Astros Crawfish Boil: December 12, 2022

The major league offseason, shorter than the NFL’s offseason and longer than the NBA’s, the NHL’s, and NASCAR’s, is long enough that sometimes there isn’t a lot going on. I say this to highlight how thin the Astros-specific news are in today’s Boil. With that being said, I decided to extend the Boil to non-baseball-specific sports.

Astros News

1 perfect MLB trade Astros must make this offseason (clutchpoints.com)

Report: Houston Astros’ Álvarez, Tucker Receive Top-10 Pre-Arbitration Bonuses (si.com)

Dodgers: Astros Cheater Takes Unnecessary Hit At Cody Bellinger (dodgersnation.com)

• I know you all are tired of hearing anything to do with “those cheating Astros.” I’m sorry in advance about including anything written by a Dodgers website for the next dozen years or so. It doesn’t seem like they’re able to not mention it with every other breath. Being their chosen target of derision isn’t the worst place to be, I guess. It must suck when you can’t win the World Series without the season being shortened. Lashing out at a perceived slight is the only recompense they have. I know my epicaricacy is showing, but I’m not going to stop mentioning that everybody steals signs.

A Return to the Houston Astros? MLB’s Hottest Free Agent Plays Coy by Appearing at UFC 282 Alongside His Ex-teammates (essentiallysports.com)

• I hadn’t really given much thought to the possibility that Correa returns to Houston. I suppose for the right price, anything’s possible. I think they would find a way to have both Correa and Jeremy Peña in the lineup, whether it would be putting one of them at second base, centerfield, or (shudders) designated hitter.

MLB News

MLB rumors: Yankees preparing offer for Carlos Rodón; Dansby Swanson, Dodgers union possible? (cbssports.com)

Rosenthal: What I’m hearing about how the MLB free-agent market is evolving (theathletic.com)

Former MLB Pitcher T.J. House Comes Out as Gay (si.com)

Here are the best remaining MLB free agents (nbcsports.com)

Predicting Every MLB Team’s 2023 Opening Day Lineup, Version 1.0 (bleacherreport.com)

Other News

Tom Brady ‘could play ANOTHER year in the NFL after his divorce from supermodel Gisele Bundchen but had originally planned to retire’ with the 45-year-old entering free agency at the end of the current Bucs campaign (dailymail.co.uk)

Paul Silas, 3-time NBA champion, longtime coach, dies at 79 (apnews.com)

‘Lion hearts broken’ – what the Sunday papers say after England’s World Cup exit (theguardian.com)

2022 NFL season, Week 14: What We Learned from Sunday’s games (nfl.com)

Oops! All Astros: Elvis Garcia

Elvis Garcia is a six-foot, 165 lb. right-handed pitcher from Caucagua, VZ. Born on September 24, 2002, Garcia signed his first professional deal with Houston on July 2, 2019. He didn’t appear that year, nor in 2020. The 2021 season would open with Garcia ranked as Houston’s number 26 prospect by Baseball America.

Through 2021, Garcia split the season between the rookie-level FCL Astros and the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers. In 42 innings in total, he racked up a 1.167 WHIP, a 3.00 ERA, 41 K’s, and a .196/.291/.297 opposing slashline. Not bad at all, but not good enough to continue being a “ranked” prospect. I wouldn’t worry too much though. After all, even Joey Loperfido has never been a “ranked” prospect — and that guy has been fantastic since chosen. I know, I digress. More on Loperfido on January 4.

Out of action for the first two months of the 2022 minor league season, Garcia made his debut on June 9 with the rookie-level FCL Astros Orange. He started and lost, lasting 3 ¹⁄₃ innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits and three walks. He also struck out three. On June 27, he started and struck out two over five innings, surrendering two runs (one earned) on three hits and no walks.

Garcia only pitched in five contests for the Astros in 2022. Over 80 batters faced, he gave up a .232/.325/.362 slashline, a 1.592 WHIP, and struck out 11 in 16 ¹⁄₃ innings. It’s not a full load of information to go on, but Garcia should remain in Houston’s system for at least another year. Look for him in 2023 with the Woodpeckers.