Astros baseball: we've got uniforms and everything.
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be rolling out a series of prospect previews for Spring Training. This week we look at one of the top arms: AJ Blubaugh. Blubaugh was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 draft out of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee after a solid, albeit limited, college career. In […]
These articles are a part of a series and are designed to be consumed as an entire series, but I know we get new readers every day. So, we will reset the conversation to the beginning. This series is about looking at specific underlying numbers to get a handle on what hitters might do in […]
Nothing can derail a season like a rash of injuries — just ask the 2025 Astros.No team used the injured list more. Yordan Alvarez was limited to 48 games, Isaac Paredes missed 60 games, and Jeremy Peña and Jake Meyers also were out significant time. On the mound, the Astros used 33 different pitchers (plus […]
Team could be looking at an infield logjam that could compromise their outfield depth. In the aftermath of Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reporting that the Astros could be looking at OF Michael Conforto as a left-handed hitting option in the outfield primarily because they are finding their trade options dwindling, it is impossible not to […]
In one of my first editions of the lab, I mentioned something I called “magical thinking.” I think the kids call it wishcasting but I’m not necessarily down on the lingo. The idea behind magical thinking is that the person practicing it thinks of the most positive result from a particular player or situation and […]
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be rolling out a series of prospect previews for Spring Training. We begin with arguably the Astros’ top prospect in camp this year: Brice Matthews. Brice Matthews, a Houston native and Atascocita High School graduate, went on to play college baseball at Nebraska. After solid freshman and sophomore […]
Opinion: Stop Trying to Trade Isaac Paredes. The Astros Need Him. There, I said it. I don’t want the Houston Astros to trade Isaac Paredes. And every time I hear another expert, another national analyst, or even another Astros fan casually toss his name into trade proposals like he’s some expendable spare part, it makes […]
Analysis is a tricky game and any good analyst should acknowledge as many factors as possible. We saw earlier that Dana Brown said the Astros were not done. So, any full analysis of the Jesus Sanchez for Joey Loperfido trade would have to include what the Astros do beyond that. Good analysis would also involve […]
There’s only one real way to make the current situation work, and that involves the Astros giving in to Yordan Alvarez’ desires. We have reached a point that seemed impossible to navigate all offseason. The Houston Astros have fully opened Spring Training and both Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker are still on the team. It […]
Was today’s trade a precursor to another one coming soon? Today the Astros traded OF Jesus Sanchez to the Toronto Blue Jays for a former Astros fan favorite – OF Joey Loperfido. Clearly the Astros were sour on Sanchez after he performed poorly both at the plate (.199 AVG with Houston) and in the field, […]
A familiar face is returning to the Astros as the Astros dealt outfielder Jesus Sanchez to the Toronto Blue Jays for Joey Loperfido. Loperfido will be a familiar face as he was an Astros farmhand and had a cup of coffee with the 2024 team before he was dealt at the deadline as a part […]
I have made my bones in these parts by taking a more dispassionate look at things. That is what the labs are for and that is why I always label these as commentaries. I want to keep the bulk of my work separate from narratives as much as possible. We can split sports journalists into […]
Baseball is back with pitchers and catchers reporting yesterday. With that, the Astros extended invites to some prospects that weren’t on the 40 man roster. Here are a few prospects to look out for during Spring Training. Joseph Sullivan Sullivan was the Astros 7th round pick in 2024 after a solid college career at South […]
In the last week, we talked about platoon splits for the various Astros position players, but platoon splits are only part of the equation. One of the more fascinating parts of sabermetrics is looking at how our conception of the game has changed over the years. If you watched the movie “Moneyball” you probably heard […]
Injury concerns for Josh Hader and Yainer Diaz highlight roster inadequacies. I want to preface this with the following statements: With that out of the way, I think we need to have a conversation about whether or not Dana Brown failed this offseason. Day 1 of pitchers and catchers did not cause this conversation, but […]
Spring Training Hope Comes With a Familiar Astros Fear This is the week baseball fans have been waiting for. Pitchers and catchers are reporting to spring training, and with that, the long offseason finally gives way to possibility. For Astros fans, it’s the chance to put last season firmly in the rearview mirror and focus […]
The Red Sox acquisition of 3B Caleb Durbin will leave their fans wanting, but it essentially takes a trade partner off the board for the Astros. Did it also add a new one? With the big news coming down today that the Boston Red Sox have acquired 3B Caleb Durbin in a deal with the […]
I also write a regular feature over at Battle Red Blog. It is called “Value of Things” and that title fits fairly comfortably with this piece and what is ultimately behind the lab. There are two separate questions when it comes to major sports teams. The first question is whether they are reasonably investing everything […]
Last time, we took a look at the outfield and the platoon splits for our various outfield candidates. Today, we will do the same with the infield. I should note a couple of things before we move forward. The first and main thing is that we are looking at career splits for all of these […]
It’s starting to look like none of the parties will have a choice. The Astros have a logjam in the infield, that isn’t news. They have been open to discussions on both Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker, that also isn’t news. However, we are now 6 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring […]
With pitchers and catchers set to report to Spring Training in just a couple of weeks, the Astros’ farm system continues to take shape. While the system has undergone significant changes in recent years due to promotions and trades, there remains intriguing talent throughout the organization. Here are three prospects who could be poised for […]
I believe Houston needs to move on from their CF. Astros fans, here I am again, the voice of reason. A few weeks ago, I floated the idea that it might be time to trade Jeremy Peña. Now I’m back with another uncomfortable but necessary conversation: the Houston Astros should seriously consider trading Jake Meyers […]
The deal now gives the Astros, or any new team, two years of cost certainty. Earlier today, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported that the Houston Astros have come to a contract agreement with 3B Isaac Paredes on a 2-year, $22.7M deal. This deal having a second season with a club option (unless he finished Top […]
It’s only a motion away. Could there be an Astros and Framber Valdez reunion? Maybe the odds are better than we previously thought? Monday night on AREA 45 on Sportsradio 610, I posed the idea of the Astros getting back in on Framber Valdez with a short term, high AAV type deal with opt outs […]
Every good analyst has to start with an acknowledgement of limitations. As much as we might want to rely on the numbers on the back of the baseball card, each season exists in its own universe. One of the axioms I always go by is that I don’t really start worrying or getting excited until […]