What We Are "Hearing...."
I have plenty of news for you all to feast on in this latest post. By the time you are done reading all of this, your eyes will be plenty full. My hope is that you will all feel satisfied with what courses I have in store. Consider me your MLB and sports news maitre D, if you will.
First and foremost, the Super Bowl is over. Congrats to the Denver Broncos and their fan base on the victory. Nice job on getting a second ring, Peyton Manning. And all that jazz, blah blah blah.
Okay, I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief on that one. Why? Because that means we are just that much closer to Spring Training. Finally, a real sport, baseball will soon be returning. After a cold and long-waiting off season, a force will awaken, and not the one from a galaxy far, far away.
Sorry folks, the geek in me had to....
As 2016 is beginning, the Houston Astros look very poised and ready to contend and make another playoff run, and possibly more come next fall. All of the pieces of the team puzzle appear to be set, and exciting things await the fan base of H-Town and beyond. All with the exception of a couple of things....the two arbitration hearings.
Yesterday, catcher Jason Castro had his scheduled. On Tuesday February 16th, one is scheduled for your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis.
Though everyone that is a big enough fan of baseball should know how the process works, I will explain anyways for those that may not be entirely in the loop about all of the legal stuff.
Evan and his agent will argue that he deserves the amount they both filed for, which was $3.85 Million. Representatives from the team, which usually include GM Jeff Lunhow will try to argue that he is only worth the amount they filed for him, which was $3 Million. I don't think I need to tell you folks which side I would rule in favor for.
But that's just the thing. The arbitrator whom will be presiding over the hearing is an outside, third party, neutral litigator. Meaning, they have no vested personal or professional interests in either party. This helps to keep the hearings fair and balanced. After all, it is what we all want in the grand scheme of things, right?
Now, it is very possible that, before the next 7 days come to pass, that the team and Evan and his agent could agree on a final number. Dare I say it, but it is also possible, however the unlikelihood, that the team could also settle on a multi-year deal for Evan to remain on the team. This would put him as a Houston Astro through, at the very least, the 2018 season, which would be his last before he becomes a free agent. I don't know about you folks out there, but for me, this is the scenario I continue to push and pray for.
Whatever ends up happening in the end, Evan is due a raise. And a nice healthy one at that. I very much want the Houston Astros to lock him down for as long as possible. They owe it to Evan, to their organization, and by and even bigger extension, the fan base. But if by some unprecedented freak occurrence, this team does not want to have Evan along for the ride, there will be plenty of teams that will want his right-handed power in their lineups.
There are so many critics out there in the media and fan base that are quick to say that Evan won't last long on this team because of the depth in the farm system for anyone to take over at DH, or any of the other fielding positions that Evan is more than capable of playing. Especially, after he lost all that weight over the off season with a personal trainer for the first time. The critics, doubters and haters all want to label Evan "expendable", "past his prime", "washed up," and so many other deplorable and unspeakable things that give me a sick feeling to my stomach to even so much as utter them. They notarize players in the farm system as being the "future" at the expense of downplaying everything that Evan tries to do and work hard for.
But these folks could not be more wrong. And Evan is about to prove that in 2016. He's about to have another really good season. I can feel it all the way through the very depths of my soul. Besides, how does anyone really know what these so-called "prospects" can do on the big league stage? Have they really been tested enough? No disrespect to players like Tyler White, Colan Moran and others, but the big boys like Evan play in the majors. Those that know how the best pitchers will throw, how the best batters will hit, and which locations they do these things towards.
Like it or not, Evan Gattis knows how to do all of these things. He's not perfect, but he busts his ass for all teams that he is apart of. He did it while he was an Atlanta Brave, and he's doing it now as a Houston Astro, and then some. A multi-year deal, while it might be wishful thinking, would be just the thing to finally shut some folks up once and for all. Not to be cocky, but there are plenty of folks out there that really need to. Astros Country is not the place for that BS, AT ALL!!!!
BREAKING NEWS!: As I am publishing this, word came that the team has won it's arbitration case against catcher, Jason Castro. He will only be paid $5 million for the 2016 season, instead of the $5.25 million he filed for. A little nervous, folks. I'm not gonna lie....
