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2021 Trade Targets?

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by htownbball, May 18, 2021.

  1. TWS1986

    TWS1986 SPX '05, UH' 19

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    [​IMG]
     
    Htown Legend likes this.
  2. The Real Shady

    The Real Shady Contributing Member

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    I'm only hoping in the future 30 for 30 they do a deep dive into Altuve, the lack of evidence for the "buzzers", and how he was one of the three Astros that didn't want to use the trashcans. Seems like opposing fans consider him the biggest cheat of all the Astros.... I get the hate from the Yankees fans though.
     
  3. SuraGotMadHops

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    I am surprised as all hell a defamation suit hasn't been filed against him. Altuve being the face of the scandal, when he had the least to do with it, is purely on Jombitch running wild with a Reddit poster's dream...a DREAM! He's a Yankee's nut hugger, so of course he will do what he can to piss on the Astros and their players, especially Altuve who ripped his fat ass, artery clogged doughboy heart. He did it all under the guise of "well it's just fun speculation." BS, when you have that big of a following you have responsibilities not to be reckless. Seriously, when it comes to Jombitch, it's hands on sight. Assault be damned, I am going after that fat f***.
     
  4. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    It'll never happen. ESPN is too complicit in the overreaction and many false narratives around the story...also in burying the obvious stories surrounding so many other teams who were doing the same things.
     
  5. the shark

    the shark Member

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    I guess we'll see if Scherzer gets traded (looks like it comes down to how the Nats play over the next ten days). Ultimately I think they keep him.

    Kimbrel would be where I would go all in on. Having him and Pressly basically makes it a seven inning game. Also team option for next season on him as well.

    Depending on how Atlanta fares over the next ten days Charlie Morton would be another guy I'd keep an eye on.
     
  6. Mr.Pringles

    Mr.Pringles Member

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    Marte would be an upgrade for certain and I wouldn’t hate the move but I’m happy with Straw & McCormick and would rather see a haul for Scherzer or an elite bullpen guy.

    SCHERZER
    VALDEZ
    MCCULLERS
    GRIENKE
    GARCIA
    JAVIER
    ODORIZZI
    PRESSLY
    STANEK
    PAREDES
    TAYLOR

    best two of Baez, Pruitt, J. Smith, etc
     
  7. Nippystix

    Nippystix Member

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    The rumor of us targeting bullpen help doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

    Adding an ace (Scherzer please), allows for a talented arm to be slid into the bullpen roll for the rest of the season/playoffs. Also coincides nicely with the fact that we will be limiting Luis Garcia's innings pitched anyway.
     
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  8. Radricky

    Radricky Member

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    There isn't really a guarantee that a starter will have success on the bullpen.
    I'm all for scherzer but we definitely need some more reliable bullpen arms heading into potential playoffs.
     
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  9. Nook

    Nook Member

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    The Astros are looking everywhere and for everything to get an idea of the market.

    They need to see the cost of a soon to be free agent CFer, in case they move Straw or McCormick in a trade for someone like Kimbrel or Scherzer… then they give the CF job go the guy crushing it in AAA… who could be a Pollock or Byrnes type player.
     
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  10. HTXSportsAddict

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    https://www.crawfishboxes.com/2021/...-scott-could-be-the-astros-ideal-trade-target

    I get the appeal. A high-velocity lefty who gets groundballs and lots of swing/miss under team control through 2024. But the over 6 walks per nine is just hard to stomach.

    Clack in the comments mentions Paul Fry who is also a lefty Oriole as a better option. Fry gets lots of groundballs too and has solid peripherals but walks less guys and doesn't have the extreme velocity so he might cost less when it comes to prospects.

    Clack also made a good point that you always need guys to come in and get groundballs in the playoffs. Stanek is an extreme flyball pitcher so he won't be a great option. That led to someone mentioning the lefty Bleier who is on the Marlins. He is under control through '22, walks only 0.50 per nine, and his groundball percentage is 65 percent. The downside is he only strikes out 6.75 per nine and has been even lower than that in prior years.

    Someone also posted an image of the top 20 lowest walks per nine guys. There are definitely some on the list who will be available. Here it is...

    [​IMG]
     
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  11. prospecthugger

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    I think this is a good strategy. Straw/McCormick and Toro should be pretty valuable to teams that like them, which could be critical to getting an impact player while holding on to whatever prospects they really like.
     
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  12. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    [Kaplan] The Astros have players they can trade for bullpen upgrades, but will they part with them?

    The sentiment that the Astros’ farm system is worse than it was a few years ago is valid. But even during a lean time in the minors, they still have prospects to trade at the July 30 trade deadline. If they want to add a high-leverage reliever or two to their bullpen — or upgrade another area of their roster, for that matter — they have the means to get something done.

    Whether they are actually willing to part with their best prospects is another question. But weak farm system or not, they have plenty of players that selling teams will ask for in negotiations.

