Not that it really matters, but this doesn't make sense. He's been up already and had success. We needed an OFer for a few days/week. Fisher plays the OF, the position we need We had an extra RP Hoyt is useless and would have been sent down when Keuchel came back in a few days ??? What am I missing?
Tolliver was removed from the 40 man roster, so we can safely assume that Houston is acquiring one more big league player than they are sending out.
Let's see what the Yankees give up. The Astros GM knows his team has to make a move to appease his owner, fans and players. I question whether Luhnow has the stomach to do what Boston or NY or CHI do... but he also knows long term he is likely going to need Tucker, Martes, Whitley and Fisher and most the names out there don't move the needle much this season.
True. If all these teams keep plugging at the holes it'll be tough to not blame Luhnow if nothing happens and they somehow get us in the ALDS and beat us... It's all about matchups.... Tanaka, Gray, CC with their bullpen is formidable. I still have faith Luhnow will make the proper moves for this season without sending a good chunk of our farm system.
Exactly, I don't think he wants to and it's for this reason why I've faded from wanting to get us a starter unless it's of the DeGrom/Gray variety or better. It's to the point where I question Luhnow's decision in not pulling the trigger on Quintana earlier if all it took was Bregman, Musgrove, and a few other lower prospects. Time will tell.
I am not sure a lot of the names being floated make the team appreciably better. That is the point. I am and never been against moving top prospects for players that make a big difference.
I know your point. You're a smart guy. The guys in charge are exponentially smarter than both of us combined. Like I said earlier, I'm just going to trust whatever they do, or don't do. The constant speculation is just too much melodrama (pun totally intended) for me, I'm ready for it to be over and then go out and kick all kinds of ass in Aug/Sept, then roll into the playoffs, gods willing.
If Luhnow had the budget of Boston, NYY, or CHC behind him, I expect he would have a lot stronger stomach for giving up more prospects as he would need cheap club controlled players less. From latest rumors, sounds like the Yankees headliner would be similar to Fisher in value with a good, but not top prospect. Granted, I'm hoping Fisher is starting in the OF soon in more than a replacement role.
To be honest, it makes too much sense for the Yankees, who are stuck in a battle for the playoffs despite the 2nd best run differential in the league. They are getting nothing from 1B and their rotation is a big question mark especially losing Pineda. Pineda & Sabathia are also free agents after this season so they will need replacements. Alonso being a rental isn't a problem because they hope to have a healthy productive Greg Bird next season.
Eh, not buying the budget argument. Oakland routinely made some big name trades during their contending years. Same goes for St. Louis. Or even the Drayton Astros. The Royals have made moves. The Twins and Indians make moves. If he doesn't make a move it's because it isn't worth it in terms of current or future production, not simply from a budget standpoint.
Whether you buy it or not, budget and valuations of current WAR versus future WAR are tied together. The more money a team has, the higher value it can place on winning now without jeopardizing the future. Oakland had luxury of a lot of poorly managed teams and didn't care about future too much. Drayton didn't care for future. Royals made deals as window was closing. St. Louis is only team you mentioned that tried to have sustained success. I expect Luhnow will follow how they value prospects. Make good deals, but keep pipeline running with prospects to keep budget in check.
I could be wrong but I don't believe he means taking on additional salary, but rather facing a bottle neck in a few years financially where the Astros will need players like Fisher, Martes and Tucker producing while on low contracts in order to keep Altuve and Keuchel and others. Teams like NY, Boston and the Cubs can afford to plug holes by signing players in 4-5 years if they trade prospects now.
I call bullshit that all those other teams didn't care about the future. Hunsicker filled needs at the deadline without giving up their best. The Royals are still very much alive in their division and are continuing to make moves to compete now. The Indians have had the same sort of rebuild as the Astros and all these teams know that the chance to make the World Series should never be taken for granted. There's also the mindset that this may be the best overall shot one team has to win it all. Even with cores intact, every season is going to play out differently. Every post season is going to play out differently. St. Louis gave up a fair amount of prospects over the years for guys on the brink of free agency. They banked on being able to sell them on the manager and being the best baseball city in order to convince them to stay. In the end, they were still always on a budget, but made competitive moves that cost them... the Astros should be in a position to be even more aggressive given that none of their core is expensive.
BY that logic, they should be overspending on more vets now, since their core is so cheap. Or they need to go ahead and make an honest effort to extend the core.
Did they? I honestly don't remember anything other than the occasional rental. Where am I wrong: http://www.mlbtradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_team/Oakland_Athletics/1 And you can't lump the Cards in with the small market teams, you just can't. eta: just saw your post above about the Royals and Indians...that's a large part of the point. Those franchises cannot compete outside of a small window, so they went for it when they had the chance. From everything Luhnow has said, he's trying to walk the line between the "really good now" and "really good for a while". My meter personally leans to the left a bit on that, but I get it. Here's to fun stuff happening through October and in the years to come, gods willing.
