Brian T. Smith, the new beat-writer for the Chronicle, has been tweeting out some notes from an interview with Jeff Luhnow from the GM Meetings. Among those notes:
*The Astros "have cooled" on pursuing Lance Berkman. He isn't sure if his knees will hold up (Berkman's, not Luhnow's).
*Luhnow's plan is to keep control of arbitration-eligible players, and not pursue any trades. He'll listen to offers, though.
*The free agents Luhnow is interested in will be the types looking for 1- and 2-year deals.
So that means that there:
1) Likely won't be deals for Bud Norris, Jed Lowrie, Wesley Wright, etc.
2) Will be no play for Josh Hamilton, thankfully.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
Friday, November 9, 2012
Astros Inferno: Overview and the Vestibule of Hell
Good morning, Astros fans! Today we kick off a weekly series in which we make the analogy of being an Astros fan and Virgil's guided tour of Hell for Dante Alighieri. That's right, Astros fans, we have been through all nine levels of Hell as described in Dante's Inferno.
Let's start with the Overview and the Vestibule of Hell (summaries in italics are mine)...
Dante, "halfway along our life's path," finds himself lost in a dark wood in front of a mountain, beset by three beasts - a lion, a leopard, and a she-wolf. Thus, he cannot find the right way to salvation.
Of course Dante represents Astros fans. We were lost in a dark wood in front of Tal's Hill. Clearly the lion, leopard and she-wolf represents Drayton, Tal Smith, and Pam Gardner. Salvation was nowhere to be found.
Dante knows that he is ruining himself and is rescued by Virgil where the two of them begin their travels through the underworld. As they pass through the gate of Hell, Dante notices a sign in which the final line of the inscription is "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" or:
Before entering Hell, Dante and Virgil see the Uncommitted - those who did nothing good or evil. They are not in Hell, but they're not out of Hell, either. The punishment of the Uncommitted is to be pursued or stung by wasps or hornets that continually sting them, among other punishments.
Perhaps you remember this, from July 2, 2009:
Dante and Virgil reach the ferry that will take them to Hell. Charon - the pilot - doesn't want to let Dante enter because he is still alive. Dante faints and wakes up in Hell.
Next week: Limbo!
Let's start with the Overview and the Vestibule of Hell (summaries in italics are mine)...
Dante, "halfway along our life's path," finds himself lost in a dark wood in front of a mountain, beset by three beasts - a lion, a leopard, and a she-wolf. Thus, he cannot find the right way to salvation.
Of course Dante represents Astros fans. We were lost in a dark wood in front of Tal's Hill. Clearly the lion, leopard and she-wolf represents Drayton, Tal Smith, and Pam Gardner. Salvation was nowhere to be found.
Dante knows that he is ruining himself and is rescued by Virgil where the two of them begin their travels through the underworld. As they pass through the gate of Hell, Dante notices a sign in which the final line of the inscription is "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" or:
Before entering Hell, Dante and Virgil see the Uncommitted - those who did nothing good or evil. They are not in Hell, but they're not out of Hell, either. The punishment of the Uncommitted is to be pursued or stung by wasps or hornets that continually sting them, among other punishments.
Perhaps you remember this, from July 2, 2009:
Dante and Virgil reach the ferry that will take them to Hell. Charon - the pilot - doesn't want to let Dante enter because he is still alive. Dante faints and wakes up in Hell.
Next week: Limbo!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
"How this club will compete in its first season in the American League West, I have no earthly idea."
That wonderful, uplifting quote comes to us courtesy of Ken Rosenthal. Yes, there's nothing else to write about, so let's talk about how the Astros have become Major League Baseball's version of Andrew Jackson (he paid off the National Debt in 1835 - bet you didn't expect to read that on Astros County today, huh?) - don't owe anybody any money, and don't even care.
There's all sorts of hand-wringing about "How are they going to be competitive!" and there's the channeling of Derrick Goold. Rosenthal estimates an Opening Day payroll of around $30m. Luhnow says it might happen.
Rosenthal:
"But how this club will compete in its first season in the American League West, I have no earthly idea."
