Bear8084 said:

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ValpoCory said:

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Bear8084 said:

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I trust Luhnow and company, but it would be a head scratcher of a trade when we already have McCann and Gattis.

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If the Astros were to obtain Realmuto, then the already unlikely 2019 option for Brian McCann will all but certainly be declined. Catcher is the one position where the Astros don't have a bright present or future.

McCann's intangibles are better than his tangibles right now. He'll be fine for this year, but in 2019, the catcher position needs to be addressed.

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Giving up our #1 prospect for an old catcher, whose numbers are slightly better than McCann's if I recall, when we didn't have to for better prospects would be shortsighted.

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No one is saying the Astros should trade Kyle Tucker for J.T. Realmuto. Nor will they. They wouldn't trade Tucker for Justin freaking Verlander.

But come on. 26 years old with 3 more years of club control is old? Triple the WAR is "slightly better than McCann".

ValpoCory said:

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Bear8084 said:

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ValpoCory said:

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Bear8084 said:

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I trust Luhnow and company, but it would be a head scratcher of a trade when we already have McCann and Gattis.

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If the Astros were to obtain Realmuto, then the already unlikely 2019 option for Brian McCann will all but certainly be declined. Catcher is the one position where the Astros don't have a bright present or future.

McCann's intangibles are better than his tangibles right now. He'll be fine for this year, but in 2019, the catcher position needs to be addressed.

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Giving up our #1 prospect for an old catcher, whose numbers are slightly better than McCann's if I recall, when we didn't have to for better prospects would be shortsighted.

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No one is saying the Astros should trade Kyle Tucker for J.T. Realmuto. Nor will they. They wouldn't trade Tucker for Justin freaking Verlander.

But come on. 26 years old with 3 more years of club control is old? Triple the WAR is "slightly better than McCann".

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Not worth it. That WAR rank also has Jason Castro ranked higher than either of our current catchers and I wouldn't trade either of our catchers for Castro. One Astros fan posted in The Crawfish Boxes: "McCann had a 103 wRC+ last year, Realmuto 105, which was the same as Evan Gattis." Yes, we need another catcher for the future, but there will be better deals to be made later on.

Bear8084 said:

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ValpoCory said:

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Bear8084 said:

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ValpoCory said:

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Bear8084 said:

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I trust Luhnow and company, but it would be a head scratcher of a trade when we already have McCann and Gattis.

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If the Astros were to obtain Realmuto, then the already unlikely 2019 option for Brian McCann will all but certainly be declined. Catcher is the one position where the Astros don't have a bright present or future.

McCann's intangibles are better than his tangibles right now. He'll be fine for this year, but in 2019, the catcher position needs to be addressed.

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Giving up our #1 prospect for an old catcher, whose numbers are slightly better than McCann's if I recall, when we didn't have to for better prospects would be shortsighted.

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No one is saying the Astros should trade Kyle Tucker for J.T. Realmuto. Nor will they. They wouldn't trade Tucker for Justin freaking Verlander.

But come on. 26 years old with 3 more years of club control is old? Triple the WAR is "slightly better than McCann".

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Not worth it. That WAR rank also has Jason Castro ranked higher than either of our current catchers and I wouldn't trade either of our catchers for Castro. One Astros fan posted in The Crawfish Boxes: "McCann had a 103 wRC+ last year, Realmuto 105, which was the same as Evan Gattis." Yes, we need another catcher for the future, but there will be better deals to be made later on.

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I agree that Realmuto is not worth Tucker.

Using the wRC+ stat on catchers is almost meaningless, as it's purely an offensive statistic. Realmuto's larger value comes on the defensive end, and that's why his WAR is so high. Castro's WAR numbers were always respectable due to his above average defense, but his defensive stats pale in comparison to Realmuto's.

Spring Training stats.


Usually Spring Training records are meaningless, with the expected best teams just as likely to be near the bottom than near the top, but so far the only 3-0 teams are the Astros, Yankees, and Red Sox. Lots of anticipation with those 3 teams.

ValpoCory said:

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Spring Training stats.


