Astros Crawfish Boil: July 11, 2023

It is Tuesday. This is a Crawfish Boil.

After half of the 2023 MLB Draft, Dana Brown and the Houston Astros War Room have a mixed bag. Of course, all prognostications are hearsay at best and blind imagination at worst, but the jury is usually out on a draft until at least four years have passed.

Houston Astros News

Astros first-half awards: Team MVP, Cy Young and more from a resilient group (theathletic.com)

Astros prioritize college performers on second day of draft (theathletic.com)

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker in his element at All-Star Game (houstonchronicle.com)

Yordan Alvarez hopeful he can return to Astros shortly after All-Star break (houstonchronicle.com)

Kris Gross on Astros’ selections | 07/11/2023 | Houston Astros (mlb.com)

These critical factors lay the groundwork for Houston Astros second half surge (houston.sportsmap.com)

Derek Jeter Praises the Astros Ahead of the Playoffs (climbingtalshill.com)

Dusty Baker buys his All-Star coaches blazers after getting them suits last year (nhregister.com)

AL West News

All Star Game 2023: Seattle Mariners ready to play host to a fun night of baseball’s best on Fox | Florida Sports (spotonflorida.com)

Mariners fans get loud as they wish to see Angels star play for Seattle: “We want Shohei” (sportskeeda.com)

Spotlight is on J-Rod in Seattle (arkansasonline.com)

MLB division odds: Rangers, Reds worth backing (thescore.com)

Rangers Adolis Garcia eliminated first round home run derby (audacy.com)

MLB Fans Roasted Rangers Coach for His Terrible Pitching in Home Run Derby (fox59.com)

Recruit Shohei Ohtani to your team? All-Stars make their pitch (latimes.com)

MLB rumors: Shohei Ohtani makes it clear what is important to him next season (calltothepen.com)

Alex Rodriguez’s bold move for Angels includes trading Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout (foxnews.com)

How Oakland A’s DH Brent Rooker survived 400-plus minor league games to become an MLB All-Star (mercurynews.com)

A’s Outright Rico Garcia (yardbarker.com)

MLB’s Athletics Franchise Has Been A Perennial Problem For Decades (sportstalkflorida.com)

MLB News

Yankees’ Cole and Diamondbacks’ Gallen will start the MLB All-Star Game (pressdemocrat.com)

10 players the Cardinals can target at the trade deadline to help them in 2024 (redbirdrants.com)

How to follow Day 3 of the 2023 MLB Draft (athleticsnation.com)

How Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the 2023 MLB Home Run Derby (theathletic.com)

MLB Draft winners & losers 2023: Nationals impress with two picks, A’s reach three times (sportingnews.com)

MLB All-Star Game 2023: What to know about the Mid-Summer Classic (foxnews.com)

Houston Astros Birthdays

RHP Yorman Bazardo (39) pitched to a 5.00 FIP in 32 innings back in 2009.

Donne Wall (56) was 14-14 as a member of the Astros rotation from 1995 through 1997, recording a 4.54 FIP and 1.440 WHIP.

Bert Peña (1959-2023) was a left-side infielder for Houston from 1981 through 1987. He hit .203 over 88 contests, with one home run and 10 RBI.

LHP Ron Cook (76) went 4-8 with a 3.71 FIP and 1.417 WHIP coming out of Houston’s bullpen in 1970 and 1971.