Yeah, I’m thinking of the Jose Abreu situation. We’re still paying him. Would we still be paying him if somebody picked him up last year after he was released, or would the team that grabbed him last year be responsible for all of this year’s contract? I’m sure this doesn’t come up often, but I imagine it affects the decision-making for waiver pickups.
My understanding is that if they picked him up after his release, the Astros would still be paying. I’d they claimed him on waivers before his release, the new team would pay.
I believe if a team were to sign Abreu they’d be responsible for the remainder of his contract. Which is why a) guys on multi year deals rarely get released in the middle of them, and b) teams will rarely sign a guy who did. It just doesn’t happen often. More likely, if a team wants to get rid of a guy in the middle of a long term deal, they’ll work out a trade and eat part of his salary
The subtext for this is what happens with Altuve. He doesn’t really have an everyday spot on the field anymore, and he isn’t really a DH, but his contract runs through God-knows-when. I imagine he’ll stay on the bench just because of what he means to the franchise.
I cannot ever imagine a scenario where the Astros just outright released Jose Altuve.
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If I’m not mistaken, and not thinking of another sport, when a guy gets released the amount owed is what he gets paid regardless. To use the Jose Abreu example, the Astros owed him 19.5 million this year, if he signed with another team he would sign for the minimum and that team would pay 750k or prorated amount, but Abreu would still get paid 19.5M, 18.75M from the Astros and 750k from the new team. If he still had another year next year, the same thing would happen. If the new team paid him 1M for some reason, the Astros would only owe 18.5M but the 19.5 would still count against the CBT. This happens until the original deal ends, however many years or teams it is.
Abreu signing with another team is perhaps not the best example to use if we’re looking to put theory into practice.
I agree, but could totally see Altuve retiring a year early and foregoing payment of that last year’s salary…bc that’s the kind of guy he is.
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I know the first part of that is correct. I’m not sure how the second part (subsequent remaining years) works. And I know they changed the rules about contracts and which team takes the cap hit, specifically to prevent shenanigans.
I would never doubt his character but Altuve is likely going to be closing in on 3000 hits.
He is on pace for 170 this year which essentially puts him 600 away in 4 yrs.
Pretty straightforward 150 per year but no chance he does it a year early.
I think everyone wants him to get it.
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He’s going to need 550+ ABs to get 150 hits, which means starting most games. Where? Do he and Yordan revolve through the LF/DH spots?
I have no problem giving him the Biggio treatment if 3000 hits is at all attainable. They can (and most likely will) make room for him somewhere.
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Unless the Stros are really competitive during those times. He’d not need to start every day.
A few months ago, Chandler Rome said that Scott Boras mentioned getting 3000 hits very prominently in his press conference announcing Altuve’s extension last year.
He indicated that it felt like they had some form of an understanding that Altuve would get every opportunity to get to 3000 as part of the agreement, even if it wasn’t in writing.
It will be interesting to winess the next few years.
hope he makes the most of it!
Toro is performing at the level of a replacement level player. A nice 0.0 War in 73 games. He is hitting .249/.301/.388. Notably, he has hit two HRs this year… both against the Astros. He has hit 30 HR since the Astros traded him and six have been against the Astros.
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Miles Straw goes positively nuclear (for him) vs Rangers. He goes 4 for 5 with 2HR and 5RBI. He had a bit of help from the dazzling mustachioed (at least MLB photo) Davis Schneider* who went 3 for 5 with one dinger and 4RBI.
*Who is this fucking guy??
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According to the Athletic, the top 3 free agents are all Astros (or recent ex Astros): Tucker, Framber, and Bregman.
Wonder which one(s) gets picked up at a future trade deadline?
Rays signed Cooper Hummel to a minor league deal
The nerd teams sure do love him.