3:42pm: The signing is now official. Furthermore, agent Marc Kligman tells Mark Berman of FOX 26 that the deal comes with a $650K base salary and $75K worth of incentives (Twitter link).
10:43am: The Astros have agreed to a one-year deal with backstop Dustin Garneau, per Jake Kaplan of The Athletic (via Twitter). It appears that he’ll rather unexpectedly receive a 40-man spot with the signing. The dollars aren’t yet known.
Garneau has settled into a journeyman existence in recent years. Though he has at times shown a promising bat in the upper minors — he has three .900+ OPS seasons in high-octane Triple-A offensive environments — the results haven’t been there in the majors. Over 381 lifetime plate appearances at the game’s highest level, Garneau has slashed just .207/.290/.343. If he’s able to cement himself as a viable option over a full season behind the dish in Houston, he’d be controllable all the way through the 2024 campaign — although he’d likely be eligible for arbitration as a Super Two player next winter.
While he isn’t exactly legend for his framing or throwing, Garneau is regarded as a strong defender. His former skipper with the A’s, Bob Melvin, had kind words for Garneau’s overall game management ability — the sort of thing that’s essentially impossible to capture from objective measurement. It seems fair to presume that the ’Stros think they’ll get good work behind the dish and in the game prep arena out of Garneau, with any offense mostly an added bonus.
It also seems rather clear that this is one of multiple planned catching moves for the defending American League champs. Garneau joins Garrett Stubbs on the Houston 40-man. But odds are the team will allow those players to compete for the reserve job in camp. (Garneau will have a strong edge since he’s out of options and just signed this deal.) Another backstop — perhaps a returning Robinson Chirinos — is likely to be brought aboard as well.
Cheaters
Yeah, remember when they won those home world series games in 2019? Definitely the product of cheating.
Another catcher off the board. At this rate someone is gonna end up paying Castro $15 million and someone else will trade all their top prospects to the White Sox for James McCann. There a gonna be a lot of Major League teams trying to contend with terrible catchers next year. Maybe the Cubs should trade Contreras to strike while the irons hot.
2018, Red Sox went 119-57 with the worst hitting catchers in the majors.
It’s all about framing metrics.
Don’t the Cubs still need Contreras though?
Cubs have argueably the best bacup catcher in the majors, so Contreras is expendable…for the right package of players.
Cubs have argueably the best backup catcher in the majors, so Contreras is expendable…for the right package of players.
It’s more about who hits before and after your horrible catcher.
Cheating does not guarantee winning.
True, but the Patriots win all the time so it obviously helps.
We’ll wait for proof.
6 nauseating rings enough proof that cheating worke?
Maybe they just didn’t cheat enough at home in this year’s World Series lol
Astros didn’t cheat, Gattis struck out in his at bat against Farquhar, that’s proof Astros didn’t cheat.
No. Just proves he still missed the ball even if he knew what was coming, OR Farquhar caught on and switched things up as he claimed.
Gattis struck out because Farquhar was suspicious of them stealing signs and decided on the pitch and location during a mound visit.
I think he was being facetious guys lol.
Blue, what I thought
And of course he’s gonna slash 300/400/500 next year because Astros.
Because Astros cheat…
I sure am glad I’m not a fan of that team because, Cheating.
Major league deal? why does everyone love this guy so much?
Because he’s a very good defender, but other than this year, he couldn’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag in a season with 50 or more at bats.
What are his pitch framing metrics? I heard he has a 3.1 WIZL a -0.7 FRN and a 2.14 GOBL.
Hilarious. I also heard his launch angle is through the roof.
Woohoo WS 2020 nothing can stop us now!
commish will!
maybe they will bring in the NCAA in to investigate……LMFAO get real.
LYAO!
The commish can’t stop them from winning in 2020…they had the 2nd best team in baseball this year, and they might improve next year
yeah, astros are cheaters!
It looks like he was actually pretty good in limited action in 2019.
He’s pretty much the equivalent of Max Stassi
Somebody should pluck PJ Higgins from the Cubs system during the Rule V draft. Versatile catcher who can play the infield corners as well. He’s 25 years old, decent bat and good defender. With the 26th man, it would be a luxury to have a third catcher who can play elsewhere in a pinch.
