Welcome to the Weekend Boil!
Welcome to the Friday Crawfish Boil!
Remember baseball? Yeah. It’s been a while. Still, it’s past halfway from the end of the World Series and the beginning of Spring Training. Every season seems ripe with infinite possibilities at the beginning. Through the normal passage of time, somehow, i seem to have lived through 52 of them so far (I can only remember, like, 43 of them). Just a blink of the eye. The 2025 season will someday be a memory as well, but I still can’t wait to live through it. What sorts of trials and tribulations await the mighty Astros of Houston this year…and who’s on third?
Houston Astros News
What’s atop the Astros’ wish list before Spring Training?
Third Base Rumors: Bregman, Arenado, Yankees, Tigers, Astros (MLBTR)
Astros’ 2025: A quick view of the catcher position (Chipalatta)
Alex Bregman sure seems like the reason for the Mets’ Pete Alonso reluctance (FS)
Astros predicted to acquire $105 million Orioles All-Star to replace Kyle Tucker (SN)
Yankees Insiders Question Alex Bregman’s Fit at Yankee Stadium amid MLB Contract Buzz (BR)
Starting Rotation Can Propel Houston Astros to Postseason Despite Major Changes (SI)
Houston Astros Prospect Put Himself on Map With Dominant First Professional Season (SI)
AL West News
A’s: Dave Kaval, key figure in A’s exit from Oakland, resigns as team president (SF Chronicle)
Seattle: Mariners fans will watch Astros’ supremacy disappear once one final player is traded (Sodo Mojo)
The Angels: Trade offer announced between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels for outfielder (Blue Jays Insider)
Blarts: The Texas Rangers Will Sign Pete Alonso (The Wright Way)
MLB News
Investors Eye MLS Next Pro in Wake of Minor League Baseball Overhaul (Sportico)
D-backs Among Teams With Interest In Kirby Yates (MLBTR)
Three-United: Guardians Sign Carlos Santana Again (Again), Trade Josh Naylor to Diamondbacks (FG)
Al Michaels Hilariously Summed Up Bears-Seahawks Game With Perfect Baseball Joke (SI)
Remember A’s Rickey Henderson not just for his feats, but how he lived and loved baseball (SF Chronicle)
Non-profit building baseball stadium near “Field of Dreams” in Iowa (CBS)
Tanner Rainey Is the Lowest-Leverage Reliever in Baseball (FG)
Cam Newton thinks Major League Baseball will be surpassed by the WNBA (Awful Announcing)
Tigers add infield pop, sign Gleyber to 1-year, $15M deal
Corbin Burnes Reportedly Seeking $245MM+ (MLBTR)
‘Sizable gap’ in talks between Alonso, Mets
Best of 2024: Quantity Is No Longer Job No. 1 (FG)
Every team’s longest home run of 2024
These 9 clubs improved their farm system most in 2024
1 fun — or weird — moment from each first-time 2025 HOF candidate
Royals have bolstered bats, but is it enough for a big ‘25?
Where will Cardinals land with roster shakeup?
Houston Astros Birthdays
Friday
CF Michael Bourn (42)
LHP Nate Bland (50)
IF Craig Reynolds (72)
OF Byron Browne (82)
1B Norm Larker (1930—2007)
2B Ryan Johnson (24)
Saturday
RHP Corbin Martin (29)
2B Bill Hall (45)
RHP José Sosa (1952—2013)
1B Ray Knight (72)
Sunday
RHP Chase De Jong (31)
IF Tomás Pérez (51)
OF James Mouton (56)
RHP Luis Rodriguez (21)