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Topic 1 - Kimbrel and Keuchel are still unemployed
Obviously, this has been an on-going saga. I would think at this point, both players would sign after the draft to prevent the loss of a draft pick. The curious part to me will be if they will technically receive a higher rate of pay than they would have with the draft pick attached. It almost makes me wonder if this will be a strategy Free Agents will pursue to negate the QO. There’s always a need at that time of year, and instead of trading for reinforcements, having the ability to sign one could be a new approach to the market. What do you think of this potential change in the approach from agents?
On a separate note, if Keuchel was available on a 1-year contract, would you attempt to sign him and move Peacock back into the bullpen? It could shore up the bullpen and rotation, and Keuchel may produce better over the long haul with less of a season to wear on him. The Astros will probably not receive draft pick compensation for him at this point either way.
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Topic 2 - How much do you believe the chemistry aspect of baseball affects performance?
One of the things I love most about watching the Astros is that the joy is contagious. You see Springer and Altuve and how their smiles or Bregman’s fiery attitude takes over for other players. It’s obviously an intangible that’s very hard to measure, which is why I’m looking for your opinions on how much it matters. Let’s take Gurriel for example, the team seems to LOVE him. Hypothetically, he’s traded and replaced by a 1B who’s absolutely crushing the baseball but is an A$$hole. How much does that affect the overall team performance?
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Topic 3 -- Extra Roster Slot - who is your choice?
So you may know, that the MLB allows extra roster slots for international games, without having to use one of a player’s options. This is obviously a pretty unique situation, and Hinch has been quoted saying “We will react according to how the series goes in Minnesota, but it’s likely going to be a pitcher.”
With that said, who would be your choice for the Astros series in Monterrey?