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MMQB: A smorgasbord of conversation topics
As the playoffs continue — you are paying attention, right? — the Astros are planning for the next “season” when teams set their 40-man rosters and trade and free agency discussions heat up. Here are some thoughts and considerations as Jeff Luhnow and new manager A.J. Hinch prepare. How ’bout that payroll? The Astros are…
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2014: Astros Post-Season Multiple Choice Quiz
As the Astros’ 2014 season fades away in the rear view mirror like a wreck on the highway and the 2015 season appears full of potential like a mirage on the horizon, here is a multiple choice quiz that combines the serious and the whimsical. 1. If I could only have one – for the…
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2014 Astros: Time to move forward, at a faster pace
Okay, so the season’s over (for Houston) with a 19-game improvement. The Astros have a new manager, so that question has now been answered. Jim Crane seems to believe he’ll have a new TV deal in place by opening day. And, Jeff Luhnow can now turn his full attention to giving A.J. Hinch a winning…
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2014 Astros: The minor league review
This is going to be a review of the Astros’ 2014 minor league performance, highlights and lowlights. Folks like old pro can throw in their more detailed 2 cents into the mix on these reviews. The review will not include rookie ball or Dominican league players. Class AAA – OKC Redhawks Preseason review – https://chipalatta.com/2014/04/03/okc-redhawks-preview-players-on-the-cusp-or-hanging-by-a-thread/ Well, we…
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2014 Astros: The View from 10,000 Feet
Well, there’s more wins in the win column. The 2014 Astros finished the season with 70 wins, the American League batting champion, a guy in the top six in ERA and another pitcher who might be even better. Houston’s top slugger was one of the best power hitters in baseball. And the hometown nine had…
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Weigh in: Astros have their man(ager) in A.J. Hinch
UPDATE: Astros officially and formally name A.J. Hinch as their new manager. Apparently the Astros were well along in their decision-making process when they interviewed internal candidates Tom Lawless, Pat Listach and Tony DeFrancesco on Saturday, continuing to piece together the puzzle for the future. Word is spreading that the Astros will hire A.J. Hinch…
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FREE blog weekend: This Friday, it isn’t totally free
Fridays are always free on the blog, but this Friday is the last Friday of the regular season. As a result, the cost of admission for today’s Free Blog Weekend is a required answer to the questions before venturing off onto other topics. The discussions this season have been frenzied, varied and even contentious at…
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2014 Astros: Things that make you scratch your head
There have been many peculiar things about the 2014 baseball season. And all of those odd things haven’t happened just in Houston, though the Astros have had their share. When you step back and look at the season that winds up this Sunday, there are just a few things that make me scratch my head. Okay,…
ALL THINGS ASTROS 