2016 Astros Roster

I'd like to target some great contact hitters. I'll trade home runs for hits with runners in scoring position.

So that means looking at first base, third base, and DH. Even though I like Gattis.

A closing pitcher and relievers as well.

 

The Astros were apparently really close to getting Kimbrel or Chapman at the trade deadline. I would be shocked if one of them weren't on this team on opening day.

 

I would replace Carter, Gattis and Valbuena, Kazmir, Qualls. Look for a Catcher who can hit righthanded. I am ok with Fields and Harris (but would pull him before giving up 4 straight hits in a playoff game) I would love to see Ty White and A.J. Reed on opening day roster. I would sign Sipp and probably Rasmus. Neskek can stay or go as far as I'm concerned. I think they have to give Singleton another opportunity or trade him and his $35 million contract.

 

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Kazmir and Rasmus are goners.

White and Reed need to be on the opening day roster.

I really dont want to see Singleton or Gattis anymore.

 

I think you have many things right here, i will disagree with 2 up front.

One, I don't believe Lincecum is a number 1 pitcher anymore, he would not make our rotation with what we have already.

Second, Gattis. I will not take credit on this as other forum member gave me numbers, but Gattis is one of worse DH in baseball. His OPS numbers are very very low. Just look at the DH of the 4 teams in the playoffs, Encarnacion, Fielder, Morales and Gattis, there is only 1 on that group that don't belong.

I think we should go hard on Price as he is not going to cost us a draft pick, but is going to be very expensive. With what we've seen before, FA usually don't want to go to Houston for some reason, example Miller, Hamels, Robertson, so we are going to spend a lot of money.

I prefer not to lose draft picks so I would try to re sign Kazmir, Rasmus, and Sipp.

With that we have a rotation:

1. K
2. McCullers
3. Kazmir
4. McHugh
5. Fiers
6. Feldman

That is a great rotation

Bullpen, we need big improvments there but we can do it from inside, how?????
Make VV and Feliz become great late inning relievers, same way Toronto did with Osuna.

We could have this bullpen:

Closer: VV?
Set up; Gregerson
Feliz
Sipp
Harris
Neshek
Fields

Catcher we are set with Castro and Conger
1b and 3b, lets talk about those 2 position at the end
2b Altuve
ss Correa
Lf Rasmus
cf Gomez
rf Springer
4th outfielder Marisnick
Utility Marwin Gonzalez

We have 22 already there, so 3 spots left

We have Valbuena, Carter, Lowrie, Gattis, Tucker

I don't think Lowrie hits enough for a 3b, he does for a SS, not a 3b. We are stuck with 2 more year contract, if we can trade him, do it, but that won't happen. He should be what Marwin is for us, but he is not as good as Marwin and contract is tough. I would try and trade Gattis as he is not a good hitter, same with Carter. Valbuena should start as our 3b with Marwin playing vs lefties.
I would try to get rid of Lowrie, Gattis, Carter, try sign Morneau as the gap 1st basemen until Reed is ready if not, give Singleton one last chance to win the position at 1b.

So out of those last 3 spots, Valbuena, Singleton and Tucker but would try to get Morneau and let Singleton and Tucker battle for that DH spot.

Feldman is a guy that we need to trade, but what are we going to do if we can't and re sign Kazmir? Could we go with a 6 man rotation?

I think we are very close to be very good.

Changes next year? Morneau at 1b, Kazmir number 3 in rotation, VV closer, Feliz 7th inning guy, Singleton/Tucker DH and we MUST re sign Sipp as he would be our only left handed pitcher out of the bullpen.

 

And this would be the lineup:

1. Springer RF
2. Altuve 2b
3. Correa SS
4. Morneau 1b
5. Rasmus LF
6. Gomez DH
7. Tucker/Singleton DH
8. Valbuena/Marwin Gonzalez 3b
9. Castro C

 

No way Kazmir is back next year. He's damaged goods and probably with Gomez if he doesn't get his injury fixed.

Singleton is a failed experiment just like Brett Wallace was and should not be back next year.

 

Why would you have two lefties in Singleton and Tucker handling the DH spot? Why not go with White who has produced better in the high minors than those two guys ever did. And why would you have Kazmir as your #3 ahead of McHugh? And why a 6 man rotation? You want Keuchel pitching once every seven days?

