The Descendants
With Spring Training set to begin this week, I thought it only fitting to reference the title of a film and story that centers around reconnecting. Released in 2011, it was a film that received significant Oscar buzz and multiple nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for George Clooney. Consequently, it did win for Best Adapated Screenplay that year and was based off a novel of the same name by Kaui Hart-Hemmings. Co-starring Shailene Woodley of the "Divergent" series fame, the story has a little something for everyone at any given stage of their life. Another film I highly recommend to you readers.
If you'l forgive me, it is simultaneously Oscar season, and I did just finish viewing all 9 of the Best Picture Nominees. But I digress, now that my cinema lesson is over, let's get back to baseball. After 3 excruciating months of no baseball, which for all other of the 29 MLB teams, minus the Los Angeles Dodgers, was much longer, pitchers and catchers are now beginning to report. Our World Champion Houston Astros (man, does THAT feel good to say) are beginning to make their approaches to the Ballpark of West Palms. You can even smell the excitement brewing in the air!
The spacemen have a title to defend, and by all accounts, they look even more dangerous up and down the roster now than they did at this point last season. The additions of Gerrit Cole, Joe Smith, Anthony Gose and Hector Rendon bolster an already lights out pitching staff. Pair that with the usual position players returning, sans Yuli Gurriel for the first 5 games of the season, and this group is already looking to go back to back. Tyler White figures to be the one to fill in for Yuli during the first five games of the season. Meanwhile, Derek Fisher should get a crack at left field, with Marwin Gonzalez returning for at least one more year to be the ultra utility man on the roster.
Two questions still remain heading into camp. Will the rumors prove to be true about Collin McHugh potentially getting traded to stock up the farm with some more pitching prospects? (Hint: I personally would vote no on that one!) Secondly, and the question I find to be the most important, will your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis making the shift back to primary DH in his last arbitration season prove to be a beneficial move for El Oso Blanco, as well as the team itself?
As much as so many out in the cyber world want to keep casting doubt and fuel their obsession with his positional splits, I happen to believe that the answer to my second question will be an assured YES. No surprises, right?! Well folks, I'm not the only one to believe this to be true. Just ask the GM, Jeff Luhnow, himself. Bear in mind (pun intended) that these are actual quotes from him that he gave to the Houston Chronicle over the off season:
Here is something else to ponder on that front. The team settled with Gattis at a $6.7 million clip. Considering his stats had him to be worth a little over $7 million, that's a bargain for a player like him. Not only that, but Evan himself graciously accepted the offer AND had these things to say to local affiliate, Fox 26:
Look, no one, not even me is saying that Gattis will have the superstar numbers that Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve have. (Though, I pray 2018 will be a break out year for him that sends him to his very first All Star Game.) Even if not, I still see El Oso Blanco being a much bigger part of this team than people realize. One that I personally believe will be here beyond 2018. Evan always does what is asked of him without any complaints, and that should be something not lost on anyone.
Along with his team player attitude and overall stats, which are above average in many categories now matter what any writer tries to spin it as, is the lack of money concern. When he is on record says that he is "more than happy with it" when it comes to salary, this should be a signal that, even as a free agent next winter, he's not going to ask for a whole lot. In return, he will give you a lot out in that batter's box and behind the dish, as he has proven so many times before in the past. All of these ingredients are the recipe for a franchise player, no matter what way you look at it.
So yeah, I do feel that, even with the recent rumors about asking in on Marlins catcher, J.T. Realmuto, this will have absolutely ZERO effect on Evan Gattis and his place on this Houston Astros team. If anything, Max Stassi would be the odd man out of the deal. He's out of minor league options with the spacemen, and would either need to make the big league club, get traded or be released altogether. Especially, when you consider that Gattis will be taking on the role left behind by Carlos Beltran.
Plus, even IF (which is a big IF) they decided to trade the bear, he certainly would not go to a National League club. Unless there is something in the works for the NL to adopt the DH, this will most assuredly never happen. Seeing is how there aren't any American League teams that really have a dire need at catcher or DH, guess what that means, readers?! You guessed it, Evan Gattis is here for the long haul! How's that for reconnecting?!
If you'l forgive me, it is simultaneously Oscar season, and I did just finish viewing all 9 of the Best Picture Nominees. But I digress, now that my cinema lesson is over, let's get back to baseball. After 3 excruciating months of no baseball, which for all other of the 29 MLB teams, minus the Los Angeles Dodgers, was much longer, pitchers and catchers are now beginning to report. Our World Champion Houston Astros (man, does THAT feel good to say) are beginning to make their approaches to the Ballpark of West Palms. You can even smell the excitement brewing in the air!