I don't understand what the hang-up is with this. Maybe it's because the Astros aren't in Michigan (eliminating Jon Morosi's, who is still drunk after the Tigers got swept, interest). Maybe Ken Rosenthal could wear a bow-tie that would support the Astros one Saturday in 2013.
How will the Astros compete in 2013? They won't. They're not supposed to. We've said it over and over again. 2012's 107 losses sucked approximately one loss more than 2011, and that's about it. 2012 was not about 2012, just as 2013 will not be about 2013. 2013 will be about 2014, 2015, and beyond. 2013 will be another year of development for the minor-leaguers (Singleton, Cosart, Springer, DeShields, etc.), and a year of getting familiar with Bo Porter, his methods, expectations, and his staff.
Think of how incredulous everyone will be if the Astros throw money at Josh Hamilton. "What for!" they'll yell. "They've got a bunch of raisin cakes down there running things!" they'll scream. (The Astros won't sign Josh Hamilton, by the way.) So, save your money, invest in scouting, sign international free agents, prepare for the draft, and build the war chest to pay good money to Jon Singleton - don't sign a free agent because it would be fun, and it would get Rosenthal off their backs.
2012 should have been a prime example about how the Astros don't give two craps about what anyone thinks - and I don't mean that in a bad way. This team does things the way they want to. Convention got them to 100 losses, being unconventional will get them to respectability quicker.
There's all sorts of hand-wringing about "How are they going to be competitive!" and there's the channeling of Derrick Goold. Rosenthal estimates an Opening Day payroll of around $30m. Luhnow says it might happen.
Rosenthal:
"But how this club will compete in its first season in the American League West, I have no earthly idea."
I don't understand what the hang-up is with this. Maybe it's because the Astros aren't in Michigan (eliminating Jon Morosi's, who is still drunk after the Tigers got swept, interest). Maybe Ken Rosenthal could wear a bow-tie that would support the Astros one Saturday in 2013.
How will the Astros compete in 2013? They won't. They're not supposed to. We've said it over and over again. 2012's 107 losses sucked approximately one loss more than 2011, and that's about it. 2012 was not about 2012, just as 2013 will not be about 2013. 2013 will be about 2014, 2015, and beyond. 2013 will be another year of development for the minor-leaguers (Singleton, Cosart, Springer, DeShields, etc.), and a year of getting familiar with Bo Porter, his methods, expectations, and his staff.
Think of how incredulous everyone will be if the Astros throw money at Josh Hamilton. "What for!" they'll yell. "They've got a bunch of raisin cakes down there running things!" they'll scream. (The Astros won't sign Josh Hamilton, by the way.) So, save your money, invest in scouting, sign international free agents, prepare for the draft, and build the war chest to pay good money to Jon Singleton - don't sign a free agent because it would be fun, and it would get Rosenthal off their backs.
2012 should have been a prime example about how the Astros don't give two craps about what anyone thinks - and I don't mean that in a bad way. This team does things the way they want to. Convention got them to 100 losses, being unconventional will get them to respectability quicker.
Spring Training Dates
The Astros will open Grapefruit League play on February 23, 2013 against the Phillies in Clearwater, and will end Spring Training on March 28.
Wait. Against the Phillies? We did it! Back in the NL! /pumps fist
Wait. Against the Phillies? We did it! Back in the NL! /pumps fist
MiLB's Organizational All-Stars
So Minor League Baseball posted the Astros' organizational All-Stars today, and it's well worth your time. You can click the link and read the full descriptions for yourselves, but here's the short list:
C: Tyler Heineman
1B: Jon Singleton
2B: Delino DeShields
3B: Matt Duffy
SS: Angel Sanchez
OF: George Springer, Domingo Santana, Brandon Barnes
DH: Erik Castro
RHP: Mike Foltynewicz
LHP: Brian Holmes
Closer: Jason Stoffel
C: Tyler Heineman
1B: Jon Singleton
2B: Delino DeShields
3B: Matt Duffy
SS: Angel Sanchez
OF: George Springer, Domingo Santana, Brandon Barnes
DH: Erik Castro
RHP: Mike Foltynewicz
LHP: Brian Holmes
Closer: Jason Stoffel
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Let's not mess with this Delmon Young cat
It's been rumored for a few days now that the Astros could be interested in acquiring Delmon Young, now that they need something called a "Designated Hitter."
