael Bourn, but then I remembered it's the Astros.

Keith Law (Insider-only):
The return for Houston however is shockingly poor -- quantity over quality, to say the least -- and can't do Ed Wade any good in extending his status as GM beyond "lame duck." It makes me wonder if Houston had a ranking of Atlanta's top 25 prospects but looked at it upside-down.

Ken Rosenthal:
#Astros should be pleased by return of Shafer, Oberholtzer, Clemens, Abreu. #Braves were high on all of them.

Astros on verge of trading Bourn

Rosenthal just announced the Braves are getting Michael Bourn for "four minor leaguers," as yet unnamed. Watch this space.

Names coming out, none of The Four Untouchables:
Jordan Schafer, CF
Brett Oberholtzer, LHP
Juan Abreu, RHP
Paul Clemens, RHP

We'll have full reaction once church is over, but right now it looks as though the edge goes to the Braves, who got what they needed without giving up any of their top four prospects.

The Saturday Post

So now we let this rest for a little while, and turn our attention to Michael Bourn, et al.

Rosenthal, 7:06am
There is "very little momentum" about a deal for Bourn, but anything can happen on deadline day.

Rosenthal, 7:04am:
Braves, Nationals, Indians, Giants have all called the Astros about Bourn.

Saturday, July 30

Dejan Kovacevic, 4:59pm:
"More interested suitors" in Willingham are the Braves and Red Sox

Rosenthal, 4:18pm:
Rosenthal quotes a rival executive who says that the Braves now have six Untouchables, making it harder to get a deal done for Bourn.

Knobler, 3:44pm:
If the Astros don't like the package they are offered, they'll hold on to Bourn until winter.

Ken Davidoff, 3:11pm:
Braves are confident they'll get an outfielder

Olney, 3:01pm:
Atlanta "working hard" on a deal for Bourn

O'Brien, 2:58pm:
Braves trading for Bourn means that Jordan Schafer is probably out of Atlanta's plans.

Rosenthal, 2:53pm:
Braves getting more involved on Bourn

Jerry Crasnick, 2:28pm:
Talks to move Bourn are "picking up steam," and he expects Bourn to move by the deadline.

Olney, 1:58pm:
You may be able to cross the Indians off the Bourn list, as Olney says there's a good chance they work something out for Ludwick.

Mark Bowman, 1:50pm:
Braves have talked to Houston about Bourn, but talks have not passed "preliminary stage."

Stark, 1:49pm:
Lots here, as usual. Braves are pissed, but not compelled to trade for anyone. Bourn, Wandy, Myers, and Michaels are on the block; Yankees more interested in Kuroda than Wandy. "Good luck" getting Lee to waive his no-trade clause.

Bill Ladson, 1:04pm:
The Astros want ML-ready prospects for Michael Bourn, but Washington can't decide if they want to do it.

Rosenthal, 11:31am:
Braves not yet in on Bourn, as they "got in late" on Pence (?). Reds, Nationals, Indians are talking.

Olney, 9:16am:
The Astros might hold on to Bourn. Team official: "You still have to try to win games."

Friday, July 29
Rosenthal, 11:30pm.
Braves are in on Bourn and B.J. Upton

Morosi & Rosenthal, about 11:20pm:
The Nationals, Braves, Indians and Reds are among the clubs with varying levels of interest in Bourn, major-league sources say.

Jerry Crasnick, 10:26pm:
I didn't think Michael Bourn was on #Braves radar, but apparently he is now. Ryan Ludwick more down the list of options.

About 8:20, while everything was starting to go down with Pence...

Shortly after, Olney:
Rival executive: Reds focused on Michael Bourn, who would answer their desire to add a lead-off hitter for 2011 and beyond.

Heyman:
#astros price tag on bourn to #reds said wildly high.

Perpetual Rumor Post

While it's fun to look back at the end of the year and say, "Hey! We had 8,341 different posts during the last week of July!" That's hell on you. So here's a running list of Pence rumors for your Friday. (Now updated to include all rumors):

McTaggart, 6:57pm:
In a response to Twitter outrage, McTaggart clarifies that "some teams" have been told he's not available. Not all.

Olney, 6:42pm:
Braves still trying to get creative on a deal for Pence.

Rosenthal, 6:40pm:
Astros, Phillies "progressing" toward a deal for Pence.