Hello Mama Higgins. How are you?
Think more proof with the bat is needed to say he’s actually good, but I can see him being taken.
This is the guy that takes them to the next lvl lol
cheatin stros should be disbanded
im sure the fans, owner, and the city of Houston are fine with that.
who cares? there’s too many teams anyway
who cares? the exact people i just mentioned plus plenty of others who believe that punishment is absurd.
Anyone who believes that punishment is absurd is an enemy of the sport.
Get real. I hate the Astros but just fine them $5 million, dock them a few first rounders, and limit their international money for the next few periods.
Mo4ever, any one who sports that punishment is gonna be hilariously disappointed when it doesn’t happen.
Myaccount is being realistic.
myaccount – $5 million? lmao. The Astros (Crane) was handed $30 million for the 2017 WS “victory.,” so they net $25 million – you make cheating profitable. And that doesn’t count any of the $80 million the cheating Astros players divvied up. Astros/Crane should be fined at least 3x the amount of their WS take = $90 million fine. Your $5 million isn’t even lunch money to Crane, what a joke.
Depending on who knew/sanctioned/instigated this cheating:
Crane (owner) should receive at least a three year ban from baseball, if not lifetime ban. If he is forced to sell the Astros over that, so be it.
Lunhow – lifetime ban
Hinch – lifetime ban
Cora – at least three-year suspension
Beltran – Beltran had to know and is reportedly the brainchild behind it – at least a one year suspension
Astros organization – loss of 1st round draft pick for five years and loss of international bonus money for five years
Astros players who were complicit and/or benefited – one year suspensions plus appropriate fines
Yeah, add these up and that’s the end of the Houston Astros, at least for several years.
just thought you should know that you are being mocked mercilessly on twitter RN IRL for your vacuous take with the most beautiful NPC meme I have EVER seen!
Your opinion is noted but remember it’s only your opinion and worth very little.
Excellent call out!
Yours, doubly so.
Yours quadruply so. Hi, buddy! You ready for Thanksgiving? I knew you couldn’t resist coming on to an Astros that’s not even related to the investigation. Lol.
Dustin needs the chance that is all. Other than that Garneau looked pretty good in Oakland!
He looked pretty good with the Angels last year. The fact the A’s and Astros, two of the better front offices in baseball, have picked him up since we cut him loose intrigues me.
And exactly how is is your front office “better” ?
I clearly stated the A’s and Astros are two of the better front offices.
I definitely would not put the Angels in that statement.
They shouldnt even be allowed to play next season. cheaters. If they let the team play next year, theyre going to need a lot more players because most of the starters will be banned for life. cheaters.
“And…scene! That’s a wrap ladies & gentlemen, on the set of “the guru cries a river” LMAO!
Great dig!
Very unlikely the players face much punishment, and they shouldn’t. Yes they chose to go along with and participate in it but the whole scheme surely originated from above. Bring the hammer down on those running the operation, coaching staff, FO, and even ownership.
You think the players shouldn’t be held responsibility for cheating when they knew it was cheating? That’s unconscionable.
Just so you know, Mo4ever, you were completely wrong about Pettite and steroids. Pettite admitted in 2007 he took steroids in 2002 while playing for the Yankees. Just wanted to throw that out there and suggest you get your facts straight next time.
The only positive thing I can say about this guy is he’s not as bad as Stassi. Which is probably why the Angels kept Stassi.
Three signs the Angels will have a bad season. Rengifo gets 100 ABs. Barria gets ten starts, Max Stassi makes their 40 man roster.
Astros get C Willson Contreras
Cubs get OF Kyle Tucker and RHP Bryan Abreu
Why is everyone trying to trade Contreras? Hve the Cubs said anything about him being on the market?
I have no idea why anyone would give up quality for Willson Contreras. No pitcher wants to throw to him.
Theo said his cubs team could look drastically different this year. When you drop a statement like that it’s going to be natural to see a bunch of people speculate.