The spacemen have a title to defend, and by all accounts, they look even more dangerous up and down the roster now than they did at this point last season. The additions of Gerrit Cole, Joe Smith, Anthony Gose and Hector Rendon bolster an already lights out pitching staff. Pair that with the usual position players returning, sans Yuli Gurriel for the first 5 games of the season, and this group is already looking to go back to back. Tyler White figures to be the one to fill in for Yuli during the first five games of the season. Meanwhile, Derek Fisher should get a crack at left field, with Marwin Gonzalez returning for at least one more year to be the ultra utility man on the roster.
Two questions still remain heading into camp. Will the rumors prove to be true about Collin McHugh potentially getting traded to stock up the farm with some more pitching prospects? (Hint: I personally would vote no on that one!) Secondly, and the question I find to be the most important, will your people's champion and mine, Evan Gattis making the shift back to primary DH in his last arbitration season prove to be a beneficial move for El Oso Blanco, as well as the team itself?
As much as so many out in the cyber world want to keep casting doubt and fuel their obsession with his positional splits, I happen to believe that the answer to my second question will be an assured YES. No surprises, right?! Well folks, I'm not the only one to believe this to be true. Just ask the GM, Jeff Luhnow, himself. Bear in mind (pun intended) that these are actual quotes from him that he gave to the Houston Chronicle over the off season:
By the way, I decided to include the parent tweet so that you all know exactly what I have to deal with on a daily basis from some stubborn mules of the fan base. However, it does prove my point that Evan Gattis is far more valuable to this team than people think, and is one of the most underrated players in the game today. Just because he is due to hit free agency next year, it doesn't necessarily mean he should be shipped out somehow right now. Additionally, it shouldn't just completely nix him from re-signing with the Astros as a free agent.Actual quotes from Jeff Luhnow himself about Evan Gattis. You trust what he's doing? Well, here it is in black and white! pic.twitter.com/nuVVPLAGaV— James I Zeankowski (@tvwizard85) February 11, 2018
Here is something else to ponder on that front. The team settled with Gattis at a $6.7 million clip. Considering his stats had him to be worth a little over $7 million, that's a bargain for a player like him. Not only that, but Evan himself graciously accepted the offer AND had these things to say to local affiliate, Fox 26:
Evan Gattis (@BulldogBeing) on settling with #Astros for 1 year/$6.7M, avoiding arbitration: "It was more than I thought I'd get. I'm more than happy w/it. It's good to be done w/it.U don't have to worry about it. U can focus on the next step...which is having a productive year"— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) January 13, 2018
I don't know about you, folks, but this is the quote of someone who is perfectly happy remaining with the Astros long term. On that subject, he has also done more than enough to earn the right to stay here. I mean, you won't see someone like Gattis signing with the likes of an agent like Scott Boras anytime soon. Who, by the way, just acquired the likes of Dallas Keuchel and Marwin Gonzalez as new clients. For those keeping tabs, that's 2 of the projected 3 free agents of next winter. Gattis just happens to be the third.Evan Gattis (@BulldogBeing) remains amazed by his salary for playing baseball: "Yeah, absolutely. Getting drafted was an incredible day. Making it to the big leagues was an incredible day. Making it to arbitration at all was a big day, and this is a big day." #Astros— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) January 13, 2018
Look, no one, not even me is saying that Gattis will have the superstar numbers that Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve have. (Though, I pray 2018 will be a break out year for him that sends him to his very first All Star Game.) Even if not, I still see El Oso Blanco being a much bigger part of this team than people realize. One that I personally believe will be here beyond 2018. Evan always does what is asked of him without any complaints, and that should be something not lost on anyone.
Along with his team player attitude and overall stats, which are above average in many categories now matter what any writer tries to spin it as, is the lack of money concern. When he is on record says that he is "more than happy with it" when it comes to salary, this should be a signal that, even as a free agent next winter, he's not going to ask for a whole lot. In return, he will give you a lot out in that batter's box and behind the dish, as he has proven so many times before in the past. All of these ingredients are the recipe for a franchise player, no matter what way you look at it.
So yeah, I do feel that, even with the recent rumors about asking in on Marlins catcher, J.T. Realmuto, this will have absolutely ZERO effect on Evan Gattis and his place on this Houston Astros team. If anything, Max Stassi would be the odd man out of the deal. He's out of minor league options with the spacemen, and would either need to make the big league club, get traded or be released altogether. Especially, when you consider that Gattis will be taking on the role left behind by Carlos Beltran.
Plus, even IF (which is a big IF) they decided to trade the bear, he certainly would not go to a National League club. Unless there is something in the works for the NL to adopt the DH, this will most assuredly never happen. Seeing is how there aren't any American League teams that really have a dire need at catcher or DH, guess what that means, readers?! You guessed it, Evan Gattis is here for the long haul! How's that for reconnecting?!
Original Photo Credit: LG Patterson of Getty Images
Anytime you fans are ready to accept THIS happening for a while with the Houston Astros, I'll be ready and waiting!
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