Altuve dumps Boras

[OregonStrosFan]

Which is interesting for a number of reasons, among them I wasn't even aware that he'd hired Boras...  MLBTR LINK

[OregonStrosFan]

And if I were advising Reid Ryan on his Presidential "first 100 days," here would be my top three action items:

(1) Sign Jose Altuve to a long term deal;
(2) Get a TV deal (preferably shorter term, 3 or so years); and
(3) Put the HWAC wives gala back on.

Those 3 things would go a long way to begin revitalization of the fan base.

[NeilT]

For (3), don't you have to get some players married?

[OregonStrosFan]

For (3), don't you have to get some players married?

Lesser on the list, admittedly, but I'd try to get former players (e.g. Biggio) and their wives involved.  And FWIW, I'm just referencing this as a PR move.

[MusicMan]

2 is way, way, way in front of 1 or 3.

[jbm]

TV, TV, TV, Altuve.

As far the Gala, if it wasn't very efficient, why not just donate the amount (taken from the half-empty left field signs of course).

[BudGirl]

I think #3 may be a worthwhile cause but I think the Astros got some bad coverage on it.  As I said before is there a wives club anymore?  It's a revolving door if there is.

If Astros fans want to support the HWAC so bad, why not do something over a weekend of games? 

[OregonStrosFan]

2 is way, way, way in front of 1 or 3.

Agreed, but 1 (and to a much lesser extent 3, or other PR moves that could have similar impacts) could provide momentum for 2.

[OregonStrosFan]

I think #3 may be a worthwhile cause but I think the Astros got some bad coverage on it.  As I said before is there a wives club anymore?  It's a revolving door if there is.

If Astros fans want to support the HWAC so bad, why not do something over a weekend of games? 

I thought about not even mentioning 3, as it has been discussed ad finitim elsewhere, but at least the 'principal' of 3 (making a couple of big positive PR splashes, something along the lines of the HWAC event in addition to 1, Altuve signing) wouldn't exactly hurt in creating at least some momentum for a TV deal.

[chuck]

Take that fucking sign down.

[Bench]

For (3), don't you have to get some players married?

It's time for them to step up and make a commitment to the team.

[Fredia]

my daughter would probably step up to that one

[OregonStrosFan]

PR Move 1:

Houston Astros ‏@astros
Pres. Reid Ryan announced that Larry Dierker has been named special assistant to the president. Will serve as advisor, goodwill ambassador.

[roadrunner]

I love Altuve, but I don't want to give him an extension yet.  Isn't he under club control for 4 more years anyways?

[NeilT]

It's time for them to step up and make a commitment to the team.

Are any of them over the age of consent?

[OregonStrosFan]

I love Altuve, but I don't want to give him an extension yet.  Isn't he under club control for 4 more years anyways?

I'm not referring to a Ryan Braun / Tulo type extension, rather one more along the lines of the initial Longoria deal or the more recent Rizzo deal with the Cubs. Something that buys out his arb years and his first couple of free agent years at a 'team-friendly' rate.

[pots]

I love Altuve, but I don't want to give him an extension yet.  Isn't he under club control for 4 more years anyways?

Why wait?  He's unlikely to regress at this point and every stat he records will make him that much more expensive later.  It's a relatively safe bet for the ball club and will demonstrate that the club is interested in shelling out money to at least keep its good players.

[jaklewein]

2 is way, way, way in front of 1 or 3.

How this can be accomplished with the product they'd currently be trying to sell.  It's not like they have Big Tom Callahan on the payroll.

[Reuben]

Why wait?  He's unlikely to regress at this point and every stat he records will make him that much more expensive later.  It's a relatively safe bet for the ball club and will demonstrate that the club is interested shelling out money to at least keep its good players.

+1. I'm hoping that the impetus for Altuve dumping boras is that he is interested in an extension.

[ferret]

PR Move 1:

Houston Astros ‏@astros
Pres. Reid Ryan announced that Larry Dierker has been named special assistant to the president. Will serve as advisor, goodwill ambassador.

yeah but,

(From David Barron's column when Dierker left in a huff)

"...this week he turned down a new contract with the Astros that included personal appearances and studio work on Comcast SportsNet Houston because he did not consider such duties to be “meaningful.”

"But goodwill work, he said this week, is not sufficiently challenging for a man who, at age 66, still thinks he has the energy and the will to write and to broadcast and, possibly, to coach –"
http://blog.chron.com/sportsmedia/2013/03/dierker-astros-will-part-ways-next-month/

So, what the fuck?