They also have Caratini who is a pretty solid backup and Amaya. One of the better C prospects in the game. I personally do not believe it’s going to happen but I can see where the rumors are coming from.
Cubs and Royals match up really well too, Salvy has 2 years left, thats plenty to bridge to Amaya, and also Merrifield to Cubs, Contreras+ to KC?
I’d love to see Salvador Perez in an Astros uniform.
I have to laugh at all these “ban the Astros” posts.
If people only knew everything that happens in the clubhouses and locker rooms across the league.
you do? how many have you been in?
nookie knows nada
Ok then provide evidence!
I’m totally okay with MLB auditing every team about this. Lets see just how corrupt the game is, and fix it (hmm sounds like govt…)
Because you’ve spent so much time there. Right.
– mad Astro fan
– Mad Astros-haters ignoring how it’s a two street so none of us really know what goes in the clubhouse. Therefore, saying they don’t talk about doing illegal stuff is speculation, just like how saying they do is speculation.
im honestly tiered of hearing these “Astros cheated and we need to fire anyone related to the organization into the sun” posts. not only are these punishments crazy, not every post about the team begs the mention of it.
Agreed
And exactly how is is your front office “better” ?
It wasnt funny the first time. Thanks for playing. Next!
Not to mention that the original article that started the whole scandal makes it clear this is a league-wide problem and a LOT of teams have done similar things, the Astros are the only ones that were ratted out about it. Lots of people on their high horses despite being fans of other teams that have had no qualms about cheating, too.
i mean, the issue is the camera. im sure plenty of teams employ methods that arent nearly as absurd to close to the same effect.
no matter how other teams cheated astros still cheated with techs after commissioner’s warning. the team-owner, manager and coaches and maybe even front office needs to be reprimanded severely enough. players though, i would not know whether mlbpa would take the punishment for members sitting down.
Really offensive to use the phrase “ratted out” – this is a billion dollar INDUSTRY, not the streets. The results are supposed to matter, not be like WWE. And you know what? Every team SHOULD be audited and MLB should open anonymous tips so we can finally make the game real again.
They should offer that anonymous tipster line in exchange for not banning all Astros hitters and vacating the 2017 title from the Astros. If every team really is doing it, then lets figure out how and let everyone know its time to stop. Either ban all hitters from that team, or investigate all the different ways every team is cheating in the eyes of the players, show the results, and get everyone to stop.
Also if the season was extended to 168 games every team could play 6 at home and 6 away against every other team, that also would bring authenticity to the game and youd need less playoffs because we’d already know who was actually good and we wouldnt have boring playoffs with bad teams that get swept in the first round because they played 20 games against the worst team in baseball who just so happened to be in their division.
Strike four, that’s why you’d be a terrible baseball comissioner.
The ability to load up on a 95 mph fastball is a big fricken deal. Not to mention lay of the junk. This is worse than roids
I love them and we need to turn the 2017 Astros into the 1919 White Sox.
Strike Four, it’s time to be realistic bud. You’re setting yourself up for severe punishment.
Stros and those fans who make excuses for them deserve a raft of crap every time the name of the team comes up. In perpetuity. Get used to it. They’re cheaters.
What should have been done to the Red Sox in 2018 when they were caught doing the same thing with Apple watches and the Yankees when they were caught? Nothing but a slap on the hand. But now with the not cash cow Astros in the spotlight – hammer them? I don’t condone high def/electronics signal stealing. It’s been going on with several if not all teams for several years. Punishment needs to be evenly applied.
And you throw trash on to your home field at Yankee stadium. If you want to compare fanbase to fanbase, the Yankee fanbase needs to sit down.
He aced his Astro Cheating test
It may be unfair, but the sophistication of this organizational cheating can make a skeptic wonder whether more traditional forms of cheating also extend to the sudden rejuvenation/having best 2 pitchers in the AL.
banging trash can lids is sophisticated cheating?
Which makes me wonder why a opposing team didn’t catch on to this while they were playing the Astros?
Are they sending subliminal messages to opposing batters that a curveball is coming when G Cole and Verlander throw heaters? Or Maybe they found the right frequency to throw hitters off……..
