World Baseball Classic: plus or minus for the Astros?

It seems strange to have an Astros team make it this far into spring training and have so little feel for how it will perform as a whole, especially on the offensive side. That is totally because of the local team’s “donations” to the World Baseball Classic currently occurring at locations around the globe. SS Carlos Correa and DH Carlos Beltran have helped lead a Puerto Rican club that will be moving to the next round of the WBC. Similarly, LF Nori Aoki is riding onward with the undefeated Japanese team. 2B Jose Altuve should be back in camp and the lineup soon as Venezuela has been eliminated, and USA team players, 3B Alex Bregman and RP Luke Gregerson will be moving to the next round as a result of their win Saturday against the Dominican Republic.

So basically 5 of the 9 position players expected to start most of the Astros’ games in the field are not in camp and will have missed varying lengths of times with their teammates. For two of those players this is a brand new team that they will be joining. There are probably folks experiencing angst over their absence. But in the end….what does it matter?

Baseball, unlike the other major sports in the US, is more of an individual sport. Perhaps if C Brian McCann was on the US team and losing out on opportunities to learn his pitcher’s strengths, weaknesses and locations, there would be cause for some concern.

Here are quick thoughts on each of the players:

  • Biggest concern that is not that big – Bregman. He has the least amount of time in the majors by far of the six Astros involved in the Classic and he is not getting many ABs. The fact he could come off the bench for his one start and his only ABs and get two solid singles and one walk in four plate appearances show that maybe playing everyday in the spring is  not that necessary.
  • Small concern for a new Astro – Aoki – Let’s face it the biggest concern here is that veterans Aoki and George Springer figure out how to not bang into each other in the OF. Big whoop.
  • Small concern for Astro working with a new Astro – Gregerson is not getting to work with his new main battery mate, McCann. These guys are both grizzled veterans. It should take them a few outings to get in synch. Maybe they had it figured out before Luke headed to the Classic in the first place.
  • No concern – Beltran – He’s the almost 40 year old designated hitter and very part time outfielder. There is nothing he hasn’t seen. His biggest concern is figuring out where he will sit in the dugout. On second thought, the senior member of the team gets to sit wherever he wants.
  • This is a positive – Correa and Altuve – These two guys do not need to waste time learning about each other in spring training. The truth is that they are getting critical at bats for their homelands in place of the mindless, who cares, at bats they would normally have during the spring.

So where do you stand, if you care at all, about the Astros participation in the WBC (no – not the World Boxing Council)?

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178 responses to “World Baseball Classic: plus or minus for the Astros?”

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  1. Dan, my concern is Bregman. I’m sorry to say that I’ve been pulling for the U.S. to lose, where he would be back for his first real spring training with the team that counts.

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  2. Dan, partly agree, but partly disagree. Aoiki needs to learn how deep Correa runs for a fly ball, or for his relay spot. Reddick needs to see how Altuve goes back on a fly (insert Jimmy Parades). Gurriel needs to work with all the pitchers on the toss to first and not lead Gregerson into a runner. Those are the items that I see important in ST with a set of new teammates. And Bregman definitely needs to work on his throw to 2nd no matter who is playing there.

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  4. While the WBC has caused the Astros’ spring training to look like little league, seeing Correa and Beltran representing their homeland of Puerto Rico so passionately – and well – has been a joy. Watching Jose Altuve line up beside Odor, – and get pushed out of the line-up and/or out of position by a guy that cannot catch or throw, however, made me want to spit. So glad that part is over.

    It will be over this week, and the guys will be home where, to our eyes, they belong. But they will never forget the joy of playing for their homeland, and being a part of something that is not quite so much about business, money, contracts, agents. and sabermetrics.

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  5. I am glad the guys get to represent their countries proudly. I have no real worries about the veterans involved. I expect they don’t need a lot of reps with their team to be ready to go. I only have concerns about Bregman because he is not getting very many ABs – I hope it does not set him back coming into the season.

