Smells like baseball outside, grass is growing and turning green. I am stoked about baseball as usual, just seems a little sweeter this year. I anxiously await for this beginning every year and this year the team that I have been pulling for since 1965 is called The Champs, "How Sweet It Is". GO STROS
Gattis at catcher indicates to me that Astros aren't settled on Stassi over someone like White or Davis for the early part of the season. It could also mean Astros are looking at someone like Duda as the DH. Other than pitching, DH, LF, and C will likely be scrutinized closely during the 1st half of the season.
Hinch knows Gattis wants to catch. He wants him to be happy. I expect he'd try to catch Gattis once a week or so to keep him comfortable back there. Luhnow knows he'd lose Stassi if he doesn't make the team, and doesn't want that given Gattis & McCann are in their final year.
But would it still be performance based? I agree that if they keep the club controlled/arb years as long as they are... they have to see larger increases in salary earlier. But that could also cause more low market/non-contending teams to explore earlier trades before players salaries start to go up, which continues the disparity.
Of course, production from the catchers position is never a given. Especially on the offensive end. Never forget what Castro and others have brought. Last thing we need is to lose both and have to shell out more resources for an equal or better.
This. The front office needs to think about succession planning at catcher for next year. Stassi would be the most affordable way to address that position. I'm betting he'll be on the roster for the first few months. They need to kick the tires and decide if he's the guy for next year, or whether they need to trade or sign a free agent.
Bagwell: baserunning Biggio: clichés Nolan: orneriness Scott: "nobody saw that, right?" Wagner: Hold my beer and watch this .....
I think McCann will be here in 2019, his contract automatically vests if he catches 90 games and doesnt finish the season on the DL. Having Stassi learn from him for a year or two should further his development and I like the Astros giving him a shot for a future job. Astros could probably land Realmuto for much less next season as I dont anticipate any team giving into the Marlins price tag, the same way they held off onto acquiring Cole this offseason for much less than they offered in 2017.