McTaggart, 6:37pm:
The Astros are telling teams that Clint Barmes is not available.

Rosenthal, 6:25pm:
Braves want an athletic corner outfielder they can control beyond this year. So that leaves...uh...

Rosenthal, 6:24pm:
The Phillies are going to have to choose between Pence and a reliever.

Stark, 6:12pm:
Stark references multiple sources that any deal with the Phillies will be a two-team trade.

Heyman, 5:55pm:
Pence is rumored to be moving "now," Phillies are faves, Reds, Red Sox, Indians still in.

Mark Sheldon, 4:17pm:
The Reds aren't selling, according to GM Walt Jocketty.

Olney, 4:15pm:
The Phillies "have no intention" of making Domonic Brown available in a trade for Pence. Olney makes a specific note of the time, with "as of..."

Phil Rogers, 3:39pm:
And here, out of nowhere, is Rogers saying how scouts have been talking about how hard Carlos Lee has been playing, and "is he looking to be an Indian or a Pirate?"

McTaggart, 3:36pm
A few things here. A deal with the Phillies would likely only involve the Astros. The Braves are still "in the mix" with a handful of unidentified teams. Bourn and Wandy are also drawing "heavy interest." Myers is getting some trade rumor love.

In the Phils House, 3:35pm:
Charlie Manuel just said that Dom Brown may be more relaxed in Triple-A. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Knobler, 3:24pm:
Braves CF Nate McLouth has just been put on the DL with a strained oblique. Interesting...

David O'Brien, 3:01pm:
The Braves may be out on Bourn because it would mean they're giving up on Jordan Schafer in CF. There will be more holes to fill this off-season, and they might just go with Quentin because he's cheaper, and will be a free agent sooner.

Zach Levine, 2:58pm:
Pence is in the Astros lineup, hitting 4th. (For now.)

Jeff Passan, 2:55pm:
The Tigers are shopping LHP Andy Oliver (4.64 ERA/1.47 WHIP) on multiple trade fronts.

Olney, 2:53pm:
Reds want players that will help, not just in 2011, but in 2012-13. (That's Bourn, and Pence).

Knobler, 2:46pm:
Braves looking at Ludwick, "holding tight" on their top pitching prospects

Heyman, 2:27pm:
Reds are "going hard" after Bourn.

Jim Bowden, 2:17pm:
Travis Wood has been scratched from his start at Triple-A Louisville tonight.

Matt Gelb, 2:16pm:
Domonic Brown is still in Philly, and batting 2nd tonight.

Heyman, 1:47pm:
Pence is the Phillies' guy. If it takes until Sunday, it takes until Sunday. No "early deadline."

Danny Knobler, 1:41pm:
Phillies are "focused" on Pence - and may not need a third team.

Mark Berman, 1:35pm:
Seven teams in on Pence, not just six - as reported yesterday. A new, unidentified, team showed up today.

Olney, 1:23pm:
We told you! Rival execs think Pence could command $23-25m before his arbitration years are up.

Heyman, 1:17pm:
If the Astros don't want Brown, other teams will. Philly will "figure it out," as they're - and this is creepy - "hot for Hunter."

McTaggart, 1:04pm:
McTaggart confirms Heyman's report that Pence was removed from the lineup, then put back in.

Rosenthal, 12:47pm:
What's taking so long? Astros are also trying to move Bourn, Wandy, Myers.

Sherman, 12:45pm:
Sherman is very clear about his speculation, but the Phillies had a scout at Double-A Trenton yesterday. Wonders if RHP Dellin Betances might be involved somehow.

Sherman, 12:30pm:
Contradiction alert! Now Wade likes Atlanta's prospects more than Philly! Philly also willing to go the three-team route.

Rosenthal, 12:30pm:
Confirms Stark's report about involving a third team in the Pence deal to get prospects the Astros want.

Heyman, 12:23:
Philly will do "whatever it takes" to land Pence.

Jayson Stark, 12:15pm:
Lots here to unpack. Braves offered package they weren't willing to offer for Beltran, got shut down, and have apparently moved on. Astros would spin Dom Brown for more prospects, and so work continues on a three-team deal.

Heyman, 11:39am:
"Word is," Astros don't like the Phillies prospects. (Posturing alert!) "This is becoming a real soap opera."

Rosenthal, 11:32am:
Wade is still trying to drag other teams into the Pence sweepstakes, besides the Phillies.

Bryan Hoch, 11:06am:
The Astros have lowered their asking price on Wandy, and the Yankees have "limited interest" in Brett Myers.

Joel Sherman, 10:47am:
Ed Wade likes Atlanta's deal better than the Phillies, but Atlanta won't include a "key guy," believed to be Mike Minor.

Buster Olney, 10:43am:
Atlanta has "zero enthusiasm" about giving up any of Minor, Vizcaino, Delgado, or Teheran.

Daniel Gotera (via H5AB), 10:40am:
Yankees have made multiple inquiries about Wandy.

FanGraphs, 10:30am:
The package being offered for Pence is too good to pass up - with Marc Hulet calling the deal "similar" to what the Blue Jays got for Halladay.

Jon Heyman, 10:22am:
Pence was told prior to last night's game he'd been traded. But, uh, wasn't. Heyman questions whether the Apparatus actually wants to trade him.

AJC's Jeff Schultz, 10:13am:
Braves catcher David Ross says they need a right-handed bat. Larry Wayne agrees that the Braves should do something.

Tom Singer, 10:00am:
Add the Tigers to the list of teams interested in Pence.

Justice, 9:52am:
If Wade does well over the next 60 hours, Justice is told he could save his job.

Jim Salisbury, 9:47am:
July 29 is the day Ruben Amaro tends to work his magic.

Rosenthal, 9:34am:
The Reds are in on Bourn, as well as Pence, but Pence is the Phillies' to lose.

Heyman, 8:42am:
If the Phillies sub in Dom Brown for Jonathan Singleton, the Astros might take it.

Heyman, 8:10am:
Asking price for Pence remains unreasonable.

Olney, 5:11am:
Huge bidding war going on for Pence.

Jon Paul Morosi, 4:11am:
Morosi thinks the Reds should acquire Michael Bourn.

Afternoon update

Perhaps you're as tired of this as we are. But there's still 3.5 days left!

Jayson Stark says:

*The Phillies have had high interest in Ryan Ludwick and Heath Bell.

*On Pence:
Skepticism has never been higher in the industry that the Astros are seriously interested in trading him before the offseason -- if ever.

*The Braves have interest in three bats, Stark says:
Hunter Pence, Willingham and Ludwick. The Braves looked into Upton, but don't seem prepared to pay a big price for him. We also haven't heard much that suggests the Braves are still bullpen shopping.

*Stark also says the Yankees are a possibility for Wandy Rodriguez.

*On a possible deadline-related note, the Astros announced a Michael Bourn/Jimmy Wynn program at the Urban Youth Academy from August 1-3.

Nobody is trading anybody

Pardon me for being too reactionary, but the thought of the Astros not selling at a deadline in which they find themselves in the middle of the worst season (so far) in franchise history is too much for me to bear.

Ken Rosenthal says the Astros have had scouts at the D'amo''ba''s and Braves' Triple-A teams in recent days.

The Braves also reportedly like the idea of having Bourn in center field if potential deals with Beltran and "others" (like Hunter Pence?) fall through. A source called that chance "remote."

/sharpens knife

Michael Bourn is also available

Zach Levine's Notebook says that:

Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers and Hunter Pence are the names coming up most frequently in trade rumors, and a competing front-office official with knowledge of the market said teams also are treating Michael Bourn as available.

Bourgeois activated, Bogusevic sent down

Jason Bourgeois has been activated from the DL this morning, and Brian Bogusevic gets sent to OKC.

I see Bourgeois as a temporary (or longer) fill-in for Michael Bourn if/when Bourn finds himself in another team's jersey before August 1.

And at least Bogusevic gets to play in OKC. He got one start for the Astros, and ten plate appearances total in July. Ridiculous.

Larry Dierker outlines what the Astros need

And it's not pretty. It's a big ol' piece, so we won't take too much from it, but it does address the need to trade Pence:

But if the Astros don't improve quickly, Pence and Bourn won't be prime-time players when the team comes together. And in the meantime, the team will have to face the prospect of re-signing them when they become eligible for free agency.

The biggest problem the Astros will face in rebuilding the team is the paucity of Major League-ready prospects. In the Astros' organization, if you are young and ready for the show, you are already in Houston.