Yes, very recently. I wonder if they view it as a buy low scenario. rotoworld is certainly not the end all, be all for baseball.... but they have Mancini, Contreras and Christian Walker all being dealt for a couple bottom top 30 prospects in an organization. Assuming that is true, there is no reason that the Astros cannot improve their offense at the deadline. That also seems really low for Contreras...
Contreras will fetch at least an Org Top 10 type of prospect; he’s possibly the best hitting catcher in baseball. Some desperate team may even give up a fringe Top 100 type for him. Walker and Mancini I could see being pretty cheap.
That is my view as well. I think Contreras could actually cost MORE than a top 100 prospect in this market and with this many teams attempting to make the playoffs. Teams get to replace the spot with the lowest OPS in baseball (600's) with a guy that has nearly a 950 OPS. Just look at the difference in the Astros line up Altuve Brantley Bregman Alvarez Tucker Contreras Pena Gurriel McCormick That is a massive change.... the line up potentially suddenly goes 9 deep
I would give up a guy like Urquidy or Whitley? Who do you think Click would have to give up to get Contreras?
This would give me a lineup chubby.... Trade for Contreras and Garrett Cooper Altuve 2B Brantley LF/DH Cooper 1B Yordan DH/LF Contreras C Tucker RF Bregman 3b Pena SS Meyers CF
Please someone more knowledgeable than me chime in but I have read that Contreras is a below average defensive catcher. If so I think it's far fetched He can be traded for and replace Castro on the roster and all the pitcherscwill squawk that they want Montero to catch their game.
We all understand the Astros love affair with Maldy. However, when you add a guy with a .933 OPS to replace a guy with a .449 OPS you are going to have a hard time telling me Maldy's defense and work with the pitchers is so valuable that you shouldn't do it. Also, Maldy will still be on the team. Have him call the damn games from the dugout. He can work with Contreras pre-game, etc... And if Verlander wants Maldy to catch every one of his games then fine.... nobody else in this rotation has the resume to ask for that.
He has been up and down in his career because his motivation is all over the place. The last few years he has been more dedicated and has improved. He is okay when motivated. I still think he ends up in NY.
Yankees or Mets? Also to add to this, apparently his pitch framing isn't great. But if not great, is it just OK or bad? If ok, good enough for me.
If they value Maldy's value to our young starters that highly, and they might, they could still trade for Contreras and have him play first base for the first seven innings, then move him to catcher with a double switch for innings 7-9. If it takes a fringe top 100 guy to get him though, I will pass. I'm not trading Hunter Brown (who shouldn't be "fringe top 100" but is nevertheless) for a rental.
Yankees. His pitch framing has been all over the map depending on the year. However I will tell you that the Astros do NOT rely on commercial stats for pitch framing. I have no idea if the Astros think Contreras is a good framer or not. I live in Chicago and have followed Contreras ever since he was a non prospect. I know his game very well. He has had some highs and lows, but the last few years have been very strong.
It is so hard to know what Click will and will not do. Based on history he is very stingy with his prospects so he may not even give up Urquidy for him.
I know Urquidy has struggled this year, but I can’t see Click moving him for a rental If he could get Contreras for a package of guys who are not mlb contributors and/or non top 100 types I’m sure he would consider. That’s not likely to get a good rental anymore though
It depends on a lot of factors. If Click really believes that Contreras will put them over the top, then I think they make that move. The problem is that playoff scenario's are so dependent on luck that I don't think that is how Click will see it. The only other option would be if the Astros decided they wanted to resign Contreras and getting him now would allow them to do it. I find this scenario to be unlikely. There are other cheaper avenues like Mancini, that the Astros could turn to and possibly even consider resigning as the cost will be less. However, Mancini would also likely help the Astros less than Contreras because Mancini would take Gurriel's spot and Contreras would replace Maldonado.
Contreras' profile minus intangibles looks like an Astros player. Overall Defense about 1.5 dWAR /162 and BB/SO rate about 1 to 2.5. It's plenty good for a catcher. And he's really taking his walks this year which has raised his OPS+. Think of Bregman at Catcher while on a hot streak. But I suspect a rental is the best we can expect since we are unlikely to compete when he hits FA at his probable asking price. As for Cooper at 1B, I don't think so.
I mean if we are gonna trade we need long term solutions not short term. JD Martinez is good and all but he is very highly paid and is a FA after the year. I think we should go for the Brantley Replacement and Castro Replacement if we are gonna invest some Prospects of our future
