Astros Ready To 'Take A Run' At Gerrit Cole

As the Astros begin free agency and a pursuit of pitcher Gerrit Cole, owner Jim Crane said on Monday it’s possible that the club could exceed the luxury tax threshold next year for the first time. The Astros’ estimated payroll next year, according to Baseball-Reference.com, will be about $208 million (the threshold for 2020). Teams that carry payrolls above the set amount are assessed a Competitive Balance Tax on each dollar above it.

Houston Official Site

Jose Rada Named Coach By Carolina For 2019-20 LBPRC Season

The Carolina Giants announced a new member of their coaching staff for the 2019-2020 season. This is José Rada, who will serve as an analytical coach and currently serves as a pitching coach in the Gulf Coast League Rookie League for the Houston Astros organization.  (Translated)

LBPRC Official Site

Carolina Looks To Strike Agreement With Astros

The Carolina Giants are cooking a collaboration agreement with the Houston Astros to import players and technical personnel in the 2019-2020 season of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League, informed the Puerto Rican ninth-seeded leader.  (Translated)

Primera Hora

Gerrit Cole, Astros Frustrated In Finale Defeat

There is no way to gauge how much of the mid-game fireworks on Wednesday could be attributed to the Astros' general frustrations with how their season has started, and how much of it was simply isolated ire toward the home-plate umpire.

Houston Official Site

Mike Minor Shuts Down Astros To Seal Series Win

This is what a No. 1 starter does. Rangers starters had a rough time the first time through the rotation, but Mike Minor stepped up for them on Wednesday night at Globe Life Park.

Texas Official Site

Licey Interviewed Alex Cintron For Managerial Job

Directors of the Tigres del Licey exhausted the usual tour of the spring training camps of the Major Leagues.  (Translated)

El Caribe

Carlos Beltran Would Love To Be A Manager

With just one season in retirement, former Puerto Rican outfielder Carlos Beltran does not hide his desire to return to Major League baseball in any capacity, and admitted to El Nuevo Dia that he would like to start in a managerial position before fulfilling his greatest wish: lead.  (Translated)

El Nuevo Dia

Jeff Luhnow Savors Overdue Title

Jeff Luhnow wasn’t always sure. The Houston Astros’ general manager admitted Monday that doubt occasionally would creep into his mind that the tear-it-down, build-it-back-up process designed to lead his team to a championship just might not work, or not at least as briskly as he had hoped.

Post-Dispatch

Astros Named Jeff Albert Second Hitting Coach & Doug White Bullpen Coach

The 2017 World Series champion Astros announced three additions to their Major League coaching staff on Monday. They named Jeff Albert second hitting coach, Alex Cintron first-base coach and Doug White bullpen coach.

Houston Official Site

Cardinals Have Offered One Of Their Best Pitching Prospects For Giancarlo Stanton

The Red Sox have not reached out to Giancarlo Stanton’s agent Joel Wolfe, and they probably understand that not only is Stanton’s contract sizeable, he—and no one else—will decide where he goes because of that contract. Boston is an unlikely choice (although Stanton’s mother is from Ponce), and while the Cardinals have reportedly made one of their best young pitchers available if the Derek Jeter ownership will take back some of the money, there is no comparable pitching in the upper half o the Boston system right now even if in the unlikely event Stanton says he’d go there that they could agree on player compensation. Understand: in the last week three different general managers of profitable market teams have said that if Stanton were put on waivers, he would, like Manny Ramirez 12 years ago, go unclaimed. That’s complicated.

Gammons Daily

Alex Cora: "Baseball Is Not A Priority Right Now"

The general manager of the champions Creollos de Caguas said that now is the time to help Puerto Rico rise after the passage of Hurricane Maria  (Translated)

El Vocero

Astros Hire Alex Cintron As Interpreter

Alex Cintron, a former infielder who played nine years in the Major Leagues with the D-backs, White Sox, Orioles and Nationals, has been hired by the Astros as the team's Spanish-language interpreter. He will also have some scouting duties in the baseball operations department.

Houston Official Site

Puerto Rico To Told Showcase From April 29-May 4, 2015 For MLB Draft

The receiver Joshuan A. Sandoval Sánchez, and pitchers Andrés Castro Portillo and Israel Alers Maldonado, of Thunder Cataño, are some of the players selected by the Association of Major League Scouts of Puerto Rico to join the team in the league Palomino in the Tournament of Excellence Victor Pellot 2015.  (Translated)

El Nuevo Dia

Cardinals Have Had Their Share Of Surprising Postseason Heroes

It is still hard to fathom, 58 Octobers later.

Post-Dispatch

How Rick Ankiel Made Happy Return To Cardinals As Pitcher

Three years after he left the Busch Stadium mound with his pitching career _ as well as his pitches _ spiraling out of control, Rick Ankiel returned to St. Louis as a confident Cardinals reliever embraced by the fans.

RetroSimba

Another Playoff, Another Injury

Judging by 10 consecutive seasons of more than three million in attendance, Cardinals fans seem satisfied with the product being manufactured here. But they have grown to expect a lot, and a division series berth isn’t necessarily all they have in mind.

Post-Dispatch

Nobody Did It Better Than Chris Carpenter In 2005

Just how well Chris Carpenter pitched for the 2005 Cardinals may become more fully appreciated with time.

Retro Simba

Hex Continues For Cardinals In Search For A Third Baseman

If the Cardinals aren't cursed this season, third base may at least be in need of an exorcism.

STL Today

Rockies Sign Stuart Pomeranz Out Of Can-Am League

Baseball America

Jorge Sosa's Suspension Up Soon; Being Considerd For Call-Up By Nationals

Soon, another veteran will join the Syracuse mix: On May 22, Jorge Sosa -- currently suspended for amphetamines -- will again be eligible to pitch. Sosa is working out in Viera, Fla., in extended spring training.

Washington has been so desperate for help that the front office, when considering earlier roster moves this year, has debated recalling Sosa directly to the big leagues. Sosa's suspension applies only to the minor leagues.

The Washington Post