Astros 2018-19 Offseason

The face of the Astros could be changing in a very radical way very soon. The team that won the World Series in 2017 and went to the ALCS this year is liable to look very different next season.

One difference you won’t see is the coaching change that’s already occurred. Astros assistant hitting coach, Jeff Albert, has taken the job as hitting coach for the St Louis Cardinals. Albert has been the minor league hitting coordinator up until this season.

Houston could also lose their bench coach for the second year in a row. In the 2017 offseason Boston signed Houston bench coach Alex Cora as their manager and he went on to lead the Red Sox to this year’s World Series title. This year’s bench coach, Joe Espada, has interviewed for the manager’s position with the Texas Rangers.

The Astros have 7 free agents who may play with other teams next year. Some very high profile free agents led by Dallas Keuchel. Along with Keuchel the other free agents are Charlie Morton, Evan Gattis, Marwin Gonzalez, Tony Sipp, Martin Maldinado and Brian McCann. Today the Astros could give qualifying offers to Keuchel, Morton, Gonzalez and Gattis. These were the only players of the 7 free agents mentioned by MLB.com that could or would be given qualifying offers. What that means is if the player accepts the offer he would be under a one-year contract and be paid $17.9 MM. Also, if they are given a qualifying offer and turn it down the Astros would receive a compensatory draft pick after the Competitive Balance Round B at the end of the 2nd round of the draft. Marwin Gonzalez is considered the best utility man in the bigs as he can play anywhere on the field except for pitcher and catcher. Keuchel has been a mainstay for the team for several years and it would be a shame to lose him. The Astros must take into consideration that Keuchel has lost significant time the past two season due to injury and he is now 30 years old. Keuchel has won a Cy Young award and he has won 3 Gold Glove awards and is nominated again this year for that honor. Left handed starting pitching is very valuable and if Houston intends to keep him they will have to pay. Charlie Morton is going to turn 35 on November 12 but, he has enjoyed a resurgence in his career since becoming an Astro in 2017. This season his record was 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA but he did miss time at the end of the season with arm issues. The same arm issues that plagued him in 2017 before he returned to the lineup in time to become one of the heroes in the march to a world title. Morton won Game 7 of the ALCS and Game 7 of the World Series. He is said to be contemplating retirement, but he could be coaxed into one more season. Evan Gattis is able to play catcher and has shown to be pretty good at even though he was mainly relegated to playing DH in 2018. In the first half of the season Gattis was on fire but in the second half, like many of the players in the lineup when through a puzzling slump that he never really broke out of. Gattis is 32 and his hitting slump is cause for concern. The Astros may elect not to give him the qualifying offer hoping to sign him as a free agent for a lot less money. Captain Caveman is a popular player for the fans but his popularity naturally hinges on whether he can hit the ball consistently.

Two days after the Astros were eliminated in the ALCS Jose Altuve had surgery on his knee. The surgery was done to repair a patella avulsion fracture in his right knee. What that means in English is a piece of his kneecap with a ligament or tendon attached broke away from the main body of the bone. Sounds like it would hurt like hell and Altuve played with that since he hurt it in July. AJ Hinch said in the ALCS if he wasn’t in the ALCS he would be on the DL with his knee swollen to the size of a grapefruit. MVP indeed.

We may not see Lance McCullers Jr in 2019 if reports are correct. McCullers was said to be playing through a torn UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in his throwing arm that is said will require Tommy John surgery in the offseason. So far, I can find no mention of McCullers having surgery as yet. As I researched the UCL I found that the UCL cannot heal itself. There must be the Tommy John surgery to repair the torn ligament followed by 12-18 months of mostly painful rehab. McCullers is still young and for his long-term health getting the surgery done is likely the best option if he wants to continue his baseball career. It’s not easy for a young man to sit by and watch a year of his career pass him by but you have to be smart about how you take care of your body. Also, when he comes back he may need to alter his delivery on his pitches to take stress off that elbow.

A few Astros notes:

Jose Altuve is recovering from the knee surgery he had just days after the Astros were eliminated from the ALCS by the Boston Red Sox. Altuve had surgery to repair a patella (kneecap) avulsion fracture in his right knee (sounds like it hurts really bad, doesn’t it?). The injury occurred way back in July while sliding into a base and he managed the pain and played through the end of the regular season and into the postseason. He was at a fan related event over the weekend and he spoke to reporters for the first time since his October 19th surgery. He indicated he is not doing much in terms of rehab right now but, he can move under his own power wearing a knee brace. Altuve says the doctors tell him he will be 120% ready for spring training and that is great news for all Astros fans. BTW, Altuve won his 5th Silver Slugger Award despite playing through his knee injury for half the season. Altuve led all big league 2nd basemen with a .316 batting average and a .837 OPS.

Last week Lance McCullers Jr had Tommy John surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow. The rehab for Tommy John is anywhere from 12-18 months which means McCullers will be a no-show for Houston in 2019. It’s interesting to note that McCullers tore his UCL in August be after a short stint on the DL he chose to keep pitching knowing he was going to need Tommy John surgery because of his strong commitment to the team and his strong competitive spirit. Both Altuve and McCullers showed a lot of heart and toughness to continue playing despite their injuries.

Carlos Correa had surgery last week as well. He had surgery to repair a deviated septum. A deviated septum is a situation where the wall between the sinus passages is knocked to one side and it causes a restriction to a person’s breathing. Correa said he noticed he had trouble breathing through his nose when running the bases, so he had it checked out and eventually had the surgery to repair the problem. Right now, it’s an annoyance but the recovery time is very short, and he should be able to begin his offseason work soon. Correa battled a bad back in the second half of the season and his offseason routine will be to focus on getting his back muscles stronger.

Just 3 days after Houston won the World Series ace pitcher, Justin Verlander and his fiancée, Kate Upton, were married in Italy. On Saturday Upton gave birth to the couple’s first child, a daughter, Genevieve Upton Verlander was born. Congrats to the Verlanders!