 

He is also looking to sign a guy with a concussion history, including this past season, as their first baseman. A guy who aggravated his concussion injury this year with a diving attempt to field a ball - a baseball play that occurs quite often. A guy who not only has concussion issues, but who also has neck issues.

 

At the 1,000 foot level: This is an 86 win team that will get better with just internal improvement and hthat as a pipeline of young talent pushing to the majors, ready to be dealt to be a contender. Don't get attached to our prospects as some will get moved. Martez, Feliz, Velasquez, Appel, Moran, AJ Reed... someone's getting moved in a trade. We can reasonably expect a team that pushes 90 wins just by internal improvement and reasonable health.

At 100 foot level:
- The starting rotation was among the best in baseball and will be so again. Keuchel, McCullers, McHugh, Fiers are locks for the rotation unless they are traded. Plethora of options for the 5th spot that we need to keep open for high upside folks -- Appel and Velasquez. Big question -- if McCullers takes that next step, we may not need to deal for another No 1.

- Bullpen: Luhnow will consolidate assets and land a top end closer. Top offseason priority. Luxury item for a mid tier team, but a necessity for contenders. This alone pushes us near the 90 win mark. Neshek and Gregerson are under contract for $6MM+ and will be back unless dealt. Fields and Harris make 500K and can be brought back. Sipp made $2.4MM and is a UFA.

Bats:
- Gattis makes 500K and will be back. Unfortunately, he is 30 years old and is likely who he is.
- Valbuena made $4MM+ and is arb eligible. I think we can non-tender and land draft pick if he signs elsewhere, right? I think he is gone.
- Lowrie is back at $7.5MM unless dealt. Too injury prone to be counted on, but could start the year as our 3b.
- Carter made $4MM+ and is arb eligible. Our management believes in Carter and he will be back. I see a Carter/Reed platoon.
- Marwin made 1MM, is arb eligible and will be back as superutility.
- RF is wide open and Tucker is the cheap/wait and see option.

Luhnow needs to get a legit bat at 3b or LF. If not, we're just not being serious about winning it all. We desperately need a "professional hitter" in the No 2 hole like Ben Zobrist (who is a FA).

 

We should get ben zobrist. High OBP guy

 

There is going way more trading action this offseason versus FA signings.

While looking at roster construction for 2016, note that the Astros for a good part of 2015 carried 12 position players and 13 pitchers.

With 12 players, that means there are 3 bench players: backup C, backup IF, and backup OF. This positions will likely be filled by Conger, Marwin and Marisnick. The following starters are locks:

2: Castro
3:
4: Altuve
5:
6: Correa
7:
8: GoGo
9: Stringer
DH:

Competing for the four open positions are Gattis, Carter, Valbueno, Lowrie, and Tucker. Down on The Farm, Singleton, Duffy, White, Grossman, Hoes, Kemp (as OF) and Villar are also competitors, of which only White and Kemp are not on the 40 man roster.

The Astros internally do not lack for candidates for roster spots. One can even argue that this surplus of candidates are where the trades will happen. Some of the players are blocked by their MLB counterparts: Kemp (at 2nd), Hoes, Grossman, and Villar (at SS). Some of the players may soon be blocking better prospects: Singleton (Reed) and Duffy (Moran).

The Astros need to thin the herd by trading their depth. A trade of know MLB comodity (like Carter or Gattis or Valbuena), AAA surplus and a top 10 prospect might just land the Astros their next starting first, third, LF or DH.

 

Morneau is done.

 

I agree with a lot of what's been said already, but I would really like to get a good look at these three prospects in Spring training:

1. Tyler White -- all he does is hit. That's pretty much the opposite of what we have at 1B right now.
2. AJ Reed - all he does is hit and hit for power.
3. Matt Duffy - had a tremendous season at AAA, and at a position of need for us.

 

I bet Carter will get until the super 2 deadline to try and contribute to the team and if he struggles like last year then they'll bring up AJ Reed.

 

I honestly believe (hope) that the Super 2 deadline is no longer a consideration moving forward; it made sense when the team was bad - no reason to burn literally millions of dollars on 90-100-loss teams. But now there's urgency and I expect they'll act with it.

 

I hope you're correct here. With the Angels and Rangers in our division, we'll need to be focused on winning every single game, as the competition will be fierce.