Yulieski Gurriel agrees to 5/$47M deal with the Astros

People fixate too much on payroll... They're going to lop .. what? $30MM (Rasmus, Fister, Castro, Vlabuena + Gomez - which is actually $9MM more). I think that brings them down to... $50-ishMM? There'll be some raises due, etc.

Point being... they could literally add 3 $20MM/year players and *still* be well below $160MM (if I'm doing my math properly - good chance I'm not).

 

He's a Dallas guy...I doubt it.

 

I'm not fixated on a number

And it really don't matter if I am or not

If Jimbo is fixated on a number that could be an issue, depending on what number he is fixated on

None of us know what Jimbo is really fixated on though

I know we need a front of rotation guy, and one more consistent bat though

And we need to get them without giving up Lance, Jose, Alex, George, Carlos and anyone else who has been a true contributor this year and last

 

No way to know, but it's no huge secret that most MLB players don't see Houston as a major destination right now

 

Exactly.

The Astros are in the highly envious position of having a core that is not only young, not only in its prime, but extremely cheap.

But the only way that truly gives them an advantage is if they take the savings and re-apply it to other viable needs that brings them up to a league average payroll.

 

What would Springer + McCullers + minors get you?

 

The White Sox allegedly balked at Bregman+McCullers+minors. Springer is an older, more expensive, possibly less productive/less potential than what Bregman was/is/has become.

 

Springer has value - but not elite ace value. Any of the guys you mentioned in the other thread are almost certainly going to require Bregman be involved.

Speaking of (and to get back on topic)... Did the Astros sign Yuli with a longer game in mind? Specifically: sign Yuli; gain inside track on Lordes; sign Lordes and make Bregman available via trade to land the coveted ace?......

 

Most likely it would get you

1) not better in 2017

2) worse after 2017

 

I doubt Lourdes is being targeted as some kind of replacement for Bregman. He's going to take 1-2 years before he's even ready for the majors. And he's a great prospect, but nowhere near the prospect Bregman is/was.

That said, signing Lourdes may make them feel better about including guys like Fisher, K Tucker, Teoscar, Cameron, Sierra, Kemp, White, and Reed in trades.

I would be shocked if Houston dealt Bregman at this point. He's just too valuable.

Houston has the payroll to upgrade their lineup in free agency. So their only problem is pitching. If the worst thing that happens is they sign/trade for a MoR guy and roll with Keuchel/McCullers/McHugh/Musgrove/TBD, it's not like that rotation would "suck". And I would think that a package built around McCullers/Martes/Paulino/KTucker would be able to bring in a ToR guy (Archer); if not, they just need to roll with what they got.

 

Just a question. Winter deals are always less painful for the tradee than deadline deals. I'm really curious to see what the market is, and what the Stros do.

 

That's a great primer package. I'm not sure I could motivate myself to move both and firmly believe springer is underrated and a glue guy for a great team. That said, it gets you a seat at the table on any deal.

 

The Astros never offered Bregman for Sale from everything I have been told.

A larger deal was discussed involving Sale and Quintana and Bregman and McCullers were thrown around in that deal.

The Astros did try to make something happen with the White Sox and they got cold feet again.

I am sure the Astros will push hard for Sale/Quintana this winter. Expect the Red Sox to also be very heavily involved, as their GM has no issue emptying their farm system for an elite player than fills a need.

Supposedly the White Sox will want Shields involved in any deal for one of their ace pitchers.

Too bad Abreu has heated up, there was some interest both ways including him in a bigger deal.

 

I have zero problem tacking on Shields in order to get a Sale trade done, especially if it means keeping Bregman out of it. But the blockbuster to end all blockbusters:

Astros get:
SP Chris Sale
SP Jose Quintana
SP James Shields
1B Jose Abreu
RP David Robertson
CF Adam Eaton
DH Melky Cabrera

White Sox get:
SS Alex Bregman
1B AJ Reed
OF Derek Fisher
OF Preston Tucker
OF Kyle Tucker
3B Colin Moran
SP Lance McCullers, Jr.
SP Francis Martes
SP Joe Misgrove
SP David Paulino
SP Mike Fiers
SP Franklin Perez

 

Michael Bay thinks your blockbuster is too ludicrous.

 

Man it sure was nice adding Gurriel to our roster. He is looking good so far.

oh my bad, wrong thread. This isn't the Gurriel thread

 

So the sox are going to give you three all star caliber players for Bregman, an injured LMJ and probably a bunch of garbage?

 

That's more sure things than the Phillies got for Hamels... or the Reds got for Cueto.

 

Well obviously this is a ridiculous trade that would never happen. But, that package going to Chicago would be:
Bregman
McCullers
SIX of the Top 100 prospects in baseball (Reed, Fisher, Martes, Tucker, Musgrove, Paulino)
An established BoR SP (Fiers)
A bench bat with upside (Tucker)
A young pitching prospect with massive upside (Perez)
A former top prospect with remaining upside (Moran)

Again, that trade would never happen as two sides could never agree on something that massive; Chicago would be pretty stupid for doing such a drastic rebuild and Houston would be foolish (and likely unable) to add so much payroll while gutting their farm. But I think if you take out Eaton and Perez it becomes a pretty fair deal...that would never happen.

 

Ehh... That isn't a "bunch of garbage", that is a lot of young, very good long term controllable talent. FWIW I don't think the Astros would do it.