Usually Spring Training records are meaningless, with the expected best teams just as likely to be near the bottom than near the top, but so far the only 3-0 teams are the Astros, Yankees, and Red Sox. Lots of anticipation with those 3 teams.

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I think what we are seeing is really strong farms

I don't see this team losing very many games this year. I'm sure OldBear83 will come up with some idiotic reason to be "worried"

GoldMind said:

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I don't see this team losing very many games this year. I'm sure OldBear83 will come up with some idiotic reason to be "worried"

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It's very comfortable, living in your head rent-free like this. So open and spacious, with so few facts to make obstacles.

Oldbear83 said:

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GoldMind said:

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I don't see this team losing very many games this year. I'm sure OldBear83 will come up with some idiotic reason to be "worried"

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It's very comfortable, living in your head rent-free like this. So open and spacious, with so few facts to make obstacles.

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...like me calling a WS victory months before it happened. All while you made up reasons to be "worried"?

GoldMind said:

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Oldbear83 said:

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GoldMind said:

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I don't see this team losing very many games this year. I'm sure OldBear83 will come up with some idiotic reason to be "worried"

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It's very comfortable, living in your head rent-free like this. So open and spacious, with so few facts to make obstacles.

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...like me calling a WS victory months before it happened. All while you made up reasons to be "worried"?

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You live in an amusing parody of Reality, GM. Tell me, what was your batting average? Your fielding?

GoldMind said:

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Oldbear83 said:

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GoldMind said:

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I don't see this team losing very many games this year. I'm sure OldBear83 will come up with some idiotic reason to be "worried"

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It's very comfortable, living in your head rent-free like this. So open and spacious, with so few facts to make obstacles.

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...like me calling a WS victory months before it happened. All while you made up reasons to be "worried"?

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Like you saying the Verlander deal wouldn't be worth the cost, at about the same time that I was suggesting changes needed to be made to get the Astros where they wanted to be.

Can we stop bickering as Astros fans and just bask in the approaching season of your World Series Champions Houston Astros? Maybe direct some of that vitriol towards the Arlington Rangers? Go 'Stros!

Oldbear83 said:

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GoldMind said:

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Oldbear83 said:

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GoldMind said:

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I don't see this team losing very many games this year. I'm sure OldBear83 will come up with some idiotic reason to be "worried"

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It's very comfortable, living in your head rent-free like this. So open and spacious, with so few facts to make obstacles.

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...like me calling a WS victory months before it happened. All while you made up reasons to be "worried"?

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Like you saying the Verlander deal wouldn't be worth the cost, at about the same time that I was suggesting changes needed to be made to get the Astros where they wanted to be.

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Pretty sure I was the one who thought the cost for Verlander would be too high. Did not think that they would get him without having to sell the farm, but they did.

Bear8084 said:

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Can we stop bickering as Astros fans and just bask in the approaching season of your World Series Champions Houston Astros? Maybe direct some of that vitriol towards the Arlington Rangers? Go 'Stros!

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Unless our resident curmudgeon admits I was right as rain from opening week last year, there can be no peace. Cause I was.

GoldMind said:

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Bear8084 said:

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Can we stop bickering as Astros fans and just bask in the approaching season of your World Series Champions Houston Astros? Maybe direct some of that vitriol towards the Arlington Rangers? Go 'Stros!

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Unless our resident curmudgeon admits I was right as rain from opening week last year, there can be no peace. Cause I was.

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Must be nice weather there in Alt-land.

GM was more right than I was for most of the season. But I was not completely wrong, nor was GM completely right. Not that his ego will allow him to ever admit it.

Bear8084 said:

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Can we stop bickering as Astros fans and just bask in the approaching season of your World Series Champions Houston Astros? Maybe direct some of that vitriol towards the Arlington Rangers? Go 'Stros!

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Please. We're Astros fans. Much like Baylor fans.

GoldMind said:

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The sound of bomb after bomb, and win after win has left the masses dumbfounded. It's like watching an Abrams tank run over a pile of Barbie dolls. There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that them Stros are going to, and winning the World Series.

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I posted this the day after Cory started this tread. How was I in any way wrong?

Self-glossing. Frowned upon in polite society, but for some it's all the glory they know ...