    Chas McCormick, from their major-league roster, is among them. The 26-year-old right-handed-hitting outfielder debuted on Opening Day, so he has five more seasons after this before he can become a free agent. The Astros have been high on the former 21st-round draft pick from Division II Millersville since he improved his power production in 2019 in Double A and Triple A. Especially now that he’s performed well in the majors in a part-time role, other teams could target him with the idea he could be a regular for them.

    Ultimately, though, the prospects who have yet to reach the majors will probably be sought after in trade talks more than McCormick or someone like Abraham Toro. In general, teams view prospects who are not yet on the 40-man roster as having more future value than those already on it because they aren’t using up minor-league options and won’t require them to remove a player from their 40-man. Astros 40-man roster pitchers like Forrest Whitley, Jairo Solis and Tyler Ivey — all rehabbing — are not going to be hot commodities right now.

    So which non-40-man roster Astros prospects figure to be asked about most ahead of the trade deadline? There’s a clear top six. The top four of them have a claim to being the Astros’ best overall prospect, a title for which there’s no industry consensus. Rankings of these players will vary by the team and by the evaluator.

    Hunter Brown, Double-A right-hander

    A late bloomer from Division II Wayne State (Mich.), the 22-year-old Brown has the best stuff in an Astros’ minor-league system that churns out quality major-league arms. He’s got a mid- to upper-90s fastball, a power slider that will touch the low 90s, a promising spike curveball he’s developed in pro ball and a seldom-used changeup. Command is the big question surrounding the 2019 fifth-rounder.

    Brown is already in Double A, so he’s not far from the majors. He has a 4.40 ERA with 70 strikeouts and 25 walks in 45 innings, with most of his rough outings coming early in the season. The Astros have a lot of young pitching in the majors and it’s the position they have been best at developing in recent years. Still, there’s a ton of risk associated with giving up a prospect who has frontline starter upside, especially one who could turn into a surprise 2021 postseason bullpen option himself.

    Korey Lee, Double-A catcher

    It’s difficult to develop a major-league starting catcher, which is why the Astros spent a first-round pick (No. 32) and $1.75 million on Lee in the 2019 draft. The selection was viewed as a reach, but Lee’s performance this season suggests he might be legit. He hit in High A (.855 OPS) to begin the minor-league season, and he’s hit even better in Double A (.951 OPS coming into Wednesday night) after a mid-June promotion.

    The 22-year-old Lee needs more experience behind the plate — remember, he wasn’t a full-time starter at catcher in the first two of his three years at Cal — but there’s reason to believe he will stick at the position, from which he shows a cannon of an arm. There’s still a large gap between Double A and the majors, but he’s got a chance to be an impact player.

    Lee could debut as soon as 2022, but he is set to be blocked in Houston until 2023. Both Martín Maldonado and Jason Castro are under contract with the Astros through the 2022 season.

    Pedro León, Triple-A outfielder/shortstop

    Regardless of whether he’s their best prospect, the 23-year-old León has certainly become their most hyped prospect because of the $4 million bonus he got when he signed with the Astros in January. He was just promoted from Double A to Triple A even though his .803 OPS in 217 plate appearances in Double A doesn’t exactly jump off the page. Presumably, seeing him against more advanced competition will inform the Astros’ offseason approach to constructing their 2022 roster.

    León is a center fielder by trade but is being converted into a shortstop, where he needs a lot more work. He struggled offensively early in the season but heated up about a month into the minor-league season as he adjusted to the advanced velocity and stuff compared with what he saw in Cuba. For more details on his acclimation to minor-league baseball, check out the story I wrote in late June after a visit to Corpus Christi.

    A 2022 debut is in play for León, who has a chance to impact the Astros as an outfielder, an infielder or both in some sort of hybrid role. He got a large sum of money from the Astros in January, so it would be quite a stunner if they turned around and traded him mere months later.

    Jeremy Peña, Triple-A shortstop (injured)

    Peña has been rehabbing at the Astros’ spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Fla., all season after injuring his left wrist at the alternate training site in April and subsequently undergoing surgery. The former third-rounder might make it back by the end of the minor-league season, which was recently extended into early October for Triple A. Either way, he should be ready to play winter ball in his native Dominican Republic, where he starred last winter.

    A physical specimen who has been praised for his work ethic, the 6-foot, 200-pound Peña is a safe bet to defend at a high level. The question has always been whether he will hit enough to be an everyday major leaguer. The Astros’ unorthodox decision to try to turn León into a shortstop could be interpreted as a hedge against Peña’s bat not panning out, though Peña has improved his power in pro ball.

    Peña needs to be added to the 40-man roster in the offseason as protection from the Rule 5 Draft.

    Colin Barber, High-A outfielder (injured)

    A shoulder injury in May and a subsequent surgery have made this a lost development year for the left-handed-hitting Barber, but he will still be only 21 next season because he was drafted out of high school. The 2019 fourth-rounder and $1 million signee is far from the majors but has the upside of being a major-league regular because of his combination of power potential and speed.

    The Astros played Barber at all three outfield spots before his injury, though he got more time in the corners than he did in center.

