Give me some names of guys that Barnhart could be traded for? I'm thinking guys like Novis, Barber, Franny Cobos I'm thinking
https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.a...st=&age=&filter=&players=&startdate=&enddate= Thats the WAR leaders since 2019. There's not really anybody you would argue is clearly ahead of Soto as position players go aside from healthy Trout, and he's just entering what should be his best seasons. Astros fans have a personal grudge against him because of all the 2019 nonsense with his antics and Joe Buck, but he's an absolute monster. Teams flat out won't pitch to him right now or else his numbers would be a lot gaudier.
We definitely have the payroll space, plus, once the deadline comes we'd only be on the hook for about $3M since the portion of the salary for April-July will have already been paid. He's a veteran who would bring two Gold Gloves with him, and he's a career 250 hitter, who, unlike what we currently have, is not going to be an automatic out. Whoever trades for him isn't trading for him to get an impact bat. The Tigers traded Nick Quintana, a former 2nd round pick who does not appear on MLB.com's Top 30 lists, for him last November. Not the best measuring stick, but I'd say a 1-for-1 swap with someone like Barefoot, Endersby, Julks, Wilyer Abreu, Luis Baez, etc. should do it (depends on what, specifically, they want, plus if there may be a bidding war).
IF the Astros target a catcher I want Contreras. His bat is more of a difference maker. Honestly, I seriously doubt the Astros will target a catcher because I don't think it matters how bad Maldy hits.... they view him as a key part of the pitching success and he's the starter even if he goes 0 for his next 150 plate appearances. So is Click going to trade prospects to improve the backup catcher? Doubt it. Unless an injury happens I don't expect the Astros to add a catcher. It's more of a fantasy to me than anything.
Like it or not Maldonado is the catcher for this team. And Korey Lee has been anointed. 0% chance the team trades for a catcher.
Position player wise we really don’t have that guy, that’s why we keep bringing up one of the young starters. If you want Soto you have to ask yourself if you are willing to start a package with Garcia or Framber or Javier, cause one of them would be a must as an offer starter
As awful as our catchers have been at the plate, with the way our pitchers are throwing I’m not so sure I would mess with their catchers
Yes. Wouldn’t consider that in any way a hardship if that’s the majority of the package. Might even go for 2 of them if that was all it took.
The Nationals would never do that trade. Tucker is only one year behind Soto in getting to free agency and, while Tucker is great, Soto is the best hitter since Bonds and still 2 years younger than Tucker. I think Javier would be ideal, the way he's been pitching vombined with also not necessarily being the guy you are depending on every five days. If he can get you 50% of the way there as a young, controllable elite potential starter, I would definitely do it. I doubt it's anywhere in the realm of possibilities though.
Yep, the best chance Houston has for a Soto trade is if the Nats are enamored with Javier or Garcia along with really really liking Brown. 2 of those along with one of Houston’s good young OF (Meyers, Siri, McCormick, or Leon) might get them very very close. Based on Javier’s results it’s not outside the realm of possibility that a team could value him like an MLB Top 25 prospect. And Brown is reasonably in the 30-100 range. McCormick or Meyers could also be valued similarly to a Top 100 prospect. So Houston has assets, they just may not be the kinds that the Nats are looking for (assuming they are even open to trading Soto). The Astros also have the ability to take on payroll which many other buyers may not be able to match.
I really don't want to mess with this roster too much, it really is set up well for the present, as well as the future. Are there any CF's or Catchers that would be available for just a half season rental? That's about the extent I would go as far as this season is concerned, and the prospect cost for a rentals should be lower. Castro will inevitably get hurt, so a rental C with a stronger bat than Maldy to take a few starts behind the dish, but I am ok with Maldy as the everyday starter. A CF rental in case Meyers has a setback or does not perform when he comes back. As far as 1B, I have faith Yuli will turn it around. This is the final year of his contract and I want to just let sunset with us this year.
I wonder if the Diamondbacks would be at all open to trading Daulton Varsho. Good left handed hitter who can play C or CF. Would fit great as a big upgrade from Castro. Diamondbacks are winning right now so I doubt they’ll sell but if they did I think something like Varsho for Whitley, Dubin, and Lee would be a deal Arizona would have to consider. Varsho has 4.5 years of control remaining so he’d be the long term starting catcher making Lee tradable.
Do not be so quick to just assume the Diamondbacks will be sellers. They have quietly heated up lately, and are above 500. I know there's lots of season left, but they may think they can get in with the extra WC spot.
This, and with the team probably being closer to playoff contention than people expected at the start of the year, guys like Varsho are probably players they want to build around. And, being the catcher, he's probably an important part of their surprising pitching success and thus not somebody they'd be willing to move.