*Random Astros fact:
AL West guaranteed contracts for 2019, not including arbitration or options (all numbers via Baseball-Reference):
Angels: 5 ($104.1m)
Mariners: 4 ($69.3m)
Rangers: 3 ($68.7m)
Astros: 3 ($43.9m)
Oakland: 0 ($0)
*The Astros will each receive about $438,000 for winning the World Series - an MLB record.
*SportsTalk 790 will re-broadcast Games 5 and 7 starting at 6am tomorrow.
*Just catching up, because this actually happened on Monday afternoon (and I forgot to take my computer on our quick trip): the Astros traded outfielder Ramon Laureano to the A's for RHP Brandon Bailey. Laureano put up impressive numbers between Lancaster and Corpus in 2016:
-Lancaster (357 PAs): .317/.426/.519
-Corpus (148 PAs): .323/.432/.538
But in his 2017 follow-up in Corpus, Laureano struggled, hitting .227/.298/.369 in his Age-22 season. The Astros had to either trade him, put him on the 40-Man roster, or expose him to the Rule 5 draft, so the Astros went with the option that guaranteed a return.
Brandon Bailey, a 5'10" 175lb RHP, was the A's 6th Round pick in the 2016 draft out of Gonzaga. Between the Midwest League (57IP) and the hitter-friendly California League (34IP) Bailey threw 91IP, 68H/33ER, 120K:31BB.
OaklandClubhouse says of Bailey:
Bailey has swing-and-miss stuff dating back to college and he has a starter's repertoire. He has a four-seam fastball, a four-seam changeup, a spike curveball and a slider. Bailey was also working on a cut-fastball late last season.
The Astros added Cionel Perez and Dean Deetz to the 40-Man roster, which is now full.
*Late last night I wrote up some thoughts on Joe Morgan and the Baseball Hall of Fame
*Y'all know I pimped the mess out of some t-shirts that I had a hand in helping design. Starting tomorrow (Thursday) through Monday, BreakingT is offering a Black Friday sale in which you get:
-25% off the entire store
-Free shipping at $50
So click this link and check out the Houston collection. Get your friends and family some *actually affordable* shirts you can't get at Academy.
*MLB debuted the 2017 Astros documentary last night to a packed house that included Jeff Luhnow and A.J. Hinch.
*ESPN will show the Astros' season opener at Arlington at 2:30pm on Thursday, March 29 as well as the Astros' home opener against Baltimore on Monday, April 2.
*Mark Appel was designated for assignment by the Phillies.
*Jonah Keri wrote up the 2017 Offseason Power Rankings, and here's how it shakes out for the AL West:
Houston: 1
Anaheim: 13
Seattle: 16
Arlington: 17
Oakland: 22
*You can watch the 5-minute SportsCenter piece on George Springer overcoming his stutter. And you can watch the 45-minute Jose Altuve documentary "Big Dreams."
*Rosenthal: Prominent Asian-Americans are troubled by Gurriel's delayed suspension.
*So I guess Kevin Comer was signed by the Tigers.
*The Braves got absolutely hammered.
*SportsNet's Jeff Blair might *only* vote for Bonds and Clemens this year.
*Meet the guy who built a homemade rocket. To launch himself into space. To prove that Earth is flat. The big yellow "RESEARCH" tag below the cockpit lets you know he's for real.
