Huh It's an $8M difference for one year. That will not be the reason they don't get a big FA. If anything it opens up the ability to spend on a SP or 1B because they don't have to give a big multi year contract to an OF.
Unless the Astros are liars about the willingness to increase payroll, the Astros are still below their payroll from last year. If they continue the increase from the last few years, we should still have 20 or 30 million to spend on new players. Even more if we move guys like Carter, lowrie, or Valbuena. Thus far they have been true to their word about salary, no reason to doubt them now.
I don't doubt the Astros still have money to spend, just less than they did before and have fewer options than they did before.
Fewer options? Not so. Luhnow will be a trading fool this offseason. Luhnow has way too many players for MLB and AAA positions. Trades will be made.
An Updated 2015 Astros Rule 5 Draft Primer AAA Position Players #OF Andrew Aplin #IF Nolan Fontana #C Tyler Heineman #IF Joe Sclafani AAA Pitchers #RHP Travis Ballew RHP Chris Devenski RHP Jandel Gustave #RHP Mike Hauschild #RHP Jordan Jankowski RHP Tyson Perez #RHP Brady Rodgers LHP Tommy Shirley AA Position Players #OF Teoscar Hernandez SS Chan Moon C Roberto Pena OF Danry Vasquez AA Pitchers RHP Edison Frias LHP Reymin Guduan #LHP Brian Holmes #RHP Joe Musgrove RHP Gonzalo Sanudo #RHP Aaron West Position Players at High A or lower #C Marlon Avea #OF Rodrigo Ayarza #3B Randy Cesar 2B Jose Fernandez #IF Arturo Michelena #IF Luis Reynoso #IF/OF Marc Wik Pitchers at High A or lower #RHP Harold Arauz RHP Agapito Barrios #RHP Kevin Comer #RHP Samil de los Santos #RHP Yeyfry del Rosario LHP Evan Grills RHP Angel Heredia RHP Jose Montero #RHP David Paulino #RHP Christian Powell #LHP Edwin Villarroel RHP Andrew Walter Disabled List #RHP Kyle Smith #First year eligibility for Rule 5 Draft MLB Pipeline's current Top 30 list are in blue.
Luhnow talking 3B and 1B named everybody except Duffy. Could he be part of a trade to Milwaukee, San Diego or Cincinnati? The PCL MVP could be a valuable piece of the trade. Interesting that he named Reed and White ahead of everyone except Carter. Seems as though he was listing 1B and then 3B in some kind of order.
Matt Duffy has never been viewed as a prospect of any significance. The Astros didn't even bother protecting him the the Rule 5 last year, and he went unselected. Plus last season when Lowrie and Valbuena were hurt and there appeared to be a glaring spot for him to get the call, he still didn't get promoted. He's gonna get traded but won't fetch much of anything, or he will go in the rule 5. I've been a fan of his, and wanted to see him get a shot last year, but he simply isn't in the Astros plans.
I think people are trying to read too much into things that aren't there. I seriously doubt he was revealing a hidden message to people by the order he said a bunch of names.
Not offseason related, but the 2016 season seems crucial for Appel. I wonder 1) where his trade value is at right now, and 2) how seriously we're considering moving him.
But, he didn't just say a bunch of names. He listed all 1B possibilities and then listed 3B possibilities, in order. There is a reason he listed Singleton and Villar last.
? I don't think there is any chance of Moran playing for the Astros next year. Luhnow was listing players who have a shot at playing 1B or 3B for the team in 2016. Moran has never played a game above AA. Obviously he is not in the plans for the major league roster this year. Maybe 2017. There is a reason Luhnow did not mention Moran. The only players he listed with no mlb experience are Reed and White. Again, for a reason. They are in the plans next season and could be on the opening day roster.
Agree with you, Moran is going to triple a next year, and he is a player Luthnow like. I think we need to trade Carter, Gattis and maybe Conger as a right handed backup would be a better option for us as he is a very weak right handed hitter (he is good as a lefty). Another one i would love to be traded is Lowrie and Feldman. If we can open those 4 roster spots, we can bring a FA, maybe Davis or Morneau, 2 relievers, and a starter. I think GAttis is a very nice guy, but not a good player.
Would like to see Luhnow get in on Zobrist. Wouldn't cost a pick, on base skills, can play pretty much any position on the diamond.
I think these are the names to go after, meaning, will not cost us a pick, and make us better in 2016 First move was Colby, good move. Second, Morneau, we get a 1b for 1 year, he can hit 4th in the lineup as he is good with RISP. He will not hit 25 homers, but decent glove, average and OBP, left handed hitter to go after 3 straight right handed hitters. Davis is another option, but we are losing a 1st round pick. 2. Madson. He would be our set up man, he would help our bullpen big time, and is a power arm. 3. Sipp, he can get right handed and left handed hitters. Very good numbers for us for 2 years, and can pitch in the 7th inning easily. 4. Kazmir. He can be a good number 3 pitcher in our rotation, we are able to trade Fiers for a guy like Miller or Kimbrel. Those are the only moves we need and this team will win over 90 games next year.
