Astros’ trilemma: Who sits with three players for two spots? [rquoter]PITTSBURGH — Just days after first blossoming, the fairytale romance (in a baseball sense, of course) between the top two basestealers in the National League is going to face its first challenge. Michael Bourn wants to stay together with Jason Bourgeois, who all analogies aside, has been his teammate since childhood, his neighbor in the outfield and the alphabet. “I really think it’s a real good combination,” said Bourn, who leads the National League in steals with 13 to Bourgeois’ 12 in very limited playing time. “I hope we can stay like that but it’s hard to see what’s going to happen. “We work magic up there. One of us might be going, the other of us might be going. If both of us are going, you’ll see.” But what to do? The Astros have three players for two spots with Bourgeois, a now-healthy Carlos Lee and Brett Wallace for left field and first base. Last night was an easy way out of much hard decision making by reflexively sitting Wallace against a lefty (probably oversimplifying) even though Wallace can hit lefties. When there’s a righty on the mound, it becomes much more difficult, and no matter Lee’s struggles, and he has been getting better, he isn’t the likely one to sit. There will be days when it doesn’t matter, when one is hurt again, perhaps when Bourgeois spells Bourn in center against a particularly tough lefty. There will be days coming up soon when Jason Michaels returns and it’s four for two spots, which we can assume isn’t the scenario now with Brian Bogusevic being solely a pinch-hitter at this point. What to do on those days, when everything lines up in the rest of the field and one of those three has to sit? Or does Brad Mills get creative? Use Bourgeois to spell Bill Hall at second base or take a larger share of the time if Hall continues to struggle? Push Hall to third base, where he has played before and where his arm might even play better if Chris Johnson continues to struggle[/rquoter]
hall should be out of the picture, that's an easy call. he's terrible, and isn't hitting, much less generating the power that he was brought in for. he's a 1 year contract, and hopefully he can be dumped at the trade deadline. bourgeois has obviously earned PT in the short-term, and has proven himself as a valuable bench commodity long-term, at minimum. keppinger deserves the bulk of the time at 2nd when he gets back - he was fantastic last year.
I know it's been said that Wallace struggled quite a bit at third, but they also said he would struggle at first, which hasn't been an issue really at all. Would be interesting if CJ continues to struggle, would they give Wallace a shot at third? CF - Bourn 2B - Bourg RF - Hunter 1B - Lee 3B - Wallace LF - Bog/Michaels, rather be Bog. SS - Barmes/J.R. C - J.R./Barmes P - Pitchers spot. I know this won't happen, but a guy can dream.
Given how little power there is up/down the lineup, I say the Astros go to a up-the-middle speed/defense model. Bourg at 2nd is untested and having his great speed there isn't as important as agility/reaction time. I'd rather have him at LF. We'd have the slowest/crappiest corner infielders in the league but potentially a defensive OF nearing Anaheim's. LF - Bourgeois CF - Bourn 3B - Wallace RF - Pence 1B - Lee SS - Barmes 2B - Keppinger/Sanchez C - Towles Pitchers spot Given that the Astros are 3rd in the majors in errors, I think run-prevention is every bit as important as power output. We don't have the players to outslug the competition but we have the players to play stellar defense. That means Lee on the bench or first.
This. The Astros have no concept of the idea of a sunk cost and it's depressing. All Lee is doing at this point is holding back any progress. He's the last strand of what held back this organization the last several years when they should have been rebuilding.
Cause he has a limited no trade clause and who would want to touch that contract? I doubt the Astros would eat another big contract. If the Astros was smart they would sell high and trade Jason Bourgeois for any prospects they can get. But this is the Astros we talking about here. They won't trade a person until the players value is at the all time low.
Nick did not say to trade Lee, who has also been described as a sunk cost in this thread. Do you really not understand what is being suggested here?
It'd be the right thing to do, but it won't solve the disaster of a bullpen we have. I like the idea of having the two top base stealers, but the reality is that neither one of them can close out a game for us. To me, that means Bourgeouis is a luxury we might be able to flip for an arm or two. Still, I'd be OK with them just straight-up cutting Lee after the break if they can't find a way to get something in return.
