Given what they got for Chapman, I can't fathom what the asking price for Miller will be. I did not know this person existed. Intriguing. You never know when you'll get a great year out of a guy like that, he may fall off a cliff next year, but if you're not giving up too much...? It also makes you wonder how many guys like that are languishing in the minors and are just blocked by depth in their organizations.
I agree. While I don't feel like the Astros are or should be desperate, I'd like to see them go for it. No, I don't want to trade Bregman for Miller. I'm just not comfortable with what the Astros have moving forward regarding closing games. I feel like they have a bunch of really good 8th inning guys. I feel the Astros need that guy that comes into the 9th and it's almost a no doubter. Still feel like we need a solid #2 starter as well.
Ender Inciarte seems like he would be on Astros radar (was rumored Astros were interested this offseason, but don't know if rumors were true). Fits Astros M.O. on center fielders that can't hit, but can play defense. He doesn't strike out as much as the Astros current versions of this player, is healthy, has some club control left, and bats left handed. My guess would be he'd likely cost something like Fisher, a AAAA reclamation project (maybe two), and a couple lower level lottery tickets. Maybe a little more, maybe a little less. Very tough to judge what defense first guys cost in trades/free agency.
No thanks The only time he has had an ERA under 4 outside of Petco Park was in 2012, a season in which he only threw 21 innings and had a 3.86 I would be good with going after him if we were still in the Dome.....
I would be ok with Houston acquiring Cashner for Fiers and a throw-in prospect. Unfortunately I think if Houston does acquire him it'll be for a legit prospect, which is too much IMHO.
Cashner is not good outside Petco. Hell, he's not even that good inside Petco. I'd rather roll with Fiers and Feldman if that's what we're looking at.
I don't get what people are seeing in Cashner? As bad as Fiers has been this year, his ERA is better than Cashner (4.69 to 4.79). Last year Fiers had a 3.32 and Cashner a 4.34. That is with Fiers pitching in a hitters park half of the yaer and a neutral park the other half, and Cashner getting half his games at Petco Cashner has a 3.63 at home this year...but 6.59 on the road Cashner by month April 4.94 May 4.63 June 4.50 July 4.79 Even in 2014 when he was a "stud" with a 2.55 ERA for the season, he had a 1.43 at home and a 4.31 on the road Plus, Cashner is an UFA at the end of the year and Fiers controlled through 2020 I would not trade Fiers for Cashner, much less add a prospect to him
Cashner's stuff is pretty good. Pair him up with a solid pitching coach like Stromm, and better defense behind him (especially the Astros OF)... I bet his numbers would improve here (in addition to the fact that some pitchers just end up doing better when they're on winning teams). Fiers' inconsistency has him as, at best, a #5 guy here.... I don't really see that changing throughout the life of his career (and in 2020, he'll be 35 years old... his arbitration status is deceptive since his career got off to such a late start). And I'm fully confident that this staff will get the most out of its starting pitchers... provided they have quality stuff.
If I traded for Cashner it would be to put him in the bullpen where his stuff would play up and put Devenski in the starting rotation.
After seeing the price for a rental like Chapman, I am very hesitant for the Astros to make any trade. I do not want my team giving up great prospects for average to slightly above average guys. (see Cashner, Andrew).
Agree on Fiers Unfortunately Cashner has been extremely consistent for a while now. I just don't think now is the time to trade for someone with "stuff" and hope you can turn him around
Worked with Fister. Keuchel's turnaround coincided with Stromm. They've done a masterful job of harnessing LMJ's stuff. McHugh put it together here when he wasn't able to anywhere else. Sometimes, change of scenes and adopting a new culture can do wonders. Check out Chris Carpenter's numbers before joining the culture in St. Louis. I fully believe the Astros staff can maximize the good out of pitchers... nothing thus far suggests otherwise.
He was pretty good two and three years ago. Last year, he was below average, but still okay for a BoR starter. This year, not so good. I wouldn't call that consistent. For whatever reason, he's getting worse at throwing strikes.
From the beginning of last year up till today, he has been consistently mediocre Agree with Nick that our staff does well with pitchers But if I'm going after a guy like Cashner, it's in the offseason on a deal that is cheaper than normal because of his performance I'm not giving up prospects in the middle of a penant race hoping our staff can make him more than a #5 starter If I'm giving up prospects for a starter it's gonna be for someone who clearly makes us better right now. If I just wanted a little better back of the rotation guy, we have several options on our roster/in our system that our staff could try to work their magic with That's all I'm saying
I feel like we could be a sneaky candidate to upgrade at first base. For example: Reed, Martes, and Derek Fisher (+/- Paulino) for Joey Votto, with Cincy eating 50% of his remaining salary.
With the way the starting pitching market is looking like, i would not mind for them going after a first baseman like Votto or Freeman and getting a lefty off the bullpen. OF Springer 3B Marwin Gonzalez/Luis Valvuena 2B Jose Altuve SS Carlos Correa 1B Joey Votto DH Yulieski Gurriel OF Alex Bregman OF Carlos Gomez/Rasmus C Castro/Gattis
