*The Astros are looking at viable lefty relief options in what basically amounts to an open tryout for that spot, which Hinch admitted they might not even bring one along for the Great Adventure of 2018. Could be Tony Sipp, Buddy Boshers, Anthony Gose, and Reymin Guduan. Hinch:
I think, going into this camp, the hope is Tony Sipp returns to form and that he has the stuff that made him a high-leverage reliever a couple of seasons ago. He has the capabilities to do that. We want to take the best team we can.
At $6m for 2018, Tony Sipp will cost the exact same amount of money as Jose Altuve.
Later in that link, Carlos Correa talks about what the Astros can build:
We don't want to be just a team people are going to remember for one year. We want to be able to build a dynasty and be able to win two, three years in a row if we can do that. We have the team to do it. It's just on us to put in the work and do what we need to do to win again.
*McCann:
We're as strong as it gets top to bottom. A lot of these guys came up together and...it's a big reason for our success. Everyone's pulling in the same direction and everyone knows how special this group is and we want to make the most of it.
*Bovada is giving the Astros' O/U a 96.5, 12 games better than the Angels.
*Would Dallas Keuchel shave his beard?
*Riley Ferrell grew up an Astros fan and talks about getting invited to Camp.
*The new Bob Watson Educational Center will be a part of the Astros Youth Academy complex.
*Here's a cool report from the Miami Herald about Miami-Dade County suing the ever-classy Jeffrey Loria over the sale of the team to a group PR'd by De2ek Je2er.
Meanwhile Real G and Former Astros Great Dan Straily is happy that his whiny-ass teammates Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich are gone.
*The Rangers are reloading their rotation with the likes of Bartolo Colon and Edinson Volquez, who won't pitch in 2018.
*True Heroes Jon Heyman and Buster Olney got into it about who broke Eduardo Nunez's Red Sox deal first.
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— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) February 16, 2018