The Astros have had a busy hot stove season. They have lost several coaches and front office people which is something that always happens to successful franchises. The first loss was last offseason when Boston hired Astros bench coach Alex Cora to be their manager. All Cora did was lead his team to the best record in baseball, marched his team through the playoffs including beating his old team, the Astros, in the ALCS and stomping a mudhole in the LA Dodgers to win the World Series. Cora certainly paid dividends for the Red Sox. This offseason Houston lost Assistant GM Mike Elias and two of their top player analysts Mike Fast and Sig Mejdal took jobs with the Baltimore Orioles. Among the coaches that have left are minor league hitting instructor Jeff Albert who went to the St Louis Cardinals as their hitting coach, Doug White who came to the Houston organization in 2013 as a minor league pitching coach working his way up to the Astros bullpen coach the past two seasons. He is now the pitching coach for the LA Angels. Dave Hudgens has been the Astros hitting coach since coming to Houston with manager AJ Hinch in 2015. Hudgens was hired to be the bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. Several players were not offered tender offers or for those who weren’t eligible for tender offers have said goodbye to Houston. It doesn’t mean that Houston still couldn’t sign some of them but it’s not likely. Marwin Gonzalez is THE uber-utility man who had been with Houston since 2011. He was instrumental in Houston’s first World Series title in 2017 and helped the Astros get back to the ALCS this past season. Marwin is definitely gone as Houston made a deal to acquire Aledmys Diaz from the Toronto Blue Jays giving up pitching prospect Trent Thornton. Houston lost Brian McCann, Martin Maldinado and Evan Gattis but, they did sign C Chris Hermann who was a free agent who had been with Seattle. Hermann isn’t a starting caliber catcher and Houston will be looking for their every-day catcher this offseason. The Astros have been hit in the gut in their pitching depth. Dallas Keuchel turned down his tender offer and is testing free agency. Charlie Morton is a free agent but he’s kind of unique in that he had been talking about retirement during the season but, he did indicate that IF he decided to play in 2019 he wanted to play in Houston. Tony Sipp is gone meaning the only lefties Houston had are now free agents. Will Harris is a free agent and Lance McCullers Jr will miss the 2019 season after having Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow. Holy crap!!!

Houston is said to be looking for a Paul Goldschmidt to come in and play 1st base allowing Houston to use Yuli Gurriel as a utility man or DH. Goldschmidt is a Houston native and rumor has it that it would not take a lot to work a trade with Arizona. There is also talk of Houston getting Nelson Cruz to fill the DH role. Personally, I would prefer Goldschmidt. The big talk is Houston making a deal for Miami All-Star JT Realmuto. Realmuto is a darn good defensive catcher and he is also top notch as a hitter. If Houston made a deal for him, since he is under the Marlins control for several more years, it is speculated Houston would have to give up a ton to acquire him. It is not beyond the imagination that Miami would deal Realmuto since the Marlins seem to have been in fire sale mode over the past year. The Marlins have dealt a lot of good players, most notably Giancarlo Stanton, but it all depends on the price Jeff Luhnow is willing to pay. The Astros have a lot of holes to fill. They need starting pitching, an outfielder, a catcher, a utility man and a DH to name the most glaring needs of the Astros. This isn’t the same Astros team we have followed the past two years. The one thing that GM Jeff Luhnow has been masterful at is player acquisition. It also doesn’t mean the team can’t fill those holes from within the organization. They have guys like Tyler White and Kyle Tucker among available position players and we saw some real potential in Josh James and Framber Valdez, not to mention prospect Forrest Whitley. It is certainly going to be a crazy hot stove season for the Astros.

It continues to be a busy but rather under the radar offseason for the Astros. First, remember that Houston signed a catcher from Seattle, Chris Herrmann, off waivers. Well it's a weird world after all as Herrmann was eligible for being tendered a contract but the Astros decided not to tender him so he is now a free agent. The team likely didn't offer Herrmann a deal because the Astros agreed to terms on a deal for former Rangers catcher Nelson Chirinos. Chirinos is a veteran catcher who is said to be good in the clubhouse as well as very good handling pitchers. Chirinos isn't a big threat at the plate, he hit .222 in 2018, but what he brings is the same veteran leadership Houston lost when Brian McCann became a free agent signing with the Atlanta Braves. This doesn't mean Houston isn't still trying to sign Miami's JT Realmuto but the asking price for him may be too steep for Houston's liking. GM Jeff Luhnow has said he will not mortgage the Astros future for one player the way Tim Purpura did in an effort to get to the World Series. If you remember Houston acquired Roger Clemens and Andy Pettit but they had to empty the farm system to do it. Houston made the World Series but they were swept by the Chicago White Sox (who I still hate) and the Astros were bad for almost a whole decade. All that happened after that was Purpura gave way to Tal Smith who gave way to Jeff Luhnow who sacrificed winning for 3 years as he executed a plan to rebuild Houston from the minor leagues up. A plan that was a huge success as the Astros have a very strong minor league system and a World Series title and a trip to the ALCS in back-to-back years. Luhnow does not want to jeopardize the future of the club chasing one championship. The whole goal when he came to Houston was to build an organization that would perennial playoff contenders and so far, so good. It would be great if Houston could get Realmuto but they also have other needs to fill.

One of those needs was to replace Marwin Gonzalez, whom the Astros did not give a tender offer making him a free agent. Any hopes of resigning him were dashed when the Astros signed Aledmys Diaz after a deal with Toronto that sent minor league pitcher Trent Thornton. Recently, the Astros had made deals for LHP Zach Britton and Bryce Harper but both deals were nixed by their respective team's ownership. Britton ended up a trade deadline pickup for the Yankees. The price Houston would have to pay to get JT Realmuto would certainly be too high but, Houston could make a deal with Arizona on a trade for 1st baseman Paul Goldschmidt. That would be a great move for Houston since the Astros plan to use Yuli Gurriel as a DH and a utility player. The MLB Winter Meetings will begin in Las Vegas on Monday. I would not expect Houston to make many personnel moves there. The most likely time when Houston could pull off some big signing would be in January. Gerrit Cole was signed just a couple of weeks before spring training in 2018. The most likely player to be signed at the Winter Meetings could be free agent Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi is a pitcher who has a high velocity fastball but limited success so far in the majors. Much like Gerrit Cole last season, Eovaldi could come to Houston and tweak his delivery and emerge as a top quality starter, at least that would be the hope. There is still a chance Houston could resign Dallas Keuchel and Marwin Gonzalez if they are still around in January. I would love to see Keuchel come back but Christmas is still 3 weeks away.