Or maybe they’re just one of the best organizations in baseball who crossed the line with video cameras.
I’ll take the latter.
I’ll let you rethink what traditional forms of cheating are for pitchers that a skeptic may question (however unfair or not). Example is what got their top starting P prospect busted. When there is enough cheating going on, yes it calls a lot of individual player resurgences into question. Some unfairly for sure if clean.
Whiteley was busted for drug of abuse, not PEDs.
Whitley was busted for weed, which is now legal in many states and about to be made as legal as alcohol is nationwide. MLB players are indeed allowed and often referred by doctors to use weed to cure/help mental health issues like stress, anxiety and depression. For absolutely no reason, minor leaguers are treated like massive criminals who are cheating if they do the exact same thing major leaguers their own age are allowed to do.
This is the dumbest and worst thing about baseball drug rules. Either ban it across the board or allow all players to use a perfectly legal and non-habit-forming thing.
Whitley wasn’t busted for weed. This is another factless S4 comment. He was busted for taking a stimulant. Likely an adderall or Vyvanse. Sorry you can’t push your agenda here. You’ll have to wait until a player is actually busted for weed.
It would almost kill you to be factually accurate about something. It’s like google isn’t at your fingertips.
Whitley was busted for marijuana. At least according to his teammates.
Maybe he’s got some serious trash can banging skills we aren’t yet aware of!!
Had a great game against the Cardinals this year for the A’s.
He may be their #1 catcher and hitting clean up depending on who gets banned for life for cheating.
LMFAO is Judge Landis coming back from the grave? Is this what happens when the site is dominated by stats/metrics nerds?
Only catchers getting lifetime banned are Brian McCann, Evan Gattis and Juan Centeno.
I think MLB will only come down on the 2017 WS winner. They will use the Black Sox as a comp for mass bannings. All 2017 Astros hitters will be banned. Pitchers will be okay though, so we get to keep Verlander. Will be interesting to see Beltran have to leave his job with the Mets before he starts it. Also no more Altuve, Correa, Bregman, Marwin, Springer, Reddick, Marisnick, Gurriel, Maybin and JD Davis.
What they did really was way worse than what Pete Rose did. I don’t see why they wouldn’t get the same fate.
No ones getting banned for life, Jesus.
1919 never happened, huh?
Yeah you make GREAT points S4. They’re all going to be banned for life. Marcus Semien will receive a 10 year 250 million dollar year deal for being a good guy. Mike Fiers is going to win a Nobel piece prize for his research on the use of tech to cheat baseball. Right after all that happens the rumor is that MLB teams will be handed over to the federal government to be ran as non profits.
It’s sure going to be a wild year!!!!!
Holy crud, you really are memorizing everything I write?
Do you understand that memory lives in your head forever, right?? That’s like information you are choosing to waste brain space on. Wow. That’s like, beyond owned. I am in your head, forever. Wow. You don’t even know what I look like! LOL!!!
Lmao oh man.
Don’t forget Whitley’s BS suspension for Weed!!!! Man MLB needs a progressive weed policy to protect guys like Whitley who get busted for stimulants!!!! They’re the same thing right!!??!!
Some times, we all encounter people who say something that is so crazy it’s easy to remember and Strike Four is pretty crazy. Dynamite means no hitter that was on the 2017 Astros is getting banned for life. You have to be like the 1919 Black Sox to get banned for life and no, this is not on that level. What’s the mafia’s role in all of these?
His stats don’t matter as much as his garbage-can-knocking ability.
He must not read the news. Has a big surprise coming.
Astros are in luxury tax jail this year, so expect more signings like this unless they can figure out how to trade some salary off the books. Easier said than done!
Who even stands up for that joke of an organization?
Kaepernick?
BANG !
I miss being able to read about the Astros in the comments. I don’t care that they cheated.
Agreed.
you should care, because their “world series title” is now tainted forever.
I’ll gladly accept that tainted title because I got to see my team win it all.
I’m your mind. The Astros have graduated many executives and coaches to other teams. They aren’t attacking the Astros. This is league wide. The Astros just got caught.