Red Sox definitely put themselves in position to be WS favorites out of the AL IMO, but Stros not far behind. Encarnacion or Archer could put us over the top
Even with Bregman at a torrid pace, he still wasn't getting on base at a clip Springer has done routinely over a significant stretch. Honestly, the OBP is what will keep springer near the top of the lineup. If he can get he average just slightly better, he becomes just that much more productive. Funny to see the biggest question mark on him was whether or not he could play a full season... which he has now done, albeit he looked significantly worn out towards the end of the year.
I know Hinch says GS is his leadoff guy but I'd love to see this lineup: Altuve Beltran Bregman Correa Springer Gurriel Gattis Reddick McCann Maybe can swap Beltran and Gurriel Edit: Apparently I have this guy on the brain Spoiler
The interesting team I want to watch for is the Tigers. I don't see them winning the Central and I certainly don't see them nabbing a WC from teams like the Blue Jays, Orioles, Mariners, Rangers, etc. Could Miggy be had? Verlander? Landing Miggy would be absolutely amazing, our lineup would be the best in baseball. Yeah, we would probably have to shed Reed, and other guys who would lose PT along with a bevy of prospects. But this is a deal I would do... (Even though I know his contract could be a problem in 3-4 years, I don't see a hitter like Miggy falling that far off... just look at Big Papi in DH). Verlander is also enticing due to our lack of front end pitching.
You could switch Bregman and McCann if you wanted. I think this would be a scary lineup. Bring on Arrieta or whomever.
We've been linked to Miggy already, and the Tigers are said to be willing to deal vets so both are definitely possibilities.
By my count, our projected payroll is between 125-130 million right now. Spoiler Beltran 16.0 Gurriel 14.4 Reddick 13 McCann 11.5 Keuchel 9.5 est Morton 7 Gregersen 6.25 Sipp 6 Aoki 5.5 Gattis 5.2 Springer 4.7 est McHugh 4.6 est Altuve 4.5 Fiers 4.3 est Marwin 3.6 est Harris 2.5 est Singleton 2.0 Marisnick 1.1 est That's 121 million, and when you add in the players making the league minimum this year we are certainly over 125 million. That's still probably below where we should be given market, but they have been true to their word and have consistently added payroll to the point where we are right around league average now. One more year of this trend and we will probably have a top 10 payroll entering 2018.
I think Tags is a decent beat writer but he doesn't get any information from sources until things are done. Thus, I don't believe anything he has to say about future moves, prospect availability, etc.
While the best case scenario is that Bregman/Correa are the biggest mashers in this lineup, Altuve remains their best chance for a guy to get a bat on the ball and drive runs in. Put your best OBP guys in front of him, put a quality hitter (or two) behind him to offer protection, and just start counting the runs...
Geez. Kyle Tucker is untouchable? Wow. I hope that's not true. Not itching to trade him, but I wouldn't hesitate to if I thought it could bring back a 1/2 starter.
Agreed. Right there with you. Would really like to see one WS title for the 'stros in my lifetime. Sounds ridiculous but there's a fear in me that I won't.
Cubs get Wade Davis for Soler? Seriously? I know we arent looking for a closer but we could have beat that.
Watching MLB network coverage and all the pundits applauding the Red Sox for "going for it" makes me sad.... I want our Astros to "go for it" at some point.... I mean.... what are we waiting for? At some point you have to.
Yeah, that sorta irked me. I know he's the next Ted Williams and all... but at this point, the only true "untouchable" guy is Correa. At one point, AJ Reed was "untouchable"... Joe Musgrove was deemed "untouchable".... Paulino/Martes/Feliz also may be getting similar treatment. On the one hand, I commend Luhnow for rebuilding the farm and (hopefully) having a very successful graduation rate.... on the other hand, the realist in me sees that very few (if any) of these prospects are going to make it, let alone make it big, and he need not be too attached to anybody that isn't either a for-sure/fast-tracked stud or isn't somebody who is expected to contribute in a big way now. They've graduated all-stars, or potential all-stars, in Correa, Bregman, Altuve, Springer, Keuchel and LMJ. That's a tremendous core/haul... and expecting that sort of level of prospect to magically make it each/every year is far-fetched (and its no coincidence that among those above players, 4 were first round picks, and one was highly touted enough but dropped in the draft due to bonus concerns). In many ways, reminds me of the early 2000 Hunsicker Astros, who in consecutive years produced/graduated Wagner, Hidalgo, Berkman, Miller, Oswalt, and the 3 game phenom Carlos Hernandez. There was a feeling of "invincibility" to the superiority of their farm... which then started graduating some lesser guys like Daryle Ward, Tim Redding, and Jason Lane (who were all highly touted enough that they could have gotten decent returns in a trade), they no longer were tapped into the Venezuelan academy, and they stopped investing resources in the draft.
Napoli wants 3 yrs, Indians want him on a 1yr deal. Red Sox signed Moreland. The market is great for teams wanting a 1B. This lineup is the best in baseball C McCann/Gattis 1B EE/Napoli/Valbuena 2B Altuve SS Correa 3B Bregman RF Reddick CF Springer LF Gurriel/Beltran DH Beltran/Gattis/Gurriel
They somewhat "went for it" at the deadline in 2015 trading for both Kazmir and Gomez. Hamels rejecting them for the Rangers after they put up the best offer to the Phillies still stings a bit. Most of the package that went for Gomez and Fiers probably would have been sent in the Hamels deal instead.