George H.W. Bush's passing is of particular notice for the Astros. Bush lived in Houston and he attended many Astros games. He and his wife, Barbara who passed away this past April, were frequently at games. Tomorrow Reid Ryan, Jeff Luhnow and AJ Hinch will be part of a continent of people who will be on hand at Ellington AF Base when the former President's body will come back to Houston for burial. Among the continent will be reps from the Texans and the Rockets as well as family of Mr Bush and other dignitaries who will be on hand for a private funeral service for the former Commander-in-Chief.

I was speculating on Houston picking up 1B Paul Goldschmidt and P Nathan Eovaldi yesterday and likely at the same time I was posting here about it both players were signed by other teams. Goldschmidt went to the St Louis Cardinals and Eovaldi resigned with Boston. So much for a wish list.

I mistakenly said yesterday that Houston signed former Ranger Nelson Chirinos -- well, that's wrong. His name is Robinson Chirinos. Sorry Rob, it was an honest mistake given the article I got the information from also talked about the possibility that Houston might be interested in signing potential DH Nelson Cruz.

The Astros are definitely not done shopping this offseason. This article from Astros.com talks about 3 possible targets of Jeff Luhnow and his personnel staff as they head into the Winter Meetings on Monday.

https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/3-free-agent-outfielders-astros-could-sign/c-301401570

I was speculating on Houston picking up 1B Paul Goldschmidt and P Nathan Eovaldi yesterday and likely at the same time I was posting here about it both players were signed by other teams. Goldschmidt went to the St Louis Cardinals and Eovaldi resigned with Boston. So much for a wish list.

 

I mistakenly said yesterday that Houston signed former Ranger Nelson Chirinos -- well, that's wrong. His name is Robinson Chirinos. Sorry Rob, it was an honest mistake given the article I got the information from also talked about the possibility that Houston might be interested in signing potential DH Nelson Cruz.

 

The Astros are definitely not done shopping this offseason. This article from Astros.com talks about 3 possible targets of Jeff Luhnow and his personnel staff as they head into the Winter Meetings on Monday.

 

https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/3-free-agent-outfielders-astros-could-sign/c-301401570

we need aj pollock!

we need aj pollock!

Pollack might not be a bad pickup. Former All-Star in 2015 has some game. His best seasons at the plate were 2014 and 2015 when he hit .302 and .315 respectively. Those numbers could go up when he's surrounded by good hitters. He has been in the big leagues for 7 years and he is only 31 so he should have 4-5 years of good baseball left. You worry about a guy who has suffered two broken elbows diving for balls in the outfield. Is he brittle? In his 7 years in the bigs he's missed big chunks of time due to injury. He broke his elbow for the first time in 2010 in spring training and he missed the 2nd half of 2014 due to injury. He broke his right elbow for the 2nd time early in 2016 and missed most of the season appearing in only 12 games. In 2017 he only played in 112 games and he spent time on the DL with a groin strain. He only played in 113 games this past season but he had good power numbers including 21 HR's. He also had 100 K's last season which is a lot missing 1/3 of the season. Pollack didn't do terrible and he's a definite improvement offensively over Jake Marisnick. I like Jake but you can't hit in the low .200's and start. It's not like Houston doesn't have options. They do have Tony Kemp who hit for average, came up clutch in big situations and he played pretty good defense too. You can hope Kyle Tucker comes around or Derek Fisher has power but needs to hit for a better average. I'm not against Pollock especially if they can get him at a decent price. Maybe a 2-year deal to give the younger guys coming up from the minors a little chance to hone their skills. Normally, you'd want a starter to be able to play more than 112 or 13 games.

Sad note: On Thursday former Astro players Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo where killed in a car accident in Venezuela. The players along with two only passengers in the car were victims of a robbery. Four men were taken into custody in possession of the men's personal items. Apparently, bandits often put rocks in the road or throw rocks at vehicles causing them to crash and they rob the victims. It's a sad situation and these men lost their lives way too soon. Prayers for the families.

https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/luis-valbuena-jose-castillo-die-in-car-crash/c-301560648

A few items to update the goings on in the Astros front office since the winter meetings ended.

The biggest news is the signing to a two year deal of All Star outfielder Michael Brantley. Last year with Cleveland Brantley hit .309 with a .364 OBP and a slugging percentage of .468. The great thing about Brantley, is out of 570 at-bats in 2018 he only struck out 60 times. What that means is Brantley doesn't strick out much and he puts the ball in play a lot. Long gone are the days when the Astros set records for team and individual strikeouts. They are as long gone as those hateful 100+ loss seasons. The Astros still need a 1B/DH and a catcher. Houston could still use Yuli Gurriel at 1B but that still leaves catcher and DH. Martin Maldinado is still available if Houston would want to resign him.

Houston has lost the services of RP Joe Smith for 6-8 months because of a torn Achilles tendon suffered during a workout. According to Astros.com this doesn't mean Houston will be looking at the free agent market exclusively. The Astros feel they have enough resources in-house to handle the void left by Smith.

The Astros have named former MLB pitcher Mickey Storey as the new manager of AAA Round Rock Express. That's right, no mistake here. The Astros have let the Fresno franchise go and they have welcomed the Express back into the Astros minor league fold. You knew that with Nolan Ryan and his son, Reid, also back in the Astros family is was just a matter of waiting for the contract with the Texas Rangers to run its course. 2018 was the end of the line with the Rangers organization now, call ups will just be a matter of a couple of hours with the top two levels of the Astros minor leagues are just a hop and a skip away from the mothership. Back to Storey, Storey had a short and non-descript career at the big league level only appearing in 29 games, 26 with the Astros in 2012. He retired as a player in 2015. Storey began his coaching career with the Astros A-Advanced level Buies Creek franchise as a development coach. He became the manager of Houston's Class A Quad Cities Astros in 2018 going 81-59 in his first year as a manager.

With all the focus on the NFL playoffs there has been some moves and news from the Astros camp. First,

Alex Bregman had surgery on his elbow to remove bone fragments. He's been dealing with issues with his elbow since 2016 but in this offseason the fragments caused his elbow to lock up. He decided to do the surgery to avoid a possible stint on the DL. Bregman's surgery was last Friday and as soon as the stitches come out he will begin rehab. He is targeting March 1st for his return to baseball action which will give him plenty of spring training to hone his hitting and brush up on his defense.

