I'll give them Martes, Musgrove & Fisher, for Quintana. Not, Kyle Tucker! The offense the Houston Astros have assembled, is scary good. Need to give up on potential down the line, for a sure thing like Quintana.
White Sox do want a kings ransom. And its their right to get the max they can squeeze from a team in a trade. As long as the Astros understand their resources, a trade can make sense. The question is, how confident are you that Quintana is the missing piece to making the Astros a true contender. This is where you can overpay within reason. And for all those that say prospects flair out way too often to render much value, the same can be said of veterans. Except that with trading for a markee veteran, its all or nothing (typically just one guy), but with prospects its about diversification (maybe a couple of top 10 prospects, drizzled with another top 20 guy, maybe a floundering prospect outside of the top 30.... If just one guy makes a dent, you can win the trade. Carlos Gomez was supposed to be a coup of a veteran player, its just he flamed out with Houston so bad, they cut him!!! Not that the prospects they traded for him have done much, but they are still improving and advancing up the chain.
Astros were high on Robertson when he was a free agent. I would say our closer position is still a potential open spot, but not as open as the need for reliable starting pitching. The Yankees have little to no use for Robertson to supplement Betances and Chapman. Perhaps this is a leak designed to get Luhnow's attention for a player he previously did try to sign outright.
The White Sox want a trading partner to eat Robertson's contract in lieu of prospects in a Quintana trade? Quintana + Robertson for two of Musgrove, Martes, Tucker the Younger?
The release of teams interested: Pirates, Yankees and Nationals has been very strategic. I wouldn't be shocked if the Astros leaked that they are no longer in talks for the same reason that the White Sox leaked interest by the Pirates, Nats and Yankees. If the price is as high as being floated: Tucker, Martes and Musgrove; then I don't blame the Astros for backing out.
Im sorry but no EE at 3/60 and no Quintana at 3 prospects... disappointing. Yea, it's a lot, but we need some splash, we only have one year of beltran, getting EE for after that and getting quintana for during that would have been sweet. All out, and at the cost of Martes, Mus, and Tucker we would be clear favorites.
I understand that the asking price is high, but why would a team like the Pirates be more willing to pull the trigger on a deal than us?? We're closer to a pennant than they are, and we're a bigger market. I'm not familiar with Pittsburgh's farm system, but would they be able to withstand sending away a similar package to the one the Astros are reportedly being asked to offer?? I get that we have a window that's open wider than most other teams, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating to watch us continue to fold hands while other teams go all in and bolster themselves.
The The Pirates have arguably a better farm than the Astros (at least at the top). Plus his contract fits their cheap ways
Pressure from ownership..... a belief that the Pirates window is smaller.... competing with the Cubs. A lot of reasons. Perspective is HUGE.
Meh. The Pirates have a good system but I would point out that the bloom has come off on Tyler Glasnow and Josh Bell somewhat. The White Sox have received a lot of prospects that have taken a hit recently. I am not sure how this all will play out with them.
So be it. IMO, Quintana and EE would've been luxuries at this point. I think we already have a team to compete for a World Series and I trust that Luhnow will make moves as needed to improve the team once the season gets going. If Spring Training started today, I'd be happy with the current roster.
You answered the question yourself. We are closer to a pennant. We don't need Quintana right now (that of course could change). The Pirates have been contenders in recent years, but their rotation is a huge question mark. They are a mediocre team, that could be competing for a WC spot with a couple of improvements, and once you are in, you are a contender. They are kind of stuck between competing and re-building. Even if they traded for Quintana, they probably figure they could get back pretty solid value if things go south (Cole & Cutch don't rebound).
The Astros rotation represents a pretty huge question mark as is... Keuchel a year older (still threw almost 170 innings last year) now off an injury. LMJ an even bigger question mark. McHugh with continued regression. I was more optimistic last year.
A question mark, but not a desperate one and not one that is a definite need. The Pirates IP leader was Jeff Locke with 127.1 IP and a 5.44 ERA.
We're not running out the 2011 Phillies rotation but the current group is still projected to be a top 10 staff. Last year was rough for those three guys; some positive regression is possible.