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  6. I think the WBC is worth a lot to some players and even more to other players.
    To a player like Altuve, it is a chance to bond with his countrymen, under a flag of a country that has had so many problems in the last 20 years. He doesn’t need to be in our ST camp to be ready to go.
    For Correa it has been an opportunity to be with a player of tremendous experience and has to have been valuable to him to spend time with a guy like Beltran in a playoff-type atmosphere.
    Bregman has gotten to be with stars of the game and see how they go about their business. How could he not be better, getting to watch Arrenado at work every day? The guy is fantastic.
    To Gregerson, he’s in playoff mode from the very beginning of the season, which I think is good for a reliever.
    For a guy like Diaz, I think it hurts his chances at making the club.
    Aoki has gotten a lot of rest in the last week or so. I think he will be just fine.
    If the Astros make it through the WBC without an injury, that is what is most important.
    Most importantly, the absence of the WBC players has given the club a better look at young players.

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  7. I think it’s great having those guys play for their respective countries. Playing games where the outs matter requires a different mindset. My only concern is Bregman’s defense. I’d personally want him taking ground balls for an hour every morning on one of the back diamonds.

    Also, it provides more reps for guys who won’t make the club instead of veterans who go through the motions.

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  8. We are hosting the Red Birds for an evening game at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Will the little guy with the big bat from Venezuela be back in the Astros’ line-up to take some hacks at the hackers?

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  9. I have seen nothing to change my mind about having George Springer in CF. I have seen nothing that leads me to believe that anyone in baseball, other than AJ Hinch, would have Springer leading off and Altuve anywhere else other than leadoff. I believe the Astros would have won 3-4 more games this spring with Altuve leading off. Springer has looked like Carlos Gomez at the plate this spring.
    How come a certain LH reliever can get batters out before he signs a huge guaranteed contract, but not after?
    How screwed up is it when everyone else lets their former players play on their national team, but Cuba doesn’t?
    Pitchers who are being depended upon by the Astros to be starting pitchers come April, (Keuchel, LMJ, Morton, Fiers and Musgrove) have allowed a total of 11 earned runs this spring in 45 innings, a 2.20 ERA and have been pitching against the other teams starting hitters, for the most part. They have also had three of their starting infielders not behind them on defense.
    How strange would it be to have Andrew Aplin on the 40-man roster to start the season, but not even starting in the outfield in Fresno? Kemmer, Fisher, and Garcia are on that roster and there’s Preston Tucker and Laureano to consider. Who else am I forgetting? OMG, I left out Teoscar!
    The one Astros player who went all the way through the arbitration process this spring and won it, hasn’t thrown an inning yet for his team. Or any other team, for that matter.
    Colby Rasmus is still recovering from his surgeries and is 0-3 this spring with 3 Ks. Gomez has been hot, Valbuena has not.

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      • Don’t get our hopes up Mr. Bill. Jake may be eating his Wheaties but when the season comes around the pitchers will be eating him up for lunch again. I wish it was not true, but it would be hard to believe that after awhile the guy is not who he has shown to be. Of course if he ends up elsewhere away from Hudgens………

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  11. A solid 5 innings for the pitcher who mattered most tonight – Joe Musgrove – giving up 2 runs while the other Astro pitchers gave up 10 runs in the last 4 innings of the game.

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  12. Musgrove is making his best case for the rotation ESPECIALLY since McHugh doesn’t appear that he’s gonna throw a baseball anytime soon.

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  14. Sorry this did not drive more conversation though there has been more traffic on the blog even without the comments.
    I get the feeling that Mr. Correa is going to take the next step this season and considering how great and young he has been that is quite an impressive statement.

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    • Don’t worry about comments. They will come. This has been a very busy blog this winter, whereas other blogs have been virtually dead.
      The Astros position position questions were answered this morning when White, Reed, Moran and Teoscar were optioned to minor league camp. I’m sure they will still play in a few preseason games but they are now minor leaguers.

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    • By the way, this post is featured as an article in baseball reference under the names of the players highlighted in your post. People know Chipalatta.

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      • Yeah – Chip set that up awhile back – he links the highlighted names in the blog to baseball-reference and they reciprocate. We do get some extra traffic that way

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      • Do you realize that we have now played 23 games this spring and we have only hit ONE STINKING TRIPLE!!!!!! We are, in fact, last in the MLB in, triples, doubles, and in EBHs in general. Not that it really matters, but I wonder what – beside the absence of Altuve, Correa, Beltran, Bregman, and Aoki for the WBC? – is the reason for that?