The Astros avoided arbitration with 7 of 10 arbitration eligible players. The players who agreed to one year deals are Lance McCullers, Will Harris, Ryan Pressly, Jake Marisnick, Collin McHugh, Roberto Osuna and Brad Peacock. What arbitration does is give players under contract a chance to get a bump in pay prior to hitting free agency. The Astros were not able to agree to terms with 3 players, Carlos Correa, Chris Devenski and Gerrit Cole so these players will go through the arbitration process. This isn't, or shouldn't be, a point of contention between the players and the team. The players are not, or should not, be feeling unappreciated or snubbed by the team because they allow the players to go to arbitration. The team wants to save money but they aren't averse to players getting a raise. It's important to note that when player's deal goes to arbitration they may not get the money they feel they deserve. It's all based on performance so a guy like Cole who was so good in 2018 stands a good chance of getting a nice raise. Devenski may not get what he wants because his season was so up and down. Marisnick is arguably the best defensive outfielder in the game. He's fast, has got a great glove and he can throw out runners from just about anywhere in the field because his arm is so good. The trouble with Big Jake is his hitting. Two years ago he was having his best season as a pro hitting .243. Last year he struggled hitting a weak .211. If Marisnick could hit there would have been no reason to sign Michael Brantley. Marisnick is still on the team because he is so good defensively and because of his speed he is often used as a pinch runner. If Marisnick could hit .265-.270 the Astros would have the best outfield in baseball hands down.

Forest Whitley, the fireball throwing prospect in the Astros organization has been named the #1 right handed pitching prospect in baseball. 2018 was a rough year for Whitley who missed a chunk of the season after testing positive for banned substances. Whitley isn't a numbskull who is a slave to his baser instincts. He took a supplement he didn't know was banned and he paid for it. He's a good kid who made a mistake. The arrow is definitely pointing up for the Astros. Whitley also missed some games due to injury. He dominated in the Arizona Fall League and he has worked to get stronger putting on 30 pounds of muscle which his slight frame needed. He is projected to come up to the big club at some point in 2019 and if Collin McHugh or one of the other prospects like Framber Valdez or Josh James should stumble that call up could be sooner rather than later.

Hall of Fame voting is taking place and Houston could have a very familiar name join the list of former Astros in the HOF. Lance Berkman was one of the best switch hitters in baseball and he was a damn good first baseman. Time will tell if he makes it on this ballot but it would be pretty cool if he did. His best years came as an Astro as a member of the "Killer B's" although he had to go to St Louis to win a ring. HOF voting will be released on January 22.

Way back on January 6 Houston pulled off a trade with the Mets acquiring 3 minor league prospects. Houston gave up infielder JD Davis and infielder Cody Bohanek. Davis is the big name in this deal as the slugging first baseman was dealt. It was a practical move for Houston because Davis was not likely going to make the big club because of Alex Bregman and it was a favor to Davis who likely deserves a chance to make a big league team. Houston will get prospects OF Ross Adolph, C Scott Manea and IF Luis Santana. All three players were excellent in the Mets lower level minor leagues and with Manea Houston is getting a much needed catching prospect.

I'm just saying, as of today, there are several players who chose to go test free agent waters that are currently unsigned. Dallas Keuchel, Evan Gattis, Marwin Gonzalez, Martin Maldinado and Tony Sipp are still available. Houston could sign Sipp to fill the void left by Joe Smith who tore his ACL in the offseason. Maldinado is another possibility because the Astros catching depth isn't great. I don't have much hope in Houston signing anyone else from that list but I would love to have Keuchel back.

Baseball is right around the corner as the Astros pitchers and catchers report to spring training February 19, position players report on the 22nd with the first full squad workout on the 23th.

No real news to speak of in Astroland but that could change any day now. After all, it was late January when Houston pulled of the deal that brought Gerrit Cole to Houston last year. Personally, I hope the Astros work out a deal to get Marlins catcher JT Realmuto. He is a bonafide star behind the plate and undoubtedly the best offensive catcher in the big leagues. My other wish list players have all gone to other clubs. I am especially sorry that star 1st baseman Paul Goldschmidt signed with the St Louis Cardinals. If the Astros had been able to sign Goldschmidt (and there was no indication Houston even pursued him) and are able to sign Realmuto the Astros lineup would rival the 1990's Yankees in sheer numbers of superstar players on their roster. The Astros would have an almost impossible lineup to get through unscathed if they are able to sign Realmuto. Catcher has been the only glaring hole in the Astros batting order for a long time. Even Brian McCann only hit .245 in the Astros World Series Championship team. To have a career .279 hitter with power in the lineup would be a God-send. Realmuto is also just 27 years old so his best years are definitely ahead of him.

Enough about my roster wish list. Want to know what the Astros are doing right now? I would bet the house they are getting ready for spring training. Working out, getting their cardio in every day, all of that. You don't have to wonder about Carlos Correa. The article from Astros.com shows that Correa is already in top shape. He needs to be in peak condition because a tall shortstop with back issues needs to stay on top of his conditioning. From the look of him in the article it's clear conditioning won't be an issue.

https://www.mlb.com/cut4/carlos-correas-shirtless-weightlifting-session/c-302869562

It’s the last day of January which means that 2019 is well under way. A month of this new year is in the books but there are a few other things going as well. Of course, the elephant in the room is the Super Bowl and that’s all you hear about as the last few days and hours tick by. There is also the ‘trade me’ saga in New Orleans over Anthony Davis. The fact is the Pelican’s front office has failed to put a supporting cast around AD to give the Pelicans a realistic chance to win a championship. This is no new story in the NBA, LeBron left Cleveland twice now because the Cavs front office didn’t do enough to upgrade the talent enough to compete with Golden State. Losing two straight NBA championships will make a player want to leave if he thinks management isn’t doing their job. Ironically, AD’s rumored landing spot is going to be with LeBron in Los Angeles. It’s lousy news for NOLA fans who just two Sunday’s ago got screwed out of their 2nd trip to the Super Bowl. Needless to say, 2019 isn’t starting out well for the folks in New Orleans.

On a more personal note, one of my nephew’s daughters just got her driver’s license. For Katie it’s wonderful news but for her dad it may be a lesson in juggling between the joy of watching his oldest girl moving closer to adulthood and worrying, as all parents do, about turning his little girl loose on an unsuspecting world! (Just joking Jere and Katie!)

