THE PALLILOG
Pallilo's View: An ode to Altuve, the AL MVP for 2017
Nov 17, 2017, 7:30 am
Jose Altuve has another reason to celebrate: The MVP Award. Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images
The freshly minted American League Most Valuable Player had the best season any second baseman has had since Joe Morgan’s awesome 1976. Jose Altuve is just the 10th different keystone sacker (baseball lingo!) to win an MVP award since the Baseball Writers Association of America started handing them out in 1931. Morgan is the only to win twice (1975 & 1976). He’s a top five second basemen of all-time. The others with an MVP trophy: Frankie Frisch (1931), Charlie Gehringer (1937), Joe Gordon (1942), Jackie Robinson (1949), Nellie Fox (1959), Ryne Sandberg (1984), Jeff Kent (2000), and Dustin Pedroia (2008). All but Kent and Pedroia are Hall of Famers. It’s ridiculous that in his four years on the ballot Kent has not received more than 17 percent of the 75 percent yes votes necessary for election. Pedroia needs a serious second wind in his mid-30s if he is to be Hall-worthy.
Altuve had outstanding 2014 and 2015 seasons that fit very well on a Hall of a Fame 2B resume, but the last two seasons have raised the bar dramatically. Altuve’s improvement in both power and strike zone judgment elevated him from star to superstar. Not turning 28 until May, there is no reason to think him incapable of at least a couple more seasons in range of what he did this year, and those would make Altuve highly likely to punch a ticket to Cooperstown down the line.
Those “couple more” superstar seasons segue to the elephant in the room, Altuve’s contract. If Jose had gone year by year, he would have become a free agent five days after the Astros won the World Series. On the open market Altuve would plausibly have commanded a contract worth, say, seven years and 175 million dollars--with 200 million plus conceivable. Heck, Robinson Cano got 10 years 240 million from the Mariners when he was already 31 years old. Altuve’s last two seasons are better than any Cano put up during his tremendous tenure with the Yankees. But Altuve is not a free agent, and can’t become one until after the 2019 season. He is not deserving of a pity party (and hasn’t asked for one). Back in July of 2013 Altuve was a fine young player but not yet a star, nowhere close to superstar. At that point the Astros guaranteed Altuve life changing money: 12 and a half million dollars over four years. In exchange the Astros got options for the 2018 and 2019 seasons at six and six and a half million dollars. So Altuve is now spectacularly underpaid for the player he has become, but what is to be done about it?
Altuve dumped agent Scott Boras in 2013, then re-hired him in the summer of 2016. Boras typically pushes his clients to get to the open market. Altuve would be 29 when he gets there, still in his prime and in position for a monster contract. What if the Astros went to Altuve and said “what about a four year 100 million dollar extension?” Life changing money for generations of Altuves. Would you leave that on the table? It would seem at least a reasonable point from which to negotiate. Five years 125 mil? Altuve is the second best player in the game right now (Mike Trout is still the best), and an absolute class act. Basically he’s everything you want in a ballplayer on and off the field, including terrifically durable. Altuve has played a minimum of 152 of the Astros’ 162 games five seasons in a row. An extension is warranted and for the Astros smart business in these glorious times for them. But not at whatever terms Scott Boras demands. So for now, the Astros pay Altuve six mil for 2018 when they will pay Jon Singleton (!) two mil. The Astros hold the six and a half million option on Altuve for 2019. They hold a 10 and a half million dollar option on Singleton for 2019, seems likely they’ll pass on that one.
Amazing that for all the accolades rightfully poured in for Altuve, it’s no better than 50/50 that is he their best player next season. Had Carlos Correa not missed a quarter of the season because of a torn thumb ligament, it may have been unclear whether Altuve was even the Astros’ MVP. Correa is just 23 years old and under Astros control for four more seasons. Which is why if forced to choose one or the other, Correa would almost have to be the choice.
Buzzer Beaters
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How Houston Rockets hold the cards for a franchise-changing summer
May 8, 2025, 5:45 pm
In Houston, the winning standard has been set so high that anything short of World Series contention now feels like failure. And yet, the 2025 Astros find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads—caught between the fading brilliance of past stars and the uncertain promise of what comes next.
Jose Altuve is at the center of this issue. His early struggles (-0.5 WAR) may indicate more than just a temporary slump. And when he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had just endured a grueling 33-pitch inning on Sunday, it raised a bigger question: who has the influence to talk to Altuve?
The Astros’ culture has long been praised for its accountability, but who inside the clubhouse has the standing to challenge or counsel Altuve or other vets when needed? With so many veteran voices gone, there’s a growing sense that no one does—and that’s a problem. That’s why the idea of bringing back Michael Brantley—not as a player, but as a respected voice—could make some sense. Brantley was always viewed as a quiet leader, and his presence could restore some of the guidance this roster desperately needs.
Batter up?
While the Astros have built a reputation for reviving pitchers' careers, their track record with hitters is far less impressive. There are few, if any, examples of a bat joining Houston and unlocking a new level. That failure in development becomes especially stark when considering how much they’re currently leaning on homegrown youth.
Which brings us to Zach Dezenzo. The 24-year-old rookie is showing he belongs—his .737 OPS makes him one of the more productive bats in a lineup that desperately needs stability while Yordan Alvarez nurses an injury. While Victor Caratini provides the Astros with the ability to switch hit, he's hitting just .217. Dezenzo should be starting every day in left, with Yordan out. Jose Altuve, who has already played too many innings this year, should be shifted to DH duties to ease his physical burden. The Astros should go with Cam Smith in right and keep Jake Meyers in center to round out the outfield.
GM Dana Brown has made clear that he views Dezenzo as a first baseman or left fielder for the future. So why not get him in the lineup while Yordan's out and see what he can do with consistent playing time?
Of course, losing Yordan Alvarez is always going to hurt. But the numbers tell a surprising story. Yordan currently holds a -0.4 WAR, right there alongside Altuve and Christian Walker as the only Astros with negative marks. On paper, the team hasn’t lost much production. But let’s not kid ourselves—Yordan’s mere presence alters how opponents pitch to this team. The lineup without him lacks fear factor, and the margins get razor-thin.
Speaking of margins, one move that may haunt this front office is the decision to sign Christian Walker. The veteran first baseman is hitting just .205 with a .617 OPS—far below the level expected from a player earning $20 million annually through 2027. Compare that to Jon Singleton, who posted better numbers in 2024 and currently boasts an .880 OPS in Triple-A with the Mets organization. Walker's defense is strong, but it's hard to argue that justifies the price tag. Singleton might not be a Gold Glover, or anything close, but he came much cheaper and was quietly more productive with the bat.
No regrets?
There’s also a broader question looming: if fans had known that Altuve’s massive contract extension would potentially cost the team the ability to re-sign current MVP candidates Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, would they still have supported the deal? Hindsight is cruel, but with Altuve’s decline and Tucker and Bregman thriving, it’s a fair debate. Houston might have paid for the past instead of securing its future.
Big deals on the horizon?
All eyes now turn to owner Jim Crane. This winter, Houston's payroll will have considerable room to maneuver. But will Crane commit to restocking the lineup with All-Star-caliber bats, or will his reluctance to offer long-term deals keep the Astros stuck in a holding pattern? It’s one thing to let players walk. It’s another to fail to replace them.
The Astros still have the bones of a contender, but the road back to dominance is getting steeper. The team can’t simply rely on what used to work. It’s time for difficult conversations, bold lineup changes, and a rethinking of how this organization develops—and retains—offensive talent.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
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