Offseason saw busy retooling of the team
where we are today, we feel like we’ve done the things that we need to do to give this club an opportunity to compete in a very tough division.”
Indeed, not all the moves were mapped out heading into the offseason. For example, the Astros were on Lowrie’s trail from the get-go, but Rasmus’ signing last week was more spur-of-the-moment. The Astros had just traded center fielder Dexter Fowler to the Chicago Cubs, and Rasmus, who has power but is coming off a down year, was available. Payroll on the climb
Overall, the Astros have increased payroll by more than $18 million. Fifteen players are making $1 million or more, and those players’ salaries total about $63 million. On the assumption the final 10 players will make in the vicinity of the 2015 league minimum of $507,500, the total salary likely creeps above $68 million. The team was around $50 million last year, and owner Jim Crane said going into the offseason there was roughly $20 million to add.
“I don’t know if we’re going to sign anybody on a major league deal, but there’s possibilities we’d bring another pitcher on the NRI (non-roster invitee) basis,” Luhnow said.”
As Lowrie put it Saturday, the Astros are entering the next phase.
When Hinch signed on to manage the team last September, he was told change was on its way, and his bosses kept that promise.
“I expected a reshaping,” Hinch said. “It’s gathered momentum as the offseason has gone along. But one of the commitments or comments made by both Jim and Jeff was that things were going to change. Investing in some free agents, using some prospects to concentrate on getting major league return. That was all said on the front end, so it’s been nice to see that develop over the course of the winter.”
There were some criticisms of two deals the Astros made — the Fowler trade to the Cubs, which brought back third-base prospect Valbuena and rotation-hopeful Straily; and the Gattis deal with the Braves, which sent out an impressive group of prospects in third baseman Rio Ruiz and pitchers Mike Foltynewicz and Andrew Thurman. Future is now
Did the Astros enough in return?
That’s a time-will-tell matter, but the team filled specific needs in both deals.
The Gattis swap was a sure sign the franchise’s present has become more important than the nebulous future the marketing department was forced to hang its hat on previously. As teams like the San Diego Padres drew attention this winter for their go-forit attitude, there is credit to be given to the Astros for taking a moderate-sized step in that direction as well.
“The offseason for me has probably changed the focus a little bit into talking a little bit more about competing and winning at this level,” Hinch said. “We’re far from a mature team. We have a lot of work to do to bring this all together. But there’s a genuine optimism for the group that
get I’ve talked to.
“There’s an energy around this team. I think we have some personalities from this offseason from what I’ve gotten to know. I think there’s some good characters on this team that’ll make it a fun team for our fans, but nothing makes it more fun than winning.”
The number of players who did not come up with the Astros through their farm system or were not originally signed by the organization will be high come opening day.
Some of the team’s best players — Jose Altuve, Jason Castro, George Springer and Dallas Keuchel — are Astros products through and through. Yet for all the talk of building from within, the Astros otherwise are fielding a team that has been pieced together from different corners.
It is worth noting that the draft picks Luhnow made in 2012, his first year, are only starting to arrive after climbing through the minors.
“When it comes to getting to the major league level, we want all of our guys to understand and be proud of being Astros,” Hinch said. “When free agents choose to come here, when guys are gen- uinely excited when we trade for them, combining that with an identity that comes through player development, that’s great to see. Some of our more notable players are homegrown … but it takes a lot of different ways to build a winning-caliber team.” Homegrown talent
Top draft picks and prospects are valuable for many reasons, including the capital they give teams to acquire ready-now talent.
“The composition of where the guys come from doesn’t matter a whole lot if you’re having success,” Luhnow said. “Our number of homegrown players is going to continue to increase, and when we’re three, four years from now, it’s going to be a different composition.
“Having a homegrown team is not a goal in and of itself. It’s a goal if it helps you. It’s a step toward a goal of helping you win championships, because homegrown players are familiar to the fans, they tend to be cost-controlled for a good part of when you have them, and those are the reasons it makes sense.” evan.drellich@chron.com twitter.com/evandrellich