I hope everyone's done being all Thankful and crap, and has caught a full-blown case of materialism. That's what makes this country work.
Random 2017 Astros fact
Via MLBTR, here are the projected arbitration numbers for the Astros:
-Keuchel: $12.6m
-Springer: $8.9m
-Gattis: $6.6m
-Fiers: $5.7m
-Giles: $5.0m
-McHugh: $4.8m
-Peacock: $2.9m
-McCullers: $2.6m
Fiers looks, to me, like a non-tender candidate. The deadline to offer a contract to arbitration-eligible players is Friday.
*Anthony Castrovince proposes a Joe Musgrove-for-Zach Britton trade with Baltimore. I propose never doing anything with Baltimore other than beating the piss out of them.
*Want some bullpen help? The Rays look like they're going to trade arbitration-eligible closer Alex Colome. Colome broke out in 2016 with a 1.91 ERA (2.92 FIP) and striking out 11.28 batters per nine innings. He came back to earth in 2017 (3.24 ERA / 3.37 FIP, 7.83 K/9) but is projected to make about $6m in arbitration this year.
*Whoa hey the Rangers signed Doug Fister.
*Today is the last day for 25% off the entire store and free shipping at $50 from BreakingT.
*Buster Olney writes that players like Scott Rolen have become collateral damage in the Hall of Fame's election process.
*The University of Tennessee remains a dumpster fire.
*From about a month ago (but I just read it yesterday): How one man's bad math helped ruin decades of English soccer.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