        On the other hand, for once we are nowhere close to the worst of the league in either offensive strikeouts or GIDPs. That is nice to see.

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    • Dan, you are doing fantastic! Fuh-getta-bout-it! But hey, if the Climbing Tal’s Hill folks start jumping on your back about traffic, comparative postings, and such, just say the word and Tim and I will agree to start a nasty fight about something or other every week to make sure the juices keep flowing!!!! Or maybe what we really need is for Becky to threaten to sneak into Jeff Luhnow’s house at night and give him matching tattoos – one of him kissing Chris Correa’s hand and the other of A.J. Hinch kissing Jeff Bannister’s rear – if we don’t straighten up and start looking like a winning ball-club as soon as our WBC guys get back.

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      • I dare not ask which portion of the anatomy these tattoos will appear but I have complete trust that Becky will make it happen

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      • Bill, love the humor and self aware comments.

        Btw, Justice used to do the same thing when his blog dried up. [Not that Dan and Chip ever do!] He’d start a comment stream about Aggies and next thing you know the T-sip’s would come out of the woodwork calling names. And wouldn’t you know, Richard kissed enough ars to get his present gig.

        Dan, I tried posting comments all day yesterday that didn’t stick FYI. That was a first for me but not rj.. one of those was the article that concluded one of the three things we do to win it all is trade Bregman.

        I like Devin’s explanation of why we don’t move CC to 3B re: the shift. Eventually, it may happen given his frame.

        Funny, I was thinking Correa’s gotten skinnier in the legs ha! Either way, what seems very apparent is this torch thing that Beltran is handing off to the next generation. Correa is really responding to that!

        Speaking of Beltran, what looked like a swan song is turning into a Mangnum Opus. I commented before that he’ll sadly come up milestone short in hits and RBI if he doesn’t play 3 yrs. Is there any doubt the switch hitter can still compete with the best in the game? He and Yadier Molina are the captains and elder statesmen, while Baez Linder and Correa represent the brightest flame.

        This is an aside, but has anyone stopped to look at Baez’ swing in slow mo? I’ve never seen anything like it (contortion). And then there’s the swim slide. Omg!

        I’m looking forward tonight to see if Bregman can get some AB’s. As good as the other two are (Crawford Arenado), they’ve had some chinks in the armor. It’s time,… the young man deserves it.

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      • If I sneek, into Luhnow’s house I’d probably not give him tattoos….only because I despise tattos! BUT….I’d probably punch him in the mouth, just because!!🌞

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  15. Is it just me – or Puerto Rico’s funky uniforms – or has Carlos Correa filled out quite a bit – especially in the upper body – over the off-season?

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    • I have the same feeling Mr Bill – I don’t think it’s an optical illusion – I think he’s growing into a man’s body – so when do they consider (if ever) flipping him and Bregman from SS to 3B?

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      • I’m in the minority, but don’t see any reason to move Correa to 3B anytime soon. It will be interesting to see more of the stat cast numbers released that might support such a decision, but with the propensity to use extreme shifts I don’t think a true gain would be achieved without replacing him with a guy at the top of the game defensively…and most of them would diminish the offensive returns from SS so much it would be a net loss.

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  16. Speaking of T-Sipp and McQ while we’re on the subject, add in Paulino and now we’re starting to see the luxury of pitching depth.

    We don’t have to sweat it.

    Remember the castoff Straily’s season.? Anybody notice who Reds’ OD starter is? With Hauschild gone and Peacock teetering, it just goes to show how solid top to bottom.

    We also have at least 4 longmen. The Q talks have died down, but our prospects’ price tags have not.

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    • If McHugh starts year on DL, and I think he has a good chance of that happening, Peacock might make the team as a second long reliever.
      With less than two weeks left in ST, I don’t know how McHugh gets into the rotation not having thrown in a ST game at the major league level.
      I think McHugh goes on a DL and rehab assignment to CC or Fresno, and makes two starts at least down in the minors. When McHugh is ready to rejoin the Astros, they have to make a decision on Peacock, Musgrove, Fiers, etc.

