Yes Morton is here one more year. I am saying if we can't get a big time closer like Wade Davis we should consider moving Morton to the closer role next season. We have Verlander, Keuchel, McCullers, Peacock, and McHugh for the rotation.
According to the Chron twitter feed, Altuve to make an appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon tonight. Not sure if in person or what? Assuming he shows up live, we could be looking at a dance-off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jimmy fallonVerified account @jimmyfallon 4h4 hours ago So excited to talk to World Series champ Jose Altuve tonight! @JoseAltuve27, I literally love you!
While I dont mind moving Morton to the pen, that alone doesn't make our pitching staff more talented. It merely moves assets from one role to another. We need to add a top reliever(s) or starter(s) and then move the other pieces around accordingly.
Giancarlo would be such a monster here with the crawford boxes and all the guys we get on base. *drools*
I agree. If you read my first post in this thread I said if we can't get a closer like Davis move Morton to closer and get a setup guy because they are easier to get.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/11/2017-18-top-50-mlb-free-agents-with-predictions.html 8. Wade Davis – Astros. Four years, $60MM. Davis, 32, came up as a starter in the Rays system and was traded with James Shields to the Royals in a December 2012 blockbuster. 2013 was a tumultuous year for Davis – his wife had a baby, he lost his stepbrother unexpectedly, and he pitched his way out of the rotation by August. He began 2014 as the Royals’ setup man and never looked back, garnering Cy Young votes in a dominant season. He moved into the team’s closer role when Greg Holland got hurt the following year and will forever be remembered flinging his glove into the air after punching out Wilmer Flores looking to end the 2015 World Series. Davis missed time late in 2016 with a flexor strain in his pitching elbow, but the Cubs were not deterred in deftly trading Jorge Soler for him last offseason. Davis had a fine year as the Cubs’ closer, though he walked more than five batters per nine innings in the second half and that trend continued as manager Joe Maddon pushed him into multi-inning postseason stints. Despite a few warts, Davis is the best closer available and will likely be targeting Mark Melancon’s four-year, $62MM deal from last winter. The Cubs shied away from big-money closers last winter, but it’s still possible they could pony up for Davis. If the Cubs look elsewhere, the Astros, Cardinals, Rangers, Nationals, Twins, Braves, and Rockies could be fits. Davis is another slam-dunk recipient of the qualifying offer and will reject in search of a long-term deal. Listed as "Potential suitors" for (1)Darvish, (4)Arrieta, (5)Tanaka, (12)Carlos Santana & (16)Addison Reed.
Closer - sign Davis or trade for Britton/Osuna Left Handed Reliever - sign McGee/Watson or trade for Brad Hand DH - do nothing. Trade at deadline if no one seizes the job before July. I’d resign Liriano if he can be had cheaply and is willing to be in the Loogy role. I like Maybin for cheap but don’t see how he fits with Marisnick and Fisher (would they put Fisher is AAA to start the year?) Hand out rings to Gregerson, Beltrán, and Clippard then wish them well. Beltrán as a coach would be ok. I wonder what happens with Tony Sipp? Hope for magic in a contract year?
Honestly I'm more eager to go after a LF/DH bat than about fixing the bullpen. This year's offense was unreal but if we are being honest none of us expect Marwin to repeat what he did this season and he's in a walk year anyways.
Between Moran, White, Reed, and Davis someone internal should fill in Beltran’s spot and DH. I wouldn’t spend money on another bat. Give the aforementioned and Tucker and Fisher all the opportunities. Definitely upgrade the pen though relievers are so inconsistent spending huge money on anyone seems like a big gamble. We can all hate Giles right now but this is why it’s better to have a young cheap cost controlled guy then blow the bank on an older guy when either and likely both won’t be consistently dominant. Wish we had some strong bullpen arms in the minors knocking on the door. I am very high on Martes for next year. He was very young but showed serious flashes. He will get better. How funny would it be if he became the closer?
Astros probably add one high leverage reliever and then go cheap. Thinking Paulino goes the route of reliever. I think Astros "fix" Giles by reducing his role and workload. One of Hoyt and Feliz should be okay for the Gregerson role. For playoffs, I think Astros shove starting pitching depth down their opponent's throats once again. I know bullpening is the hip trend in the stat community, but SPs are typically better pitchers. I think Astros showed SPs in multi inning relief roles/tandem starts can be highly effective in the postseason. One of Whitley and Martes will likely provide some nice work out of the pen though will be starters in AA, AAA, and majors during the season.
If the values listed in that article hold true there are some great deals to be had that would really help Houston. The fact that they won the WS and can now focus on sustaining their run instead of getting over the hump means they can be very selective about free agency and trades. Frankly, aside from a lefty and/or late inning reliever they could not make a single move and be just fine. Here is how I’d approach it: Be open to 1-2 bargain veteran bats. If Jay Bruce or Carlos Santana want to come on a 2 year deal then do it. If Curtis Granderson wants to take $3M to be a 4th OF/DH great. Otherwise I’m fine backfilling Beltran with Fisher/Moran/Davis/Reed/etc. Add lefty relief. If Jake McGee or Tony Watson sign for anywhere near what mlbtr project then it needs to be with Houston. I’d rather them not lose prospects trading for Britton or Hand but if it comes to that then fine. Upgrading the bullpen is really the only must have of the offseason. It’s all about value. I think we’ll see Luhnow make an unexpected move. Whether it’s shed salary by trading Gurriel or Gattis, reallocate by flipping Peacock or McHugh, or make an odd blockbuster by acquiring another ace, the GM is going to continue to be creative, as he should. For now, my hopeful 2018 opening day roster: C McCann 1B Gurriel 2B Altuve SS Correa 3B Bregman RF Reddick CF Springer LF Fisher Bench/DH: Marwin, Gattis, Granderson, Marisnick Rotation: Verlander Keuchel Morton McCullers McHugh Bullpen: Martes, Musgrove, Hoyt, Minor, McGee, Harris, Devenski, Giles On 40 man, optioned: White, Moran, Reed, Kemp, Davis, Laureano, Martin, Paulino, Rodgers, C Perez, Feliz, Guduan, Gustave, Deetz, McCurry
Would like some bullpen help and a good bat to platoon DH and replace Beltran.... seems like DH's were pretty affordable his off-season.
You want to replace one of our best hitters in the regular season in Reddick? I don't think so. Sure, he didn't come through enough in the playoffs but that just means he was slumping at the wrong time.
Feliz, the forgotten man. He's been inconsistent but he's had stretches where he looks fantastic. Feliz should be in the mix next season.
I don't think we should add any more bats this offseason, with Fisher, Tucker, Moran coming on up I wouldn't be surprised to see Gonzalez sold high on for even more prospects (very high BABIP, unsustainable production) with the former prospects mentioned needing ABs. I would love to see further progression from Martes, he has the stuff and physical build to be a successful starting pitcher in this league, IMO. Will Forrest or Bustakas make an appearance this year? If we can string together competence in starting pitching through the minor leagues for the long term, our window lasts as long as two of the ABCS are here. Will we lock up any of the ABCS? Correa and Altuve are worth 20 million/year each, pushing our salary to $190 million, will we see any moves to shed salary? Trade Yuli? Gunna be an interesting, yet low-stress offseason
