Astros Owner Jim Crane yesterday said that he "had no idea what the team's payroll will be" in '16 but "indicated the amount that could be added isn't small," according to Evan Drellich of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Crane: "We've got quite a bit of room if we need it. We'll focus on spending money wisely and adding a dimension or two that we might need." Drellich notes the Astros' Opening-Day payroll in '15 "was about" $72M. Meanwhile, Crane said that the Astros "were worried they'd run out of time in removing Tal's Hill this offseason, as was originally planned." Eventually, though, the "wrecking ball is coming" as the target "remains to eliminate the hill" by the start of '17 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/10).
TAKING A HACK: Drellich also reported from MLB’s perspective, the Cardinals-Astros computer-hacking drama "will not bleed into next season." MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “I’m hopeful that that situation will be taken care of during the offseason. The timing, however, is not completely within our control. Obviously we’re playing second fiddle to the U.S. Attorney here, as it should be. And we’ll have to be driven to some extent by their timing.” Drellich noted separate from any federal prosecution, the commissioner "has a broad power to punish the Cardinals and/or award the Astros some form of redress if reason is found to." Crane: "We’re not really in control of that. We’ll see where that goes" (CHRON.com, 11/9).
