Welcome to another throwback. It’s Free Blog Weekend, my version of the old radio Open Line Friday! It’s your opportunity to opine, divert the discussion, throw in your two-and-a-half cents (inflation, you know) and generally steer the conversation. You know the drill—quick updates, some questions to spark debate, and plenty of room for you to share your thoughts.
If there’s a topic you don’t see, bring it up and start the conversation. Let’s dive in!
Spring Training Storylines
- First things first, get well Dan! Come back soon!
- Jeremy Peña’s Next Level? We’ve seen Peña flash brilliance at shortstop from time to time, but his focus this spring is apparently on pitch selection and getting on base more. Is it possible that Pena could ever become an All Star?
- Brendan Rodgers’ Fresh Start. Leaving Coors Field for Houston is a significant shift. Rodgers believes playing at sea level could help his swing. Really? What’s your early take—great under-the-radar move or just another depth piece?
- Oblique Issues for Walker. Ah oh! Christian Walker was scratched from a game due to left oblique soreness. We’ve seen these kinds of injuries linger before, and this could have a domino effect on the Astros’ lineup. Should this be a concern, or is it just a minor spring hiccup? Or could it be the break for Cam Smith or Rodgers?
- Altuve to Left Field? With Kyle Tucker gone, Altuve is spending more and more time in left field. Joe Espada says we’ll see a lot of Altuve in LF in ‘25. Is this a genius way to extend his career, or is this a doomed experiment waiting to happen?
- Hunter Brown’s Ace Potential. Espada says Brown has what it takes to be the next great Astros’ pitcher. Obviously you can see some physical similarities to Justin Verlander, but does he have what it takes to become a legend in Houston? I’m not ready to put him in the Roy Oswalt/JV category. You?
- Who Will Emerge as the Fifth Starter? With the departures of Verlander and Yusei Kikuchi, the Astros’ rotation has some gaps. While Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti seem solid at the top, some say the competition for the fifth spot is wide open. Will Hayden Wesneski, A.J. Blubaugh, Colton Gordon, or Ryan Gusto seize this opportunity? Wesneski seems to lead the group, but will he ultimately break camp with the team?
- Can Cam Smith Break Through This Season? Top prospect Smith has been turning heads with his disciplined approach and unique pre-game rituals, including meditation and listening to Bob Marley. He’s batting .636 in Spring Training with two home runs and seven RBI (both lead the team) in six games (small sample to be sure), but is he ready to make the leap to the big leagues?
- Will the Astros Maintain Their AL West Dominance? The Astros got a D+ in an offseason grade from ESPN+ yet they’re ranked 11th in the pre-season ESPN+ Power Rankings (ahead of all other AL West teams). The 2025 season brings scores of changes and challenges for the Astros. The margin of error is perhaps less this year than at any point over the last decade. With key players departing and others stepping into new roles, can Houston continue its reign atop the AL West, or are we looking at a potential shift in the division’s power dynamics?
Looking Back & Looking Ahead
- On Wednesday, we debated the All-Time Astros List. If you could pluck one of those legends and drop them into the 2025 lineup, who would it be? Who would make the biggest impact? Lance Berkman or Cesar Cedeno would be fun. Maybe George Springer in CF leading off? Of course old-schoolers like Nolan Ryan or J.R. Richard would be cool!
- Let’s talk Astros heartbreaks. Which loss still stings the most?
- Game 7 of the 2019 World Series?
- The 2004 NLCS collapse? Or something else?
- The Albert Pujols HR in 2005?
- Something else?
- On the projected 2025 Astros’ roster, how many potential Hall of Famers can you spy? Come on, go out on a limb and speculate a bit.
- Are there others whose numbers could be retired? Obviously, several Astros’ numbers have been retired who are not in the HOF.
Your Turn
Which of these storylines has you most intrigued? Drop your thoughts below, and let’s make this a classic Free Blog Weekend!
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
20 responses to “Free Blog Weekend: Astros Edition”
Wow, that’s a lot to discuss.
I think we’ll continue to see flashes of excellence from Pena, but the fact of the matter is that he’s a pretty reliable producer. He’ll get in a slump and some folks will call you the club to unload him. Using Baseball Reference, he’s a 4 plus WAR guy and a bargain, at least for now. He’s been consistent. A breakout offensively would be a real bonus. Continued reliable defense (which he mostly provides) is expected. Not every guy is going to be an All Star.
Rodgers was a good acquisition for almost nothing. Maybe he’ll do nothing. But he can play some second base if needed. What a bonus if he hit a little bit.