Among all the things going on with the passing of January we find ourselves just 18 days away from the beginning of baseball’s spring training! In less than 3 weeks baseball is going to begin! For a baseball fan like me, and many others, who would wonder what they’re going to do after the Super Bowl if not for baseball, this is great news! In this forum that baseball focus is on our Houston Astros as we start wondering in earnest how the team will do in 2019. Houston lost 3 coaches in the offseason. Gone are their former 1st base coach, their bullpen coach and their hitting coach. I am actually happy to see hitting coach Dave Hudgins go. I’ve been griping about him since AJ Hinch was hired so I’m anxious to see what some new blood will bring. Houston also got a young guy in former big league player Don Kelly. Kelly is 38 years old and, in his career, he played every single position on the field. He is the ultimate utility player even pitching an inning for Detroit a few years ago. Kelly was also a teammate of Justin Verlander and a member of the Tigers when they won the AL Central 4 straight years between 2011 and 2014. It is said that he is excellent at relating to the players and he takes over as 1st base coach for the Astros.

That’s great and all but, what about pitching? The relievers are good despite losing Joe Smith for a big chunk of the season because he tore his ACL in the offseason. It’s a very solid group and they will be able to give Houston plenty of quality innings. The starting rotation is manned in the first 3 spots by some very capable arms. Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole lead the staff and Collin McHugh will slide into the 3rd spot. McHugh stated earlier this month that spending the 2018 season in the bullpen actually made him a better pitcher which is good news because he was already pretty good. What about the position players? The infield is filled with All-Stars with Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa coming back healthy. Correa struggled for more than half the season with back issues which, by all accounts, are all behind him. Altuve played half the season with a partially cracked kneecap. If you think that sounds like it hurt, imagine trying to play baseball on that knee. Any question about Altuve’s toughness should have been put to bed a long time ago. At 3B Alex Bregman exploded for the Astros as he became the best hitter on the team. He’s had surgery this offseason to remove loose particles in his right elbow that were causing him problems. He decided on the surgery when he couldn’t straighten his arm and the pain became an issue. He’s had issues with his elbow for several years but the latest development made him opt for the surgery rather take a chance on losing playing time because he was on the DL. Healthy Bregman, healthy Correa, healthy Altuve plus last year’s most improved player, Tyler White, sliding in at 1B Houston has a strong infield both defensively and offensively. Yuli Gurriel will become the new DH on the team which is an upgrade over Evan Gattis. Gurriel is moving into his mid-thirties so saving him the wear and tear of playing a position will help keep him healthy for his DH duties. Having one of your most consistent and clutch hitters at DH is not a bad thing and a definite upgrade at the position. Gurriel will make spot starts but he has a new job and it’s a great fit.

The outfield is set. George Springer is set at right field. Newly signed OF Michael Brantley is going to be good in center. Not only is Brantley a crackerjack defensive fielder he’s a really good, All-Star caliber hitter who doesn’t strike out very much at all. Then you have Josh Reddick who will move to left field. That’s if Tony Kemp doesn’t beat him out for the starting job. Then you have Jake Marisnick. Jake is the best defensive outfielder in baseball and the hope is this new hitting coach can help Big Jake get better at the plate. The Astros outfield is arguably the best in baseball with the addition of Brantley. The MVP could be new hitting coach, Troy Snitker. If you see Altuve win another batting title, see Springer learn to overcome his problems with the fastball, and see Jake Marisnick hit .250, just to name a few spots to watch, it will be under the influence of Mr Snitker. Add Framber Valdez and Josh Jones to the back end of the starting pitching rotation and you have a World Series contending team yet again. It’s also still possible Houston signs a player or two. The main positions to consider would be catcher and another starting pitcher. I would hope the Astros could sign Marlins catcher JT Realmuto but it’s not likely with the Cincinnati Reds pushing all their chips into the middle of the table to return to respectability in the NL Central. The Reds have already made a number of offseason signings and they don’t seem to care about who in their minor league system they lose to get better right now. It might help in the short term but, the Astros made that mistake 15 years ago and when it all went south for them it took years to get back to where they are now. The Reds are the leading contender for Realmuto but we can all still hope Houston can still make a deal. Baseball is nearly here and it comes none too soon. I’m ready, let’s go!!!

Yesterday the Astros did, in fact, sign a free agent. It was former Milwaukee pitcher Wade Miley. Miley was on a Brewers team last year that beat Colorado in the division series 3-1 but lost to the Dodgers in the NLCS 4-3. This signing is similar to the Gerrit Cole signing last offseason. Miley's turnaround came in Milwaukee as he began leaning on a cut fastball that literally improved his stat line by leaps and bounds. He will slide into the Astros rotation behind Justin Verlander, Cole and Collin McHugh. Below is an article from Astros.com that chronicles his career and turnaround in Milwaukee. He made his major league debut as a rookie in 2011 when AJ Hinch was working for the Diamondbacks organization and GM Jeff Luhnow said in today's presser that Houston has been pursuing Miley for several years. Miley is a valuable addition to the Astros staff as they needed another veteran arm in the rotation and the fact that Miley is a lefty is the bonus. Houston could actually have two lefties in their rotation if Framber Valdez should make the team AND earn a spot in the Astros rotation. The Astros have been, and continue to be, right handed in terms of their staff. Miley will help fill the lefty gap left by Dallas Keuchel who became a free agent this offseason. The Astros are still very much right handed especially since they lost Tony Sipp (who had a nice 2018 season) to free agency. What remains intriguing is that both Keuchel and Sipp are still available and owner Jim Crane said that it's still possible the team will sign one or both before spring training. As you'll see in the article linked below, Miley is not a hard thrower. His fast ball tops out around 92 mph but he has a good curveball and his cutter was his out pitch last season. Now, if only Houston can work a deal for JT Realmuto.....

https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/wade-miley-signs-one-year-deal-with-astros/c-303408232

