This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart¡¯s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
HOUSTON -- We¡¯re barely a week into the regular season, but let¡¯s open the mailbag and see what¡¯s on your mind when it comes to the Astros.
How long do the Astros give Cam Smith to figure things out? -- @AstrosKnower
Smith, the Astros¡¯ top prospect who won the Opening Day starting right field job with a great spring, is off to a 2-for-14 start at the plate with six strikeouts. But it¡¯s not like he¡¯s alone in his struggles. Christian Walker is 5-for-27, Isaac Paredes and Jeremy Pe?a are 3-for-23, Yordan Alvarez is 3-for-24 and Yainer Diaz is 2-for-18.
But I get your point. He¡¯s the only rookie of the group and has played only 10 games above the Double-A level in his career, so there¡¯s going to be growing pains. He¡¯s handled himself well in right field and I believe the club will give him a long runway to make adjustments and get more comfortable at the plate. It wouldn¡¯t be the end of the world to send him to Triple-A Sugar Land if he continues to struggle, but the club isn¡¯t thinking like that at this point.
How likely would the Astros be to trade Framber Valdez if they are playing well and in contention for the division at the Deadline? -- @houstonorbits
The Astros wouldn¡¯t trade Valdez -- their best starting pitcher the last two years -- at the Trade Deadline if they¡¯re in contention. The club believes it can still contend for a playoff spot in the American League West this year and they¡¯ll need an effective Valdez to reach the postseason again. It wouldn¡¯t make sense to trade him in that scenario. Sure, they traded Kyle Tucker prior to this season while adding some other pieces, but trading Valdez in-season while in contention would be like waving the white flag. I don¡¯t see that happening.
Was moving Jose Altuve to LF always a part of the plan or was that to help entice Alex Bregman to stay post-Tucker trade to move Paredes to 2nd? -- @ACallDay1
No, I think you¡¯re trying to connect dots that aren¡¯t there. The Astros had been trying to get Altuve off the infield for a while because of his declining defense, and the decision to give Alvarez most of his at-bats at DH helped create an opportunity for them to finally do that. Altuve did say he¡¯d be willing to move to left field to entice Bregman to stay, yes. And they could have moved Paredes to second base, but Altuve was going to left field regardless of whether Bregman re-signed with the Astros or not. Credit to him for being willing to try a new position after 14 years at second.
Do you see the Astros offering any extension or long-term contract to some of the young core (Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Smith or Pe?a)? -- @VegaBlu1980
General manager Dana Brown was quick to sign pitcher Cristian Javier to a five-year, $64 million extension in his first spring on the job in 2023 and said at the time he was going to be aggressive in locking up the team¡¯s younger players, such as Tucker. It hasn¡¯t happened. First, it takes two to consummate a deal and the Astros are in a bit of a penny-pinching mode this season with so much dead money on the books. I think they¡¯ll certainly try to sign Arrighetti and Smith, but Pe?a (under control through 2027) and Brown (through 2028) might be harder, especially with Brown recently hiring Scott Boras to represent him.
How many Houston Cougars have played for the Astros in their history? I can only name 4 off the top of my head -- Doug Drabek, Woody Williams, Michael Bourn, Corey Julks. -- @IveyLeagueDude
That¡¯s a great list, but you¡¯re missing a few. Reliever Nick Hernandez pitched for the Astros last season and is in the bullpen at Triple-A. Reliever Anthony Young pitched for the Astros in 1996 but is known mostly for losing 27 consecutive decisions for the Mets from 1992-93. Other Cougars are infielder Glenn Vaughan (1963), catcher Chris Tremie (2004), catcher Chris Snyder (2012) and outfielder/first baseman John Paciorek, who was 3-for-3 with four runs scored for the Colt .45s in his only big league game as an 18-year-old at the end of the 1963 season.