I, like you, am very sad about the passing of Craig Sager.
*Beyond the Box Score says that the Astros' 2017 depends on the health and effectiveness of Dallas Keuchel.
*And hey, whaddayaknow, Dallas Keuchel will begin his offseason throwing program after Christmas, and is confident that his shoulder troubles are behind him:
Coming out of spring training it wasn't feeling good, but I'm not one to say anything until I possibly can't throw the baseball anymore. And until that point (in late August), I could throw. After that, I couldn't. Like I couldn't help the team at all, and I knew there was a problem so (we shut it down).
*Speaking of the rotation, A.J. Hinch reconfirmed that the Astros are going to give Chris Devenski a look at a rotation spot in Spring Training.
*Jon Bernhardt asks if the Astros have done enough to take the AL West.
*Carlos Beltran is leading a group that includes Altuve and Correa to promote baseball in Puerto Rico and to remember the contributions of Roberto Clemente.
*The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy wonders if it's time for the BBWAA to stop considering steroids in their HOF voting. Shaughnessy voted for Griffey, Raines, Schilling, and Trammell in 2016.
*And while we're at it, Jeff Bagwell is on 42 of 47 known ballots (89%), but has still only picked up two new votes so far.
*Bartolo Colon. Jazzercise.
*Here is your very early Top 50 2017 Draft prospect list.
*This is something we will discuss on Lima Time Time, but here are my five favorite albums of 2016:
*Cardinal - Pinegrove
*Dolls of Highland - Kyle Craft
*Coloring Book - Chance the Rapper
*Never Enough - Public Access TV
*Teens of Denial - Car Seat Headrest
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