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      • Which plays out perfectly, Op, as I’d hoped the chafe would take a backseat until they’re ready, or injury/fatigue forces assignment. If we can get a few goood starts out of Brad, he might be worth something in a trade by then.

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      • What’s been remarkable about the winning teams in the WBC is the hitters’ propensity to beat the shift. Shorter, controlled, slappy base hits. Something George needs to add to his repertoire to keep that 5th tool.

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      • Mr. Bill – then it is probably Reddick who can’t hit the ground if he falls out of an airplane this spring

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      • Reddick hasn’t done much this spring, but he also hasn’t struck out much. There is, however, another outfielder that you haven’t mentioned! Another hint: he has really nice hair.

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    • Gov, that’s a good point about shifts and something our manager and FO need to keep in mind – when you get to elimination baseball the hitters take each out a bit more seriously.

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  19. I remember watching the pregame to Fiers’ No hitter and Julia stood there and said he’s “pitching for his life” to make this team. Apparently, the guy needs that to perform?

    Brian McTaggart‏ @brianmctaggart
    Nice outing by Fiers, who allowed three hits in four scoreless innings. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

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  20. Interesting, but so far, among legitimate contenders for the rotation, only one of our starters has a G0/A0 ratio of over 1.00. By the way, this starter is also the only one of the bunch who has a BB/9 under 2.00! Who is this?

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  21. Devin, I don’t think you are in the minority. Carlos is our shortstop. No need to screw with that now. I think Bregman will be a better than average third baseman this year and will continue to hit like he did late. Any club in the game would be happy to have our 3B, SS, 2B situation.

    Dan, if Jake produces a .244 BA and a .333 OBP with a .699 OPS during the regular season, we’ll be delighted, even with all the K’s. Unfortunately, MLB pitchers will likely keep that from happening.

    I’m still a bit squeamish about our rotation. We’ve got a bunch of guys, but I’m not convinced that translates into depth. With Peacock sniffing the mound, I’m dubious.

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    • Dave, I am just curious. What is making you squeamish about our rotation? Is your concern more based on likelihood of injury? On low GO/AO ratios? On low velocities? On propensity to overthrow breaking pitches, resulting in ill-timed WPs? On the high number of pitches thrown per at bat – resulting in too few innings? On lack of a strike-out pitch? On not matching up with the really good teams in 1-2-3 starters come play-off time? Or is it something else?

      And are you most concerned about:

      Keuchel?
      McCullers?
      Morton?
      McHugh?
      or Musgrove/Fiers?

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      • Mr.Bill – I am just curious, were you trying to make us feel better about our rotation or set off panic attacks?

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      • My name is Mr. Bill, and I am an Astroholic. I have been relatively clean now – largely without any Astro panic attacks – for a full seven days, three hours, fifteen minutes, and twenty-one seconds. Dave is my room-mate in the asylum.

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      • Bill, best laugh of the week so far. But I’d have to say (maybe it’s denial) that I’m not in as deep as you. But yes, to a degree, all of the above. Is our ace the guy that gave us a 0.5 WAR in 2016, or the guy that gutted out a 0.966 WHIP in August? I think it’s somewhere in between. Is LMC the kid that posted a 1.186 WHIP in 2015, or the one that gave us a 1.543 in 2016? I think it’s somewhere in between. But can he also go more than 125 innings? When does Collin McHugh get healthy? And has he peaked? By far, his best stats were in 2014 when he flummoxed the whole league. Yeah, he gave us some really good games in 2015 too, but the body of his work last year was unremarkable. I think we’ve already seen the best of Collin. And I can’t even to begin to guess at what we might have in Morton. Spin ratio, new found velocity, a very good Spring, but can we trust it? Fiers? Again, which one do we get? Ironically, I’m most secure in my belief that Joe Musgrove will end up a solid, sturdy contributor to the rotation in 2017. So yeah, I’m on the Pepto.

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      • Of the “Brinnius and a reduced form of Aprionus respectively”?

