How to Construct a Team Like the Recent Astros
Whether you are a fan of the Astros, maybe you consider them a villainous lot, or perhaps you simply respect what they have accomplished, every team’s front office is trying to figure out how to #LevelUp and eclipse them. The brain trust in Houston has a certain ideal method of putting successful teams together even before Dusty Baker arrived, a model of how they do things.
Some orgs dip their lines into the spend-happy waters of acquiring established names on the frenzied free agent market. Others fully utilize their managers to implement the tracking and data that eventually mold prospects into fungible cogs. Frankly, there are more ways than one to tap into building a championship-caliber clubhouse, and that has never been clearer than looking at last year’s World Series champions.
ASTROS (57.4 WAR, 2nd among 12 teams)
Homegrown: 15 (35.2 WAR)
• Draft: 8 (19 WAR)
• International: 7 (16.2 WAR)
Free agents: 2 (2.7 WAR)
Trades: 9 (19.5 WAR)
The best team in the American League, HOU leads all postseason clubs in homegrown and international, both in terms of the number of players and WAR. A review of the last six seasons proves these combinations. Their miners in the scouting department struck gold in finding international bargains, spotlighted by former league MVP, Jose Altuve ($15,000), Framber Valdez ($10,000), Cristian Javier ($10,000), and Luis Garcia ($20,000). While others are expanding payrolls, the Astros are able to build around a team and cost-controlled core.
The 2015 MLB Amateur Draft garnered early-round strikes in comeback player Alex Bregman and first-time All-Star Gold Glove outfielder Kyle Tucker. More recently, 3rd round phenom shortstop and eventual Fall Classic MVP, Jeremy Peña made many in HTown forget losing Carlos Correa. Yet, what competitor could ignore the key trades for Ryan Pressley, Yordan Alvarez, and Justin Verlander?
Even though the assignment is clear, catching up alone will not be enough if the Astros themselves have improved. What is on tap for the 2023 version, you ask? More of the same, of course!
Bereft of an active general manager after the departure of James Click, former Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, and Senior Director of Baseball Strategy Bill Firkus said the team’s #1 target was 1B, Jose Abreu. There are some real team-player elements in the Astros mold, and when asked if his new role is diminished in 2023, re-signed veteran free agent Michael Brantley said he is humbled by any assignment given.
Instead of opting for the shiniest new raw tools on the open market, Houston has quietly remained the most homespun baseball team. They accomplished this with the smallest draft budgets, and no Top 10 pick for seven seasons. Ready to hit the ground running after contributions in his first taste of the majors and then the playoffs, Hunter Brown will replace the most recent A.L. Cy Young winner. Big shoes to fill, he has shown no signs of relinquishing a starter role. Several others are looking for an opening to add to their resume – Yainer Diaz, Korey Lee, and David Hensley.
