Monday Morning Hot Links

Position players officially report today.

*A.J. Hinch gave the Astros pitchers and catchers a short workout day, and they pretty much took him up on it. Except for Ken Giles, who has apparently added muscle mass in an effort to build stamina for what is hopefully a long season:
I don't take light days. That's the thing with me. I don't like taking short break days. I always go out there with a mindset of getting something done. I set a goal for myself and I'm going to do it. 

*Lance McCullers' most recent bullpen featured some tutorials with Justin Verlander. Verlander:
Spring training time, it's a time to have new ideas, tweak things. I'm trying to see some opportunities that I can help or impart some wisdom of a guy that's been around for a little while. Trying new things, hearing different opinions, that's how you get better. 

*Verlander is relishing his role as mentor before he goes out and throws 31 Quality Starts in 2018.

*Brad Peacock is pretty pumped about his "unlimited" role in 2018. Peacock reflected on his personal World Series run (four appearances, 7.1IP, 4H/2ER, 8K:3BB) and how he was able to keep his emotions in check:
I felt fine. It's what you've been working for your entire life. It's what you dream about since you were a little kid. You've got to be ready for it. I just felt ready, I felt calm. 

*You won't be able to get this Jose Altuve Funko Pop! figurine in stores until May.

*The Astros' Spring Training site buddy Washington Nationals, who have posted four 95+ win seasons in their last six and have not yet won a playoff series (they've lost in G5 of the NLDS in three of those four seasons), are a little salty about seeing the World Series Champion Houston Astros sign on the entrance to Spring Training. One Nationals player:
We should've been the team playing the Astros in that Series. 

*Something weird happened at FanGraphs as they're now projecting the Astros to go 89-73, ten games behind the Yankees for the best record in baseball.

*The Angels signed Chris Young to come off the bench and probably hit 100 home runs off of the Astros. The dude has a career .746 OPS but has hit .318/.378/.577 against Houston, .380/.417/.727 at Minute Maid Park. This is not a joke. They also signed Chris Carter to a minor-league deal.

*FanRag's Jon Bernhardt talks about the various Spring Training tropes.

*Congratulations to the New York Yankees, 2018 Pre-Season BP Champions.

*Teams are beginning to use sleep study data to push back workout times to later in the day.