The Houston Astros are a household name in Major League Baseball as a result of reaching the playoffs four of the past five seasons. In 2017, they won their first World Series championship, and last year battled seven games in a classic World Series against the Washington Nationals. This past November came the bombshell revelation of their 2017 sign-stealing scandal, tainting the sole title they have.
After a tough start to 2020, the Astros rebounded from a 7-10 start, climbing to a record of 14-10 going into Thursday afternoon’s game in Denver against the Colorado Rockies. Beating up on bad Giants, Mariners and Rockies teams has propelled them to a seven game winning streak.
All is not well, as José Altuve is barely hitting his own weight with a .180 average and .241 OBP. George Springer is struggling at .215 on the season, while ace Justin Verlander is shelved as a result of a forearm strain. Josh James, a 27 year old with a 100 mph fastball is no longer in the rotation because of inability to throw strikes. James’s bloated ERA of 11.17 has relegated him to mop-up duty. Lance McCullers, Jr’s ERA sits north of 5.00 in his first year back from Tommy John surgery.
Yesterday, Astros beat-writer Brian McTaggart announced last year’s rookie sensation Yordan Álvarez is out for the season with a partial tear in his right knee.
Story: 2019 AL Rookie of the Year Yordan Alvarez set for season-ending surgery after only two gameshttps://t.co/1BnDa85diV
The Astros have many questions going beyond this season. Springer (30 yrs. old), Brantley and Reddick (both 33) will become free agents. Behind the plate, Martín Maldonado gives excellent defense and is cheap (3.5 M through 2021), but a poor hitter and better as a back-up.
The aforementioned Justin Verlander, now 37, faces an uncertain future. He went on the shelf after his Opening Day win with a forearm strain. This type of injury to a pitcher is an ominous sign, and often leads to Tommy John surgery. Greinke’s outings are as good as ever, however, he is 36 years old and the velocity is declining. Young José Urquidy (on 10-day IL) is ready for a spot in the rotation. 22 year old Forrest Whitley may be ready sometime in 2021.
The Astros owe Verlander a prorated portion of his 33 million dollar salary for this year and the full amount in 2021. Greinke has a price tag of 35M this year and next. However, 10.33M is paid by Arizona, resulting in a little financial relief. Altuve’s contract runs through 2024 at 29M/year. Gurriel is still productive, but enters arbitration this winter. Because Houston owes so much in active contracts, it may result in them trading the 36 year old Gurriel and go with 23 year old Abraham Toro.
If 2020 were a normal season, the team’s budget would have been just over 230 million dollars. For 2021, eighty-nine million dollars is dedicated to Verlander, Greinke and Altuve. New general manager James Click has decisions to make about Astros future. Myles Straw and Kyle Tucker can fill in if Click moves on from Brantley, Reddick, and Springer,
Will owner James Crane further distance himself and his team from the disgrace from the sign-stealing scandal? Former manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow are history, and letting Springer, Reddick, and Brantley will remove a few more pieces. But Altuve, Greinke and Verlander aren’t likely to go anywhere unless Crane is willing to eat most of their contracts.
Correa and Bregman are young superstars not yet in their prime. It remains to be seen if the Astros keep one or both upon entering free agency. Winning games fixes a lot of problems, moreover, Houston seems to be back on track for the time being. However, if they fall apart, it will be interesting to see what ownership decides to do.
Opening Day in MLB is a holiday in my household. Personally, I feel that it’s better than Christmas. Baseball is my favorite thing in life after my son. Every team in baseball is full of optimism and dreams of hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy in October.
And the weather is warmer in the vast majority of the country than it is on Christmas!
There is literally nothing on the agenda for me today than watching our national pastime. Good luck and best wishes to whomever you root for.
Ian Anderson (RHP) – Ian Anderson is a 20 year old righty who was a first round draft pick (#3 overall) in the 2016 amateur draft. Standing 6’3″ tall and 170 pounds, Anderson employs three pitches. He features a good fastball (92-96 mph), a swing and miss curve and a change-up. Ian works continuously to improve his off-speed pitches, and was rewarded for it with excellent results in 2018. Anderson made 20 starts in High-A ball with the Florida Fire Frogs, logging a 2.52 ERA. He struck out 118 over 100 innings, allowing 73 hits and 40 walks. Ian was bumped-up to AA Mississippi and made four more starts, punching-out 24 over 19.1 innings and posting a 2.33 ERA. Anderson needs to work on control and command, but what 20 year old pitcher doesn’t? His ceiling is high, but the Braves won’t rush him.
Austin Riley (3B) – Riley was taken by Atlanta late in the first round of the 2015 amateur draft. He is a power-hitting third baseman who was a two-way player in high school. Reportedly, many teams looked at him as a pitcher, but the Braves were more impressed with his bat. He worked his way through the system and split 2018 between AA Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett, slugging 19 HR’s and producing a combined slash-line of .294/.360/.522. Riley was on target for a potential September call-up to Atlanta, but he sprained his knee diving for a foul ball. With an impressive spring, he could easily be playing with the big league club this season.
