*The Astros saved $48m by not re-signing Scott Kazmir, instead allowing the Dodgers to take that particular plunge.
Look, I know Scott Kazmir is actually a very good pitcher, but the Astros really needed him to continue to be very good down the stretch in 2015. He was many times Not Good down the stretch in 2015, and because I am aware of my own irrationality, I am okay with the Astros letting him walk.
Evan Drellich notes in the above link that the Astros have plenty of SP5 options, but:
...contending teams are taking a risk with an open-ended back of the rotation, and right now, that's what the Astros are looking at. One injury is a scary proposition.
And that's true, I suppose. But for how many teams is it *not* true?
*Here's a great story on 33rd Round pick Tyler White, and how Sig Mejdal asked Carolinas/Virginia scout Tim Bittner to take a closer look at him.
*And that's pretty much it for today, except for this:
Holy Hannah, 2015 was a great year. Coming in with virtually no expectations of the baseball season, it turned out differently than just about all of us could have expected. From starting out 18-7 to hanging on to the Wild Card, Dallas Keuchel's dominating year, Carlos Correa's arrival, Lance McCullers' arrival, beating the Yankees in the Wild Card game, and the subsequent insanity of the Royals series, this was the most fun I've had as a baseball fan in ten years.
That is largely owed to you, dear readers. There are, like, 20 of you, but we care for all of you deeply. Y'all give us an outlet to write about the Astros, and for that I am grateful. 2015 was great, here's hoping 2016 is better.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