        If Brignac goes wild and plays all over the dirt, that’ll be a few hangers-on out of a job. No wonder in the limited I’ve seen he seems all business. Perhaps he actually does pose a threat?

        Speaking of, Reddick got off the schneid but Marwin Gonzales has not. He doesn’t seem interested…

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  26. http://baseball.realgm.com/wiretap/47014/Brian-McCann-On-Trade-Best-Case-Scenario-For-Both-Sides

    Does anyone question the sincerity of McCann on the talent of our rotation?

    We just have to do the work of ‘right hand know what the left is doing,’ digest the volume of info out on hitters. The staff never questioned Castro’s preparation, but they say there’s something unique about McCann’s leadership.

    I’m also impressed that after last start, LMJ quoted Strommie saying they aren’t concerned w results, just location. There’s an obvious plan and schedule for each hurler, so there’s more reason to let things unfold without frightful concern. It’s going to take more than a bloody toe to keep these boys down!

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  27. If McHugh does start the season on the DL I sincerely hope they give Musgrove a chance. If it’s a toss up between Fires and Musgrove, I wanna see how the kid does!
    Evidently McHugh has had a couple of simulated games over on the minor league field, and I think he’s having another one this week, but according to Hinch, time is not on McHugh’S side.

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    • If McHugh starts on the DL it is likely both Fiers and Musgrove will be in the rotation and Peacock in the bullpen. The rotation will be Keuchel, LMJ, Morton, Musgrove and Fiers.

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      • Agreed, and it’s more likely when, not “if.”

        I don’t think it would be fair, either, to allow McQ those starts when the other guys came in ramped up!

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  28. Watching the US ahead 1-0 over Japan for a chance to go to the finals of the WBC. Mr Bregman is sitting. The game is being played in the rain in LA. It never rains in California – it pours.

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    • Considering Arenado had 4K’s, and looked bad doing it, Leyland is sitting on his hands. Japan brought guys in late off the bench!

      Also, Devin, last night Harold Reynolds talked about how guys like Bregman are getting in lots of defensive work despite not playing, so hopefully he comes back w more confidence and valuable experience.

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    • Perhaps it is just a coincidence that we passed him through waivers the day they signed Chirinos to a contract through 2018, with a team option for 2019.

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      • I wondered the same, rj.
        But it occurred to me last night that you don’t send your catcher who knows all the system secrets to your arch rival.. that, and Max looks physically like he’s put in the time. He flashed the bat in limited, and we’ve never been terribly deep at the position prior to this season (considering Stubbs was at USC, Rogers is a defensive specialist, Pena more of a farmhand, and Heine, well … I just don’t think befitting of a championship team).

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      • i didnt notice that Bill, a shrewd move on our part. all the rangers needed to do was pick him up, no trade or other players involved. glad the timing worked out for us. im not all that high on stassi, but as gov points out, it never hurts to have depth in the system.

        btw tried to post this comment as rj and it didnt take. when i change to a login with facebook it always works. (i would rather not get on facebook) just stating it so dan or chip or any of the commenters can figure out why some of us sometimes cant comment, it would be great if that got solved.

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    • It’s nice to see positive press about our team for once, but I will (of course) quibble about his analysis of our 3B situation and Gurriel in particular. Last season he started strong, but either ran out of gas or the league adjusted. Using those numbers to project future success are probably not going to be real accurate. Let’s see how he looks in mid-May before we decide he is a replacement-level first baseman. His power numbers may not impress, but he is a professional hitter who should benefit from having base runners on during many of his at bats.

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      • I’ll have to look closer at the article’s projections, but I stand w Op on the notion that a full offseason and those helping him to get body ready will make the difference.

        My thoughts/observations are that he’s got the trunk to find the power for a corner, plate discipline to get OB, like you said having a lineup protecting.. mostly he just looks brains-in, like the legend he was for a reason. I mean, what 262 for any guy’s first half season is decent. We both agree he’s a professional hitter, and thinking back to the choice btwn Marwin or Lowrie, if we could’ve *afforded the ladder (and he stayed healthy), we’d have kept him. We’ve been looking for contact hitters since releasing Carter up until Castro. That mindset under JL won’t change.