The Astros outlook is pretty good for 2019. That’s crazy considering Houston lost no less than 3 starting pitchers to either free agency or injury. Charlie Morton is now in Tampa Bay, Dallas Keuchel is a free agent as yet unsigned and Lance McCullers Jr had Tommy John surgery in November and we won’t see him until 2020. Houston still has a strong #1 and #2 starters in Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole and the signing of Wade Miley fills a big gap in the rotation. Collin McHugh was a 19 game winner in 2015, the same year Keuchel won his Cy Young, and he won 13 games in 2016. The past two seasons he has made spot starts and worked out of the bullpen. McHugh should be a good #3 or #4 starter depending on where the Astros fit Miley in. That leaves one opening but Houston has a couple of good young pitchers in Framber Valdez and Josh James who would fit right in that #5 slot in the rotation. The Astros bullpen is pretty strong with veteran arms lined up to eat up innings as needed. Houston acquired Roberto Osuna and for the first time in a long time they have proven closer. The Astros position players are all going to be healthy heading into the spring. Defensively, the Astros are strong and they will have arguably the best outfield in baseball overall. The only hole offensively they have one hole and that the catcher’s spot. Houston lost Brian McCann, Evan Gattis and Martin Maldonado to free agency but they did sign Robinson Chirinos which gives them Chirinos and Max Stassi to work behind the plate. Both are career .233 hitters which is actually an improvement over McCann and Maldonado’s performances at the plate last season. The real peach of a pickup would be Marlins catcher JT Realmuto. He’s an All-Star caliber catcher with a career .279 hitter with pop. Realmuto won the Silver Slugger award for catchers in 2018 as well.

As it stands now many are predicting Houston will win this year’s World Series. ESPN’s Buster Olney is saying Houston will win. You can pay the money to get ESPN Insider’s access if you want to read Olney’s reasons, I’m just too cheap to pay extra for something that ought to be for free. According to CBSsports.com Westgate Superbook has Houston tied with Boston at 6/1 odds to lead all teams in the race for the WS. Pretty heady stuff, eh? Spring training is less than 2 weeks away!!!

News and notes from the Astros:

Relief pitcher Chris Devenski settled on a one year $1.525 MM deal on Monday with the Astros to avoid going to arbitration. The Astros also have an option for Devenski of $2.625 MM for 2020. Devenski was really good in 2017 coming out of the bullpen for Houston as his main pitch, the circle change, was dubbed the ‘circle of death’ because it was nearly unhittable. Devenski struggled a bit in 2018 both with his pitches and his health. Obviously, the Astros are counting on a return to form in 2018 but they are sort of hedging their bets giving Devo just a one year deal with an option for a second if he struggles again in 2019.

Carlos Correa’s 2019 salary went to arbitration which it was announced yesterday that he won. This is Correa’s first year to be arbitration eligible and he was asking for $5 MM in salary after only being paid $1 MM in 2017. The Astros were offering $4.25 MM but the independent arbitration committee agreed that Correa should be paid the 5 mil. Houston is still reaping the benefits of his initial contract and the Astros have 2 more years of Correa being arbitration eligible before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2022. Last year early in the season Correa’s people indicated that, unless Houston makes a very generous offer of a long term contract, Correa won’t sign a long term deal and he will be happy to go through arbitration if necessary until he becomes a free agent. If Correa bounces back from his back issues and returns to his 2017 form he will be a hot commodity in free agency which will earn him Mike Trout or Bryce Harper type money from the team that wins that lottery whether that is in Houston or not.

Gerrit Cole’s contract is going to arbitration very soon. Cole has submitted a request of $13.5 MM for 2019 while the Astros offer is $11.425 MM. Given Cole’s success in 2018 for Houston it is likely Cole will win his case or, if nothing else, he will get something between the two offers.

Yesterday was “Truck Day” in Houston as the Astros staff loaded up a giant 18-wheeler with the gear they will need in spring training including Orbit’s scooter! MLB Astros beat reporter Allison Footer tells us all about “Truck Day” in the article linked below.

https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-truck-day-means-spring-training-near/c-303555518

Astros news and notes:

Gerrit Cole won his arbitration case against the Astros. The Astros were offering 11.425 million dollars and Cole wanted $13MM. By winning he will be paid $13 MM for 2019 and he will become a free agent in 2020. The Astros had two players go through arbitration this season, Cole and Carlos Correa and both players won. This doesn’t mean Houston and these players don’t like each other, it’s just business. It’s just a process that has the team trying to save a few bucks on contracts and players who are looking for a bit of a bump in their salary. This is Correa’s first year of arbitration so this process will continue for a couple of more years until he becomes a full-fledged free agent which mean his salary will jump up by leaps and bounds. This is Cole’s last year of arbitration and how much he will be able to get will depend on how well he does in 2019. The bottom line here is they are both still Astros and will be heavily depended upon to contribute to another possible World Series run this season.

This baseball news in general but all MLB teams will be wearing a MLB 150 patch on their uniforms to commemorate pro baseball’s 150th anniversary. MLB recognizes the formation of the first pro baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, established in 1869 as the beginning of pro baseball. The first pro baseball league was officially formed in 1871. It was named the National Association of Professional Baseball Players and was the precursor to what became known as the National League. The American League was formed in 1901. That’s why the National League is known as “the Senior Circuit”. Interestingly enough, the NL and AL remained separate entities that came together to play the annual World Series. Over the years the two leagues fell under the rule of the MLB commissioner and his office and things like interleague play and rules changes were pretty much unilateral in their implementation. The only disconnect really was when the AL went to using a DH in 1973. Although it all the NL and AL were still separate entities. In 2000 the NL and AL formally merged and all became what is now known as Major League Baseball making baseball the same in structure as the NFL, NHL and the NBA. Happy 150th birthday MLB!!!

The question begs to be asked, do the Astros need to bring a true slugger into their lineup? Bregman hit 30+ HR’s in 2018, Correa and Altuve both had nearly 30 HR’s in 2017 and with both healthy again you figure their low output overall will rebound. You did lose a 25 HR guy in Evan Gattis and you wonder if Tyler White can take up the slack. Yuli Gurriel has some pop but he isn’t considered a “slugger”. I would say “yes” the Astros could use a slugger who would fit right into the DH spot in the batting order. The trouble is, there aren’t many of them out there. We fans will just have to muddle through with a whole darn team of All-Stars. Whatta bad break, huh?

Oh, and by the way, SPRING TRAING HAS BEGUN!!!!!

