Oh my gosh! A week from Friday, the Astros catchers and pitchers report for Spring Training in West Palm Beach. Even with the interminable Alex Bregman speculation, it still feels like ST has snuck up on us quickly.
So, it feels like the right time to engage our wonderful readers in a bit of an offseason “final” exam. (Note: Yes, it is not final until the team breaks camp and is playing for real, but at this point most of the offseason moves may have occurred.)
This will be a mix of multiple-choice and essay questions….
Please send me back your answers and thoughts on the following:
1) The grade I would give Dana Brown and the front office for the offseason at this point is:
a) A
b) B
c) C
d) D
e) F
f) I
2) I am most concerned with…….
3) As far as the interminable Alex Bregman speculation, I wish….
a) He had taken the 6-year / $156 million from the Astros to start the off-season
b) He would still take the 6-year / $156 million from the Astros
c) He would settle with the Astros for a 2 yr $60 million contract or 3 yrs $90 million with an opt-out
d) He would just sign with someone and get this over with
4) The best move the Astros made in the offseason was
a) Trading Kyle Tucker for INF Isaac Paredes, P Hayden Wesneski and top prospect Cam Smith
b) Not raising the ante on Alex Bregman
c) Signing free agent 1B Christian Walker – 3 yrs/ $60 million
d) Not trading away SP Framber Valdez
5) The one move I want the Astros to make between now and the end of Spring Training is…..
6) Which of the following pitchers will most likely return from injury and help the team in 2025?
a) Luis Garcia
c) J.P. France
7) However, the pitcher I want to have returned the most in 2025 is…..
a) Luis Garcia
b) Lance McCullers Jr.
c) J.P. France
d) Cristian Javier
8) The best case scenario for the Astros’ outfield is…..
9) The worst-case scenario for the Astros’ outfield is…..
10) If the Astros are not done adding to the roster, I wish they would:
a) Sign Alex Bregman and play musical chairs with Paredes and Jose Altuve
b) Sign or trade for a left-handed outfielder
c) Pick up additional bullpen help
d) Pick up additional starting pitching assistance
There you go – now let me know your thoughts.
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
25 responses to “Astros 2025: Offseason Final Exam”
As a fan since the Colt 45’s, I am pretty hardened to the bad times, horrible general managers, (giving Joe Morgan, Rusty Staub away for peanuts), Biggio and Bagwell conspiring to Drayton McClane to fire my favorite Astro manager (Larry Dierker), McClane thin skin unable to take a bit of rightful criticism from Billy Wagner and trading him in obvious negative results for the team and of course (Look on the back of his baseball card Bagwell thinking that he was qualified to make decisions of a professional general manager ) and our owner sucking it up.
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In continuation of my frustrations and with Bregman on my mind, this is my thoughts: As an LSU fan who attended frequent games in Baton Rouge, and was witness to his gym rat energy, and All American figures for his three years there, I was very pleased with the Astros picking him with the second pick of that draft and been excited about what he has given the Astros. I have to say that as an ex college baseball pitcher, he totally turned me off in 2017 with the stupid in your face unsportsmanlike efforts that he and the team did.and in the 2919 world series when he arrogantly carried his bat to first base after his home run . Please forgive my run on sentences, but essentially, I’m sick of the dude and hope the door doesn’t hit him on the out .
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I don’t believe I can disagree with you on any of your comments. While I never played any organized baseball ( I couldn’t judge a fly ball if it hit me in the head) I understand your frustration with the past and present as I have been a fan as long as you have. Hopefully, the future will be bright and we’ll all have to wear shades.
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I love a good quiz.
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By the way, Zach has historically hit right-handed pitching well. If there is a place for him on the Astros in 2025, I think it’s mostly in the outfield. I just hope he gets a real chance to play regularly if he makes the team. He’s my vote for surprise of the year.
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I’m happy with Brown’s moves thus far, but until we actually get production from Walker/Paredes and the bullpen doesn’t burn itself out before June I don’t think we can give him a grade. As such it’s an Incomplete from me.
