Houston Astros new GM just realized the stakes have changed
THE LANDSCAPE SHIFTED
10 March 2023
Houston Astros GM Dana Brown shared an update on how the contract negotiations have been going with Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez.
Unfortunately for Astros fans, it doesn't look like any extensions are likely to happen before the start of the season. Brown pointed to the length of the contracts as being one of the big concerns holding up any potential deals.
Which is interesting because Brown is well-known for telling owner Jim Crane, “Fasten your seatbelt. It's time.” when it comes to the Astros aversion to long-term deals. And to Brown's credit, he did sign Cristian Javier to an extension this offseason, but that deal is for only five years.
Brown is now saying that he doesn't believe in long-term deals, and it sure seems like Tucker is looking for a 10-year contract. So what changed? Brown told the media he's open to going as long as seven years, but not further than that. Did Jim Crane influence Brown's new outlook on these long-term deals, or has seven years always been a length Brown is unwilling to cross?
Dana Brown: “I just don’t know that I have the comfort of going as long as, say, maybe I’ll have to to get Tucker done. I just don’t like big deals. If they’re open for something a little more than five, maybe I would be open to doing that." - https://t.co/O8zFKCTc3p
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 8, 2023
When asked about the 8 and 10-year contracts the Braves have handed out (Brown's former organization), Brown basically said those deals were made by his boss, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos.
So what does this mean moving forward?
Be sure to check out the video above as we examine Brown's comments, and share our thoughts on how these deals for Framber and Tucker may or may not play out.
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What the Juan Soto deal means for Houston Astros championship window
Dec 9, 2024, 4:01 pm
Over the weekend, the big domino finally fell with Juan Soto agreeing to a 15-year, $765 million megadeal with the New York Mets. Which means Alex Bregman and the other top free agents on the market should soon follow in short order.
In fact, we're already seeing reports from Rob Bradford of WEEI and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale claiming that the Red Sox and Yankees are “expected” to make a run at Bregman.
Soto heading to the National League certainly feels like a win for Astros fans, but that could change if missing out on Soto causes the Yankees to pry Breggy away from Houston.
We'll have to wait and see how this plays out before we get too excited. However, one thing is for sure, all the free agents on the market have to be thrilled about the size of Soto's deal. Not to mention Willy Adames' 7-year, $182 million deal with the Giants that could help Bregman's chances of receiving a more lucrative deal than the Astros reportedly offered him, 6- years, $154 million.
What's really eye-opening about Soto's contract is how it could impact Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker, specifically Tucker. It's hard to imagine Tucker won't get an offer of at least $300 million, and at this point $400 million wouldn't surprise us.
Historically, the Astros don't trade their big name free agents before their contracts expire, but perhaps they should rethink that approach with King Tuck. If they won't even entertain a deal approaching $300 million, it might be worth taking a step back this year to replenish the farm system and focus on the team long-term.
Speaking of trades, the Astros are reportedly calling anyone who will listen about the availability of Ryan Pressly.
Don't miss the video above as we react to the Soto deal, share our thoughts on how it could impact the Astros championship window, and much more!
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