Biggest offseason priority outside of resigning Astros?

Nice fantasy baseball team.

 

What did I just read? We fell 3 games short of advancing to the World Series and had 103 wins... despite having five players that were obviously less than 100 percent health-wise during the playoffs that were all-stars either this year or last. Not even the Warriors can survive having half their all-stars being seriously banged up --

1. Jose Altuve -- lots of buzz that he needs knee surgery in the offseason. A player that kinda relies on speed with a solid glove...
2. Chris Devenski -- obviously wasn't right in the 2nd half of the season. Completely unplayable that he couldn't even be rostered in the playoffs.
3. Lance McCullers -- rumored Tommy John surgery upcoming and couldn't pitch more than 2 innings after being relied on to be the #4 starter coming into the season. Not throwing fastballs was not by design in the playoffs.
4. Carlos Correa -- hopefully he visits T-Mac's chiropractor that fixed him after all his back issues. Last time I checked a good back is needed to hit with authority.
5. Charlie Morton -- couldn't hit high velocity after his DL stints. He also kinda hinted at offseason surgery for the shoulder.

Throw-in George Springer who still was battling his thumb injury during the ALCS. Only half the all-stars (Keuchel, Bregman, Cole, and Verlander could have been considered "100 percent." Yes, injuries are part of the game, and we will never know... but to win, a lot of things have to fall your way. Astros had a lot of depth as we saw by the hard decisions regarding the playoff roster, but you can't replace 5 all-stars all at once. Four of those 5 are still good enough that them at 50 to 70 percent was still better than your average starting major leaguer. Heck, McCullers and Morton could still be aces on half the league's staffs in their current state. I am not going to blame injuries because it's part of the game, but to think this team wasn't good enough is ridiculous. There is no shame in losing the LCS. The early 2000s teams only made it the LCS twice, and no one seriously begrudges them. The 2004 team sustained injuries as well, and I still believe that if Wade Miller and Andy Pettitte were healthy, we would have won it all. And that team could be argued to much healthier than this one. But we will never know. Just like how we will never know if Mutombo (don't laugh), TMac, and Yao would have won a ring in 2009 if just one of those 3 stayed healthy.

 

In terms of actual offseason priorities, the only glaring hole I see on this team considering who may be exiting is really catcher. That's the one position I don't have confidence that we can simply just assume player development will help fix. I don't think the rotation will get worse, but the offense should make for it.

Or....

...we need to invest in more vitamin B-12. Find a way to hack into the Red Sox Apple watches. Improve our bullpen camera video analysts. Pay Angel Hernandez more and hope he gets assigned Astros playoff games. Increase the elbow armors of our batters. And lengthen the laces of our gloves especially for catcher.

 

He had surgery yesterday

 

We have one of the worst outfields in the league among teams that actually expect to compete.
You have to hope that Tucker is what he is supposed to be, or if he gets traded you have to sign someone or trade for an outfielder.
You can't plan to roll with Reddick, Springer and Kemp.

 

Crack is a Helluva drug.

 

Still better than Burke-Taveras-Lane...

...how in the world did that combo make it to the World Series is still befuddling.

 

Did not realize Goldschmidt was a UFA after 2019.

Maybe we just hold tight and let Beer do his thing. Counter is that we've been saying that for every 1B prospect post-Baggy with the exception of Berkman. Or maybe Goldschmidt is the perfect transition to Beer?

 

Is Brett Wallace even in the league anymore?

 

Maybe it forces Arizona to get something for him now instead of draft pick compensation.

 

Starting pitching will be a bigger issue than we anticipated, so, outside of solidifying the catcher position, I imagine the front office will focus on this and hope that Tucker can take the starting LF job.

 

For several month's the montra was wait until we are healthy. we waited. Can't wait anymore. action needs to be taken to add some security to the lineup. The team itself is fine as is, but we need some additional woovies for when the plumbing starts to leak.

 

Yep, imagine if Luhnow had drafted Bennentendi instead of Tucker, the Astros probably win that series.

To answer the OP's question, find a Catcher.

 

Starting pitcher is an issue for every team in the league. A lot of it will hinge on the health of Morton and if he comes back.

FWIW the first thing I heard after the Boston series was a middle of the order FA veteran bat on a shorter deal and very open to adding a top of the rotation starter if one becomes available.

 

ToR SP Possibilities:
Greinke, Corbin, DeGrom, Syndergaard, Gray, Happ, Stroman, Bumgarner, Fulmer, Duffy, Hamels

Shorter Deal MoO Bat Possibilities:
Cruz, Donaldson, Goldschmidt, Abreu, Castellanos, Beltre, Ramos, Smoak, Brantley, McCutchen, Realmuto

 

When you have Cole and Verlander, not sure TOR would be the target. Seems like outside targets in free agency would be more the Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill, Nate Eovaldi MOR level of player due to cost.

Middle of the order DH/1B/LF bat is the must have to me. I prefer Tyler White being a bench bat or first call up from AAA in 2019. If you could get a good offensive performer at Catcher (Ramos/Grandal/Realmuto) then it takes it to another level.

 

Nope. Last seen in 2016 for the Padres. They released him in 2017 and he hasn't been on a roster since.

 

He had one hot month, are you choosing to ignore his September where he hit .226/.298/.336? Or how about the other 300 ABs prior to August where he was awful? He's a decent bench/fill in type guy, nothing more...it's not like he's a 21 year old top prospect trying to figure it out.

 

And if he had value in the field like Marwin, McCann or Reddick perhaps you would have a case. He's definitely going to be on the opening day roster, he is worth that, but he is a bottom tier DH if that's what we are going to use him as.

 

Nope. This season he was ranked 3rd in mlb in wRC+ among DH with 200+ PA, behind Ohtani and JD Martinez. Reverting to his career number (112) would have been roughly as productive as Edwin Encarnacion, who was an above average DH this season.