Houston Astros: Rumors and Offseason Updates

There has not been a lack of Rumors or Stories Surrounding the Houston Astros in 2016.

Whether it be the hottest trade rumors for players like Ender Inciarte and Yoenis Cespedes, or possible free agent acquisitions, the Astros seem to be looking into every possible avenue to improve the club. If even one of those rumors produces fruit then the Astros could be viewed as the heavy favorite in the American League West in 2016.

Then there is the news surrounding actual current players and the arbitration results of last week. Dallas Keuchel reached a new record-agreement which will pay him a little north of $7 million in 2016. Jason Castro and Evan Gattis represent a pair of situations to keep a close eye on as the arbitration process advances. Don’t forget that current general manager Jeff Luhnow has yet to attend an arbitration hearing since he was brought into the organization a few years ago.

Of course, there was also the development of former Astro, Jeff Bagwell, not being voted into the Hall of Fame during his sixth year on the ballot. But if there was a silver lining was the fact the he lacked only 15 votes of making that dream a reality in 2016. Maybe 2017 will be the year. Also, former Astros closer Billy Wagner was able to remain on the ballot after receiving a large enough amount of votes from the writers.

Baseball America also released their annual top ten prospect list for the Astros in 2016 and while there are little surprises, it is still interesting to see where the dominoes (players) falls. And apparently the Astros are playing in Mexico this March? Then there was the issue of certain data hacking case involving the Astros and Jeff Luhnow’s former employer, the St. Louis Cardinals. Yeah, there has been plenty of interesting news to keep all Astros fans busy.

Houston Astros News and Notes From Around Fansided

Astros Interested in Atlanta Braves Outfielder Ender Inciarte; could Carlos Gomez be on the move?  [Climbing Tal’s Hill – Eric Huysman]

"He is a leadoff guy who has a low strikeout rate and an ability to steal 20 bases while batting close to .300. The Astros need some more on-base guys in the lineup, and Inciarte could fit that mold."

Why the Astros Should Pursue Ian Desmond [Climbing Tal’s Hill – Issa Cook]

"While adding an infielder definitely should not be a top priority for Luhnow and the Astros, there is a free agent out there who could help this team out a lot, and his name is Ian Desmond."

Baseball America: Top 10 Houston Astros Prospects [House of Houston – Yoni Pollak]

"Today we look at the Baseball American top 10 Astros prospects list."

Jeff Bagwell: Maybe he will get the call in 2017 [Climbing Tal’s Hill – Elliott Jenkins]

"This morning, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America once again robbed Houston Astros legend Jeff Bagwell of a spot in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame."

Arbitration Negotiations Could Begin For Castro, Gattis [House of Houston – Brian K. Patterson]

"As the weekend comes into full swing, the Houston Astros worked fast and furiously before the noon deadline yesterday to get deals brokered for all players that were eligible."

A Look at Why They Should Sign Justin Upton [Climbing Tal’s Hill – Elliott Jenkins]

"Upton’s power swing would thrive at Minute Maid Park, which has finished in the top ten of the most homerun-friendly ballparks in eight of the last twelve years…"

More Houston Astros News and Notes From Around the Internet

Houston Astros Rumors: Team Interested In Yoenis Cespedes [Hardball Scoop – Max Wildstein]

Luhnow honored to bring Astros to Mexico [Astros.com – Brian McTaggart]

Next: Houston Astros: The Latest on Yoenis Cespedes

Former Cardinals scouting director pleads guilty to five counts in hacking case [Chron.com – Reid Laymance]

"Former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa pleaded guilty to five counts of unauthorized access into the Astros’ computer system."

Stay tuned with Climbing Tal’s Hill for the latest Astros news and analysis!