Right now I’m most concerned they might sign Alex Bregman. Budgets exist for a reason. Unless the league is raising the luxury threshold we can’t afford him.
I just hope our staff can be healthy enough to compete. I’d like to see what the outfielders on our 40 man can do this spring. If it’s a complete disaster then try to fix it in June/July.
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The Astros signed Ben Gamel for a million per Chip
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To my chagrin, if the Astros are signing Gamel at a million, rather than a guy like Verdugo at 9, that kind of tells me they are still waiting around for Bregman to accept the fact that 6/156 is his best option.
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On the flip side, maybe the Astros really have moved on and will go at it with Walker and Paredes at the corners. That’s my preference. Hang tough in 2025 and use that saved money on 2026 talent. And I’ve come full circle. The Astros could put an end to any Bregman speculation by signing Framber long term now.
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I’m going to give Brown and presumably Bagwell and Biggio a B. I like Walker and Paredes pickups. Every time I heard someone suggest that Paredes might get traded if Bregman was resigned – my thought was where else are you going to get a .240/.330/.440 line for 6M? Find a spot to put him in the lineup, but take that OBP/SLG for that salary.
I am most concerned with…..4 guys accounted for 46% of our innings thrown last year. Those same 4 guys are going to be counted to match that number. The depth behind them are all injured/coming off serious injury. Between the four of them they threw over 10,000 pitches last year in competitive play. I’m hoping the same 4 arms can repeat. If we lose even 1, we are going to guys we more hardcore fans know like Gusto, Gordon, or Blubaugh but if they look like Bloss did last year it could go sideways.
I wish Toronto would overpay after so many disappointing close calls for them this offseason. They have been in on everyone and gotten no one. Give Alex his 7/185, make you happy, make us happy, and lets stop seeing Bregman in the news. I’m Brexhausted.
Those are all great moves. One can argue they should trade Framber given that he brings you the biggest return (sorry Kyle, Framber has been better). But if you want to win a WS, as frustrating and up and down his playoff career has been, he is the most important piece to get you to the playoffs, and gives you a chance to win that game he pitches.
They did it yesterday. Bring in a lefty bat to take some time from Chas. I could see games where Gamel is in right, Yordan is in left, and Singleton is at DH to give 3 or 4 lefty bats in the lineup.
Garcia seems the closest, and given his body and strength, probably has the best chance. I hope they all contribute at least some by the end.
A mid-season trade for a legitimate lefty hitting outfielder. Otherwise, this is the worst OF in baseball, at least among contenders.
I would be fine rolling with what we have now with Gamel and staying under the cap.
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We might end up seeing both Trammel and Gamel on the roster, which could put both Jake and Chas on the bench at the same time against the tougher righties. But I’d give Chas first shot with his .696 lifetime OPS against hand-handers compared to Jakes .623 against them.
Does Singleton get a job to pinch hit? I just don’t see him at DH when Yordan, Altuve and Diaz are all better options. If Dezenzo has a big spring, Jon might not have a job. Zach can do much more on the field, if he can hit too.
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Talking about Singleton feels like a broken record.
On one side, he is a better option than Dezenzo for sure against certain pitchers. One could definitely argue that against right handed pitching that catching Caratini to get Diaz out from behind the plate and using Diaz at DH gives you a better result than catching Diaz, putting Yordan in LF and Singleton at DH, as the effect is still one lefty being added, and the presumption is Caratini is a better hitter of the two (I would personally debate that, but that is neither here nor there).
We can say all we want that we think he should be gone. But Dana sees something we don’t. Singleton is a better option than a lot of guys against right handed pitching, but he only plays one spot and that not particularly well. He doesn’t hit unless he plays consecutive days, and the more he plays consecutively the better the stats get. Would they use him as a pinch hitter? I assume so, but for the love of all that is baseball why? His career pinch hitting stats are atrocious. But like I said, Dana sees something we don’t. It appears he is showing up for ST with a 40 man spot and will have to earn his release.
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We might end up seeing both Trammel and Gamel on the roster, which could put both Jake and Chas on the bench at the same time against the tougher righties. But I’d give Chas first shot with his .696 lifetime OPS against hand-handers compared to Jakes .623 against them.
Does Singleton get a job to pinch hit? I just don’t see him at DH when Yordan, Altuve and Diaz are all better options. If Dezenzo has a big spring, Jon might not have a job. Zach can do much more on the field, if he can hit too.
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I’m happy with the Gamel move because he isn’t breaking the bank. We don’t need him to be an All-Star to make it a good move. I believe historically his OBP is similar against RHP and LHP. Our outfield 40 man now has:
Switch – Cooper Hummel
LHH – Yordan, Gamel, Trammel
RHH – Corona, Dubon, Leon, Chas, Jake
Let’s assume Dubon / Dezenzo are both utility inf/of. Not looking great.
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Devin, I think it’s pretty clear, at least based on the guys we have now, that there will be many moving parts this year. Outside of Walker, Pena, Diaz, and probably Paredes, I could not guess at this point who will be playing where and when. But I don’t think things are looking all that bad. We just need one guy, like a Dezenzo, to show up and demand a role. 2025 will be a battle. But 2026 might be real fun.
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4. Best move.
c. Signing Christian Walker
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I give them a C+
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In addition to their offer of 6/156, the Astros will give Breggy a Minute Maid Park sign autographed by Biggio & Bagwell:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/astros-have-reportedly-increased-offer-to-bregman-deal-still-seen-as-unlikely.html
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I’m really growing tired of this drama. Personally, I really don’t care nor do I want Bregman. Yes, I know some will disagree with me but it’s time to move on. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
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My turn to finally wade in…
1) The grade I would give Dana Brown and the front office for the offseason at this point is: B.
2) I am most concerned with our starting pitching. Yes, we have a strong lineup thus far. But beyond them???
3) As far as the interminable Alex Bregman speculation, I wish he would just. go. away.
4) The best move the Astros made in the offseason was trading Kyle Tucker for INF Isaac Paredes, P Hayden Wesneski and top prospect Cam Smith.
5) The one move I want the Astros to make between now and the end of Spring Training is finding some everyday outfielders.
6) Which of the following pitchers will most likely return from injury and help the team in 2025? c) J.P. France
7) However, the pitcher I want to have returned the most in 2025 is Luis Garcia.
8) The best case scenario for the Astros’ outfield is for all three to hit .300+ , hit 25+ hrs, and drive in 80+ rbis.
9) The worst-case scenario for the Astros’ outfield is they all hit like the 2024 version of Jake Meyers.
10) If the Astros are not done adding to the roster, I wish they would add some young, talented outfielders.
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Well, crud. I posted a lengthy response and it went Daveb on me….
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My regrets Sarge.
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Try again Sarge. Always look forward to everyone’s comments
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1) The grade I would give Dana Brown and the front office for the offseason at this point is:
b) B
2) I am most concerned with the lineup of the outfield. Who is going to be out there, the recent worn out pickups or the up and coming minor leaguers?
3) As far as the interminable Alex Bregman speculation, I wish he would just. go. away.
4) The best move the Astros made in the offseason was
a) Trading Kyle Tucker for INF Isaac Paredes, P Hayden Wesneski and top prospect Cam Smith
5) The one move I want the Astros to make between now and the end of Spring Training is a new strategy on hitting. Make the opposing pitchers pitch to the Astros hitters and stop swinging at the first pitch.
6) Which of the following pitchers will most likely return from injury and help the team in 2025?
d) Cristian Javier
7) However, the pitcher I want to have returned the most in 2025 is…..
a) Luis Garcia
8) The best case scenario for the Astros’ outfield is for each player hits at least .300+, hits 25+ homers, and drive in 80+ RBIs.
9) The worst-case scenario for the Astros’ outfield is everyone only hits their own weight.
10) If the Astros are not done adding to the roster, I wish they would:
d) Pick up additional starting pitching assistance
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Well, I tried once again to no avail…
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