I'm always depressed the day after the World Series, because it means that it's five months of hellish, unbearable winter (although this is my first winter in the South after three of them in NY - so maybe I'm overstating) until baseball begins again.
The expanded coverage on the Hot Stove makes it easier to pass the time, and of course we'll be continuing our look at every Astros' minor-leaguer over the next couple of months.
Today is a day for Yankees fans to assert their douchebaggery (seriously, last night I was drafting a congratulatory email to some Yankees fan friends of mine. And then Hal Steinbrenner said, "It's been a while." And I broke out a four-inch long middle finger, with the knuckle shining in the lamplight. And deleted that email.). Okay, there are actually quite a small number of douchebags - but more than one douchenozzle - among the Yankees faithful. Sincerely: congratulations.
Anyhow, today is an important day for free agents of all 30 teams, today marks the beginning of the 15-day free agent filing period. From now until November 20 all free agents file with MLB, and teams have exclusive negotiating rights.
What can we expect from this year's free-agent class?
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti:
"This class to me doesn't have that type of allure to it. It's a thin market in my mind."
The Astros had $31.75 million wrapped up in players who are now free agents in:
Miguel Tejada ($15m)
Jose Valverde ($8m)
LaTroy Hawkins ($3.5m)
Mike Hampton ($2m)
Darin Erstad ($1.75m)
Aaron Boone ($750K)
Jason Michaels ($750K)
Follow Astros County for all your rumors, news, and analysis this off-season
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
