I've followed baseball most of my life and have never seen a guy's selling point be his "pitch frame." I don't doubt that catchers are important in calling pitches but I just don't think any good pitcher is going to be that negatively affected by a bad catcher or vice versa.

Pitch framing is one of baseball's newer frontiers. Castro worked heavily on the skill in spring training and improved in 2014. Conger, however, is in a different tier.

According to the website StatCorner.com, Conger has been a top-five catcher in the majors over the last two seasons at getting strike calls essentially stealing strikes on pitches that, had they been thrown to other catchers, might have been called a ball.

Most impressively, those numbers are cumulative. He played a combined 172 games the last two seasons, starting a career-high 70 games in 2014 but he outdid most every full-time catcher as a receiver.

http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2014/11/05/astros-make-trade-with-angels-for-catcher-hank-conger/#28085101=0

So what is the end-game at catcher now?

Option 1:
Start: Conger
Bench: Stassi
Trade: Castro

Option 2:
Start: Castro
Bench: Conger
AAA/Trade: Stassi

I would think that Option 1 is more likely than 2. The analytically inclined front office is probably drooling over the idea of Conger framing pitches for 120 games in a season.

could we see Castro split time between catcher, 1B and DH?

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could we see Castro split time between catcher, 1B and DH?

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I would not like to see a .220 hitter with 14 homers take up the DH spot. However, if we can't move him, this is very likely.

That was my thought.

He sucks at the dish so I don't want in the DH spot.

Since he goes through arbitration this year I would imagine after the numbers he put it would result in a ruling in favor of the club, therefore making him more enticing as trade bait.

I'd kinda like to see him get another chance. I was really high on him when we drafted him.

Castro had a bad year at the plate. I think he will be better next season and have a bounce back.

Altuve with the Silver Slugger

Tuve

Appel throws 5 scoreless only giving up 1 hit tonight

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Appel throws 5 scoreless only giving up 1 hit tonight

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Rockies are reportedly willing to deal Cargo and Tulo. Would you go after these guys, and what would you give up?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/report--rockies-willing-to-hear-offers-on-troy-tulowitzki-and-carlos-gonzalez-024426759.html

Panda looking for a 6 year deal.... So much for that pipe dream

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Panda looking for a 6 year deal.... So much for that pipe dream

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Well then let's sign him for 6!

But in all seriousness, we never really had a shot

I'm betting he signs back with SF for 5/75 or something like that. We don't have 15+ mil/yr for one player in the budget right now.

I bet he ends up staying in San Fran. But I bet there is a bigger offer out there.

Give me Headley or trade for Donaldson.

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Give me Headley or trade for Donaldson.

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bro, we got Conger. Offseason moves are over

No way. I'm expecting a busy offseason. I'd say 3 more trades

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Give me Headley or trade for Donaldson.

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If we only have $20 mil to spend this offseason, don't you think it's highly unlikely we'll even pursue Headley? I'm guessing he's going to command at least $12 mil/yr.

I think we'll spend nearly half our offseason budget just in the bullpen. Then we need at least one bat and SP. too many needs to chase the big guys, unless Crane ponies up.

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Give me Headley or trade for Donaldson.

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If we only have $20 mil to spend this offseason, don't you think it's highly unlikely we'll even pursue Headley? I'm guessing he's going to command at least $12 mil/yr.

I think we'll spend nearly half our offseason budget just in the bullpen. Then we need at least one bat and SP. too many needs to chase the big guys, unless Crane ponies up.

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I'm really hoping that he makes the pitching moves, and then has the opportunity to get a stud, and just says **** it and locks someone down for 6 years

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Give me Headley or trade for Donaldson.

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If we only have $20 mil to spend this offseason, don't you think it's highly unlikely we'll even pursue Headley? I'm guessing he's going to command at least $12 mil/yr.

I think we'll spend nearly half our offseason budget just in the bullpen. Then we need at least one bat and SP. too many needs to chase the big guys, unless Crane ponies up.