    Jake Meyers, Triple-A outfielder

    Long a good defender in center field, Meyers has taken a massive step forward at the plate this season in Triple A. He has a 1.009 OPS in 272 plate appearances behind a significant power surge. His previous career high in homers for a season was nine in 2019 between High A and Double A. This season he has 16 already. His development benefited greatly from being included in last summer’s alternate training site.

    Meyers, 25, got virtually no prospect attention before this season, and it remains to be seen if he can sustain this level of offensive performance in Triple A or how it will translate to the majors. The improvements in his exit velocity and other underlying metrics suggest his offensive breakout isn’t a fluke. His defensive abilities have never been an issue; he learned the value of being a strong outfield defender at a young age from his father, Paul, an All-American outfielder at Nebraska who reached Triple A with the Giants in the late ’80s and from his college coach at Nebraska, ex-major leaguer Darin Erstad.

    A 13th-round pick in 2017, Meyers will be Rule 5-eligible in the offseason. He was actually eligible to be picked last December but went unselected. It was justifiable, too, as his most recent minor-league numbers at the time showed only a .570 OPS in 100 plate appearances in Double A.
     
  13. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

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    The latest rhetoric from Click makes it very difficult to predict what the Astros will do at the deadline. I do think trading Leon or Lee would be foolish and would also go against everything that guided the Rays philosophy while Click was there; Lee and Leon are also possibly the kind of elite prospects that Luhnow tended to keep off the table.

    I think if Houston does indeed make the kind of big time moves Click has been hinting at, the core pieces going out will be young players already on Houston’s 40 man roster: McCormick, Straw, Urquidy, Toro, Abreu, Paredes, Taylor, Nova, Scrubb, etc. McCormick, Urquidy, and Straw should have value equivalent to elite prospects given the success they’ve already shown in the majors. Abreu, Toro, Paredes, and Nova don’t have enough MLB track record to be in that tier but all 4 have very high upside and should be valued equivalent to prospects in most Org Top 10s. Those 2 groups can be supplemented with the deep crop of 2nd and 3rd tier pitching prospects Houston has in the upper levels, and should be enough to acquire any player who might be available.

    It remains to be seen if any of Houston’s breakout prospects (Meyers, Perez, Melendez, etc.) are highly thought-of by other teams, but I doubt Houston will keep those guys off the table entirely and would imagine they’d be available if the other team valued them highly.

    I would be surprised if any of the injured prospects (Pena, Whitley, Barber, Solis) were traded. If they are, I imagine it would be a PTBNL situation where medicals were re-evaluated in 6 months.

    If Houston does trade any of their best prospects, I suspect Hunter Brown would be the one to go, as he carries the talent/ceiling to have the kind of value to headline a major deal, but as a pitcher carries the kind of risk that will help Houston feel ok about giving him up.

    If Crane really has approved going well over the luxury tax, Houston is in an extremely enviable position as likely one of very few teams armed with money to spend and proven young big leaguers to trade.
     
    #614 Snake Diggit, Jul 22, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2021
    jim1961 likes this.
  14. Redfish81

    Redfish81 Member

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    You keep bringing up Urquidy. I don't think his value will make him a key part of a big trade right now with 2 shoulder injuries the last couple months. If the Astros pull a really big trade off for someone with multiple years of control I expect Javier to be a key piece.
     
  15. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

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    This is a good point. Urquidy would likely need at least one rehab appearance prior to the deadline if he is going to be considered in trades. And I agree that Javier is a backup option as a key trade piece, although his value as both a RP now and a potential SP down the road would make me less inclined to give him up.
     
  16. htownrox1

    htownrox1 Member

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    All I know is the roster currently constructed as it is with our pitching isn’t making the World Series, hell maybe not even the ALCS.

    If you’re the GM you can’t let Toro, McCormick, and some minor league prospects stop you from getting big time relievers.
     
  17. awc713

    awc713 Member

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    definitely disagree with this sentiment. October is a roll of the dice and the Astros are surely good enough to make it to the CS or WS. We’re ~20 games over .500. Not saying this team doesn’t have room for improvement...it surely does, but saying the team as currently constructed isn’t making the CS or WS is just foolish. Name of the game is making it to October, the rest plays itself out. Juggernauts get bounced all the time by lesser but “hotter” teams.
     
  18. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
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    To add, the Astros pitching weakness is mostly with guys that won't pitch much in the playoffs. That said, the Astros pitching is still very good in the regular season. Adding Kimbrel or Scherzer wouldn't be about improving an area of need for the playoffs. They are about making a strength even stronger.

    Though, I expect Astros add someone to help them in the regular season as well. I'm just hoping they add a big time arm that will steal innings from someone good in the playoffs.
     
  19. Nippystix

    Nippystix Member

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    I think we collectively forget about Pedro Baez (and for good reason). But IF the front office and our coaches/scouts think he looks good, he could be a big addition to the bullpen, and solidify the 8th inning bridge to Pressly.
     

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