Astros Crawfish Boil: January 8, 2016

Astros News

Astros' offseason a deal short of a good winter - Houston Chronicle
Rotation addition or lineup upgrade still could be in the works before camp Because if it were, spring training would start with a roster that hasn't greatly improved from the one that pushed the Kansas City Royals to five games in the American League Division Series.

Hall of Fame's numbers game tilting Bagwell's way - Houston Chronicle
For Astros fans, it was a good sign to see Jeff Bagwell climb so close to election to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday. [...] while many point to a more enlightened view on players from the steroid era or a better recognition of Bagwell's accomplishments as an Astro for his rise, the bottom line is a lot of it comes down to numbers and the Hall of Fame's new voting requirements. Had he received 315 votes from an electorate equal to last year's number (549), his percentage would have been 57.3 percent, just a slight increase.

Former Citadel Standout Asher Wojciechowski to Participate in H - Live5News.com
Houston Astros pitcher to join Ryne Sandberg at the 12th annual event on Jan. 22

Clemens takes offense to Halladay's remarks - Houston Chronicle
Neither of the two stars, who have often been the faces of the steroid era in baseball, was elected in his fourth year on the ballot.

Prospect Q&A: Oakland Athletics catcher Jacob Nottingham breaks out | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball
Prospect Q&A: Oakland Athletics catcher Jacob Nottingham breaks out

Hall of Fame Near-Miss for Connecticut's Jeff Bagwell | Patch
Avon, CT - The longtime Houston Astros star came up just short in his sixth appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot.

MLB News

Is it Justin Upton's turn to sign yet? - SBNation.com
Friday's Say Hey, Baseball includes Justin Upton's weird free agency, MLB's domestic violence policy, and the forgotten greatness of Nomar Garciaparra.

The good, bad and ugly of the 2016 Hall of Fame class - SBNation.com
Ken Griffey, Jr. is everyone's favorite right now, and for good reason. But that doesn't mean the 2016 Hall of Fame class wasn't without its obnoxious parts.

Griffey in '96: The campaign that forever changed the American political landscape - SBNation.com
In 1996, Nike and Ken Griffey, Jr. launched the 'Griffey in '96' advertising campaign. 20 years later, we look back on one of the most dynamic political movements America has ever seen.

Giants sign Denard Span to three-year deal - McCovey Chronicles
The speedy center fielder missed substantial time with a hip injury in 2015, but he's consistently excellent when healthy.

Nomar Garciaparra fell off a Hall of Fame ballot he shouldn't even have been on yet - Over the Monster
Injuries shortened what should have been a Hall of Fame career, and falling off the ballot is a sad reminder of what was lost.