I’m pretty sure there is a dumbass in this conversation but you might be confusing who it is You should get your anger issues checked out lol
This is a guy who could make a huge difference in the pen before all is said and done Long term every time I think of his control issues I remind myself how most of us (myself included) gave up on Framber because of the same issues. He may never amount to anything, or may end up as a stud
He had one good partial year of control and has been chasing that dragon ever since. Very frustrating, but hard to give up on someone guy that has shown he's capable of getting batters out at one point in his career and he's still somewhat young.
From about '17 to '20 I was so unbelievably frustrated with Framber Valdez. I kept saying "if this kid can ever throw strikes he has filthy stuff and he will be a player." Then he'd go out and walk 4 guys, try to hit a couple of others, groove a few fastballs, and I'd be frustrated all over again. Then he got it all together last year. I have the same hopes for Josh James.
framber reminded me a lot of Wandy Rodriguez. Wild lefty who needed to calm his **** down. Wandy figured it out for a couple of seasons. Framber now looks better than Wandy ever did
Framber always had the hammer, but I didn't think he would ever have average control much less good control.
James, Pruitt, Baez, and Smith cannot be optioned, so there’s more than just a 27 man crunch, somebody is gonna have to be let go, assuming everybody is healthy.
Wasn’t that long ago that he was mowing down one of the greatest teams of all time in the 2018 ALCS…. Then Hinch tried to get one more inning out of him and JBJ happened.
Of the relief arms Pruitt would seem to be, by some margin, the easy choice to trade. All of the other options have a big salary, big potential, or are currently doing solid work in the majors. The entire reason we got him was seemingly to be a combo starter we could get some competent innings out of. With 7 starters and Bielak there's really not too much need for what he brings. Tampa (who Click was with) traded him to us in the first place, so I tend to doubt they saw some hidden potential in him. If I were to guess the Astros are more likely to send Garica to the DL or Sugarland than the pen.
Smith almost has to be traded unless the Astros think he will bounce back. Will need a prospect to get another team to take him. Baez, Pruitt, and James can replace Garza, Bielak, and Taylor Jones. May need to cut someone like Jones. Scrubb, and/or Nivaldo. Pruitt and/or James may need to be outgoing in a trade for a reliever. I'd prefer Astros target relievers with control as I expect Astros to need one or two in upcoming years as well.
It’s a big assumption to assume everybody stays healthy over the next couple of weeks, but in that scenario I think James would be a trade candidate. Baez certainly isn’t going anywhere, and out of Smith, James, and Pruitt, I would imagine James would have the broadest appeal. A selling team may even view him as a prospect. It would be a bummer to trade Pruitt at such a low point considering the pitching prospect (Peyton Battenfield) they gave up for him is looking like a steal. Certainly gonna be interesting to see how Click manages the roster between these guys coming back and the trade deadline looming.
Would be selling as low as low gets on James, plus he is a guy who has the potential to be special in the pen. Don’t see that happening
Pruitt made a rehab appearance for Sugar Land... did not go well 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR 23 pitches and 11 strikes
This guy is as mediocre as it gets. And Battenfield was given up for him who put up a 1.60 era and 0.97 whip in the NYPL in '19 and who has thrown a combined 41.2 innings in high A and AA for the Rays this year with a 1.08 era, 0.67 whip, 13.6 strikeouts per nine, and only 1.3 walks per nine. Wasn't this Luhnow's last trade? Disappointing.
James honestly showed a lot to like in '18 and '19. He only threw 23 innings in '18 but with a 2.35 era, 2.98 xERA, a 3.51 fip, a 3.46 xFIP, a 3.00 SIERA, 11.35 strikeouts per nine, and 2.74 walks per nine. There was regression in '19 with a 4.70 era and 5.14 walks per nine over 61.1 innings pitched but he did have 14.67 strikeouts per nine, a 3.06 xERA, a 3.98 fip, a 3.77 xFIP, and a 3.33 SIERA. The wheels then completely came off in '20 and his velocity dipped but you do wonder how much of that was his hip along with everything else that was going on. I'd much rather give an arm like his a chance in our pen over guys like Bielak, Garza etc.
Send Bielak and Garza down. I don't want to see Paredes throw another pitch for the big league club this year. Include him in a trade for a reliever (Cisnero? Not a free agent until '24. Making 970k this year. His peripherals and velocity are attractive. Any others in mind who you'd feel comfortable with out in the late innings of a tight ballgame who fit the Cisnero mold???) Smith shouldn't throw another pitch for the Astros. Would you be better off with just letting him go and eating that money? I'm really not interested in giving up a decent prospect just to get his money off the books when he's in the last year of his deal. I'm fine with seeing Abreu and James again but neither should have a very long leash. I wouldn't be opposed to including them in trades. Baez will obviously be plugged into the pen when he's healthy. Taylor has some talent but meh. And Pruitt? Barf. post-deadline pen: Abreu Raley Stanek Javier Baez Cisnero Pressly Lots of ways to make ample room on the 40-man roster not only for this season but next. Taylor Jones traded or cut. Nova traded. Smith traded or cut. Garza traded or cut. Paredes traded. Pruitt traded or cut.
Sports Illustrated- Boston pitcher Garrett Richards complained the crackdown “has changed pretty much everything for me … I feel like I need to be a different pitcher than I have been the last nine-and-a-half years.” Do you mean to tell me that the Angels cheating was never enough to help them win the AL West in the last half decade?
