Yulieski Gurriel agrees to 5/$47M deal with the Astros

Underwater basket weaving is also less taxing, but that's more of a hobby than a sport.

 

Of course its a risk.

However, they've made some good/bad trades throughout the Luhnow tenure that all carried a similar amount of risk to them. Gattis, Cosart, Kazmir, Gomez, Giles... its not like Luhnow is firmly staunch in being unwilling to pick up MLB players when needed.

What I don't enjoy is their several "process'" that they try to turn something completely subjective (like minor league development/promotion timeline) into an objective facet. Newsflash... Luhnow was never in charge of actually promoting or demoting a player in St. Louis. He was in charge of stocking the cupboard, and the rest was judged by the GM and LaRussa (who despised Luhnow).

Even the Gurriel "extended ST" is based on very little actual evidence or previous examples of mid-season training programs. One would think that you should have him playing at the highest level possible whereby he would see the best competition as soon as possible (since he never has played organized baseball in the US)... but they've decided to have him play every level to get ready, as if baseball was equivalent to weight-lifting or marathon running (in terms of what a body can physically handle).

There's really not a proven right or wrong answer to any of this... but the front office will say their way is the right way, which really sometimes irks people in regards to their flexibility.

 

So what?
2 weeks in Corpus and 2 weeks in Cali??

 

Great News!

 

You didn't answer my question regarding a former professional baseball player's opinion as to whether or not only ping-pong is less taxing as a sport than baseball.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yulieski Gurriel will join Double A Corpus Christi tomorrow.<br><br>In four games with Lancaster, Gurriel hit .429 (6x14) with a HR and nine RBI.</p>&mdash; Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/762683589599301632">August 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Yeah, heard earlier on 790.

Stros will need a huge push when Gurriel arrives. Looks we'll be 6-8 games behind the playoffs when he begins.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Multiple sources confirm Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has been declared a free agent and eligible to sign with MLB team, as reported by <a href="https://twitter.com/longenhagen">@longenhagen</a></p>&mdash; Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseSanchezMLB/status/762745535333740548">August 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Would be great if we could sign him. Sounds like he can play all over the place. Played LF, 1B, 2B, 3B and SS in Cuba. These types of players give you so much versatility. I wonder if he could play RF or CF pretty well. I am guessing he would cost about 10 mil/year too so could be a huge value contract to sign him when he is 23 and have him through his prime if possible.

I really hope we can make some noise the rest of the way so Yulieski enjoys his first season with us and convinces Lourdes to join the team.

 

Inferring what we can from Internet chatter, I wouldn't expect Lourdes to be able to handle CF (dinged for range in the infield usually doesn't translate well to CF), so I think 3B/LF are probably his best bets. Especially since he will likely start in AA, I don't think his position will really affect which teams are interested, and for Houston, he'd be just another high ceiling talent in the upper minors whom they will be ready to find a place for as soon as he proves he is ready.

 

from Reddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/c...pect_lourdes_gurriel/?st=irmqhev9&sh=fcca133d

 

Another day off today

At least be wjll be good and rested when he gets here next week lol

 

If this guy struggles at all, most fans are going to kill this organization.

But these fans also need to remember this. We kept our future intact AND instead chose to spent money to add a possible asset to this team this year and moving forward. If he fails or succeeds, it is the nature of the business. But the organization took a risk. What more can you ask? That he is successful? Remember that no one can accurately predict how well is going to do, it's human nature and the nature of professional sports.

It would be unfair for our scouting team and organization to be knocked if he fails, or heralded because he succeeds. He will be competing at the major league level, a level that you can't simulate. It was a calculated risk. And as of now, most fans will admit we need Gurriel to work out in order to make the playoffs. How many fans would pull out at this point?? NONE.

At the end of the day, I hope some fans can appreciate the risk the Astros organization took here. It was a decision made with a focus on winning now and in the future, with the only risk being money spent.

Good move regardless of the results.

 

I have to disagree here. Isn't it the scouting team's job to judge whether or not a player in his 30s can have success in the majors?

 

I read somewhere that the Astros think Gurriel will be better than they thought. Maybe i read that here? lol

 

It's a scouts job to find talent, not a player who produces. Thats on the player.

 

Lol

If a scout continually finds "talent" that doesn't produce, he won't be a "scout" for very long

It's ok to criticize people when they fail at their job

If Gurriel hits .260-.280 with gap power, he will be a major improvement to the team. If he hits .220 he will simply fit in with a majority of the major league team as it is currently configured