When you look at the state of MLB in recent years, it’s hard not to tip your hat to the Astros organization for building its core. Through the draft and international free agents, a huge pool of talent has formed in Houston and the club keeps winning.
And they survived the losses of Carlos Correa, George Springer and Zack Greinke. It’s really nothing.
Admittedly, Justin Verlander also left this winter, but there is so much talent in Houston that it does not seem dramatic.
That said, the club now wants to make sure it retains its core for the long term. In fact, according to Dana Brown (the team’s new GM) yesterday, the Astros want to make sure Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve retire in Houston and nowhere else.
He talked about it with Scott Boras, the agent of the two players, and he would like it to happen sooner or later.
In fact, the Astros have not been fond of signing their players for contract extensions in recent years, but obviously the new GM wants to change the way the house does things. Not surprising coming from a guy who learned under Alex Anthopoulos in Atlanta in the past few years.
Still, Altuve and Bregman aren’t the only two players Brown intends to keep in town for the long term. He also claimed that he has started testing the waters with Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez’s agents in connection with a potential contract extension.
And remember that recently, the Astros signed Cristian Javier to a five-year pact. Clearly, the new CEO is not idle following his arrival in office.
Clearly, then, the Astros appear to be at the top of the league to stay there. The owner seems to have the wherewithal to match his ambitions and his new GM seems willing to negotiate for long-term contract extensions with the big chunks of the core.
Did I ever tell you that the Astros are a role model for other organizations to follow?
- Gerrit Cole has to limit long balls.
- David Ortiz loves the treatment he got from Red Sox fans.
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