Christian Walker is our first baseman. The once again renewed discussion about picking up three years of Arenado to cover the club if Walker has to sit for an extended period sounds again like Bagwell is trying hard to get him on the roster. Nolan is declining. I’d rather battle with Dezenzo, Whitcomb, Singleton, and others while Walker gets healthy, if in fact he’s not healthy right now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dave, the Arenado stuff is just speculation. I don’t believe — read I HOPE — the Astros have moved on from that. Cam seems to be a safety net for any injuries at the corners.
I agree, you don’t have to be an All Star to be productive and solid. Pena may be that guy. Noticed recently that with Altuve moving to the OF that Pena is now the senior statesman in the infield. Wow!
LikeLike
Its a ton of stuff there Chip…
My spring training updates for today
Enjoyed watching a bit yesterday as the mostly Astro prospects beat the mostly Mets real lineup 5-1. Ryan “Mucho” Gusto pitched well again – the only run given up by Josh Hader.
LikeLike
Altuve will not be a failed experiment in left unless he gets injured, heaven forbid. He’s intuitive out there. He already knows how to cheat on his weak arm. Get rid of it quick and one hop it to Pena who is coming out further. Of course, we’ll have to see how Altuve responds in big outfields. Or maybe those will be second base days for him. Speaking of Rodgers for a second, he got to a ball last night that Jose never sniffs at this point.
LikeLike
I don’t really want to think about Hunter Brown “The Ace” yet. I just want him to get off to a good start in 2025 and continue to pitch well consistently. More importantly, I want to see him battle through 5 or 6 innings on nights he does not have his best stuff.
Fifth starter? How about 6th starter? Wesneski and Gusto are the two I would consider interchangeable at this point. Either guy might well end up in the pen to start the season. Wesneski will probably get the 5th man role initially, assuming he has a pretty good next three weeks. I watched the game last night, but the camera angle made it impossible to determine how close to the plate Gusto was while giving up three walks, too many for him. But he was around the plate.
LikeLike
I’m going to skip ahead here. George Springer would be my starter in centerfield on Opening Day. I always thought he should have been our CF. I think 1oldpro and I continually begged for that scenario.
LikeLike
I saw a blurb that said Urquidy has signed with the Tigers – but it is not shown in mlbtraderumors so I have my doubts.
LikeLike
I sure hope not. He’s been working like a mad man.
LikeLike
I think that Cam should report to AA or AAA after Spring training. Hopefully the coaches there can help him further develop his fielding skills as a third baseman and outfielder. Also, that will delay the clock starting.
LikeLike
Well Urquidy signing with the Tigers appeared in mlbtraderumors – so to me that is official.
LikeLike
That’s a shame. I hope he enjoys good health going forward.
LikeLike
https://www.mlb.com/news/tigers-sign-jose-urquidy-to-one-year-deal
LikeLike
1 million for Urquidy this year and a 4 million club option in 2026. He likely won’t pitch until mid season, but that’s a pretty team friendly deal for a guy that has been a pretty good arm until the injuries started. Maybe the Astros don’t expect him to fully recover.
I’m a bit behind. Seems Gerrit Cole could be looking at a significant elbow issue. Losing the ace is no fun. The Yankees have already lost Luis Gil for at least three months.
LikeLike
And Giancarlo Stanton has severe injuries in both elbows. And Judge is no Yordan when the postseason comes along.
LikeLike
Some thoughts:
LikeLike
Last night the Astros came back from 2-0 in the ninth scoring 5 including a walk off 3 run homer by Cesar Salazar to beat the Yanks.
Today they have a 2 run homer by Yordan and a solo shot by Dezenzo, but Framber, Montero and Sousa have combined to give up 8 runs to the Marlins in 6 innings so far.
Which all means….nothing.
LikeLike
Montero pitched pretty well today. Had the pitch gizmo been in place, it would have been requested a few times. He also lost a sure DP on a ball that hopped away from Pena when it landed on second base. His other hit was a 10 footer out in front of the plate.
1oldpro, I think they’ve got to give Whitney his shot. He could be released in May, but this is it as far as his Astro career goes. No more options, I guess unless he gets injured.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My comment about Whitley was not one of denigration, but rather, of amazement. After all these years and all the trials and tribulations, it may finally happen that he pitches in the bigs for us!
LikeLike
Montero pitched pretty well today. Had the pitch gizmo been in place, it would have been requested a few times. He also lost a sure DP on a ball that hopped away from Pena when it landed on second base. His other hit was a 10 footer out in front of the plate.
1oldpro, I think they’ve got to give Whitney his shot. He could be released in May, but this is it as far as his Astro career goes. No more options, I guess unless he gets injured.
LikeLike
Thanks for the info on Montero – if he could get back to 80% of 2022 that would be a help.
Whitley has pitched well this spring – maybe the bullpen is a place he can excel
LikeLike