I could see them demote Jake if they think Diaz can cover CF when Springer needs a rest. Of course, if they acquire a new DH, that plan goes out the window.
Diaz ain't gonna be putting in significant time in CF. He's played 9 major league innings in the outfield; he'll be in the LF rotation.
There won’t be a LF rotation now that Brantley is here. Sure, Hinch will use his creative lineups and ways to get guys rest, but Brantley is going to be ‘rotated’ out of LF as much as Springer will be out of CF. Diaz could be used in CF as a part-time relief if White makes the roster and Marisnick does not.
And yet when I mention dealing for Kluber you are against it Really looks like you want us to make deals that you mention and not necessarily deals that just give us a better chance In 2019
Actually, if you sign Harper you almost have to keep Tucker, you need all of your cheap possibly very productive players. Would more likely mean Brantley plays more 1B and/or Gurriel is gone, Reddick dealt...would have to get creative, but guys like Tucker would be greatly needed to make the money work
Astros4me, you have become the new skygodz killing this thread with sheer volume. Please consider quality over quantity.
Actually, if you sign Harper you almost have to keep Tucker, you need all of your cheap possibly very productive players. Would more likely mean Brantley plays more 1B and/or Gurriel is gone, Reddick dealt...would have to get creative, but guys like Tucker would be greatly needed to make the money work Cool
We’d likely have to trade Reddick, but it would cause us to cut ties with cheaper guys like Kemp and White too. Tucker would be blocked in all 3 OF positons, and while I have no doubt that Brantley will fill in as DH and 1B on occasion, he’s not going to be our full time 1B while Gurriel gets shipped out.
I think the premise of the post you replied to went over your head. The poster correctly pointed out that if we are adding a $35M Harper to our payroll, then cheap guys making $600K-$1M become that much more valuable. So a guy like Kyle Tucker, who could provide league-average to above-league-average production, but would also be controllable for relative peanuts for the next 5-6 years, becomes almost a must to keep around. In the .0001% chance that we do sign Harper, our OF next year would be Tucker/Springer/Harper, with Brantley/Tyler White (who would become increasingly valuable to our roster for the same reasons above) at DH/1B. And we would have to trade away Reddick and Gurriel for just about nothing, perhaps even having to include a prospect or two.
Lets say we sign Harper with the .0001% chance. Show me your 25 man roster. I’d like to see how you keep White on the roster. I’m assuming your paying someone to take Reddick and Gurriel, even at more financial loss. It’s not the idea that players with very little financial cost is unimportant. It obviously is crucial. It’s the fact that White and Kemp are out of options. So feel free. Propose your 25 man roster with Harper on board.