According to Blogger, this is the 11,000th post on Astros County. What are we even doing with our lives?
Hear's what ewe knead too no:
*The Astros, Orioles, and Royals still appear to be the strongest suitors for pitcher Yovani Gallardo.
*And if the Astros aren't interested in giving a draft pick to the Rangers should they sign Gallardo, Buster Olney says that free agent pitcher Doug Fister has received multiple 1-2-year offers.
Fister had a down year in 2015, ultimately losing his starting job in the Nationals' rotation and only striking out five batters per nine innings to go along with a career high in ERA/FIP/xFIP. I could see a scenario in which the Astros sign Fister to a short-term deal and let Brent Strom take a crack at him to see if Fister can regain his prior form.
*Morgan Ensberg is the perfect mindset coach. Ensberg:
I've always been a guy that has had empathy for the players and managers, and I realize that obviously so much data-driven information is being used, and so we're putting players in situations that they don't feel comfortable. Baseball is so hard, and to ask a player to do something that's even more difficult than what they're used to adds even another level of anxiety. I'm there to kind of mentor them and be there for them as they go through these scary times.
*Billy Wagner isn't getting any love.
*...but purging a gaggle of old-timers from the voting ranks of the BBWAA just might help.
*Got $100,000 laying around? Have dinner with an Astro and spouse, ten of your favorite people (who better each be kicking in $10,000), and meet James Taylor.
*Instead of buying championship rings, the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League bought a clubhouse dog.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
