Astros Decline Option on Chris Snyder

This hardly warrants a full-fledged post, but I haven't figured out how to feature Fanshots on the front page of the new layout yet.

According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, the Astros declined catcher Chris Snyder's $4 million option, opting to pay only $500K to free him from his indentures.

On the surface, it goes without saying that his .176/.295/.308 batting line was not good enough to justify his being approximately 75% of the team payroll all by his lonesome. But he has value as a stick with pop, and a reputation for being a pitcher-friendly backstop.

Below the surface, this opens the door for Carlos Corporan to trick-or-treat his way into the role of Jason Castro's caddy, though early indications are that the Astros will add a veteran. Don't ask me where I read that, but I did somewhere, so it must be true.

For Snyder, this is a good thing though. He has no use for a team coming off two seasons of 213 losses. He'll find a home somewhere this offseason, and odds are pretty good that his new club will be marginally more successful than MLB's newest American Leaguers.

I don't have a reason, but I've always pulled for this guy. It was fun to see him tower over umpires and opposing batters, but he just doesn't have a justifiable place on the 2013 Astros, either developmentally or financially.