[Ron Brand]

So, what the fuck?

It's all about LD. Just like Fernando said, to look good is to feel good.

[ferret]

Hang on,

From the "Sour Grapes" article when he quit,

Dierker "I could certainly do announcing and marketing and writing and a lot of stuff I could do from my house that would be beneficial to any team, but apparently not this team."

http://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Dierker-severs-relationship-with-Astros-4378105.php#ixzz2Ty0FkzyC

Today's article,

(he) refused to sign a contract with the team in March that would have called on him to make up to 180 appearances on the team’s behalf and said he was not interested in a role with the Astros that did not involve “meaningful work.”
...

Dierker said he expects his new job “will be a lot different from what I would have been doing in the contract I got from George. The writing (for the Astros’ team program) will be a big element for me. I think I can say a lot of things from my perspective, having been here forever, that others wouldn’t know without some research.”

http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2013/05/21/larry-dierker-back-with-astros-as-special-assistant/?cmpid=hpfsln

minus 180 appearances at all the local Chick-fil-as and Taco Cabanas

[Bench]

It's probably much more a matter of who he would be doing the work with/for rather than what the work actually is.  If he was going to put up with Postolos, he wanted to be doing worthwhile shit because he doesn't need to be condescended to by that asshole.  But with Reid maybe he feels that no matter what he is asked to do he will be valued and taken seriously.  Hell, everyone that's ever looked at Reid seems to think he walks on water. 

[Navin R Johnson]

It's probably much more a matter of who he would be doing the work with/for rather than what the work actually is.  If he was going to put up with Postolos, he wanted to be doing worthwhile shit because he doesn't need to be condescended to by that asshole.

That is exactly what I heard.

[ferret]

I just needed to be reminded, in here, opinion is always more important.  Carry on.

[Ebby Calvin]

I just needed to be reminded, in here, opinion is always more important.  Carry on.

I don't know what this means.

I hope they keep Altuve around for awhile.  It'd be great to be rooting for a guy 4-6 years from now who stuck it out through the worst period in franchise history.  If the chips fall the way Luhnow wants them to, Altuve could be the seasoned veteran on an otherwise young and scrappy team.  And he'd still be younger than 30.

[chuck]

I don't know what this means.

Instead of anything Altuve I think he's talking about the speculation surrounding Dierker's relationship with the team.

[Mr. Happy]

PR Move 1:

Houston Astros ‏@astros
Pres. Reid Ryan announced that Larry Dierker has been named special assistant to the president. Will serve as advisor, goodwill ambassador.

This I like a lot. A whole lot. He's a fucking Astro if anyone is.

[subnuclear]

Do MLB PR jobs routinely require 180 personal appearances? Seems like a lot.

[Limey]

Are any of them over the age of consent?

"Who cares?"
 - Roger Clemens

[AbejasAsesinas]

Take that fucking sign down.

Seriously. Biggest eyesore in baseball if you ask me.

[Texifornia]

Seriously. Biggest eyesore in baseball if you ask me.

Yea, but only for the fans, so....

[chuck]

Speaking of dumps...

http://www.click2houston.com/news/local-2-investigates-ball-park-food-on-bathroom-floor/-/1735978/20265444/-/ilssiaz/-/index.html

[Fredia]

i will never eat a snow cone again  ewww

[Navin R Johnson]

Shit to watch and shit to eat. 

[das]

Speaking of dumps...

http://www.click2houston.com/news/local-2-investigates-ball-park-food-on-bathroom-floor/-/1735978/20265444/-/ilssiaz/-/index.html

Eh, it's fine. The splatter-factor was probably pretty low in that circumstance and, if there was a finger/TP pokethrough, its likely he got up and washed his hands before he went back into the stall to retrieve his goods.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Eh, it's fine. The splatter-factor was probably pretty low in that circumstance and, if there was a finger/TP pokethrough, its likely he got up and washed his hands before he went back into the stall to retrieve his goods.

Or maybe, and I've got a funny feeling, he likely, laid back, played tallywack and pissed all over the ceiling.

[Limey]

Speaking of dumps...

http://www.click2houston.com/news/local-2-investigates-ball-park-food-on-bathroom-floor/-/1735978/20265444/-/ilssiaz/-/index.html

Along similar lines...

[Matt]

Along similar lines...

Reminds me of the "Who pooped the bed?" episode of Always Sunny.