The Athletic seems to want to torture Astros fans with their offseason moves wishlist

The Winter Meetings are upon us, and the Houston Astros' unfortunate payroll situation will likely leave them as helpless bystanders for most of the proceedings. The harsh reality cuts even deeper once one realizes that a lot of the moves that put them in this dreadful position are not only self-inflicted but also recent.

Predictions are out, as we've heard the rumblings for the last several weeks, and the way Jim Bowden over at The Athletic (subscription required) sees things playing out will seem like a cruel joke for Astros fans.

Jim Bowden's Winter Meetings wish list will have Astros fans feeling outraged and left out in the cold

The Astros know the biggest fish on the market intimately, as it is their former homegrown star, Kyle Tucker, who has become the most coveted name out there. Houston, of course, knew that their finances would not allow for an extension, so the club did the best it could by trading him to the Chicago Cubs last winter.

Now that he's a free agent, where he could wind up is anyone's guess, but Bowden predicts that he lands with the New York Yankees, the Astros' long-time antagonist and a club they'd often gotten the better of during their decade-long postseason run. Outside of landing with a divisional rival, that has to be the most painful Tucker destination, and fans will have a hard time stomaching it if it comes true.

The same can be said for Bowden's prediction for Framber Valdez. The former MLB general manager sees Valdez landing in New York as well, but this time with the Mets. The Mets famously snatched Justin three years ago, before sending him back to Houston and extracting top prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford for their troubles.

Somehow, the Astros basically let them borrow Verlander and paid them to do so. Seeing Valdez wind up there will only serve as a reminder of that pain.

Perhaps the worst prediction of all has to do with the least-known player. The Astros have long been linked to Cardinals versatile utility man, Brendan Donovan. Donovan would fit Houston like a glove with his contact-heavy approach, left-handed bat, defensive excellence, and positional flexibility, providing Joe Espada with endless options to write out a quality lineup card.

Bowden doesn't see Donovan winding up in Houston, however, and instead thinks that a cross-Missouri trade is in the works with the Kansas City Royals swinging a deal for Donovan.

This one hurts because Donovan is actually a target Houston could afford. A projected arbitration salary of $5.4 million would have made Donovan a player Houston could reasonably afford, and his fit in the lineup is obvious. To lose out on one of the few moves you can afford to make truly stings.

Predictions are nothing more than educated guesses, and it should be noted that Bowden has always been a little out in left field with his takes since he left the GM ranks. With that said, any or all of these coming true would be like a dagger to the heart of many in Houston.