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I'm really hoping that he makes the pitching moves, and then has the opportunity to get a stud, and just says **** it and locks someone down for 6 years

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Im pretty sure Barry zito is a free agent and looking for 6 years.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/11/09/alex-rodriguez-future-more-uncertain-than-ever/7dtktuA39L6E0Zgiwl8ZEL/story.html

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6. Jason Castro, C, Astros With the Astros obtaining Hank Conger from the Angels, the feeling is they will listen to trade offers on Castro. The former Red Sox draft pick and Stanford star is only 27. He hit .222 this past season but had 14 homers and knocked in 56 runs as a lefthanded bat, which is something the Red Sox might be looking for at catcher.

7. Michael Cuddyer, OF/1B, free agent Could Cuddyer be the first player to take a qualifying offer? The Rockies have made the offer and the 35-year-old Cuddyer probably can't get a $15 million-per-year deal anywhere. He will be a sought-after righthanded hitter, a proven veteran who could help a contender like the Yankees or an up-and-coming team like the Mets, Cubs, or Astros.

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Stros inquired about Hanley Ramirez

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Ramirez could make sense for the Astros, who project to have less than $40MM committed for 2015 even after paying their arbitration eligible players. Correa, Moran, and Ruiz have a 2016 estimated time of arrival, but not all prospects pan out on a schedule, and Ramirez recently expressed a willingness to play "wherever there's a need," according to Heyman. The Astros' first-round draft pick is protected, so they would have to forfeit the competitive balance round pick they acquired from the Marlins in the summer trade that netted them Moran if they were to sign Ramirez.

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Not sure how I feel about this one.

I think it's more kicking the tires than anything else. Luhnow just monitoring the market.

Nope

I'd like him for the right price. Him staying healthy is the problem If he does stay healthy. I think he's still a .300, 25 homer, 20 stolen base kinda guy.

If we somehow ended up with one of Ramirez or Hadley I'd be super pumped.

From mlbbtraderumors:

In a second piece from Drellich, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow explained that he wants to give Jon Singleton and Matt Dominguez a chance to make next year's team, but both players will have to earn their spots, as both have minor league options remaining. Adding an insurance policy that is capable of handling both infield corners would be "advantageous," Luhnow said. Drellich notes that at shortstop, the team will also look for an upgrade, but perhaps only a stopgap with Carlos Correa rising through the system. In general, said the Astros will target infielders on one- or two-year deals, as Correa, Colin Moran and Rio Ruiz can't be counted on to impact the big league club in 2015. In last month's Offseason Outlook for the Astros, I speculated that they'd be a fit for Drew for that very reason.

We may be seeing Appel and Correa sooner than expected

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Astros general manager Jeff Lunhow said Tuesday shortstop prospect Carlos Correa and starting pitcher prospect Mark Appel are talented enough to skip Triple-A, according to the Houston Chronicle. However, it's not a given they will bypass Triple-A before reaching the majors.

Appel finished his first full season in the minors in Double-A last season. Correa finished his first full season in high Class A.

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We may be seeing Appel and Correa sooner than expected

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Astros general manager Jeff Lunhow said Tuesday shortstop prospect Carlos Correa and starting pitcher prospect Mark Appel are talented enough to skip Triple-A, according to the Houston Chronicle. However, it's not a given they will bypass Triple-A before reaching the majors.

Appel finished his first full season in the minors in Double-A last season. Correa finished his first full season in high Class A.

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There's no rush.

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We may be seeing Appel and Correa sooner than expected

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Astros general manager Jeff Lunhow said Tuesday shortstop prospect Carlos Correa and starting pitcher prospect Mark Appel are talented enough to skip Triple-A, according to the Houston Chronicle. However, it's not a given they will bypass Triple-A before reaching the majors.

Appel finished his first full season in the minors in Double-A last season. Correa finished his first full season in high Class A.

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There's no rush.

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This.

The last thing we need to do is rush these guys up like we did with J.D Martinez and Jordan Lyles. We are counting on these guys being foundation players for us for years to come. Don't jeopardize that by calling them up a year or so before they are ready

We knew this was coming, but looks like we're trying to move a catcher, preferably Corporan

Jason Castro's name has drawn some attention as a trade target since the Astros acquired Hank Conger, but while Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle feels the 'Stros would listen on Castros, he's told that Carlos Corporan is the catcher they'd prefer to move (Twitter link).