Team building is different in real life than in the Show on PlayStation. I don't trust McCullers to be the mentor for this young staff. Even though we didn't have JV last year... Greinke played that role in 2021. Extra bonus if that veteran leader by example can still win a Cy Young. We rostered Korey Lee in WS Game 6... could have been Yanier if the front office had some inkling if he could handle the pitching staff. He also played 40% of his games this year at first with a few games in the outfield. There was heavy speculation ahead of September 1 that his call-up was more of an audition for the playoffs. Scouting reports also contradict what you assert... from https://www.larrythegm.com/post/the-astros-officially-welcome-yainer-diaz: Unless Yainer Diaz fails as a hitter in his September opportunities I DO expect him to be on post season roster due to the flexibility he provides defensively. An average bat that can catch, play first, and play in the corner outfields is VERY valuable to a team.
People need to assess click on the job he was supposed to do, not some general notion of what a great GM does. He had a mature, championship caliber team. Here were his responsibilities since he has been here. build an elite pen (I’m assuming that was a key task bc he was from TB): A+ acquire an impact bat for 2022 team: F. Had an over pay deal for contreras. Improve offense by filling gaps for 2022 team B. He got Vasquez and Mancini. Acquire and move talent for value: A-. toro for Montero/Graveman. Straw for Diaz and Maton. (Stanek and Neris on pretty decent contracts value wise). Castro was a bust. Odorizzi was not bad value wise, but everyone hates him so whatever. Draft well: incomplete. We just don’t know. Click has done a good job. Period. People wanted him to make that signature move, a key trade, a FA signing. That’s what was missing from his resume so far. Measured against his objectives, in the context of the team he had, he did a good but not great job.
According to Cots contracts, the Astros have $72M to spend before hitting 1st CBT. But Crane may be OK with going over. If it takes 3/$135 (Bowden’s projection) to sign JV that takes a big bite out of that. I think the team could use the Odorrizi model to reduce the AAV. 3/$125M + $20M players option w/$10M buyout. AAV is $36.5M and he still gets his $135M over 3 yrs and he is guaranteed a roster spot in yr 4 to get to 300 W if his age catches up to him. That gamble gives them $8.5M more in payroll space for each of 3 years. That leaves $35.5M Sign Brantley 2yrs/$25M Bell 3yrs/$51M Payroll is $6M below the threshold.
I understand that you used wartime to diminish Luhnow building efforts in effort to indicate that certain qualities were needed to turn a great team into a champion. When someone like Click is able to get even better results (i.e., postseason/WS wins) during wartime without doing the things you think are needed to win a championship (i.e., being aggresive with trades), you slander Click for not building. The 2022 World Series Championship is an indication that a great team can completely whiff at the trade deadline, and still win. If one is giving credit to Luhnow three years after the fact, being aggressive at the trade deadline isn't very important if the team already is great (being a boost to moral may be the most important thing about deadline trades). Edit : Also, my understanding is not important. You drive my point home for me while I dance around sematics (i.e., Building a great team is much more important than the wartime trades/non-trades after a team is great as long as the trades/non-trades don't tear a team apart).
lmaooo... You've clearly never met Greinke. Most anti-social person ever. Definitely did not play a mentoring role in 2021 to the staff.
Too soon for a Verlander agreement too? Does anyone think Verlander has already made his mind up if he wants to stay or not? I know he could test the free agent market but maybe they can meet at a number before then?
I would like Verlander back and see him coming back as well. But it would be interesting if JV did leave for more money and we looked at Rodon for cheaper
Where else is he going to go? He just won his second ring, his time here has solidified his hof bid. He's going to play out the last years of his career here and retire a Houston Astro
I like Rodon but honestly think it's JV or nobody as far as starting pitchers go ( and maybe all pitching) The team fills the staff out from internal options if he leaves at least until the trade deadline.
