If you can tie ******** on the Astros into your column then you’ll generate clicks. I don’t care, we have 2 World Series appearances and a title in the last 3 years, they can all **** off.
Hard to say with the new regime Luhnow and Hinch would have taken Quintana I’m pretty sure though. They loved having a defensive veteran at catcher
I’d like to see the Astros open up against the dodgers and give em a good ol Texas sized ass whoopin with a Texas sized broom to set the mood for the season
**** this b****. I usually don't go in that hard but that is just ******** on a guy for clickbait and virtue signalling.
God I Iove watching this man hit a ball in the air... only a handful of guys (McGwire, Bonds, Thomas) that when they hit the ball in the air, regardless of cut, you felt it had a legit chance of going out to the opposite field. He has really busted his ass to become the player he is now. He learned English immediately, he followed around his coaches in the minors and would ask to speak to veterans down in the minors. He has worked hard on his body and making adjustments to build bat speed. If you believe the guys that work in and around the clubhouse and travel team, Yordan is a great person. He is always respectful, humble and kind.
Has anyone heard an update on Yordan’s knee? Hopefully it was just soreness. This lay-off/delay of the season could end up benefitting the Astros more than any other team if it means we have a 100% Yordan, Verlander, and Mccullers
Hypothetical trade targets for Houston: C Reese McGuire 1B Brandon Belt SP Jonathan Gray SP Robbie Ray SP Matt Boyd RP Andrew Chafin RP Matt Barnes RP Scott Oberg RP Mychal Givens RP Joe Jiminez
Unless a player is under control through at least 2022, I think teams will be hard pressed to give up anything of value in a trade. Way too much uncertainty.
Non-contenders will still want to shed payroll and acquire prospects. Most teams will probably wait until the deadline since the shorter season gives crummy teams a better chance of winning, but I expect Colorado, San Francisco, Detroit, Toronto, and Baltimore to be bad from the go and want to shed rentals to save a few bucks. Now you might be right on guys with 2 years left. Teams will probably weigh next season’s value very differently.
Not the best year to take prospects. The farm is in okay-not-great shape after recent (mostly very good) trades that picked the cupboards, and the Astros only had five or six picks this year and two fewer picks next year. Isn't it possible to build the farm and remain competitive at the top? I mean, not at all easy, but StL and NY seem to do it.
St. Louis hasn’t been that good. NY has been able to stay good because of their payroll flexibility and exploiting international signing before the most recent rule changes. Houston can stay good if they are willing to maintain a top 5 payroll and if they keep their absolute best prospects (and get lucky that they pan out). Houston may not be able to add top flight pitching with multiple years of control like Boyd or Gray. But a rental like Ray shouldn’t cost much. Same for guys like McGuire and Belt and the RP I listed. I’m totally fine with the Astros making trades like the Pressly deal. It’s the Verlander/Greinke level trades they can’t keep making.
Any improvements defensively? I’m hoping he’d be playable in LF or even 1B, but if he’s just a DH then so be it. Trey Mancini is an interesting name as well. I know BAL thinks highly of him, and, IIRC, he had a flare-up with colon cancer (?) this offseason. Hopefully he can stay healthy, but he’s a helluva player.
C Reese McGuire - Do the Astros need more bad press by getting a guy that was arrested for rubbing one out in a parking lot while watching p*rn on his cellphone in Florida? I guess we are just running with the heel narrative now... 1B Brandon Belt- He stinks and is paid double what Gurriel makes. Hasn't posted an 800 ops since 2017 and is owed Michael Brantley money in 2020 and 2021. Unless the Giants eat 75% of his contract... hard pass SP Jonathan Gray - prospect cost would sting but would love it if we pulled it off. Strom could work his magic with him. SP Robbie Ray- wasn't very good last year and will have motivation for a bounce back year when he's a free agent after the season. Depends on the price and could be an expensive rental. SP Matt Boyd - Tigers want top much for a guy that is trash outside of their massive ballpark most of his career. He was better away last year but really fell apart at times last season. Never been that high on him. RP Andrew Chafin- sure... as a lefty rental that shouldn't cost a ton. RP Matt Barnes- big arm with good breaking ball....playoff experienced reliever but not sure Boston would trade him with another year of control. My favorite on your list so far. Probably cost close to what Pressly cost us. RP Scott Oberg- New favorite on your list. Good arm and solid numbers with 3 years of control. $$$$$$ in terms of prospect cost for a reliever but would be a solid addition. RP Mychal Givens- elite stuff with some control problems at times. He had 3 good months and 3 really bad months last season. Depends on the cost and won't be cheap with team control in 2021. RP Joe Jimenez- unlikely considering he's only 25 and under team control until 2024. Would be a nice arm to have. Elite stuff and wonder what the Astros could do with him.
McGuire and Belt represent buy-low opportunities to address positions of need. Belt can play both 1B and LF which makes him a potential replacement for Brantley or Gurriel who would cost almost nothing in prospects. McGuire could be a long term answer at catcher, and based on the Blue Jays reaction to his incident I suspect there’s more to the story that makes it not as bad.