Well, this morning Young pled (pleaded?) guilty to "aggravated harassment for shouting anti-Semitic slurs & tackling a man in New York City in April."
I'm all for giving a guy a second chance, but let's all just agree to give Delmon Young and his.267/.296/.411 line a pass.
Well, this morning Young pled (pleaded?) guilty to "aggravated harassment for shouting anti-Semitic slurs & tackling a man in New York City in April."
I'm all for giving a guy a second chance, but let's all just agree to give Delmon Young and his.267/.296/.411 line a pass.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Astros name David Stearns as Assistant GM
Brian McTaggart just tweeted that the Astros have named David Stearns as the new Assistant GM.
Stearns, 27, is a Harvard graduate, and was the Indians' Director of Baseball Operations - the youngest in his position in MLB. While with the Indians, Stearns focused on player contracts and analysis. Prior to joining the Indians, he spent three years with the Commissioner's office working on "salary arbitration, contracts, and was a member of MLB's negotiating team on the new basic agreement."
Stearns:
“At some point, [age] doesn’t matter a tremendous amount. It’s more about what you can bring to the table, if your skill set matches what is needed for the particular position.”
From the linked story, Stearns' college roommate:
“[Stearns] was always a very analytical guy, very rational, a real problem solver. He’ll approach any problem or challenge...with the same focus and sense of responsibility and really the same temperament.”
As Zach Levine astutely noted, the CEO, Assistant GM, Marketing VP, and Baseball Operations Coordinator are all Harvard-educated.
Stearns, 27, is a Harvard graduate, and was the Indians' Director of Baseball Operations - the youngest in his position in MLB. While with the Indians, Stearns focused on player contracts and analysis. Prior to joining the Indians, he spent three years with the Commissioner's office working on "salary arbitration, contracts, and was a member of MLB's negotiating team on the new basic agreement."
Stearns:
“At some point, [age] doesn’t matter a tremendous amount. It’s more about what you can bring to the table, if your skill set matches what is needed for the particular position.”
From the linked story, Stearns' college roommate:
“[Stearns] was always a very analytical guy, very rational, a real problem solver. He’ll approach any problem or challenge...with the same focus and sense of responsibility and really the same temperament.”
As Zach Levine astutely noted, the CEO, Assistant GM, Marketing VP, and Baseball Operations Coordinator are all Harvard-educated.
Jim Bowden's free agent "Best Fits"
So Jim Bowden posted on ESPN (Insider) a whole bunch of free agents, with contract predictions and "Best Fits." Which free agents are "best fits" for the Astros?
(Short answer: Not many places. Jeff Luhnow is heading to the GM meetings with the goal of "due diligence" and that's about it.)
Catcher Mike Napoli, with a (predicted) 3-year, $27m pricetag. Just as a reminder: This.
OF/DH Delmon Young, 2-year, $12m.
DH Lance Berkman, 1-year, $6m.
(Short answer: Not many places. Jeff Luhnow is heading to the GM meetings with the goal of "due diligence" and that's about it.)
Catcher Mike Napoli, with a (predicted) 3-year, $27m pricetag. Just as a reminder: This.
OF/DH Delmon Young, 2-year, $12m.
DH Lance Berkman, 1-year, $6m.
BP's Top Ten Astros Prospects
Up and at 'em today as AC recovers from a weekend in Oklahoma for a funeral...
Baseball Prospectus posted their Top 10 Astros prospects. You need a subscription to read the whole thing, but the free part they handed out is the list:
1. Jon Singleton
2. Carlos Correa
3. George Springer
4. Delino DeShields, Jr
5. Jarred Cosart
6. Jonathan Villar
7. Domingo Santana
8. Rio Ruiz
9. Lance McCullers
10. Mike Foltynewicz
A few things about this list:
*Four of this list (Singleton, Cosart, Villar, Santana) came to the Astros via trades with the Phillies - Singleton, Cosart, and Santana in the Pence trade, and Villar in the Oswalt trade.
