Astros, Josh Hader agree to 5 year, $95 million contract

The Astros now have over $20M available before anything else besides a 32% premium for being over CBT will occur.

They can identify anyone outside of the top few remaining FA and pay him to strengthen and deepen this roster.

 

Nook in the off season thread didn't mention him but apparently they reached out to Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall, and JD Martinez. Watch it be Martinez. Both Hader and Martinez returning to the organization.

Speaking of can $20 million get 1 of Duvall, Soler, or Martinez? Too much or not enough?

 

And yet the individual performance of the player is the most unmolested of any sport. If a NFL running back can't run effectively, he can blame his O-line, if a hitter can't hit, it's entirely on him.

It's both the most individualist AND team-based sport of all the big 4.

 

How does that work? Does the 20m get taxed at 32% as well?

 

The 1st about $1.5M woukd be "taxed" at 20%

The rest of the AAV until the total team CBT payroll gets to $277M is "taxed" at 32%

A $15M contract would cost about $19.6M

 

Do not want Belli. He’s asking for 200m, hence why he remains unsigned. Plus his public statements on the Astros…no thanks.

 

Or they can hold and retain some payroll flexibility to address inevitable in-season needs. If the Astros had spent to capacity last offseason as many people wanted, there'd have been no opportunity to get JV once they discovered that 3 of their SPs were out for the season.

 

That is certainly true and a smart strategy.

Personally I think the best version of this team rests Jose Abreu 1 game per week and sits Jake Meyers vs at least 50% of RH starters.

In order to do that, somebody needs to step up or be brought in.

Other than 2-3 unproven bullpen arms taking a step-up and earning spots as productive relievers I think this team is set.

 

Has the signing been made official? I know everyone from Crane to Brown to the players has talked about it but no comments by Hader yet. Do they plan on having a player introduction press conference? Are they just waiting for fan fest to end? Would have been cool if Hader was a surprise guest.

 

Immaculate…. My IPhone autocorrects and I often don’t catch it.

 

I get this line of thinking, but I don't think you're really going to find many top-tier players that people think of as big upgrades willing to come to a team as a FA to play half the games against RH starters. Short-term FA deals are generally players taking prove-it deals to get a bigger deal the next year - and that requires lots of playing time (see Cody Bellinger). The roles you mention are ideal for random bench players - and it's an opportunity to bring up cheap/young players and see what they've got. The team already got a huge offensive boost from last year with Diaz moving to an everyday role and Chas likely getting more PT so I don't think there's an urgency to spend on that role. Let Jake have it and see what happens with a defensive CF as your #9 hitter - if he struggles, you've got a competent backup who ended last season on an amazing multi-month run, and then you've got time to make trades for an expiring contract bench role player if needed.

 

lol the overratedness of Chas continues. Astros still need another bat.

 

Chas McCormick is not overrated and one of the better center fielders in Major League Baseball. He had an .842 OPS last season in 113 games. In three months (April, June and August), he posted an OPS better than .800. In July, his OPS was over 1.100. In September, he had a .739 OPS. His one bad month was May where he posted a .552 OPS.

 

He actually has a noodle arm and didn’t Dana Brown state Chas wouldn’t even be playing CF? LOL

 

Yes, McCormick has a poor arm. That doesn’t make him overrated. He had the third-highest OPS among centerfielders with at least 400 at bats in 2023. He had the fifth-highest OPS among left fielders with at least 400 at bats in 2023. Among all hitters with at least 400 at bats in 2023, McCormick had the 33th highest OPS in Major League Baseball.

Despite his poor arm, McCormick is not a liability defensively. He makes the routine plays and has made plenty of nice catches when given the opportunity to play. I will agree that playing him in LF at Minute Maid Park with his arm does make sense, though.

 

Regardless of what you think of him, his taking most of Julks' at-bats from last year is an upgrade.

 

Jake Meyers has an equally noodle arm. Meyers is faster and has more range than Chas but his situational awareness is much worse imo (bad jumps, throwing to wrong bases, etc.). They both have their strengths and weaknesses defensively. About equal at CF in my eyes.