        Anyway, I give Gurriel the nod over any guy defensively at the corners, and if he draws walks, and with that “on-plane” path of his, good things are going to happen. Think Marwin doesn’t realize that? Ha!

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    • The case for trading Bregman.
      But it’s really a false dichotomy to think that having Gurriel Reed and Marwin should force us to use Bregman as the centerpiece of a trade.

      We sort of *know what we have, whereas by league standards there are question marks on these names. We know how they fit in our system, but bc we draft/acquire for specific reasons (not “best available” typically); or, as Neshek criticized for us making too many metrics decisions), these players while having plus tools, are being used more like platooners. It’s the way of the game! Look at how Baez and Bryant are being used, and the notion of AceRelief. Devenski on pitching in the pen: I’ll do whatever it takes to get in the game.

      My point is we’re stacked, and if this FO doesn’t see a need to castoff a Stassi or McQ, a Paulino or Tucker? Well, they have foresight that anticipates injury, promotion and attrition.

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  34. https://www.google.com/amp/s/fivethirtyeight.com/features/sorry-mike-trout-the-al-west-belongs-to-the-astros/amp/

    The crux of Plexiglas is this: A team that improves in one season tends to decline the next, and vice versa. It was an easy idea to understand, but a tough one to believe. We human beings are hard-wired to hate randomness. So we look for patterns in everything. Thus a team that wins 75 games one year and 81 the next is perceived to be on the rise, destined for greater things. A team that slips from one season to the next is on its way down, headed for a stretch of lean years. Fans make this mistake, writers and prognosticators make this mistake … even MLB general managers make this mistake.

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  35. Yuli Gurriel: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/03/20/yulieski-gurriel-astros-cuba-first-base/99410284/
    Notice the writer’s name on that article?
    Bregman probably won’t set the league on fire this season, but I think he is ready to be the Astros starting 3B.
    I believe Charlie Morton could be the story of this team in 2017.
    I think Carlos Correa is going to take the next big step.
    I think Nori Aoki is out to prove something this year. Most everybody has ignored him as a starter on this team for the entire offseason.
    Fiers looked good yesterday.
    Brad Peacock has pitched much better as a reliever this spring. He would make about $13,000 as a minor league starter and $550,000 as a major league reliever this year. His career hangs in the balance for the next two weeks. I hope he is lights out pitching in the Astros bullpen.
    Max Stassi’s career is in trouble. Being taken off of the 40-man, when there was already an open spot on it was not good. I wonder if he has a chance to pass on what he has learned as a catcher and could end up coaching.
    Tony D has a ton of talent in Fresno this year. Is Singleton going to be there?
    Are the White Sox now asking for less from the Astros in a trade for Quintana?

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    • Jim Bowden‏ @JimBowden_ESPN
      For #WhiteSox to trade him now prevents risk of unforeseen Sonny Gray type situation w A’s last yr and premature contending issues

      A potential #WhiteSox #Astros deal would be centered around a package of both Frances Martes and Kyle Tucker. However, nothing close.

      #WhiteSox continue to work hard on Jose Quintana trade that could happen before opening day with Astros & Braves appear best possibilities

      ———–

      I call this: White Sox desperation. They are going nowhere and they know it! Our prospects – a word which implies “maybe never a pro” – will turn the key. But why are we so hesitant?

      Because we’re fine.

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  39. Reddick’s hack swing is starting to concern me!

    Mr. Bill, I think you brought up an interesting name in Brignac, learning to switch and a glass of wine in the field. Kalas just said he’d be intriguing for another team. Maybe the thing to do is sign him?

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  40. I’m making a bold prediction.

    Mentioned that Gattis is invaluable only if he can lay off the low, unhittable power curve/slider. This Spring he’s absolutely concentrated on that very thing! Imagine him only swinging at belt high pitches? #Lumberjack

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    • Nice to see Springer, Altuve and Gurriel hitting the ball. And did I read correctly that Dallas Keuchel had 9 groundball outs to zero aerial outs? Added to the already high GO/AO ratio on the spring, that may be the most encouraging sign yet!