*Correa, Ruiz, and McCullers were all drafted in 2012.
*Only Singleton and Cosart spent most of 2012 above High-A.
Tell me your feelings.
Baseball Prospectus posted their Top 10 Astros prospects. You need a subscription to read the whole thing, but the free part they handed out is the list:
1. Jon Singleton
2. Carlos Correa
3. George Springer
4. Delino DeShields, Jr
5. Jarred Cosart
6. Jonathan Villar
7. Domingo Santana
8. Rio Ruiz
9. Lance McCullers
10. Mike Foltynewicz
A few things about this list:
*Four of this list (Singleton, Cosart, Villar, Santana) came to the Astros via trades with the Phillies - Singleton, Cosart, and Santana in the Pence trade, and Villar in the Oswalt trade.
*Correa, Ruiz, and McCullers were all drafted in 2012.
*Only Singleton and Cosart spent most of 2012 above High-A.
Tell me your feelings.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Revisit a Random Game From 2000? Why Not?
Going through boxes of old stuff at my parents' house, I came across a scorecard from a random game from one of the worst seasons in Astros history...you know, until recently. It was not a particularly interesting game, and the Astros lost. There is almost no reason to revisit this game 12 years later. So, here we go.
June 6, 2000. Astros v. Twins. 7:05 at (still) Enron Field. Jose Lima v. Eric Milton.
Game started rather inauspiciously. Biggio led off with a single in the first, and was promptly bunted over to second by Julio Lugo. Really, Dierker? The first inning? He was promptly stranded. Eric Milton took an early exit and was replaced in relief in the 3rd by Johan Santana, in his rookie season. Milton was not exactly in trouble early, so I'm not sure why he left.
The Astros scored the first run of the game on a Biggio walk and Caminiti double in the 3rd inning. They would threaten again in the 6th, but stranded Bagwell on 3rd. Lima was dealing, and took a shutout into the 8th inning, where things began to unravel. After Jacque Jones and Midre Cummings reached with only one out, Lima was replaced by Yorkis Perez. After a fielder's choice by Christian Guzman allowed Jones to score, Perez gave up a double to Matt Lawton and a single to David Ortiz, allowing 2 more to come home. Everyday Eddie Guardado closed the Astros out in the 9th, and the Twins won 3-1.
Lima took the loss, falling to 1-8, with Perez earning the blown save. Santana got the win. It looks like it might have been Santana's first big league win, so that's kind of cool. I still left unhappy. The Astros fell to 21-36, on their way to a 90 loss season. I still don't understand how this team, with Biggio, Bagwell, Alou, Hidalgo (in his 44 HR season), Berkman, Caminiti, etc. lost 90 games. Maybe Lima at 1-8 had something to do with it. There would be better times ahead. There will now, too.
More 40 Man Roster Casualities
A new flurry of transactions brought the 40 man roster down to 31. Brian Bogusevic, J.B.Shuck, Chuckie Fick and Jorge de Leon were all outrighted. Bogie, Shuck and de Leon cleared waivers and are now free agents. Fick was sent to Triple A.
Bogusevic is by far the biggest name in that group. Drafted as a pitcher in 2005, he was converted to the outfield in 2008, and made the majors only 2 years later. He showed some power, and put up a 122 OPS+ in 2011. Ultimately, his strikeouts and low OBP did him in. He will always be a fan favorite, due to his unique story, and his memorable walk-off grand slam against the Cubs in 2011. At the end of the day, he was not going to be a part of the Astros future. Hopefully, he can catch on somewhere else.
Bogusevic is by far the biggest name in that group. Drafted as a pitcher in 2005, he was converted to the outfield in 2008, and made the majors only 2 years later. He showed some power, and put up a 122 OPS+ in 2011. Ultimately, his strikeouts and low OBP did him in. He will always be a fan favorite, due to his unique story, and his memorable walk-off grand slam against the Cubs in 2011. At the end of the day, he was not going to be a part of the Astros future. Hopefully, he can catch on somewhere else.