First, I messed up. Houston lost their spring opener to Washington 7-6. I am blaming dyslexia for that error but yesterday Houston played split squad games beating Atlanta 5-2 handing former Astro Mike Foltynewicz the loss. The game featured the first spring appearances for George Springer, Carlos Correa, Josh Reddick, Yuli Gurriel and Robinson Chirinos. Jose Altuve is due to make his spring debut soon but, the Astros will bring him along slowly as he is recovering from a broken kneecap. In the other game Houston stomped a mudhole in the NY Mets including their ace Jacob deGrom. The final score was 10-1 and this version of the Astros was strong at the plate. Tony Kemp when 2-2 with a triple and a double, Kyle Tucker went 1-3, Tyler White went 2-2 and Michael Brantley went 1-3. Maybe the star of the game was Astros prospect OF Myles Straw who went 2-3 with two runs scored on the day but he also showed some athleticism with a running-diving catch to rob Tim Tebow of a hit.

These first few games of the spring seem to be showcasing just how strong the Astros minor league system is. Guys like C Chuckie Robinson (is there a better baseball name than Chuckie?), OF Ronnie Dawson, OF Myles Straw, Derek Fisher, IF Abraham Toro along with borderline big leaguers like Tony Kemp and Kyle Tucker show that this team and this organization is built for the long haul. Add to that the pitching prospects like LHP Framber Valdez, LHP Reymin Guduan, RHP Rogelio Armenteros, not to mention, Josh James and Forrest Whitley, Houston seems to be in position to challenge the AL for years to come.

Today, right now in fact, Justin Verlander makes his spring debut in West Palm Beach facing off against the Mets and Noah Syndergaard. Jose Altuve is making his spring debut as well.

We are a week into spring training and things are going along nicely so far. Justin Verlander got his second start of the spring yesterday and he did okay. He did give up a run on a solo HR by Michael Conforto of the Mets but he was pretty efficient for the most part. He went 3 innings allowing 2 hits and just the one run. Verlander had 4 K's and no walks on a day when he threw 38 pitches with 31 strikes and 7 balls. Forrest Whitley's first inning of three he pitched didn't go well for him as he gave up 3 hits and 5 runs, only 1 was earned. He came back to pitch two scoreless innings and AJ Hinch said he was proud of the Astros #1 prospect in the maturity he showed overcoming the adversity he faced to finish his outing strong. Reymin Guduan pitched one scoreless inning and Brandon Bielak pitched two innings giving up a run but he was able to lock down the save to give Houston an 8-7 win. So far in the spring Houston is in 5th place in the Grapefruit League with a 4-3 record. I guess they don't count ties because Houston has two of those as well.

The team in first place in the GF League is (I just threw up in my mouth thinking of this) Philadelphia. The Phillies went out and spent everything on upgrading their team. They really pissed me off when they got Marlins catcher JT Realmuto in a 4 player trade on February 7th and just this past week they signed the biggest plum in free agency when they signed Bryce Harper to a 13 year, $330 MM deal that includes $10 MM in bonuses over the life of the contract. It has been reported that Harper could have gotten more money but he wanted a deal that would guarantee he would finish his career wherever he signed. Harper is 26 now so at the end of his career he will be 39 years old. His contract is the richest deal for any North American athlete. I hate Philadelphia. Remember what White Goodman said in the closing credits of Dodgeball? Just substitute "Philadelphia" for "Chuck Norris" and you know how I feel.

News and notes for Astros camp.

AJ Hinch was tossed after one pitch in Friday's game. It wasn't just one pitch, Forrest Whitley began the game for the home team Astros and Hinch felt like Home Plate umpire Angel Hernandez was missing some calls and he said so from the dugout. So, when the Astros came up in the bottom of the inning after the first pitch to George Springer Hinch had seen enough. Hernandez rang up strike one on Springer on a pitch that was clearly a ball and Hinch felt he did it to spite him. Hinch left the dugout and the argument was on and he was tossed from the game. Hinch later said in his post-game presser that Hernandez said some inappropriate and unprofessional things to Hinch and he left it at that. The league came down on Hinch swiftly suspending him from yesterday's game and fining Hinch an undisclosed amount. As yet, there is no word on any punishment levied on Hernandez. If Hernandez talked some smack at Hinch there surely should be some disciplinary action taken. Hernandez is a notoriously bad balls and strikes ump who admitted at one time he missed 4 calls a game. If he sucks that bad he misses more than that. Why does this jerk even have a job if everyone knows he sucks at it? Another reason to move toward electronic balls and strikes calling. C'mon MLB, get in the 21st century.

Look who has had a whale of a spring! Jake Marisnick has a quite healthy .313 going 10 for 32 so far with 6 runs scored and 4 RBI's and 2 stolen bases. It would be an awesome thing is Big Jake has had a switch turn on in his hitting. Add Robinson Chirinos to the list of Astros having a big spring. He's hitting .346 going 9 for 26 with 2 HR's, 5 runs scored and 6 RBI's. Chirinos is a career .233 hitter so it would be great if he figured something out even after being in the bigs for 8 seasons. Here is a list of Astros players who will make the final 25 man roster who are hitting .300 or better this spring: Alex Bregman (.438), Yuli Gurriel (.367), Josh Reddick (.348), Chirinos (.346), Michael Brantley (.345), Carlos Correa (.324), and Marisnick (.313). Toss in a few minor league players and the Astros offense is looking kind of scary!

Jose Altuve missed several games, about a week's worth with soreness in his left side. It was just precautionary as Altuve is just trying to get ready for the season opener later this month. He played his first game last Saturday and he's been doing fine. Just a little heartburn over the health of the 2018 MLB MVP.

Justin Verlander didn't make a long trip to the Astros weekend games but he did pitch in a minor league scrimmage against Astros minor leaguers yesterday in West Palm Beach. He went 6-2/3 innings and looked much better after a so-so start in his last game last week. Verlander seemed to be past that shaky outing looking much sharper yesterday according Astros.com. Framber Valdez had a good game against Atlanta yesterday going 4 scoreless innings. The young lefty is competing with Brad Peacock for the final spot in the Astros rotation but if Collin McHugh pitches like he did last week giving up 6 runs on 7 hits with 2 walks in just 2.2 innings of work. It was ugly people.

Houston is off today but they return to action at home against Philly at noon on Tuesday.

The Astros have been busy this week despite rain curtailing some of their spring training activities. After a day off on Monday they were rained out on Tuesday. They got back to work yesterday beating the Yankees 2-1 at their home park in West Palm Beach.