First and foremost, the Super Bowl is over. Congrats to the Denver Broncos and their fan base on the victory. Nice job on getting a second ring, Peyton Manning. And all that jazz, blah blah blah.
Okay, I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief on that one. Why? Because that means we are just that much closer to Spring Training. Finally, a real sport, baseball will soon be returning. After a cold and long-waiting off season, a force will awaken, and not the one from a galaxy far, far away.
Sorry folks, the geek in me had to....
As 2016 is beginning, the Houston Astros look very poised and ready to contend and make another playoff run, and possibly more come next fall. All of the pieces of the team puzzle appear to be set, and exciting things await the fan base of H-Town and beyond. All with the exception of a couple of things....the two arbitration hearings.
Yesterday, catcher Jason Castro had his scheduled. On Tuesday February 16th, one is scheduled for your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis.
Though everyone that is a big enough fan of baseball should know how the process works, I will explain anyways for those that may not be entirely in the loop about all of the legal stuff.
Evan and his agent will argue that he deserves the amount they both filed for, which was $3.85 Million. Representatives from the team, which usually include GM Jeff Lunhow will try to argue that he is only worth the amount they filed for him, which was $3 Million. I don't think I need to tell you folks which side I would rule in favor for.
But that's just the thing. The arbitrator whom will be presiding over the hearing is an outside, third party, neutral litigator. Meaning, they have no vested personal or professional interests in either party. This helps to keep the hearings fair and balanced. After all, it is what we all want in the grand scheme of things, right?
Now, it is very possible that, before the next 7 days come to pass, that the team and Evan and his agent could agree on a final number. Dare I say it, but it is also possible, however the unlikelihood, that the team could also settle on a multi-year deal for Evan to remain on the team. This would put him as a Houston Astro through, at the very least, the 2018 season, which would be his last before he becomes a free agent. I don't know about you folks out there, but for me, this is the scenario I continue to push and pray for.
Whatever ends up happening in the end, Evan is due a raise. And a nice healthy one at that. I very much want the Houston Astros to lock him down for as long as possible. They owe it to Evan, to their organization, and by and even bigger extension, the fan base. But if by some unprecedented freak occurrence, this team does not want to have Evan along for the ride, there will be plenty of teams that will want his right-handed power in their lineups.
There are so many critics out there in the media and fan base that are quick to say that Evan won't last long on this team because of the depth in the farm system for anyone to take over at DH, or any of the other fielding positions that Evan is more than capable of playing. Especially, after he lost all that weight over the off season with a personal trainer for the first time. The critics, doubters and haters all want to label Evan "expendable", "past his prime", "washed up," and so many other deplorable and unspeakable things that give me a sick feeling to my stomach to even so much as utter them. They notarize players in the farm system as being the "future" at the expense of downplaying everything that Evan tries to do and work hard for.
But these folks could not be more wrong. And Evan is about to prove that in 2016. He's about to have another really good season. I can feel it all the way through the very depths of my soul. Besides, how does anyone really know what these so-called "prospects" can do on the big league stage? Have they really been tested enough? No disrespect to players like Tyler White, Colan Moran and others, but the big boys like Evan play in the majors. Those that know how the best pitchers will throw, how the best batters will hit, and which locations they do these things towards.
Like it or not, Evan Gattis knows how to do all of these things. He's not perfect, but he busts his ass for all teams that he is apart of. He did it while he was an Atlanta Brave, and he's doing it now as a Houston Astro, and then some. A multi-year deal, while it might be wishful thinking, would be just the thing to finally shut some folks up once and for all. Not to be cocky, but there are plenty of folks out there that really need to. Astros Country is not the place for that BS, AT ALL!!!!
BREAKING NEWS!: As I am publishing this, word came that the team has won it's arbitration case against catcher, Jason Castro. He will only be paid $5 million for the 2016 season, instead of the $5.25 million he filed for. A little nervous, folks. I'm not gonna lie....
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The Arbitration Court calls Evan Gattis to the stand. Let's see what happens! |
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