Friday, November 2, 2012
And then there were 35
The turnover of Houston's 40-man roster continues as Milwaukee this afternoon claimed RHP Arcenio Leon off waivers from the Astros.
It should come as no surprise that Luhnow & Co. were willing to let Leon go, as he's 26 years old and has shown very little beyond a good strikeout rate since he arrived at AA Corpus Christi back in 2010. The aforementioned K/9 was 9.2 in 151.1 IP (109 games) with Corpus, but pair that with a 5.00 ERA, 6.1 BB/9, and 1.725 WHIP, and it's not hard to see why he never got more than one game above AA.
Houston now has 35 men on their 40-man roster.
It should come as no surprise that Luhnow & Co. were willing to let Leon go, as he's 26 years old and has shown very little beyond a good strikeout rate since he arrived at AA Corpus Christi back in 2010. The aforementioned K/9 was 9.2 in 151.1 IP (109 games) with Corpus, but pair that with a 5.00 ERA, 6.1 BB/9, and 1.725 WHIP, and it's not hard to see why he never got more than one game above AA.
Houston now has 35 men on their 40-man roster.
Astros claim two more on waivers
Following the return of Jordan Schafer to the Barves, the Astros were far from done making moves yesterday. They claimed two players off waivers from the D-Backs - righty reliever Sam Demel and middle infielder Jake Elmore.
Demel, 27, has 72 games (63.2 IP) of big league experience spread across the last three seasons, with a cumulative 4.95 ERA, 6.8 K/9, and 3.7 BB/9. He spent most of 2012 in AAA Reno, posting a 4.07 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 in 56 games (66.1 IP) there.
Elmore, 25, is a 2B/SS who made his MLB debut in 2012, finishing the year with a .191/.247/.250 slash line, 0 HR, 7 RBI in 68 ABs with Arizona. He had a career year in AAA Reno, however, swinging to a .344/.442/.465 slash line, 1 HR, 73 RBI in 511 ABs while earning both mid-season and post-season PCL All-Star honors.
Beyond that, Houston also outrighted five pitchers to AAA Oklahoma City - Fernando Abad, Sergio Escalona, Edgar Gonzalez, Jose Valdez, and Kyle Weiland. This moves Weiland from the 60-day DL to the OKC roster, while the other four become unrestricted free agents.
After all was said and done, Houston's 40-man roster now stands at 36.
Demel, 27, has 72 games (63.2 IP) of big league experience spread across the last three seasons, with a cumulative 4.95 ERA, 6.8 K/9, and 3.7 BB/9. He spent most of 2012 in AAA Reno, posting a 4.07 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 in 56 games (66.1 IP) there.
Elmore, 25, is a 2B/SS who made his MLB debut in 2012, finishing the year with a .191/.247/.250 slash line, 0 HR, 7 RBI in 68 ABs with Arizona. He had a career year in AAA Reno, however, swinging to a .344/.442/.465 slash line, 1 HR, 73 RBI in 511 ABs while earning both mid-season and post-season PCL All-Star honors.
Beyond that, Houston also outrighted five pitchers to AAA Oklahoma City - Fernando Abad, Sergio Escalona, Edgar Gonzalez, Jose Valdez, and Kyle Weiland. This moves Weiland from the 60-day DL to the OKC roster, while the other four become unrestricted free agents.
After all was said and done, Houston's 40-man roster now stands at 36.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Schafer back to Barves
So the Braves, who traded Jordan Schafer and Brett Oberholtzer, Paul Clemens, and...somebody else to the Astros for a season and a half of Michael Bourn (before Scott Boras goes and sells his soul), have now claimed Jordan Schafer off waivers.
This means that there are 39 players on the 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft. The Astros are now in a position that other teams might make a run at the system in the December Rule 5 draft, so they'll need to protect some players to keep them from getting poached.
