Astros Crawfish Boil: November 7, 2022

The Houston Astros are the defending World Champions.

I know it’s not a new development, I just like saying it. I may say it in every Boil from now until they are no longer the defending World Champions. With any luck, that day never comes. But from now until then, the rest of the baseball ecosystem needs to come to grips with how much better than their team that our team is. I’m not even sorry.

Astros News

Jose Altuve goes on record crediting World Series victory to the subject of a future MLB investigation. (satire)

Mattress Mack finally won his $75 million.

CBS Sports tackles four questions the Astros must answer between now and the start of next season.

Apparently, the Astros entered into a deal with the Chicago Cubs for Willson Contreras near the trade deadline. Dusty Baker and Jim Crane killed it so Houston wouldn’t have to part with José Urquidy. That actually would have been a great return on what is, in effect, Houston’s number seven starter.

The parade will happen today at noon CT. Details here. I can’t make it, I’m 1,175 miles to the right on the map, but y’all have fun!

The Crawfish Boxes most direct competitor, Climbing Tal’s Hill, talks about the Houston dynasty.

Kate Upton went HAM on Fox Sports set. This is wholesome.

MLB News

Lenny Dykstra blames Jill Biden for the Philadelphia Phillies loss, via Fox News.

CBS Sports outlines the top 50 free agents who will be available starting in the next week. There’s a lot of shortstops, but we’re set, thank you. If I was anywhere in position to make policy, I’d set Houston’s sights on Josh Bell. I’d also sign Justin Verlander and Rafael Montero, but really, I’m just some dude on a couch. There’s a lot more here.

The New York Mets have already signed Edwin Díaz to a five-year, $102 million deal.

The Chicago White Sox have exercised the option on Tim Anderson.

The Atlanta Braves signed OF Sam Hilliard away from the Colorado Rockies.

Here’s the free agent tracker.

Oops! All Astros: Peyton Plumlee

Peyton Plumlee is a six-foot-three, 201 lb. right-handed reliever from Memphis, TN. Born on February 10, 1997, he was Houston’s 31st round pick in 2019 with the 946th overall selection. The only other player to have made the majors after being taken at that spot is Bryan Hoeing, who debuted for the Marlins this season.

Plumlee signed with the Astros out of Mississippi State for a contract that included a $1,000 signing bonus. He joined the Tri-City ValleyCats soon after the draft, and pitched 14 innings in relief over nine appearances. He walked seven against 12 strikeouts, and posted a solid 1.214 WHIP in his limited exposure at the Short-Season-A level.

After taking an unplanned season off in 2020, Plumlee joined the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers for the 2021 season. He struck out 34 in 29 ²⁄₃ innings, posting a 1.112 WHIP and walking only nine batters. He displayed his best performance on June 24, in a 6-2 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. He struck out six while allowing one run on three hits and no walks over a five inning start.

Plumlee was limited to a very small sample size in 2022 due to injury. He finally got into a game on August 19 in a rehab start for the FCL Astros Blue, striking out a batter and allowing no runs on one hit over a one-inning start in a 2-1 loss to the FCL Cardinals. Cleared for action at a higher level, he was pushed up to rejoin the Woodpeckers, and relieved for them on August 26. He struck out two and gave up an unearned run on one hit and no walks over 1 ²⁄₃ innings as the Birds lost to the Charleston RiverDogs by a 7-1 final score.

For the 2022 campaign, that was it. Not a lot for a non-organizational guy like me (or you) to go on. Plumlee will be 26-years-old when the 2023 season rolls around, but the Astros didn’t keep him on this long for nothing. Look for him next season with the High-A Asheville Tourists.