Looks like Cano and Diaz are being traded to the Mets. Good news for Houston as a team in the division gets worse for 2019. I don’t understand what the Mets are doing...
But that's negotiating - they should ask for a lot. We should offer a little. And then you see if you ultimately meet in the middle. Their asking price is not necessarily what a deal ultimately requires. Maybe they keep asking too much and we let it go, but it seems weird to lose interest just because a team is asking a lot now. It's not like there's a rush to get a deal done today.
My guess is Astros sign Morton, acquire another starter via FA/Trade and Whitley along with McHugh, James, C Perez, etc are in the mix as fifth starter out of spring training, If he can’t earn the spot his only chance of getting called up is slim
I think ideally Houston adds an ace plus another proven starter with warts (like Morton), leaving James, McHugh, F Valdez, C Perez, Whitley, Armenteros, Deetz, Guduan, and Rodgers to compete for the last rotation and last bullpen slot (with the remaining guys serving a insurance in AAA).
Out of all the potential SP's available, either via free agency or trade, Corey Kluber is my strong preference. Even with the higher acquisition cost, adding another work horse ace like Verlander would be fantastic. A three-headed monster of Kluber/Verlander/Cole is flat out unfair. They will eat innings throughout the season, keeping the bullpen fresh, along with being a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. Thor would be a distant second, only due to injury concerns.
There is somewhat of a rush. The winter meetings are less than 2 weeks away. That is when a lot of the free agents sign. The Astros can't afford to miss out on another catcher waiting on the Marlins to come to their senses. The Nationals were hot and heavy on Realmuto. Then a week ago they went and signed Suzuki. All evidence points to the Marlins being unreasonable. The most I would go in terms of prospects for Realmuto is Alvarez, one of Martin or JBB, and a lower level lottery ticket type prospect. I don't see the Astros keeping Realmuto beyond his 2 years of control. I seriously doubt they would pay a catcher the 20 million plus per season Realmuto will be seeking as a free agent in 2 years. So for me giving up a Tucker, Whitley, or even Josh James that we control for 6 years is a tough pill to swallow for 2 years of a catcher. Ramos at 12 to 13 million per year is much more interesting to me than Realmuto at 7 million and then probably 10 million in 2020 plus losing 2 or 3 of our top prospects.
Getting a catcher either through trade or FA is job number 1. Adding Goldschmidt and Realmuto would make me OK with going with the pitchers currently on the staff and if they dont work out then Luhnow can make a deal at the deadline.
Athletic ability. Alvarez is a big dude and a lot of articles coming out during the futures all-star game that Alvarez was viewed by other teams as probably having to move to 1B or be a DH.
Wonder if he can be had without Whitley. Maybe NYM FO knows something we don’t? Just seems very odd to see them in win now mode (Cano, Diaz) while also selling Thor...still had a solid year even if he wasn’t as good as he was in 2016
I would hope he could be had without giving up Whitley, but he’d almost certainly cost Tucker plus another 1-2 really good prospects. Giving up Whitley really hurts 2020 on. A 2020 rotation of Thor, Whitley, James, McCullers, and an one other elite starter could be pretty salty.
Do you think we aren’t going to resign JV and/or Cole? Surely would love both, but that may not be possible
For now I don’t think Houston expects to keep either past this season. Cole is going to get paid and Verlander is likely to start age related decline. I think they will acquire 2 pitchers this season who are controlled past 2019. But I’m just guessing.
I think Cole is most likely gone. He's a California guy and I believe he will be wearing a Giants, Dodgers, or Angels uniform in 2020. If he is the same pitcher in 2019 as he was in 2018 he will likely command a 6-7 year deal between 175-220 million. Too rich for the Astros. The only way I see them keeping him is if they buy out his last year of arbitration and offer something like 6 years 160-170 million before spring training. That way he gets paid without the injury risk in 2019 jeopardizing his pay day, and he gets his salary bumped to 26 million next year instead of 12-13 million in arbitration. I think the Astros would like to extend Verlander but there is a lot of risk in giving a guy a multiyear extension that will be pushing 37 heading into the 2020 season. I would not mind seeing him getting an extension of 2 years 54-60 millon with maybe a 3rd year team option. It might be worth the risk considering the losses we have and will have in the rotation.
Makes sense as LA can offer Puig or Pederson which is exactly the type of player Cleveland wants (proven MLB OF). Houston can offer Tucker but Cleveland may not want to gamble that he will be ready to help a contender from opening day.