Pedro Florimon (Utility) – The well-traveled 31 year old utility-man spent the last two seasons with the Phillies. In late May, Florimon fouled a ball off his foot, breaking a bone near his big toe. He finished the at-bat before leaving the game, but didn’t return until Sept. 1. The switch-hitter went 1-14 in September, rendering his 2018 season a washout. The Braves inked him to a minor league deal in November. Pedro is a useful guy to have because he can play anywhere on the field except catcher and first-base.
Victor Victor Mesa (CF/OF) – I have to admit the first time I heard Victor Victor’s name, I thought of this scene from the 1980 comedy film, “Airplane!”
Now that we got that out of the way, 22 year old Mesa is Miami’s second ranked prospect in their organization. He and his younger brother, Victor Jr. defected from Cuba last May. In October, both brothers signed contracts with the Marlins, with the elder Mesa getting $5.25 million — a franchise record for an amateur position player. Victor Victor’s strongest points of his game are currently defense and speed and awareness on the basepaths. On offense, Mesa makes good contact, but is lacking in power. He hasn’t drawn many walks because he’s so good at making contact, but has to learn patience to work the counts. Mesa projects to begin in Double A.
Nick Neidert (RHP) – Neidert, 22, was taken in the second round of the 2015 amateur draft by the Mariners. He was acquired in the 2017 deal that sent Dee Gordon to Seattle. At 6’1″, 190 lbs, he doesn’t overpower but can top out at 93 mph, and has a plus-change-up that is his second best pitch. Nick spent the entire 2018 season in AA Jacksonville, where he went 12-7 with a 3.24 ERA. He struck-out 154 over 152.2 innings and walked only 31, a rate of 1.8 per nine innings. Expect Neidert to begin 2019 in Triple-A, and could reach the big-leagues if Marlins have injury problems or ineffectiveness.
Curtis Granderson (RF) – The “Grandy-Man” still can! Curtis Granderson has enjoyed a long and distinguished career, entering what will be his 16th season in the major leagues. He signed a minor league deal on February 5, making the Marlins the fifth organization Granderson has been with since 2017. He began 2018 with the Toronto Blue Jays, and was acquired by Milwaukee on the last day of August for their push to the playoffs. Curtis will turn 38 years old in a few weeks. He’s not an everyday player anymore, but can be productive in a platoon-role against right-handers and as a defensive replacement. He’s also a good clubhouse guy and young Marlins players will benefit from his presence.
Peter Alonso (1B) – Pete Alonso, a 24 year old out of Tampa, FL, is a hulk of a man at 6’3″, 245 lbs. He was picked in the 2nd round of 2016’s draft, and has torn through the Mets system in his two and a half seasons. Last year, Alonso began in AA Binghamton and was elevated to Triple-A Las Vegas midway through the season. When it was over, Peter compiled a slash-line of .285/.395/.579 with 36 home-runs and 119 RBI. On defense, he made only nine errors in 110 games. He’s ready now, but the Mets may use their legal right to gain an extra year of team-control by keeping him Syracuse, their new AAA affiliate until May. You’ll see him soon.
Andre Gimenez (SS) – Gimenez is a 20 year old shortstop from Barquisimeto, Venezuela. He is the top-ranked prospect in the Mets system. He spent most of 2018 in High-A, and later promoted to Double-A where he played almost 40 games. Combined, Gimenez hit .281, with 6 HR’s and 46 RBI in 122 games. On the bases, he’s a threat to steal, swiping 38 bags. He has a quick left-handed bat, but not a power guy at 5’11”, 160 lbs. He’s your prototypical lead-off hitter, able to work the counts and get on base. He bears watching, but you won’t see him until 2020, at the earliest.
Tim Tebow (LF) – How many of you expected Tim Tebow to still be in baseball after he said he wanted to switch sports in 2016? Admittedly, I did not. Tim had the best season of his short baseball career in 2018, putting up a .273 average with 6 HR’s and 36 RBI. He still struck out too much, 103 K’s in only 298 plate appearances. He has been a model teammate by all accounts, and no one has more drive and determination. He may be promoted to AAA Syracuse Mets to begin 2019, and if he plays well enough, who knows? Are you going to bet against Tebow? I’m not.