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      • There was no outs made in the outfield.

        He looks as sharp as I’ve ever seen. The first runs he’s ever given up in Spring (ever), were obvious upon his demeanor that he and McCann were both frustrated. Brilliant commentators mentioned how it’s good he’s seen some adversity to get game ready.

        Nolan Ryan today was more than a gem. He’s such a bad ass (I’m sorry). He’s told the guys ‘ya know when I played if we didn’t complete a game it was … disappointing.’ I doubt anyone in the room understood the gravity of that word.

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      • Gov-

        ” The first runs he’s ever given up in Spring (ever)”

        Are you referring to DK? He didn’t give up any last spring, but he certainly did in previous years (for example, he had a 6.33 ERA in spring 2014)

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      • Kalas must’ve misquoted, did I hear that wrong?

        My bad, figured I’d better research before writing.

        Did the man look strong, though? So many weak nubbers, like the old Keuchel.

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  41. Dan, someday some journalist is going to call Marwin Gonzales a Swiss Army Knife, and you are going to know, like I do, “said he didn’t care” instantly after a home run swing, or calling someone as cool as the other side of the pillow is your own.

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    • I’m pretty sure someone else here on the blog used the Swiss Army Knife title before I did – but I will certainly be thrilled to take the credit 🙂

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    • If the 3 of them were one player.

      That is daveb’s point that a bunch doesn’t make a whole.

      What I say is that if you use the pieces wisely – the way they were designed to befit the planned puzzle – then lesser “stars” can be positioned well, can perform just as an elite athlete, and be hungrier. Problem is: that description sounds a lot like Alex Bregman. Super cheap, too.

      Find another piece to trade, so it goes.

      I keep saying let the Brignacs Peacock or White gain some trade value, not a cornerstone. Although, … the return on an elite player on this roster, a trade is imminent, given the “wave of players coming.” Think Feliz gives way to Dayan, or Marwin to Moran… (spit)

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    • If Luhnow is concerned about his rotation, I hope he’s not concerned enough to send Bregman off to the White Sox. I just don’t want to lose the kid. I think he’s going to be too good to lose. I’d rather roll the dice and see what happens. We can get help later. Or we can watch an in house guy or two take charge. Yes, I am still squeamish, but the Pepto is helping me remain open minded.

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      • Trading Bregman would mean he doesn’t view him as our everyday 3rd baseman.
        He won’t trade such a gem……if he does I think I’m gonna find a NL team to hitch my star to. I’m done with Jeff Luhnow and his trade 4-5 guys for a ” can’t miss” pitcher.

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    • For every Hunter Pence surprising people in spring training there are plenty of Jason Smith’s and Danny Worth’s. I don’t think any of those three have proven they could replace what we expect to get from Bregman. I think a more likely scenario would have been AJ Reed turning the corner allowing Luhnow to move Yuli back across the diamond and Bregman to another city in a deal for a pitcher.

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  43. Questio…the Chron did a story on Juan Centeno and stated he will be sharing time with Stassi at AAA (with Stubbs at AA). What happened to Heineman?

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    • Well not being on the 40 man and being exposed to the Rule 5 says he isn’t that high in their thinking, yet unless they have a deal pending you have to assume he is at AA or AAA – unless they trade Stassi…

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    • I like the Centeno signing. I think he’s our best hitting catcher behind McCann and Gattis. He will be nice to have if an injury occurs to one of our major league catchers. I trust him more this year than anyone else expected to start the season in the minors.

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      • Tim I agree completely. He had a decent year at the plate in his first real extended stint in the majors. Heck, if he was in the majors this year he’d outperform Castro easily. In previous years he’d be the backup catcher, but it’s a sign at how much this team has improved that he’s a AAA guy. This team is stacked as hell.

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  48. Twitter is FULL of these comments!

    Ceaster14‏ @ceaster14
    @brianmctaggart Again with Arenado??? Are you freaking kidding me???!!! PUT IN @ABREG_1 !!!!

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  50. Both Carlos’ – Beltran and Correa made the All Classic team. So did former Astro Josh Zeid who was on the Israeli team.

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