Tag: Houston Astros

The bracket of 64 teams is set. Let’s admire it: As you can see, Friday’s vote in the Gasbags didn’t result in a single surprise. It was the least dramatic round of voting yet. Good fare for the Senators, Fightin Phils, Braves, Aviators, Cubs, Missions, Threshers, Redbirds, Clippers, Braves (again), Bandits, Dodgers and Baysox. The closest match was between Emeralds No. 16 and Blue Rocks No. 17, which was determined by a margin of 53.8-46.2 percent. But, before we looked forward, a quick shout out to the defeated Blue Rocks.…

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Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling no longer dominate the annual conversation around Hall of Fame voting, having collectively fallen off the ballot in their final years of eligibility. But that doesn’t mean everything is suddenly straightforward, especially with this year’s addition of Carlos Beltrán, so inexorably tied to the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Meanwhile, with those big names gone, candidates like Scott Rolen, Andruw Jones, and Billy Wagner could see the gains made in recent years accelerate. We asked some of The Athletic’s writers who vote for…

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Hey! I know you’re about to join your friends and loved ones to sing a Champagne-drenched chorus of “Auld Lang Syne.” But first, did you know that the definition of Auld Lang Syne has something to do with “fondly remembering old times”? No kidding. So here’s an idea. Let’s all fondly remember the Strange But True baseball season of 2022. In which … A guy taking his first swing in the big leagues hit a foul ball to his mother. … And another guy got called up and then debuted before he…

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MLB teams have already spent more than $2.5 billion on free agents, but some clubs are just getting started. Nineteen of the top 25 free agents from my original ranking in early November have signed, but the new top 25 of remaining free agents will likely receive another billion dollars in this hot market. Two of the elite free-agent shortstops have signed, but Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson are still on the board. Two of the top-tier starting pitchers have inked new deals, but Carlos Rodón is still available. Where will…

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Happy week before the Winter Meetings! It’s been a slow free-agent signing season so far, with only six players from my top 25 list off the board. José Abreu and Tyler Anderson landed three-year deals with the Astros and Angels, respectively, while Edwin Díaz, Anthony Rizzo, Clayton Kershaw and Martín Pérez (accepted the qualifying offer) re-signed with their teams. Now, as people around baseball pack their bags and get ready to fly to San Diego for the meetings, we’re all eagerly waiting for the next free-agent shoe to drop, which…

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MLB’s annual general manager meetings are underway in Las Vegas and hot stove season has already begun before the start of free agency. The Mets were first out of the gate, agreeing to a record five-year, $102 million deal with closer Edwin Díaz, who opted against testing the market. All eligible free agents will be able to sign with teams on Thursday. (Here is my ranking of the top 25 free agents with contract predictions and best team fits.) In the meantime, presidents and GMs will meet over the next…

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