JoJo Romero (LHP) – Romero is a 6’0″, 190 lb. southpaw who was selected in the 4th round of the 2016 draft. He has five pitches, including a mid-nineties fastball, to go with his slider, curve, cutter and change (all average to above-average). He breezed through Rookie League and all levels of A-ball by the end of 2017 with ERA’s under three at each stop. Romero began 2018 at AA Reading, PA of the Eastern League. On May 9, his ERA stood at 6.68 with an 0-4 record. He then seemed to figure things out, going 7-2, 2.35 ERA over his next dozen starts, when a strained oblique short-circuited and ended his season. Romero could start 2019 in Reading, but a move to Triple-A Lehigh Valley could come quickly.
Adam Haseley (CF/OF) – Haseley was the Philly’s top pick in the 2017 amateur draft. So far, he’s made quick work of each stop, hitting everywhere he goes. 2018 began in Clearwater, FL in A+ ball. Adam hit .300 in 79 games in the Sunshine State, with five HR’s and driving in 38. Haseley played his final 39 games in AA Reading, where he hit even better. He nailed six homers to go with his .316 average. Best of all, he struck out less in Double-A and drew walks at a higher rate. Plan for Haseley to finish 2019 in Triple-A, and if he continues progressing at this rate, you’ll see a September call-up.
Drew Butera (C) – Butera was middling along with the rest of the Royals in the basement of the AL Central, when opportunity came knocking in the form of a trade. The 35 year old veteran backstop was shipped to the Colorado Rockies on August 31, as insurance against injury to regular catchers Tony Wolters and Chris Iannetta. It helped that Butera had playoff experience and was familiar with closer Wade Davis. He can’t hit water if he fell from a boat, but his money is earned working with pitchers. Plus he’s a damn good Twitter follow (@drewbutera).
Carter Kieboom (SS) – Kieboom, 21, was the Nationals’ 1st round draft choice in 2017’s amateur draft. At 6’2″, 190 lbs, Kieboom hits for power and average. He started last season in High-A Potomac, where he smacked 11 home-runs, driving in 46 in roughly 60 games. Carter, the younger brother of Nationals catcher Spencer Kieboom, was promoted to AA Harrisburg halfway through 2018. He was challenged more there, but still hit a respectable .262 with five home-runs in 62 games. Of interest, Kieboom played 21 games in the Arizona Fall League, nine of which he played at 2nd base, a position he hadn’t played professionally. With Trea Turner firmly entrenched at shortstop in DC, a move to second base would be a way to make room for Kieboom in 2020. Brian Dozier can keep things warm until then.
Aaron Barrett (RHP) – Aaron Barrett is attempting a comeback from not one, but TWO catastrophic arm injuries. He last pitched in the majors with the Nationals in 2015. The story in the embedded tweet from @MiLB is worth reading and gives context.
Barrett pitched well in 20 games for Low-A Auburn Doubledays in the NY-Penn League, giving up only four earned-runs in 20.1 innings. He struck out 26 and walked eight. You can follow Barrett on Twitter here.
Henderson Alvarez (RHP) – It seems hard to believe, but Henderson Alvarez is still only 28 years old. Injuries derailed his once promising career, but to his credit he doesn’t give in. The last time Alvarez pitched a full season in the bigs, it was 2014. He went 12-7 with a 2.65 ERA that year, spinning three shutouts. He still has velocity (low 90′ but his stuff is nowhere near the same after his injuries. I hope he can get back on track, but if not — we’ll still have his walk-off no hitter from September 2013 when he was with Miami.
So that’s it from the NL East. Please join us next time when we continue on in the National League Central!
Here we are in the first week of September. It’s been a hot summer here in the northeast, but cooler temps are on the horizon as Fall gets closer and closer. Most everyone associates Fall with raking leaves, drinking warm cocoa and watching football.
But let’s not forget the hot battles for divisions and wild-cards in MLB. All three divisions in the National League are still up for grabs, and none is hotter than the NL West. As of this writing (9/6), the Colorado Rockies lead the division, 1.5 games ahead of the LA Dodgers and 2 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Rockies, Dodgers and Dbacks each have roughly two dozen games left, so lets take a look at the remaining schedule for each team.
Rockies:
Starting Friday night, Colorado begins a seven game home-stand against the Dodgers for three games, followed by Arizona for four games. After that, the Rockies take to the road for ten games against the San Francisco Giants, Dodgers and Dbacks. After the road trip concludes, Colorado returns home for their final seven games beginning with a four game set against the Philadelphia Phillies and ending with three games against the Washington Nationals.
With the Rockies playing 14 of their last 23 games at home, coupled with them riding a five game winning streak, I think they have the best chance at winning the division.
Dodgers:
The Dodgers begin a ten game road trip on Friday in Colorado for three games, followed by another three game set in Cincinnati against the Reds, and concluding with a four game series in St. Louis against the Cardinals. The Dodgers return to Los Angeles the next day (9/17) to begin a three game set against the Rockies, followed by their final series at home against the San Diego Padres. LA finishes the season on the road with three games in Phoenix against the Dbacks, followed by another three against the Giants in San Francisco.
