iBrad said:

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I'm not really of fan of the closer role and even less of the "8th inning guy." We have Hader. Fill the rest of the pen with guys that can be used as needed. Abreu is solid. His two struggles are walks and hard hits, but he makes up for that with a lot of whiffs and strikeouts. Still, if you aren't going to pay the ridiculous contracts, then you have to make some shrewd trades like we did with Tucker. Just have to get used to the Astros operating that way.

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Couldn't disagree more. Especially when you have a somewhat limited offense (which the Astros will almost assuredly have this season), being able to shrink the game to 7 innings is a huge plus.

iBrad said:

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I'm not really of fan of the closer role and even less of the "8th inning guy." We have Hader. Fill the rest of the pen with guys that can be used as needed. Abreu is solid. His two struggles are walks and hard hits, but he makes up for that with a lot of whiffs and strikeouts. Still, if you aren't going to pay the ridiculous contracts, then you have to make some shrewd trades like we did with Tucker. Just have to get used to the Astros operating that way.

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Not a huge fan of ultra specialization either, but unless you are the Dodgers and can just go buy it, nobody has a bullpen full of ultra high leverage type relievers. Most teams are going to have 2-3 guys who you know you can count on to get 3-6 outs 80-90% of the time when the game is tight and late. The rest of the BP is usually filled with guys who you hope can get you a few outs and maybe a guy who occasionally can go get you 3-4 innings without giving up 3+ ER. Without Abreu, we have 1 of those high leverage guys, regardless of what title you put on him, and he spent the last weeks of last season out hurt with an unspecified arm injury.

I get it if they think Abreu is headed towards TJ and want to get value for him, but we need a quality reliever in return IMO as part of whatever trade gets put together involving him.

I like the 7-9 inning guys being set.

It would have worked well in 2024 if Pressly had performed. Abreu/Hader is great if they both stay healthy.

All you would have to do is find a solid seventh inning guy, and then hope your starters go at least 5-6 more nights than not

CharleyKerfeld said:

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Big Al 1992 said:

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Nice offseason post. On my Mount Rushmore of Astro pitchers

JR Richard, 101mph Fastball & 94mph Slider, Overlay.

Good luck. pic.twitter.com/uNPnAfI6lM

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) January 21, 2026

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The most racist vote in Cy Young history - 1979
Bruce Sutter wins it getting 37 saves for the 5th place Cubs (80-82)

Niekro finishes second above JR despite JR having a clearly superior season.

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100 IP of sub 1 WHIP is impressive for a closer, definitely reliever of the year category

Not even in the same universe as almost 300 innings of barely over 1 WHIP pitching.

ruxin98 said:

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Marvin said:

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And, and some point, the Abreu Experience will catch up to the Astros. He can't keep loading the bases and expect to escape at the rate he has. I'd rather get value now and avoid the Tums overload.

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this is a false narrative. The guy has proven year after year that he's an elite 8th inning guy and his peripherals back it up.

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Ok. 51 hits and 31 walks in 71 innings. He would not be in the Top 20 of closers with respect to allowing baserunners. I know he's not a closer, but we tend to value and view him as one.

With respect to proof, what he has proven is the ability to work out of trouble. That will eventually change, but I'm not claiming to know when. If the Astros are not going to re-sign him, sell high. That's all I'm saying.

texasaggie2015 said:

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Tuesday morning update: Astros are very active in trade talks with not only Boston but a handful of other teams as well. Mets are one.

Don't be surprised to see Jake Meyers moved. Jesus Sanchez has also drawn a decent amount of interest.

Slow day at work so if you have any questions I'll do my best to answer them.

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Myers moved to open a spot for Duran in CF? If Myers and Sanchez go whats the plan for LF? Are those two guys being traded for prospects or MLB ready players?

I like to hear there is a market..hopefully the puzzle pieces all move in a favorable way.

I prefer the flexibility of using a relief pitcher when he can have the highest impact on winning a game, but that's not how bullpens are managed anymore. For a sport as analytical as baseball, it's interesting how relief pitchers get slotted into roles that dictate usage rather than the situation itself.

The last three outs are not always the most difficult to get, but that is now a cherished stat in the sport. The whole concept of closers and saves puts an unnecessary emphasis on the final three outs and adds an element of pressure that used to not exist.

In my opinion, the save stat should be handled like the win for starters that don't go five innings. Let the official scorer decide who actually saved the game. A guy enters in the seventh with a bases loaded, no out jam and gets a K and a double play, but the guy that enters in the 9th, walks two and escapes on a hard hit ball for out three gets the save. It's a meaningless stat that adversely affects how a manager uses his bullpen and artificially inflates "closer" salaries.

With that said, losing Abreu is still a blow to the pen regardless of how he's used. I just think losing your designated 8th inning guy might improve the overall use of the pen.

Edit: Topic changed while typing. Thanks, Ketch. Carry on with the trade talk.

texasaggie2015 said:

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Tuesday morning update: Astros are very active in trade talks with not only Boston but a handful of other teams as well. Mets are one.

Don't be surprised to see Jake Meyers moved. Jesus Sanchez has also drawn a decent amount of interest.

Slow day at work so if you have any questions I'll do my best to answer them.

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It looks like the Mets have a surplus of middle infielders on their 40 with Lindor, Bichette, Polanco, Mauricio, Semien. They already traded Acuna.

What is their IF looking like?