Oh, and, I'm pretty excited about not having the 26-year old (!) Schafer on the roster. He struck out 106 times in 360 PAs in 2012 on his way to a career-worst .591 OPS. The Astros were 27-55 when he started (they were 28-52 when he didn't. This is depressing, huh?), and in June he struck out 26 times in 23 games (80 PAs).
He just struck out too much, too often. Fare thee well, Jordan Schafer.
This means that there are 39 players on the 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft. The Astros are now in a position that other teams might make a run at the system in the December Rule 5 draft, so they'll need to protect some players to keep them from getting poached.
Oh, and, I'm pretty excited about not having the 26-year old (!) Schafer on the roster. He struck out 106 times in 360 PAs in 2012 on his way to a career-worst .591 OPS. The Astros were 27-55 when he started (they were 28-52 when he didn't. This is depressing, huh?), and in June he struck out 26 times in 23 games (80 PAs).
He just struck out too much, too often. Fare thee well, Jordan Schafer.
Cosart Tabbed to Start AFL Rising Stars game
Per Keith Law, Jarred Cosart has been tabbed to start the AFL Rising Stars Game for the East. The game will be televised at 8:00 ET this Saturday on the MLB Network. Cosart has struggled so far in the AFL, going 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA. He has struck out 7 and walked 6 in 11 ip. Take those SSS numbers with a grain of salt.
UPDATE
Jon Singleton and George Springer have also been added to the East squad. Springer has put up a .268/.423/.463 line with 1 HR and 7 RBI. Singleton is at .250/.370/.485 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. My understanding is that the Rising Stars Game is based more on prospect status than performance in the AFL. This game will provide a good opportunity to get an early peak at the future of the Astros. Full rosters here
UPDATE
Jon Singleton and George Springer have also been added to the East squad. Springer has put up a .268/.423/.463 line with 1 HR and 7 RBI. Singleton is at .250/.370/.485 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. My understanding is that the Rising Stars Game is based more on prospect status than performance in the AFL. This game will provide a good opportunity to get an early peak at the future of the Astros. Full rosters here
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Astros won't pick up Chris Snyder's option
Continuing the trend of least-surprising news, Mark Berman talked to Chris Snyder's agent, who said that the Astros would rather pay him $500K to not play for them than to pay him $4m to wear a new Astros uniform.
Luhnow says Carlos Corporan will earn a shot at the C2 position.Which is fine. Corporan isn't yet arbitration-eligible, so he gets league-minimum, and in nine September appearances (seven starts), he hit .259/.286/.407. Is 29 PAs enough to make a judgment? Of course not, but the Astros won't be paying Chris Snyder $4m to do a worse job.
This doesn't mean that Snyder is out of the picture. Luhnow went on to say that he was interested in bringing Snyder back (or another catcher on a non-guaranteed deal) to compete for the backup job.
Whomever it is will be a short-term option. The Astros already have Chris Wallace (.724 OPS between OKC and Corpus), Jair Fernandez (.761 OPS at Corpus), and Ben Heath (.770 OPS at Lancaster) at High-A or above. Somebody has to pan out, right?
Luhnow says Carlos Corporan will earn a shot at the C2 position.Which is fine. Corporan isn't yet arbitration-eligible, so he gets league-minimum, and in nine September appearances (seven starts), he hit .259/.286/.407. Is 29 PAs enough to make a judgment? Of course not, but the Astros won't be paying Chris Snyder $4m to do a worse job.
This doesn't mean that Snyder is out of the picture. Luhnow went on to say that he was interested in bringing Snyder back (or another catcher on a non-guaranteed deal) to compete for the backup job.
Whomever it is will be a short-term option. The Astros already have Chris Wallace (.724 OPS between OKC and Corpus), Jair Fernandez (.761 OPS at Corpus), and Ben Heath (.770 OPS at Lancaster) at High-A or above. Somebody has to pan out, right?
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Matt Downs DFA'ed
Matt Downs, the man who played every position but catcher and center-fielder, was designated for assignment by the Astros today.
