I'm ready for the Postseason. Love this team. Going to try and take my family to Houston this year for a game. Really excites me that my kids are finally taking an interest in baseball. Just this morning they were asking for new Astros hats.
They should be able to get it done without Tucker or Whitley. Fisher, Martes, and 1 of Alvarez, Bukauskas, or Paulino. That’s a lot to give up but a fair deal and a good deal for Houston.
The Orioles have inquired about the availability of Astros right-hander Collin McHugh, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com hears. Although McHugh could be the odd man out of a loaded Houston rotation this year, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported earlier this week that the reigning champions aren’t in a rush to trade him. Nevertheless, with multiple holes in their rotation and a reported unwillingness to spend big to address their staff, it makes sense that the Orioles are interested in McHugh. After all, the 30-year-old has been a quality starter with the Astros since 2014 and is under arbitration control at affordable prices through 2019. He’ll earn in the neighborhood of $5MM this season. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/
Hmm, I think the Orioles pissed off everyone in the Astros front office at the last trade deadline. Be surprised if any deals were made with them anytime soon, unless they were extremely favorable to the Astros.
Dallas Keuchel on Astros looking to repeat as World Series champions and what that's going to be like: "Yeah I do wonder that. Never in a million years did I think that I was going to be in a position to be on a team to win a World Series." Forrest Whitley on if he feels ready for the Big Leagues: "Personally, yes. Selfishly, yeah I do feel like I am. I obviously have to put the work in to get to that level, pay my dues back down in the minors, prove to the higher ups that I can get outs in the Big Leagues." Forrest Whitley on when he gets that call to the Big Leagues: "I think about it every day. I think about it every day." Ken Giles expects to miss the White House trip because he has family scheduled to be in Florida on March 12 & acknowledges it's tough to miss the trip. "It's a great honor to go to the White House...just seeing that in person would be a great opportunity but family always comes first." Ken Giles on winning his arbitration case and spring training is here: "I felt like I just left the parade yesterday." Luke Gregerson plans to make the trip to the White House with the Astros: "I'm excited. It's a pretty memorable moment in your life." Gregerson is hopeful St. Louis will give him the day off for the trip. "I think that they could spare one for me. It'd be nice of them at least if they would." Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove says Pittsburgh has already agreed to give him the day off for the Astros trip to the White House. "They told me it's something I have to do. I'd be foolish not to." Musgrove: "It's crazy. There's a lot of emotion. I love this city. People are giving me awards. I got t-shirts, pictures from fans. I was able to meet a kid named Jayden who's fighting cancer. Getting to see him & his smile was really special." Astros OF Jake Marisnick is eager to get on the field after missing the end of last season with a thumb injury. On the team's added pitching depth this spring (Verlander and Cole), Collin McHugh says he approaches every year like he has to earn a spot
Astros right-hander Chris Devenski has changed his representation and is now a client of MVP Sports Group, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes reports on Twitter. The switch for the 27-year-old Devenski comes on the cusp of his final pre-arbitration season. Since making his debut in 2016, Devenski has been an incredible bargain for the Astros, having established himself as one of the game’s premier relievers. Across 110 appearances, including five starts, Devenski has racked up 189 innings of 2.38 ERA ball and posted 9.71 K/9 against 2.19 BB/9. Only one reliever, Brad Hand of the Padres, totaled more frames from the bullpen than Devenski’s 164 1/3 from 2016-17. He also ranked fifth among relievers in ERA (2.41), ninth in K/BB ratio (4.82) and 18th in infield fly rate (14 percent) during that span, thanks to an extremely effective fastball-slider-changeup repertoire. While Devenski isn’t a closer, which could tamp down his value in arbitration, his penchant for effectively eating innings and amassing holds will help his cause when he first goes through the process next year (barring an extension, of course). He’s coming off a year in which he tied for 11th in holds (24), which helped the Astros run away with the AL West en route to their first World Series title. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/chris-devenski-switches-agencies.html
...and he has seemed to wear down (overuse?), and he was awful in about half (4?) of his appearances in the postseason where his stuff just didn't look the same. Deeper pen this year should help him. Couldn't care less about his agent.
Devenski needs to figure out what he is. Remember when he was everybody's favorite "he needs to start!" guy? Then he became a multiple-inning reliever, Andrew Miller-type... but seemed to wear down and his mechanics became sloppy. Then he became a one-inning guy with mixed results. Ideally, if he didn't wear down with the Miller-type role, I'd rather he stick with that.... but has to command the fastball for his changeup to be the weapon it was to start the season.
With the Orioles & Twins looking at McHugh, either a 3-way trade (not easily done) might be arranged. Or McHugh could be traded to the Marlins with the expectation that they might trade him themselves. With McHugh as the centerpiece of the trade, there would be no need for top prospects to be included.
That's awesome, more coverage & info is always good. Hope the chron gets somebody equally competent to replace him.
Does the Chron just not pay its reporters? Seems like we have a new Astros beat reporter every year or two.
Print journalism is in the ICU at this point. If you haven't established an online foothold your days are numbered. I can't imagine it pays well...at all these days.
I feel for writers. Ad Blockers has changed the online game too. So much harder to monetize something people expect for free.
