Astros Crawfish Boil: March 19, 2018

Letter from the Interim Managing Editor: Sorry again about the lack of content last week, folks. Was a difficult week for me to keep updated, what with being camping Thursday through Sunday. Of course, huge news (Altuve’s extension, covered aptly by Clack here) breaks while I’m on a rare vacation. I’m home now, however, and ready to return to work. Thanks for hanging in there. Tell your friends: We’re back. - Marbach

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Not much in the way of tweets these last few days from Brian McTaggart - at least, not Astros baseball-related ones - but we’ll do our best. First, as always, go follow him on twitter!

Here’s what we DO have in the way of Astros tweets from Tags, with one or two thrown in from his able substitute, Oliver Macklin...

Tag’s Tweets

Jose Altuve Extension

Since it’s such a major story, it gets its own section of the Crawfish Boil, even though Clack covered it here on the site already.

Altuve agrees to 5-year extension with Astros

2017 AL MVP coming off career year that included first MVP, World Series title

Altuve’s extension cause for celebration

Richard Justice is in typically-pristine form here.

AL MVP Jose Altuve, Astros on verge of five-year, $151 million extension

Here’s the USA Today’s report on Altuve’s extension

Jose Altuve Nearing Five-Year, $150 Million Extension With Astros

And the coverage from Sports Illustrated...

Jake Kaplan: José Altuve’s extension is another sign of a new Astros era

Jake Kaplan covers the story for The Athletic (subscription required and highly recommended)

The Astros Extend Jose Altuve… Again

Travis Sawchik of FanGraphs got this, the first of two articles about Altuve’s extension.

Jose Altuve Signs Updated Joey Votto Deal

Craig Edwards, also of FanGraphs, posts the second look at the extension.

Jose Altuve reportedly to sign huge 5-year extension with Astros

The Sporting News covers it at this link...

The Astros get a bargain by locking in Jose Altuve

By locking in Jose Altuve, he gets fortune he deserves, Astros finagle a bargain and fans can enjoy a class act (by Jerome Solomon, Houston Chronicle)

Astros and Jose Altuve reportedly agree to five-year, $151-million contract extension

The deal will guarantee the AL MVP a reported $151 million, per Dayn Perry at CBS Sports

Report: Jose Altuve, Astros Agree to 5-Year, $151 Million Contract Extension

Bleacher Report on Altuve’s deal.

Jose Altuve reportedly agrees to 5-year, $151 million extension with Astros

Last, where they belong, here’s the coverage from Disney’s four letter sports infotainment site on the deal.

Astros News

A World Series Embrace Was Only One Stop on a Shared Journey

This is a really cool piece from the New York Times that looks at how Charlie Morton and Brian McCann have known each other since they were teenagers in travel ball.

Kyle Tucker, 4 others sent to Astros’ Minors camp

No. 2 prospect reassigned along with Mayfield, Kemmer, Stubbs; Francis Martes was optioned as well but will still start on Saturday for the Astros, and many of these players (if not all) will travel to Houston with the team to play in the exhibition series against the Brewers at Minute Maid Park.

How do players typically perform after returning from PED suspensions?

James Yasko (AstrosCounty, to denizens of AstrosTwitter) returns with his second piece at The Athletic. He’s a really great writer and a touchstone member of the Astros social media sphere, so if nothing else, please go read his piece and click to subscribe at The Athletic because it’s really good sports coverage. This piece looks at David Paulino, specifically.

Kyle Tucker is heading back to the minors, but maybe not for long

Here’s a piece from Jake Kaplan of The Athletic that looks at Kyle Tucker being optioned to the minor leagues. (Subscription required and highly recommended)

AJ Hinch sets Astros’ starting rotation

Verlander atop list; Linares at Spring Training; Gurriel progressing in rehab

Max Stassi went full extension with a stellar catch off a bunt popup

If you haven’t seen the video of one of the better defensive plays made by an Astros catcher in recent memory, go check it out in this piece.

Charlie Morton to start Astros’ home opener

Charlie Morton will start Houston’s home opener against the Orioles on April 2, manager A.J. Hinch revealed Sunday.

Astros’ A.J. Hinch remembers legendary UT coach Augie Garrido

A.J. Hinch said that as is the case with almost anyone involved in college baseball, he knew former University of Texas baseball coach Augie Garrido, who passed away on Thursday.

5 things Astros fans should know about the World Series ring

The ring will be presented during a ceremony on April 3 at Minute Maid Park. It will be the first time players and coaches will see the ring.

Who will bat second for the Astros? It’s not a question that keeps A.J. Hinch up at night

Another Kaplan piece from the Athletic (Sub required and highly recommended)

Around The League

R.I.P. Ed Charles, Who Followed in the Tracks of Jackie Robinson

Jay Jaffe talks about one of the pioneers of baseball in its modern iteration.

As Ohtani’s struggles continue, is starting the season at Triple A a possibility?

Shohei Ohtani has not thrown 200 in-game pitches on American soil. He has not pitched into the fourth inning, on the back fields or in a main stadium. He has not done anything, really. (The Athletic - Sub required and recommended)

MLB Spring Training 2018: Previews, depth charts and schedules for all 30 teams

A closer look at the teams in the Cactus League and Grapefruit League

Jon Lester is happy for Jake Arrieta — and not sure about the rest of the free-agency crash

Another piece from The Athletic (subscription required and highly recommended)

Pedro Moura: Birthday-boy Kershaw doesn’t feel old, but the game is getting younger around him

Moura, of the Athletic, takes a look at Kershaw. Highly recommend a sub to the Athletic, if you haven’t cottoned on to that yet.

The Mound-Visit Rule Might Have an Enforcement Problem

Sheryl Ring returns with another piece for FanGraphs.

A’s pitcher Chris Bassitt is confused and frustrated after being optioned to Triple-A

A’s pitcher Chris Bassitt was the last of the nine players cut Sunday morning to leave the clubhouse. He had been optioned to minor league camp and will start the year in Triple-A Nashville. (More from The Athletic, sub required and recommended)