HOF
Posted 15 July 2013 - 11:46 AM
It kind of reminds me of the Nats. Always fun to have an exciting developing farm system, next best thing to a winning baseball team.
It makes being awful for 4-5 years almost worth it.
The worst thing is being mediocre, that's for sure. Simmons discusses this with the NBA all the time. it's so true.
HOF
Posted 15 July 2013 - 12:22 PM
It makes being awful for 4-5 years almost worth it.
The worst thing is being mediocre, that's for sure. Simmons discusses this with the NBA all the time. it's so true.
Art Modell had a good line, "were (however many owners) Republicans and we vote socialism," in terms of the TV contract. This stuff goes in cycles with the Draft, salary caps (even in baseball you got the luxury tax as a deterrent as well as an International cap), and every team gets an equal share of the national TV money as well as a share of gate reciepts. The obvious disaparity is the local TV deals, before YES, the Yankees radio deal was double the Brewers radio deal. But yeah the draft somewhat levels the playing field. Teams like the A's/Rays can compete with the Yankees through good draftin and other not-so-obvious methods. If it were a completely free market -- no draft, no salary caps, etc -- it be very much tougher for the bottom of the barrell to compete. I saw this analogy, it be like if the top engineers had to go to the worst companies.
HOF
Posted 15 July 2013 - 12:26 PM
Art Modell had a good line, "were (however many owners) Republicans and we vote socialism," in terms of the TV contract. This stuff goes in cycles with the Draft, salary caps (even in baseball you got the luxury tax as a deterrent as well as an International cap), and every team gets an equal share of the national TV money as well as a share of gate reciepts. The obvious disaparity is the local TV deals, before YES, the Yankees radio deal was double the Brewers radio deal. But yeah the draft somewhat levels the playing field. Teams like the A's/Rays can compete with the Yankees through good draftin and other not-so-obvious methods. If it were a completely free market -- no draft, no salary caps, etc -- it be very much tougher for the bottom of the barrell to compete. I saw this analogy, it be like if the top engineers had to go to the worst companies.
i love that. Can't count how many people i know that are Republicans that constantly whine about salary disparity in Baseball (like a few over at the foxhole), yet cry "socialism" when it's convenient in other conversations. I'll leave it at that so not to delve into anything deeper and keep the thread open.
The Rays are a great example for sure...The O's were winning 74 games or so for so long, it didn't really help.
HOF
Posted 15 July 2013 - 12:38 PM
i love that. Can't count how many people i know that are Republicans that constantly whine about salary disparity in Baseball (like a few over at the foxhole), yet cry "socialism" when it's convenient in other conversations. I'll leave it at that so not to delve into anything deeper and keep the thread open.
The Rays are a great example for sure...The O's were winning 74 games or so for so long, it didn't really help.
In fairness though, the O's never were historically bad like the Astros, Rays, or Nats especially the latter. I'd imagine things would've looked like quite different if they had gotten players of Strasburg and Harper's stature. Yes, you need much more in baseball. But having two can't miss talents does help (and yes, the can't miss do miss sometimes). That's not to say they don't deserve credit in developing players like Ian Desmond and Jordan Zimmerman. Still the Rays and Nats get kudos, and probably the Astros as well.
HOF
Posted 15 July 2013 - 12:41 PM
Fair point. Yes, we'll be mentioning these Astros probably for many years.
HOF
Posted 15 July 2013 - 01:03 PM
Fair point. Yes, we'll be mentioning these Astros probably for many years.
I wish the Astros were still an NL team, I think I could enjoy their "rise" more.
HOF
Posted 16 July 2013 - 08:08 AM
A few years ago it was the Royals with the amazing stockpile of young talent. Blue Jays had a bunch for a while too before they traded a lot of it away and the rest got hurt.
The Astros may become a good team, but they'll need more than just a handful of top-50 prospects to get there. Unless they get really lucky, half of these guys won't ever become anything at all, and half of what's left won't be much more than average players. Even if two or three guys become bonafide stars, they are still going to have to do a lot more work. They've spent in the past so I don't think they are in quite the same boat as the Royals are, but having the best farm system at any one point in time is far from a guarantee that you're going to be a relevant power two or three years down the road.
Owner
Posted 02 September 2013 - 07:20 AM
FanGraphs: When will the Astros start spending on MLB payroll?
http://www.fangraphs...league-payroll/
Member
Posted 24 September 2013 - 11:29 AM
HOF
Posted 29 September 2013 - 10:01 PM
Houston is the twelfth team to lose 110-plus games. They are the first to do so since the 2004 Diamondbacks, who also went 51-111.
Of course, both the D-backs and the 119-loss Tigers the previous season were in the playoffs within three years.
HOF
Posted 19 October 2013 - 12:10 PM
CBS Sports: Free-agent stunner: Low-payroll Astros could make play for Choo
http://www.cbssports...g-play-for-choo
HOF
Posted 22 October 2013 - 10:29 PM
ESPN: Astros add four new coaches
http://espn.go.com/m...d-4-new-coaches
Also on Tuesday, the team announced that third base coach Dave Trembley and former bench coach Eduardo Perez would switch positions for the upcoming season.
I don't think they'll fire Bo Porter mid-season but looks like they are setting up for that here.
HOF
Posted 30 October 2013 - 03:18 PM
HOF
Posted 01 November 2013 - 06:45 AM
Owner
Posted 01 November 2013 - 09:38 AM
Astros hire another BP writer.
@ben_lindbergh: Really going to miss working with new #Astros math man @cwyers, a great analyst and writer. His goodbye @baseballpro: http://t.co/FZLxUpTnxp
A really interesting organization going forward. Hope they begin to turn the corner some next year, and are able to continue to bring their current plans to fruition.
Owner
Posted 04 November 2013 - 09:30 AM
Baseball Prospectus: Top 10 Prospects
http://www.baseballp...articleid=22157
MVP
Posted 05 November 2013 - 09:42 AM
Observational Studies: The Natural Probability of a No-Hitter
http://observational...-no-hitter.html
HOF
Posted 07 November 2013 - 02:50 PM
The Astros were an overwhelming success … compared to Congress
I guess it’s the difference between a team that has hit bottom and is rebuilding and one that still thinks it’s winning but is really a tire fire.
HOF
Posted 19 November 2013 - 10:54 AM
The Astros were insulted on “Jeopardy!”
The Astros were blown out (5+ run differential, according to BR) in 30 percent (34 of 111) of their losses.
CFB Analyst
Posted 25 November 2013 - 12:56 AM
Houston Astros owner files lawsuit
Houston Astros owner Jim Crane has sued the team's former owner and a pair of media companies, alleging he's lost possibly hundreds of millions of dollars because they misrepresented the value of a regional television network that broadcasts Astros games.
The lawsuit, filed in state court in Houston on Thursday, accuses former Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr., as well as Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal Media of fraud, misrepresentation and conspiracy. The suit also accuses McLane of breach of contract.
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users