I went to bed on Monday night and woke up to find out that Alex Bregman, who was sort of pissed at having his salary upped to $640 K for 2019, had gotten a six-year extension for $100 MM!! That kind of raise will calm you down while at the same time make you squeal like a little girl! Two of the Astros big 4, Jose Altuve and now Bregman, will be Astros through the 2024 season. Good news there. They would still need to lock up George Springer and Carlos Correa but, that can wait another year or so before anyone needs to worry. Springer is signed through 2020 and Correa through 2021. Springer needs to bounce back from a subpar 2018 (compared to his 2017 season when he won the World Series MVP honors) and Correa needs to show he is over the back issues that threw a monkey in his 2018 wrench. I’m sure that at some point Houston will pony up the dough to sign them both as long as they continue to perform at a high level and don’t spend a lot of time on the DL.

Relief pitcher Ryan Pressly was greeted Tuesday with a contract extension of his own. After having an excellent ½ season with Houston after coming over from Minnesota in a July deal made before the trade deadline Pressly, a Dallas-area native whose fiancee is from Houston, had a terrific second half with the Astros last year. He posted a 0.77 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in 26 games after being acquired from the Twins. He struck out 32 batters and walked just three in 23 1/3 innings.Pressly, a Dallas-area native whose fiancee is from Houston, had a terrific second half with the Astros last year. He posted a 0.77 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in 26 games after being acquired from the Twins. He struck out 32 batters and walked just three in 23 1/3 innings.Pressly, a Dallas-area native whose fiancee is from Houston, had a terrific second half with the Astros last year. He posted a 0.77 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in 26 games after being acquired from the Twins. He struck out 32 batters and walked just three in 23 1/3 innings.Pressly, a Dallas-area native whose fiancee is from Houston, had a terrific second half with the Astros last year. He posted a 0.77 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in 26 games after being acquired from the Twins. He struck out 32 batters and walked just three in 23 1/3 innings.Pressly posted a 0.77 ERA and a 0.60 WHIP in 26 games with Houston. He struck out 32 batters while only walking 3 in 23-1/3 innings of work. Now, Houston has both Pressly and closer Roberto Osuna signed through 2021 giving Houston arguably the best set up man-closer combination in baseball.

Houston also made cuts on Tuesday. They optioned Derek Fisher, Myles Straw and Cionel Perez to the minors and they reassigned Yordan Alverez, Jack Mayfield, Abraham Toro, Nick Tanielu as well as pitchers Kent Emmanuel and Brendan McCurry to minor league camp. The difference to being optioned and reassigned is the optioned players get to stay with the big-league club through spring training while the reassignees head straight to minor league camp. Fisher, Straw and Tanielu had excellent springs but AJ Hinch said they all knew there was no way they were going to unseat a stacked outfield the Astros possess. This is just a testament as the depth the Astros have not only at the big-league level but in their minor league system too.

For more on the Astros farm system check out this article from Astros.com

https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-prospects-at-spring-training

“Oh boy, is this great!!!” In the immortal words of Flounder this IS great! We are down to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and my bracket is doing great. The team I picked to win it all, Duke, survived by the hairs on their chinny-chin-chins yesterday beating UCF in the final seconds despite UCF having 2 shot attempts go in and out as time expired. Sometimes you have to be lucky AND good. Both the Texans and Cowboys have signed some under the radar type of free agents which made both teams better as they prepare for the draft. You wish Houston could have gotten Justin Houston or the Cowboys could have worked a deal to get Robert Quinn from Miami, but such is life.

The real reason for this post is point out that opening day for Major League Baseball is this Thursday! Houston plays its final two training camp games today and tomorrow against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Juice Box and on Wednesday they travel to Tampa for opening day with the Rays. Forest Whitley makes the start today with Josh James and Framber Valdez penciled into relief roles. JB Bukauskas will get the start tomorrow afternoon. Both Bukauskas and Whitley have had terrific springs and are proof positive the Astros pitching will be in great hands well into the future.

(In my best Al Pacino voice), “Everybody’s gettin’ paid around here. Bregman got paid! Pressly got paid! Now, Verlander got paid! What the heck is goin’ on around heah?” We know about Bregman and Pressly’s deals last week but over the weekend Justin Verlander signed a two-year extension for $66 MM. Verlander claims he loves Houston, a sentiment echoed by Ryan Pressly who got a $17 MM 2-year deal done. Both players have raved about the city, their teammates and coaching staff. Verlander came to Houston at the trade deadline in 2017 and helped Houston to a World Series while Pressly came last summer from Minnesota and helped Houston get to the ALCS. With so many happy players, and good players, if Houston gets the usual from Verlander, and Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley continue their good pitching, and Brad Peacock and Collin McHugh lock down the back end of the rotation, and with a strong bullpen the Astros have enough offense to walk through the AL West and return to the playoffs again this year.

Yep, Flounder was right, “Oh boy, is this great!!!!”

BTW, If you don’t know the reference, it’s from Animal House starring John Belushi.

The Houston Astros have cut the ribbon on a new feature at Minute Maid Park. What is it you ask? It’s something that was 57 years in the making, an Astros team Hall of Fame. In the HOF area are photos uniforms and memorabilia of the players, coaches and broadcasters that helped make the organization what it is today. For the younger fans, familiar names like Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio head the list as they were the first players in franchise history to be elected to the MLB Hall of Fame. There are older players too including Bob Aspromonte, Jimmy “The Toy Cannon” Wynn and 2B Joe Morgan who spent his first nine years with Houston. August from the 2nd to the 4th has been designated “Hall of Fame Weekend” when the Astros HOF induction plaques will be revealed, and the 2019 inductees will be introduced during the Saturday game on the 3rd. Below is a link to articles about the new Astros HOF, one from Astros.MLBlogs.com and the other from the Astros web site that includes interviews with former Astros Jose “Cheo” Cruz and Jeff Bagwell who give their thoughts on being inaugural members of the team HOF. The first link has the entire list of 16 2019 inductees.

https://astros.mlblogs.com/astros-reveal-full-details-of-new-astros-hall-of-fame-presented-by-houston-methodist-e0e52bbfe1fb?gi=a45c0676ae65

https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-open-new-hall-of-fame-exhibit