Where I disagree is Oakland being in rebuild mode. I think they believe their pitching is good enough to make them contenders, and at 24 they are hoping Lawrie finally puts it together and is a legit replacement for Donaldson I'm not saying it's gonna work out for them but I do think that is their plan I worry this is what we will become also. A team that develops top level players and constantly moves them for the next best group of possibilities...hope I'm wrong
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>George Springer & Dexter Fowler's brother-like relationship and the chance the latter goes elsewhere <a href="http://t.co/G15adtogeN">http://t.co/G15adtogeN</a></p>— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/status/538901534348959745">November 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Graveman, Nolin and Barreto isn't a better core of prospects than Hader, Ruiz, and Moran. Regardless, my point was: the Astros have the depth make a far superior offer, even when you consider Lowrie. Add Appel to that trade. Add another prospect or two or three. It's a better offer than the Jays trade. With the upcoming draft in addition to our current farm, we have the depth to sustain that type of hit. I agree, I think OAK will still be good. I'm just referencing the fact that even their players are saying they're rebuilding: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/josh-reddick-says-a-s-clearly-rebuilding-after-trading-josh-donaldson-043918130.html
I'm not sure how Oakland is improving here. They were terrible after trading away Cespedes. They lost their best pitcher in Lester, and now are losing their best hitter in Donaldson. Adding Butler and Lawrie doesn't replace those guys. Unless I'm forgetting about a significant addition, it seems like are taking a step backwards from a team that was already falling apart.
I'm not in disagreement that our prospects are better or that in a prospects-only scenario the Astros could make a better offer. I'm stating that Billy Beane cannot trade a MVP candidate with 4 years of control for a package of players of which zero would be on the opening day roster in 2015. Literally not one GM would make that trade.
It's strikes me as the classic 'reload, not rebuild' scenario. They definitely are taking a near term hit to possibly be better mid-long term. Cespedes was going to be gone after next season anyway, so Beane pushed all in with Jeff Samardzija and Lester instead. Beane knows he doesn't have the resources to compete every single year so picking times to go all in seems like the best use of his resources.
They were terrible after aquiring Lester. They will get Jarrod Parker & AJ Griffin back this year. Their rotation figures to be fine, and even have some depth to it. Donaldson hurts, but they might not be substantially worse.
Then, replenish when the time is right; keeping the resources plentiful. Samardzija is on the block now. If they move him, they'll get new top prospects, maybe even someone MLB-ready.
Don't know how reliable, but: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Per, <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS">@JonHeymanCBS</a> RHP "David Robertson has a 3 year, $39M offer from a club, team is unknown". The Huston Astros are that team. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a></p>— Mibelt Rodriguez (@MibeltRodriguez) <a href="https://twitter.com/MibeltRodriguez/status/539166146474553345">November 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Really wouldn't like all that money being thrown at a closer.... when there are strides this team has to make to even be in a position to get a bunch of 9th inning save opportunities, along with the fact that theres a good chance one of the in-house candidates has the ability to close games at a decent clip. More intrigued with the above article trying to insinuate that when the Astros get rid of Fowler, Springer will be pretty pissed.
Spoiler Astros looking at Andrew Miller as potential closer Spoiler <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>jays have a few priorities besides closer (2B, OF) but havent ruled out robertson. astros, yanks, others in.</p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/539526506335444992">December 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>if astros dont get robertson, they may turn to sergio romo</p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/539526667358978049">December 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> So back to where we started... Spoiler
