Astros legends pushing hard for Alex Bregman reunion (but it's going to be tough)

In a perfect world, the Houston Astros would have kept a lot of players that ended up moving on in recent years. While it may seem like a dodged bullet right now, the Astros would have been happy to hang on to guys like Carlos Correa and George Springer if money wasn't a factor at all. Right now, having a guy like Gerrit Cole still around would have put Houston in a great position instead of having to watch him pitch in the 2024 World Series.

With Alex Bregman's pending free agency looming, there are again no shortage of people that want the Astros to bring him back.

The most notable of Bregman lobbyists, without question, has been Jose Altuve. For weeks now, Altuve has not been shy whatsoever about his desire for the Astros to work a deal out with Bregman, and has gone as far as to say he is willing to lobby owner Jim Crane directly if needed.

It isn't just Bregman's current teammates that want him back, however. Notable Houston celebrities have chimed in as well, and now Astros legend Roy Oswalt has gone on record to say that he wants Houston to bring him back. Unfortunately, that is going to be easier said than done.

Astros luminaries like Roy Oswalt may want Bregman to return to Astros, but money is what is going to talk

The problem when discussing guys at the level or higher of Bregman is that emotions get too plainly involved. Bregman has been one of Houston's best players for a long time, and the idea of him playing in another uniform next season is a painful one. For some, logic goes out the window, and they just want their team to bring back their guy, no matter the cost. Hell, the Astros JUST gave that sort of deal to Altuve to keep him an Astro for life.

However, that just isn't how baseball works or should work. Bregman is still a very good baseball player, but his best years are behind him, and the 30-year-old is projected to get a seven-year, almost-$190 million deal this offseason. Given the Astros' self-inflicted payroll issues, that is going to be a tough sell for a front office that wants to build a sustainable roster. If you took Bregman's name and current team out and fans were just looking at his production, offering him that much in money and years would raise a LOT of eyebrows.

Perhaps that is the point. Bregman DOES bring more to the Astros and their fans than his production on the field. He is, by all accounts, a great teammate and a tremendous clubhouse asset. Guys like Altuve and Oswalt know with absolute certainty how much those intangibles matter in the big leagues. There are real arguments that even if Bregman continues to decline, he would still be worth every penny.

Unfortunately, a guy being intangibly "worth it" isn't enough, as things just aren't that simple. Dana Brown and co. have to think about their ability to keep the good times rolling for as long as possible, and that is going to mean letting really good players like Bregman move on so they can spread resources around ... as painful as it may be.

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