GrowlTowel said:

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Bear8084 said:

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Can we stop bickering as Astros fans and just bask in the approaching season of your World Series Champions Houston Astros? Maybe direct some of that vitriol towards the Arlington Rangers? Go 'Stros!

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Please. We're Astros fans. Much like Baylor fans.

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Also very true.

GoldMind said:

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Bear8084 said:

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Can we stop bickering as Astros fans and just bask in the approaching season of your World Series Champions Houston Astros? Maybe direct some of that vitriol towards the Arlington Rangers? Go 'Stros!

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Unless our resident curmudgeon admits I was right as rain from opening week last year, there can be no peace. Cause I was.

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Actually, there could be peace if you were not so concerned with rubbing his nose in the fact that the Astros won the World Series.

Whatever

Spring Training stats.

Kyle "Ted Williams" Tucker

He'll start the year in the minors to give Houston another year of club control, but man this kid is good.

#TED

ValpoCory said:

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#TED

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He should keep 79 for his career

JusHappy2BeHere said:

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ValpoCory said:

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#TED

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He should keep 79 for his career

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Hideous number, but that would be funny.

GoldMind said:

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JusHappy2BeHere said:

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ValpoCory said:

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#TED

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He should keep 79 for his career

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Hideous number, but that would be funny.

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He's a big Smashing Pumpkins fan.

More from the kid.

ValpoCory said:

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More from the kid.

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Smooth like butter

I had a dream, and it was interpreted as 7 more years of Altuve.


BREAKING: Altuve near 5-year extension

2017 AL MVP coming off career year that included first MVP, World Series title

Astros superstar Jose Altuve is close to signing a five-year extension worth $150 million that begins in 2020, MLB.com has learned. The club has not confirmed the report.
Altuve had been signed through the end of the 2018 season, with Houston holding a club option for 2019.
The five-time All-Star second baseman had his finest season in 2017, hitting an MLB-best .346 with 24 home runs and 32 stolen bases in 153 games en route to his first Most Valuable Player Award. In the process, he was a driving force as the Astros won their first World Series title.

Passes Carlos Lee as the biggest deal in Astros History. Glad Altuve has that honor now. And good to see Crane is willing to do what it takes to keep him here. Great for Houston fans.

Wonder what Correa, Springer, Bregman, Keuchel will demand. At some point we will lose some of them, but I wonder who and when.

sahen said:

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Passes Carlos Lee as the biggest deal in Astros History. Glad Altuve has that honor now. And good to see Crane is willing to do what it takes to keep him here. Great for Houston fans.

Wonder what Correa, Springer, Bregman, Keuchel will demand. At some point we will lose some of them, but I wonder who and when.

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Right now Correa is the clear #1 if you could only sign one, although he's here for 4 more years of club control first. so there's time.

As far as people with less than 3 years of control, there aren't many key players, but I think Dallas/Verlander walk, Marwin takes less money to stay, and not sure yet on Gerrit Cole.

ValpoCory said:

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sahen said:

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Passes Carlos Lee as the biggest deal in Astros History. Glad Altuve has that honor now. And good to see Crane is willing to do what it takes to keep him here. Great for Houston fans.

Wonder what Correa, Springer, Bregman, Keuchel will demand. At some point we will lose some of them, but I wonder who and when.

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Right now Correa is the clear #1 if you could only sign one, although he's here for 4 more years of club control first. so there's time.

As far as people with less than 3 years of control, there aren't many key players, but I think Dallas/Verlander walk, Marwin takes less money to stay, and not sure yet on Gerrit Cole.

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I prophesy a dark future for Dallas if he walks. Im good with these kinds of things.

Man, it's good to be an Astros fan. The team is ramping up quickly. The starting pitching this spring has been insanely good. The offense is clicking as expected. They are blowing out contenders almost daily, as Houston has the best Spring Training record in baseball after today's win.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=380321120

Who will start on Opening Day? J.D. Davis (with Marwin in LF) or Jake Marisnick (with Marwin at 1B)?

Is anyone going to the exhibitions vs the Brew Crew on Monday and Tuesday?

Has Whitley even thrown this year? I might have missed it as I haven't got to watch every spring game.