A record of 57-78 might not sound like anything to be proud of, but having failed to eclipse 56 wins since 2010, the Astros have showed clear and promising signs of improvement this season. In Jose Altuve, the team has found it's MVP, with the pint-sized infielder slashing an impressive .332/.369/.434 to go with devastating talent on the bases (49 steals from 56 attempts). Chris Carter has enjoyed a huge breakout, mashing 32 home runs and leading the league since the all-star break. Dexter Fowler has hit well after his arrival in the off-season and talented rookies George Springer and Jon Singleton have shown flashes of brilliance that make the future look bright. On the mound, the Astros have enjoyed a breakout season from Dallas Keuchel, with his 3.05 ERA and team-leading five complete games establishing the southpaw as the ace of the young staff. Collin McHugh has also emerged from irrelevance to make himself a legitimate big-league starter whilst the 'pen has held firm most of the year. The Astros haven't been good in 2014, but quietly they haven't been that bad either.
Major Potential Free Agents
None!
The Astros enter the winter without any real concerns in terms of losing free agents. Most of their players are yet to hit arbitration, while the few veteran players they're letting go of should be easily replaceable. That's not to say that this team doesn't have a lot of holes to fill...
Off-Season Plan
The Astros remain in rebuild mode, and with 2016 probably the year to target to be competitive, they should stay patient this off-season.
Hitting: With Jason Castro and Chris Carter hitting arbitration, the Astros might want to think about signing them to long-term deals or trading them away, especially Carter who has soared in trade value this season. Dexter Fowler provides a decent stop-gap option in the outfield, but with Springer and Delino DeShields making their way towards the Majors he's likely surplus to requirements in their long term plans. They should explore options to trade him away for a B-level prospect or two. Jonathan Villar has failed to impress in his short stints with the club, and with second base already filled and top prospect Carlos Correa likely to be arriving soon to fill the shortstop void, he may find himself either demoted or looking for a new team. Matt Dominguez has struggled at the plate for most of his big league career and defensive metrics aren't as keen on him this season as they were last year. It's unlikely the Astros will make anything other than minor dips into free agency for a couple of seasons however.
Pitching: On the rubber, the Astros will presumably return Feldman, Keuchel, McHugh and Oberholtzer to the rotation in 2015, with the final spot to be filled hopefully by Mike Foltynewicz, who struggled with command problems at AAA this year but has the raw stuff and build to be a solid member of the staff if he can develop further this winter. Brad Peacock offers a reliable but poor option, whilst Mark Appel will be an outside shot if he can continue his improvements in AA and Spring Training after having an abysmal start to the season. Chad Qualls is under contract for 2015, but at 36 years of age he serves no real purpose for the Astros so they should look to deal him this winter, even if they get nothing but salary relief in return. The Astros might be well served to try and follow the Chicago Cubs model of signing struggling pitchers to short contracts in the hope they can rediscover some form and trade value. Justin Masterson, Paul Maholm and Wandy Rodriguez are all potential bounceback candidates that could be acquired on the cheap.
Trade Possibilities
The Astros have spent a lot of time and money on developing a stellar farm system, and though they were unable to sign 2014 first overall pick Brady Aiken, they boast some top prospects. Rather than trade them away for value, the Astros would be better served trying to add to their collection. With few valuable pieces to trade away, they might not be able to bolster the farm much however, with Chris Carter likely the only trade candidate that would command anything close to a top prospect. However, if they can make some astute signings, they could be in a great position at the trade deadline next season to make a killing as the Cubs did with Samardzija, so don't rule out a few unexpected trades or signings. A player like Peter Bourjos on the Cardinals could likely be acquired cheap after he struggled this season, but he would fit nicely into the line-up as a platoon option in center field, and open up trade options with Dexter Fowler, Robbie Grossman or Jake Marisnick.
Overview
Astros fans have had to be extremely patient over the past few seasons as their team has struggled to put together a roster that is anything close to Major League calibre. With some top prospects starting to near the Major Leagues, and a front office that apparently is intent on competing soon, these fans will not have to wait much longer. I think the Astros will make some shrewd signings this winter, although a blockbuster trade would surprise me.
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