In the least surprising news of the off-season, the Astros won't be huge players in the free agent market, which opens Friday.
Luhnow:
"...By and large … I feel pretty good that even if we don’t go out and sign
free agents, we have a team that’s going to be better next year.”
Noted in the linked article is that the only real decision the Astros have to make (which isn't much of a decision) is whether or not to buy out Chris Snyder.
There's a mutual option for $4m for 2013, but the Astros can buy him out for $500,000. Snyder, who "hit" .176/.295/.308 in 76 games for the Astros in 2012 for an OPS+ of 65. Only the Padres' Nick Hundley had a worse batting average among catchers with at least 200 PAs. And $4m isn't a good number for a player with -0.2 WAR. Obviously.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