Bichette 3b
Lindor SS
Semien 2b
Polanco 1b

They still have Vientos and Baty.

They need OF help as they have Soto and Luis Robert. Any chance they are targeting Meyers?

What would the return be? Senga (who is on the 40, but not in the rotation)? Mauricio?

I don't know who the Astros would be targeting.

texasaggie2015 said:

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Tuesday morning update: Astros are very active in trade talks with not only Boston but a handful of other teams as well. Mets are one.

Don't be surprised to see Jake Meyers moved. Jesus Sanchez has also drawn a decent amount of interest.

Slow day at work so if you have any questions I'll do my best to answer them.

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Is a potential/likely lockout impacting any personnel decisions?

Farmer1906 said:

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Agreed. That seems like a large overpay.

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Today the #Mets reportedly acquired OF Luis Robert Jr. (-$2.8M surplus trade value) from the #WhiteSox in exchange for UT Luisangel Acuña ($7.9M) and RHP Truman Pauley (not yet in system).

The deal is rejected by our model as an overpay by New York.

— Baseball Trade Values (@BaseballValues) January 21, 2026

Baty would be an ideal fit to replace Isaac if we trade him to Boston but I suspect if we have to move Abreu the bullpen will be a priority.

Mets make less sense now that they have LuBob, but I think they're also in the Belli market. Maybe Meyers is the pick if Belli doesn't happen.

It looks like we're still trying to free up money, if we're actively shopping both Sanchez(6.8M) and Meyers(3.55M) with needs in the OF still. Same with Abreu(5.85M) being mentioned in a potential deal.

MaxPower said:

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Baty would be an ideal fit to replace Isaac if we trade him to Boston but I suspect if we have to move Abreu the bullpen will be a priority.

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But we don't need a Paredes replacement. Paredes would be moved because there is a logjam.

The Yankees and Cody Bellinger have agreed to a 5-year, $162.5 million contract, a league source told The Athletic. @JeffPassan was first.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) January 21, 2026

Cody Bellinger's deal with the Yankees is for five years and $162.5 million, sources tell ESPN. There are opt-outs after the second and third season, a $20M signing bonus and a full no-trade clause.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 21, 2026

TRM said:

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The Yankees and Cody Bellinger have agreed to a 5-year, $162.5 million contract, a league source told The Athletic. @JeffPassan was first.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) January 21, 2026

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That's not actually crazy.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Cody Bellinger's deal with the Yankees is for five years and $162.5 million, sources tell ESPN. There are opt-outs after the second and third season, a $20M signing bonus and a full no-trade clause.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 21, 2026

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HAH i didn't see the riders, yeah that's a pretty bad contract.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Cody Bellinger's deal with the Yankees is for five years and $162.5 million, sources tell ESPN. There are opt-outs after the second and third season, a $20M signing bonus and a full no-trade clause.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 21, 2026

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Belli gets paid, gets money up front, gets opt outs he can use and gets a no trade.

And NYY gets what back?

Man, FA contracts are tilted to the player so badly right now. Opt outs are a killer.

Yeah I'd like to see opts out be a service time thing kinda like 10 and 5 rights.

Something where only players who have X amount of service time are eligible for.

I would like to see opt outs go both ways. Give the team one back. And if you suck one year, let the team have a chance to opt out.

Yeah. I know. That's an unguaranteed contract that would never happen. But I can hope.

Ag_07 said:

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Yeah I'd like to see opts out be a service time thing kinda like 10 and 5 rights.

Something where only players who have X amount of service time are eligible for.

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I'd like to see all opt outs have to be mutual to be allowed in a contract. If the player gets an opt out after year 2, so does the team. If we can't have a salary cap, teams not named the Dodgers have to have a way to get out from under really bad contracts where a player just gives up (like Rendon) or spends years injured and not playing (like Rendon of LMJ for that matter). If the length and value of contracts keeps getting bid upward by 2-3 top market teams, there has to be some other way for the smaller market teams to remain competitive.

Mathguy64 said:

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I would like to see opt outs go both ways. Give the team one back. And if you suck one year, let the team have a chance to opt out.

Yeah. I know. That's an unguaranteed contract that would never happen. But I can hope.

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Those exist. They're called team options.

Great minds think alike...

Farmer1906 said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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I would like to see opt outs go both ways. Give the team one back. And if you suck one year, let the team have a chance to opt out.

Yeah. I know. That's an unguaranteed contract that would never happen. But I can hope.

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Those exist. They're called team options.

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I think the key would be to make them mutual. No one sided opt outs allowed in contracts.

With all the crazy money being thrown out there, 162.5 for 5 isn't crazy. I believe 11 M per WAR is about what the free agent market has become. This means Belli needs to average like 3 WAR per season for ages 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34. He's fresh off a ~5 WAR season.

txags92 said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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I would like to see opt outs go both ways. Give the team one back. And if you suck one year, let the team have a chance to opt out.

Yeah. I know. That's an unguaranteed contract that would never happen. But I can hope.

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Those exist. They're called team options.

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I think the key would be to make them mutual. No one sided opt outs allowed in contracts.

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Those exist too. However, they're almost never picked up.

Farmer1906 said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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I would like to see opt outs go both ways. Give the team one back. And if you suck one year, let the team have a chance to opt out.

Yeah. I know. That's an unguaranteed contract that would never happen. But I can hope.

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Those exist. They're called team options.

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Those exist at the end of the contract. I'm saying "mid contract".