Random timing of free agents regarding more free agents. On kicking the #$%^ out everyone, I don't think Astros are waiting on a trade.
the way Justin Wilson is going so far, the Tigers would ask for a Giles-esque haul. I'm not really looking to spend a ton of prospects to get a LH reliever--even if he's a potential stud. Save that capital for the rotation upgrades. Sean Doolittle is a great place to start. Would be ideal. Marc Rzepczynski is having a solid start for Seattle and has a decent track record vs lefties Blaine Hardy would be more attainable from the Tigers and also solid Jerry Blevins has done it for a while and the Mets have to be thinking about selling--more of a lefty only guy (1 batter and you pull him)
If not Stroman, then Estrada would be a cheaper option. $13M expiring contract, sub-3.5 ERA the past three years.
I've been thinking Archer as well. I would love to see this. Astros still need that third starter and closer IMO. I'm being greedy, because the team is so good, but damn they'd be so nasty.
Jose Quintana: 2017 line: 2-5. 4.38 ERA, 1.42 WHIP. Still go for this guy? Might take less in a trade now? Or is he old news
Astros trade Martes, F Perez, Musgrove, Fisher, Reed, Feliz, Ferrell, Deetz, and Aoki for Abreu, Quintana, Jones, and Robertson. Who says no?
Not easy to evaluate, but I don't see why we'd give up future prospects and/or trade capital for Abreu, Jones, and Robertson. Abreu is declining / not much better than Yuli (or the prospect of Reed) as I detailed in another thread, Jones is good but duplicative in a bullpen heavy on righties, and Robertson, while good, has an 85% save conversion rate from 2014-2016 (5/6 this year). Giles was 75% last year, 10/11 this year. The players are certainly good/useful, but I don't see them as worth spending on--except Quintana. Would rather work something for him directly unless salary forces us to get Abreu.
Astros easy. Fisher, Reed, Feliz, Ferrell, Deetz, Aoki, Abreu, Jones, and Robertson just clutter things up. Astros have already said no to Martes, Tucker, and Musgrove for Quintana and likely said no to Tucker and Martes for Quintana. Subbing in Perez for Tucker doesn't change much.
I just don't understand the obsession with Quintana. Coming into the year he was not consider among the elite pitchers according to batted ball outcomes. He will not be trust worthy against the better lineups in baseball because of that. Now look what he is doing this season. He's not pitching well outside of two starts against a very bad Royals offensive team at the time. What little I have seen of him, his quality of pitches are a grade lower. Most of the metrics say he's not good. If the Astros thought the White Sox were asking way too much before the season started then obviously they will say no just about everything now. Stay away because it will probably go down much worse than the Gomez situation and the years of control. Think about all the innings he's pitched in the last several years. Probably why the quality of pitches are down and his best years behind him. Why trade so much young talent with a depreciating asset. Rather go get Archer who was just throwing 97 mph with a great slider yesterday. He was among the elite in his batted ball profile before the season started and he's been tested time after time in the hardest division in baseball for several years now.
I'm not obsessed with Quintana, I'm just spitballing. Quintana is on the list of guys I think could really help Houston for the right price. His walks are up but so are his strikeouts. He's been one of the most valuable pitchers in baseball over the last 4 seasons. But all things being equal I would much prefer Archer and to a lesser degree Cole.
The hypothetical trade is ridiculous I admit; deals that big are virtually impossible to get over the finish line. But Abreu's overall production is on par with his 2015-2016 numbers, and its hard to argue that adding Jones (maybe sub Jennings for Jones) and Robertson wouldn't improve the bullpen at all.
As I said, all 3 of them would improve the team. Just minimally, so I don't think it's worth any cost when you can instead spend on more improvement (or otherwise retain to build for the future, or retain to spend next year)
His strikeouts are slightly up mainly because of one game where he had 10 Ks in 6 innings against, that's right, the Royals. Hes been one of the best but what about the future? The innings + batted ball profile(quality of pitches) does not bode well as he ages. He might age very badly relative to the price it would take to get him. I'm at a point where any price is too much.
What about Ian Kennedy? Royals are sort of in the middle of being competitive in their division but I don't think they have a shot at truly competing for a title. He's under control for 3 more years after this and he's 32 and his velocity has been good at 92mph. His contract is a little expensive at $16M a year but we can afford it. I think it'd take Martes/Paulino, AJ Reed, and a mediocre prospect like Daz Cameron or JD Davis or something. Perhaps Colin Moran even.
IMO, that's too much for Kennedy, who I personally think is just a guy. If we're giving up 3 top 10 prospects, we need a guy that can start game 1, 2, or 3 of a playoff series and (to me at least) Kennedy is not that guy. Gerrit Cole? Marcus Stroman? Those are guys I would give up a package of Reed and Martes for.
Perhaps. I think with Hosmer coming up on free agency soon they'd want AJ Reed included in the deal, although his prospect status is on the decline with his swing and miss struggles in AAA. They'd need one of our top pitching prospects in return as well. Anyway, I think Kennedy would be a nice acquisition to solidify the 3 spot in our rotation. I think he's the definition of a solid #3 starter.