The odds are going to be much longer against the Dodgers, as they play 16 of their last 22 games on the road. They play ten games in ten days, and return home from St. Louis the next day to play the Rockies at home. With the travel and stiff competition, they are going to be weary and I’m not sure the Dodgers have enough to overcome. We’ll see.
Dbacks:
Arizona has 22 games remaining, and 12 of them are at home. Starting Friday night, the Dbacks have a three game series at home against the Atlanta Braves, then hit the road for a four game series against the Rockies, followed by three games in Houston against the Astros. Upon the conclusion of that series, they return back home for a nine game home-stand against the Chicago Cubs, Rockies and Dodgers — all of them three game series. After an off-day, the Dbacks conclude the regular season with three games in San Diego against the Padres.
I think Arizona’s remaining schedule is the most friendly of these three teams. When they are on the road, they only have to travel to Denver, Houston and San Diego — which are relatively short distances from home. Also, they have two off days built in (Sept. 20 and 27) to rest up tired bodies. The Dbacks have lost seven of their last 10 games, but they could have a golden opportunity to gain momentum by taking advantage of the easy schedule going forward.
This past Tuesday, the MLB non-waiver trade deadline passed at 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Some teams added and some teams subtracted, and some teams didn’t do a thing! In our last entry, we took a look at the trade deadline winners and losers in the AL. This time around, we will assess the teams in the National League that loaded up and those who missed the boat. Let’s get started!
Winners
Los Angeles Dodgers – The Dodgers front office team of Pres. Andrew Friedman and GM Farhan Zaidi landed Manny Machado from the Orioles, pried Brian Dozier from the Twins, and still managed to keep three of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects in their system, including #29 prospect Alex Verdugo. LA had a slew of young talent in their system, using them in trades to stack their team for a deep playoff run. In a lesser deal, reliever John Axford was brought in from Toronto for pitcher Corey Copping. The Dodger lineup is loaded, their pitching is more than solid and they dropped 21 runs on the Brewers last night. I think they will be okay.
Atlanta Braves – The Braves weren’t expected to be this good, this quick, but here they are a half-game behind the 1st place Philadelphia Phillies. General Manager Alex Anthopoulos was a busy man, bring in starter Kevin Gausman and relievers Darren O’Day and Brad Brach from the Baltimore Orioles for a handful of prospects and future considerations. On deadline day, the Braves landed LF Adam Duvall from Cincinnati in exchange for LF Preston Tucker, RHP Matt Wisler and RHP prospect Lucas Sims. And on July 27, Anthopoulous brought back lefty reliever Jonny Venters back to the Braves organization where he began his career eight years ago. Venters has very much been a feel good story in 2018, having returned to the major leagues for the first time since 2012, after many years of elbow problems. The Braves made these trades and still have a deep farm system. They addressed most of their needs, and should be a tough team to beat this season and for many seasons to come.
Losers
Washington Nationals – The Nationals did absolutely nothing to add to their team as the trade deadline came and went. The only deals made prior to the 4:00 EST deadline on July 31, was shipping righty reliever Brandon Kintzler to the Chicago Cubs for RHP Jhon Romero. Kintzler was reported to be a clubhouse snitch in an article published by Yahoo’s Jeff Passan, saying the Nationals’ clubhouse was “a mess”. On July 22, OF Brian Goodwin was shipped to Kansas City for a lower level RHP prospect. Back on June 18, Rizzo made a deal with the Royals, adding future free agent Kelvin Herrera in return for three low-level minor league prospects, but he’s been unreliable, pitching to the tune of a 4.30 ERA and a FIP of 6.58. There were rumblings on Twitter about GM Mike Rizzo making RF and soon-to-be free agent Bryce Harper available via trade, but Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post sent out a tweet that the Nats were holding on to Harper, saying “I believe in this team”.
Mike Rizzo just reached out with this message:
"Bryce is not going anywhere. I believe in this team."
Colorado Rockies – Owners Dick and Charlie Monfort invested heavily this past offseason, adding closer Wade Davis, reliever Bryan Shaw and signing OF Charlie Blackmon to a long-term contract extension. As of this writing, the Rockies are 58-51, two games out of first place in the NL West. They are winning games, but it’s only because the Rockies are hitting the dog-snot out of the ball. Davis and Shaw have ERA’s that better resemble long distance area codes, as does lefty reliever Jake McGee. GM Jeff Bridich would have done well to add another reliable reliever for the pen and another starter to help out the rotation, but all he came up with was 35 year old Seunghwan Oh from the Toronto Blue Jays. Even that move came at a cost, with the Jays getting 1B Chad Spanberger and 2B/OF Forrest Wall (2014 1st round pick) in return. With the aforementioned Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks making moves to improve their teams, it’s easy to see them distancing themselves from the Rockies in the next two months.
The Titanium Spine 