Downs was unable to build on his 2011 season, in which he hit .276/.347/.518 in 222 plate appearances (106 games), and hit .202/.253/.371 in 191 PAs (91 games) in 2012.
Brooks was quick to point out that Kyle Weiland is to be reinstated from the 60-Day DL soon - so DFA'ing Downs opens up a spot on the 40-man roster.
Downs was unable to build on his 2011 season, in which he hit .276/.347/.518 in 222 plate appearances (106 games), and hit .202/.253/.371 in 191 PAs (91 games) in 2012.
Brooks was quick to point out that Kyle Weiland is to be reinstated from the 60-Day DL soon - so DFA'ing Downs opens up a spot on the 40-man roster.
Strech Suba not renewed
The closest thing the Astros have to a cult hero might be Strech Suba, the Astros' bullpen assistant for 36 years. Well, that cult hero is gone. Deputy Phelps mentioned it yesterday (and we were all too busy to be able to post about it).
Now Brian McTaggart has confirmed that Suba will not have his contract renewed.
Pour one out for Stretch today.
Now Brian McTaggart has confirmed that Suba will not have his contract renewed.
Pour one out for Stretch today.
MLB not apparently all that sorry about leaking the new logo
Something I've been kicking myself about since last weekend, when Academy was selling the new merchandise, is that I didn't put it together that they had to get that merchandise from somewhere. And that somewhere, of course, was MLB. Well, MLB apologized to the Astros for sending out their new merchandise a week before the unveiling.
MLB:
"We apologize to the Houston Astros and their great fans for the premature, online availability of officially-licensed product featuring the new Astros logo. It is an error that should have been caught and an error we regret."
Well, apparently they don't regret it too much, because MLB Advanced Media has now updated player pages to feature the new cap and logo:
Personally, I like it. But for God's sake, MLB, get your crap together.
UPDATE: MLB tweeted this out from their normally-useless official account:
MLB Advanced Media, in advance of super-storm Sandy, inadvertently posted photos of players in their new uniforms on @Astros.com bio pages.
12:13pm Updated Update: MLBAM has changed the player pages back to the old color scheme.
MLB:
"We apologize to the Houston Astros and their great fans for the premature, online availability of officially-licensed product featuring the new Astros logo. It is an error that should have been caught and an error we regret."
Well, apparently they don't regret it too much, because MLB Advanced Media has now updated player pages to feature the new cap and logo:
Personally, I like it. But for God's sake, MLB, get your crap together.
UPDATE: MLB tweeted this out from their normally-useless official account:
MLB Advanced Media, in advance of super-storm Sandy, inadvertently posted photos of players in their new uniforms on @Astros.com bio pages.
12:13pm Updated Update: MLBAM has changed the player pages back to the old color scheme.
Free Agency (non) News
In the least surprising news of the off-season, the Astros won't be huge players in the free agent market, which opens Friday.
Luhnow:
"...By and large … I feel pretty good that even if we don’t go out and sign free agents, we have a team that’s going to be better next year.”
Noted in the linked article is that the only real decision the Astros have to make (which isn't much of a decision) is whether or not to buy out Chris Snyder.
There's a mutual option for $4m for 2013, but the Astros can buy him out for $500,000. Snyder, who "hit" .176/.295/.308 in 76 games for the Astros in 2012 for an OPS+ of 65. Only the Padres' Nick Hundley had a worse batting average among catchers with at least 200 PAs. And $4m isn't a good number for a player with -0.2 WAR. Obviously.
Luhnow:
"...By and large … I feel pretty good that even if we don’t go out and sign free agents, we have a team that’s going to be better next year.”
Noted in the linked article is that the only real decision the Astros have to make (which isn't much of a decision) is whether or not to buy out Chris Snyder.
There's a mutual option for $4m for 2013, but the Astros can buy him out for $500,000. Snyder, who "hit" .176/.295/.308 in 76 games for the Astros in 2012 for an OPS+ of 65. Only the Padres' Nick Hundley had a worse batting average among catchers with at least 200 PAs. And $4m isn't a good number for a player with -0.2 WAR. Obviously.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)