Why wouldn't Max Stassi be the starter if McCann is out? A trade for catcher would need to be a good value. A rental like Ramos would have to be very cheap. Unless of the course they are very concerned about McCann's health.
He would be. But he couldn't catch every single playoff game. And, what if something happened to Stassi?
I would be surprised if we landed Ramos considering the Nats also want him. I don't see Luhnow overpaying for a rental catcher. He will make an offer, but not get into a bidding war. I expect the Astros to add a reliever but probably not the names being thrown around like Britton, Hand, or Iglesias. I think it will be more along the lines of Familia, Jared Hughes, Kirby Yates, or Soria ( if CHW eat some money for next years option), etc. Also, we might shop for an OF if Tucker struggles until the deadline. Maybe someone like Adam Jones, Granderson, or Corey Dickerson.
Why couldn't he catch every playoff game? They don't play every day and he's what, 26? McCann started all but 1 playoff game last year. And mind you, the guy that started that game is still on the team as well. Basically you are saying if McCann and Stassi can't go. I personally am curious how the team would handle McCann basically being out. Seems the team wouldn't carry 3 catchers yet, but that would seem the outcome of McCann is healthy. With a Realmuto, Stassi could be party of the package and it would just relegate McCann to backup.
My responses are based on the idea that McCann is out and Stassi and FedX are it. If McCann can play, even part time, then no problem (assuming Stassi is healthy). I dont count Gattis as a backup, more like an emergency catcher. While we are on this point, Stassi is not an experienced playoff catcher either.
You know Gattis is an abortion behind the plate right? McCann has been on the DL twice this year and Gattis has started exactly zero games. All you need to know.
I think the Astros have an opportunity to do something great. If they go Britton why not see if you can add Adam Jones to the deal? Could pay a mid level kinda package.. Plus you could use Jones as a very very good LFer and still have options across the board. A Derek Fisher, A.J.Reed and J.D.Davis could be a hell of a start to a package that could get that deal done
I was postulating a reasoning behind the Abreu rumors to promote discussion. I might not always think everything all the way through and don't mind people explaining why something is bad idea. I just appreciate that it is done in a respectful manner.
This is a tough pitching staff to catch: lots of manly-serious breaking balls down (all the starters, Rondon, Devo, etc...) and blocking pitches is something he is terrible at. eta: also he is not quick getting the ball to 2B, that can get magnified in importance in the postseason. He's also not very smooth behind the plate, lots of movement and reaching for the ball.
I'd rather they have someone other than Tim F as the backup. As of today, I'd be fine with Stassi handling the playoffs.
I honestly think its may be getting close to Tucker to the Marlins for Realmuto and the Astros going after a OFer Via Trade. I mean Castellanos wouldn't be bad not would Adam Jones and Britton trade
Realmuto is a stud catcher. 27 years old, UFA in 2021. You know what he brings to the table at the highest level. .317 average as a catcher is awesome. .368 obp. Has power, solid doubles hitter. Career .285 Ba. He is one of the best catchers in all of baseball. He would take a front line prospect. He would also be a great pickup for the Astros if they go this route. I don’t know if the Astros can swing him and a solid reliever but you never know?
Based on comments from Luhnow, it seems they found what they think is the smoking gun causing McCann's knee problems, the smoking gun is fixable, and knee is in surprising great condition besides for the smoking gun.
Luhnow isn’t trading 7 years of Tucker for 2 years of Realmuto Realmuto is great, but Luhnow isn’t looking at a 2 year window
If the Astros were interested in Realmuto, who would you give up? What would the Marlins accept? Yordan Alverez? Who will be the better prospect Tucker or Alverez? Is it worth giving up top picks for a 2-3 year window? Inglesias, brand hand, deGrom, Realmuto will require top talent or 5-6 solid draft picks if you choose to go this route. Or... go with rental in Britton, Ramos style players and give up guys like Fisher. Always a hard decision. In 2015, we almost traded Martes and Musgrove for Kimbrel. We would do that trade in a heart beat now....but then Martes and Musgrove were the future and untouchable. We could use Kimbrel now. However we used Musgrove for Cole this year. If you feel Tucker is the next Bregman of the Astros....you don’t trade him. If you feel Alverez will be better then Tucker....maybe you trade for top young talent using Tucker. Maybe you keep both. But to get a top tier guy like Brad Hand.....one rival says that to trade him "they'd absolutely have to kill it." If they were to get a deal like the Yankees got for Aroldis Chapman or Andrew Miller, that rival thought they'd do it. Otherwise, no. Hand is under contract through 2020, and as one rival put it, "They expect to compete next year and the year after." ... Could be the Astros do nothing this year or try and make a trade for Rentals. Astros might just roll the dice and ride with Tucker, Rondon as the new bat and new closer and hope Giles can turn it around in AAA and McCann gets healthy enough for on more run in the playoffs. We shall see...
