add Yainer to that core.

I never hated the Arenado deal like some did - I didn't think it made a lot of sense at the time, and I wanted us to address the outfield instead - but I'm definitely on board now as long as the pieces of the deal are smart, which I think they will be.

The guy may not be a super duper star anymore, but he's a future Hall-of-Famer, and our infield would be elite. And hopefully the Astros culture, the analytic nerds, and Crawford boxes light a spark in him... He's not going to be Jose Abreu.

Plus we need some leadership in the dugout with Bregman gone. I have no clue if that's the type of player Arenado is, but here's hoping him and Walker can fill those roles.

I'd argue anything before the last 2-3 seasons is pretty meaningless in projecting forward.

Man 2-3 weeks ago people on here were telling me I was wrong for wanting Arenado… what changed?

Todd and Geoff talking about how with ABS, MLB doesn't want the strike zone box on the live broadcast. Explanation is it takes away from the suspense, and also MLB is worried about people sitting in the stands watching video giving away indications on when challenges should happen. For the latter, aren't all the broadcasts on at least a 30-45 second delay? Seems dumb to me.

tjack16 said:

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Man 2-3 weeks ago people on here were telling me I was wrong for wanting Arenado… what changed?

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Some of us, even if it is just me, still are not into getting Arenado.

Would still of course root for the best from him if the trade were to happen.

Farmer1906 said:

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I'd argue anything before the last 2-3 seasons is pretty meaningless in projecting forward.

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Even then I think his '22 season is now the outlier. He's '21, '23, '24 he's trending downward and on the strong wrong side of 30, offensively.

Only way I'd be "ok" with the trade is if his defense doesn't really fall off the next 3 years and I addition to the Cards eating a lot of his contract, Montero is a part of the trade and the Astros eat very little of Montero's contract.

I was always onboard with Arenado *at the right price*

To me, he's a wash with Bregman. Better defensively, potentially worse offensively. But it makes our infield defense elite, and it replaces a Dubon level at bat with a guy that should hit a lot better. You can use Dubon as his true role, a utility guy that fills in multiple position but not an everyday starter.

And if he's a wash with Bregman, that means he's also MUCH cheaper than Bregman and also only 3 years.

Sounds good to me.

Tie game in the Nationals game. Barber doubles, RBI ground out by Lavastida and Barber scores on a wild pitch

Lineup wise, the hope would be that:

Walker + Arenado + Parades > Big Jon + Tucker + Bregman

Hopefully 2025 Jake + 2025 Gamel/Chas > 2024 Jake + 2024 Gamel/Chas.

Arenado would provide a decent path to a better overall club than last year.

infield defense has really become important all of sudden

It just seems very very likely Chas has a bounce back year.

I would honestly be shocked if he finishes with an OPS+ south of 100.

07ag said:

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tjack16 said:

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Man 2-3 weeks ago people on here were telling me I was wrong for wanting Arenado… what changed?

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They started staring down the possibility of 1500 at bats from dubie, chas, and jake

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FIFY

AggiEE said:

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I was always onboard with Arenado *at the right price*

To me, he's a wash with Bregman. Better defensively, potentially worse offensively. But it makes our infield defense elite, and it replaces a Dubon level at bat with a guy that should hit a lot better. You can use Dubon as his true role, a utility guy that fills in multiple position but not an everyday starter.

And if he's a wash with Bregman, that means he's also MUCH cheaper than Bregman and also only 3 years.

Sounds good to me.

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Agree with all of this

I'm curious who else we could get from St. Louis in a reasonable deal that would address a need.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Martín Maldonado's 🔥 ABS Challenge.

Gets it by a seam of the baseball. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/hrOiBA2NgF

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 22, 2025

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That's going to be a robo umpire strike - barely by the seems strike. Zone is gonna feel huge.

The latest on Nolan Arenado and the Astros, with @katiejwoo -https://t.co/AjK0fLRJ8r

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 22, 2025

Arenado will be owed about $60M over the next 3 years, which equates to $20M AAV. Astros are about $5M under the CBT.

Houston would need to send around $15M or more in contracts to stay under for 2025

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) February 22, 2025

Send Montero and get $5M in relief back for this year and you're $1m under.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Arenado will be owed about $60M over the next 3 years, which equates to $20M AAV. Astros are about $5M under the CBT.

Houston would need to send around $15M or more in contracts to stay under for 2025

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) February 22, 2025

Send Montero and get $5M in relief back for this year and you're $1m under.

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Montero + Dubon for Arenado

The issue is I think one of the primary reasons (according to the Athletic earlier this week) the cardinals wanted to deal Arenado was to save money. I'm sure taking back Montero is a non-starter

It saves them money in 2026 and 2027. It also hamstrings us in 2026 and 2027 but we seem to love that idea.

The original prompt was "Give me a name I may not be thinking of."

He came up with Hernandez.

Later in pitching discussions Ullola and Brito came up.

— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) February 22, 2025

EastCoastAgNc said:

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The latest on Nolan Arenado and the Astros, with @katiejwoo -https://t.co/AjK0fLRJ8r

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 22, 2025

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Quote:

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Although the Houston Astros re-engaged in brief trade discussions with the St. Louis Cardinals regarding third baseman Nolan Arenado, multiple sources said that no deal is gaining traction, nor has Arenado's thought process changed for now about approving a trade to the Astros.

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Quote:

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The Astros circled back with the Cardinals soon after franchise cornerstone Alex Bregman agreed to a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox, according to multiple sources. One source described a discussed deal between the two teams as a "non-starter."

Another source called it a "long shot" that the Astros acquire Arenado, who blocked a trade to Houston in early December. MLB.com first reported on Saturday that the Astros had re-engaged with the Cardinals.

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