The deadline to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players was Monday night, and the Astros decided not to offer SP Aaron Sanchez a contract for 2020. Ol' Hurt Shoulder Sanchez is now a free agent. Related, the Astros and RP Joe Biagini agreed on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration. Biagini and Sanchez were acquired in July from Toronto (as well as Cal Stevenson) for Derek Fisher.
There are now eight arbitration-eligible Astros still on the 40-Man Roster (with MLBTR's arbitration projections in parentheses)
Carlos Correa ($7.4m)
Aledmys Diaz ($2.4m)
Chris Devenski ($2m - club option for $2.825m)
Jake Marisnick ($3m)
Lance McCullers ($4.1m)
Roberto Osuna ($10.2m)
Brad Peacock ($4.6m)
George Springer ($21.4m)
Add that up...carry the one...and that's a projected total of $55.1m in arbitration salaries. Richard Justice writes that Springer should never play a game in another uniform.
*Will Leitch predicts Alex Bregman will be the Astros' best player in 2020.
*Catcher James McCann agreed to a deal with the White Sox, and Jake Kaplan maintains (and I agree) that bringing back Robinson Chirinos makes the most sense for the Astros behind the plate.
*Still not ready for this, but McTaggart wrote up the Astros' 10 best games of the decade.
*The Yankees are meeting with Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg, both clients of the Hallelujah Boras, Reminder that the Winter Meetings begin next Monday. Here is the need-to-know regarding the 2019 Winter Meetings.
*Former Astros Great Domingo Santana was non-tendered by the Mariners. Former Astros Great James Hoyt was non-tendered by Cleveland. Chicago's Addison Russell was non-tendered.
*The Rangers are probably going to sign Anthony Rendon. The only possible adjective for Anthony Rendon is "swashbuckling." They may also sign Zack Wheeler. Rangers are clearly tired of 4th-place trophies.
*MLB's five best free agent bargains.
*Astroline returns tomorrow night.
*A Bike Ride Through the Garden of Good and Evil.
*The Story Behind Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night."
*Ponzi Schemes, Private Yachts, and a Missing $250m in Crypto: The Strange Tale of Quadriga.
*A Musical Selection:
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith