https://www.bleachernation.com/base...held-secret-baseball-games-during-quarantine/ I think Verlander may be ready without summer training. Okay, Wow: So a Bunch of MLB All-Stars Held Secret Baseball Games During Quarantine July 2, 2020, by Michael Cerami Baseball Is Fun Atlanta Braves righty Luke Jackson is far from a household name as far as baseball players go, but when he needed a place to pitch and stay in shape during the quarantine, he was invited to a secret camp of “prohibition baseball” … LOADED with superstars. Jackson had been throwing off a makeshift mound on his driveway in Florida, when he got a text from a friend and former trainer of his that read: “Hey, if you ever need to throw live, we are having a small group of guys here [in Palm Peach].” A pretty funny way of phrasing it. That “small group of guys” in Palm Beach included Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber, Giancarlo Stanton, Paul Goldschmidt, Noah Syndergaard, Michael Wacha, Steve Cishek, Brad Hand, and 30 or so other big leaguers, most of whom you’d definitely recognize, playing secret pickup baseball together in a 10,000 square foot facility.
On paper it certainly looks like going all-in in 2021 (with Correa, Verlander, Greinke, McCullers, Osuna, Maldonado, Smith, Devenski, and likely at least one other everyday position player in the OF or 1B representing 20+ wins worth of value in pending free agency) or 2024 (with Altuve, Bregman, James, and who knows who else pending free agency) makes a lot of sense.
Thats all fine and well, but from a trading standpoint we don’t have an abundance of the type of prospects we used to add guys like Verlander and Greinke. If we did move what top prospects we do have to go “all-in” we would be incredibly bare to start over Now I do think there is a chance Crane goes “all in” when it comes to signing everyone back for 2021. Especially if the market in December gives Yuli and Brantley no options for long term deals which I think is very possible if not likely.
Exactly. If Verlander and Greinke go down, Crane is going to have to put guys like Whitley, Tucker, and Toro on the block to get pitching this year. While I think Astros will try their hardest not to need to rebuild before 2025, but if needed, they will prioritize this season and next season over 2022.
I don’t see trading guys like Whitley, Tucker and Toro as rebuilding And if they did trade any/all of those guys, surely it wouldn’t be for rentals. If they did that in the current environment Click won’t be around very long
Do we think the stigma of being associated with the sign stealing will be beneficial to re-signing Springer and Yuli to friendlier contracts? I feel like Brantley doesn't get any of the stigma due to when he arrived, as well as Cole due to being a top pitcher.
I don't think the cheating is as big a factor if they perform this season and also the pandemic squeezing the market for all free agents. The Astros also got lucky that MLBPA did not accept the deal that killed the qualiying offer draft pick penalty. That helps them some with Springer and possibly Brantley. I think the Astros will likely resign Yuli if he performs well again and also sign one of Brantley or Springer.
Personally, I don't think that will play much of a role at all. Unlike a few very vocal media guys and "fans".....MLB team executives know that the cheating ended in mid 18 and can look at the players performance the rest of 18, and all of 19, to determine that these guys are actually very good at hitting a thrown baseball In the end, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ is what matters
Competent GMs will not consider it at all for they know that their team is trying their hardest to steal signs as well.
I like all three but Yuli is 36 years old and is declining. Yuli will want to sign a "big league" contract. The Astros might be better served by replacing Yuli with a minor leaguer or by trying Yordan at first for a season. I absolutely hate to lose Springer and Brantley. Someone will overpay to get Springer. I want that to be the Astros but realize it is not the money move. Brantley is on a 2 year $16 million per contract and is wildly overperforming his contract (4.8 WAR last year). If Brantley will sign another 2 year deal, the Astros should be all over that.
Yuli should get a contract similar to his current salary for 1 or 2 years. If someone else wants to over pay him you let him go. It would be fantastic if Taylor Jones or Toro stepped up and could be penciled in at 1B, but I don't see that happening.
Springer, Brantley, and Reddick are FAs in the OF. Gurriel is a FA for the IF. I like Toro/Diaz more at 1B than I like Straw as a starter assuming Astros bring back Springer, Tucker is in RF, and only one of Brantley or Gurriel can be kept.
I definitely would want Springer and Brantley back But I think Straw would be just fine in this lineup. Gets on base and can run, would be a great 9 hole hitter as the lineup is turning over.
I don't have issues with Straw being a starter. I'd prefer he be 4th OF/backup SS with Diaz/ Toro at 1st/backup IF as it makes it easier to mix and match lineups and keeps Alvarez off the field more. Not sure who would be 4th OF if Straw starts. I'm very interested to see what Diaz does this year if he can stay healthy. He showed hints of improved plate discipline last season, but power was a little off (maybe due to being banged up, EV was fine, but slightly was missing, over and under, meat of the pitch).
I agree with this. I like the odds that one of Jones, Toro, or Diaz can be a good everyday 1B next season. But with the uncertainty surrounding Tucker, they will definitely have to do something in the OF. That said, I don’t think it’s beyond reason that Gurriel (or Jones, Toro, or Diaz) could play LF next year, especially with a stellar defensive player like Straw available to sub in.
Springer and Brantley will probably cost 40-45 million per season. Springer and Yuli 30-35. Brantley and Yuli maybe under 30 million. Eventually money is going to be an issue for Crane. Correa, McCullers, Diaz, Osuna, and Devenski will all be going through arbitration again for 2021. Most likely, those raises will wipe out nearly all the savings from Reddick leaving. The only other free agent with any sort of significant salary is Peacock at 4.1 million. That 17 million you save from Reddick and Peacock leaving isn't going far when you consider trying to resign Springer/Brantley/Yuli and the arbitration raises.
