They're not moving towards him. They're still in discussions about a lot of different players and he's one of them

There's a lot of reporting about Polanco. Is this imminent, or is it a strategy to try and send a message to Alex that if he wants to come back, he should accept the offer soon, or we'll sign Jorge?

Polanco + Grichuk > Bregman ?

Feels like the better move, less years, cheaper, more versatility

Ag4life80 said:

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I vote Grichuk. Bregman has already been overpaid the last 2 years.

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Based on WAR? He has not.

Why do I think Alex Bregman will come back to the #Astros?

Let’s check our notes:

Houston’s 6/$156M offer is still the largest known offer in both years and dollars #RedSox only wanted short term (3 yrs max) and deferred $$, Devers refusal to move from 3B and push Bregman to…

— Patrick Creighton (@PCreighton1) January 27, 2025

I think this is accurate. Boras/Bregman are bluffing. Who blinks first?

Don't usually care for DuBose but this is an interesting take.

Today's intel is obviously more mixed, but I still think Bregman ends up coming back.

IMO, it's pretty clear that the national guys who are optimistic (Nightengale, Rosenthal, Heyman) are being fed intel from Camp Boras, and the locals who are pessimistic are getting info from…

— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) January 27, 2025

I think the reports on Jorge are a shot across the bow that his second chance is about to go poof

Farmer1906 said:

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Why do I think Alex Bregman will come back to the #Astros?

Let’s check our notes:

Houston’s 6/$156M offer is still the largest known offer in both years and dollars #RedSox only wanted short term (3 yrs max) and deferred $$, Devers refusal to move from 3B and push Bregman to…

— Patrick Creighton (@PCreighton1) January 27, 2025

I think this is accurate. Boras/Bregman are bluffing. Who blinks first?

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Yeah, if this is accurate, then I don't see what's taking them so long to come back to Houston. Unless he has just made up his mind that he really wants to leave and go somewhere else… which I don't think he has

Could be. Unfortunately for Alex, his agent is Boras, and his ego won't allow him to not be in the driver's seat. It would take Alex telling Scott to get the deal done now.

On another topic, do we have any guys in Sugar Land (other than Whitley) who could contribute to the bullpen this year?

4 year -100 million

If you are an AllStar or top 10 mvp, a 30 million per year vests in year 5 and again in year 6 if a second time

AJ would be my pick. He's a starter but his pitch mix might be better for a RP.

So basically the Astros want him back and we'll make it work with him but they're sticking to the latest offer and it basically stands until he's signed elsewhere. It's their best and final.

But it's the only long term offer he has and Alex/Boras are getting greedy because they've misplayed this so badly. He has no leverage.

And real big tin foil hat take...Dana leaked just the 6/156 offer but we do have it on good authority that he bumped it up from there. But he hasn't leaked that so that Bregs can accept it and it doesn't look like he and Boras fck up all that bad.

Well the "good" thing about all the big free agents being gone and Crane only being willing to go over for Bregman is we have no pressure. Doesn't seem there's any other move we would make so waiting it out costs us nothing.

GigEmMortis said:

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SpaceCityAg05 said:

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I have been operating under the idea that it is Bregman or bust in the sense that Crane won't go into the tax unless it is for him.

But adding Polanco and Verdugo would be not only be significantly cheaper but would improve the roster much more.

2B Altuve R
3B Paredes R
DH Alvarez L
1B Walker R
LF Polanco S
C Diaz R
RF Verdugo L
CF McCormick R
SS Pena R

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Yep, this is the way

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I'd be way excited about this….

texasaggie2015 said:

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MosesHallRAB04 said:

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I really don't get the Altuve to LF talk. Hes got a noodle arm. Between him and Meyers guys would take extra bases all the time.

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What if I told you he's taken reps at first base recently lol

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Not a crazy idea, imo. Worked out well for Yuli, and he hadn't played a single inning of 1b until in the big leagues.

Altuve at first makes more sense than in left, to me. Just, what about Christan Walker then

Not saying they're wanting to make him an every day first baseman. Just seeing what their options could be down the road

E said:

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MosesHallRAB04 said:

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I really don't get the Altuve to LF talk. Hes got a noodle arm. Between him and Meyers guys would take extra bases all the time.

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I don't like the Altuve to LF talk… the more I hear it the more I dislike it

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He sucks at 2B and his arm is terrible there too (btw, 2B makes more throws a game than LF). I'd be more worried about moving a player off a position he's actually good at.