O'Hoppe can really hit and it largely came out of nowhere obvious. He wasn't a high draft pick, but a few years ago came into the minor league complex having lost far, gained muscle and jumped multiple levels. He really should be a full time starter for the Angels at this point but he cannot throw anyone out.
The problem is that he is simply not agreeable ( reportedly) to any extension the Astros are comfortable with. That is his right and I would never hold it against a player wanting to get all he can. He has earned that right. But if there is no way he is an Astro after 2025, I'm ok with him leaving a little sooner in exchange for getting a better return than a comp pick. Especially if there are multiple potential stud LH bats to replace him and his production.
So Kenni Gomez IS sober Mickey Mantle. Did your friend mention how awesome I was at pivot tables ten years ago?
If Gilbert was ready to come up and be a star I would totally be cool with trading McCormick or Meyers for a return similar to what Houston got for Straw: a very underrated RP with years of control remaining plus a sleeper prospect with a high ceiling. At this point McCormick’s band of outcomes for his remaining years is very narrow, high floor but he’s almost certainly never going to post a season >3.5fwar. Meyers still has some potential to uncork an all-star season or two, but his floor is a little lower due to injury history and swing and miss.
Lunhow made that Straw trade basically to force Dusty to play Meyers. I guess I'm actually happy if Brown is so sure that Gilbert is better than both Chas and Meyers he needs to trade one to get Gilbert run. I do know the Astros have always valued outfield defense more than the industry and both Meyers and Chas are probably underrated. I don't think people truly realize how important elite centerfield defense is and how close Meyers is to that level or how much better Meyers is than Chas.
Help is a relative term. I can’t imagine as a rookie I will like him more than Tucker, Alvarez and Chas. Ready, and ready to drop bombs in Yankee stadium are two different things and we’ve got enough OF talent that I don’t see him as particularly mission critical to winning in the playoffs in 2023. That seems absurdly optimistic that a 22 year old in AA in June will be better then Chas in October. Chas is good!
I still don't see them getting traded unless if it's for something really good. Brantley is done as an Astro after this season, Tucker isn't going to sign an extension, and Alvarez shouldn't be an everyday left fielder. Next season, it will be the fivesome of Tucker, Gilbert, Meyers, Alvarez and Chas unless Leon stops striking out all the time. Alvarez should DH three quarters of the time because of injury risk and the fact that he's pretty terrible in left despite his canon for an arm. Heck, he would be better in right where is arm could be of more use.
Done as an Astro? Wanna bet? Nevermind...should have actually read what you wrote. After this season is the important part of that sentence. Apologies.
You are right. I think trading one of them at the break (or sooner) and and the other in the off season along with bringing up Gilbert in September is the way to go.
McCormick is a controllable starting CF for at least 20 and probably more teams. You do not trade that for a hand full of magic beans.
Jim Edmonds. Down to even being a total prick. But this time he’d be our prick so I can deal with that. that’s an optimistic scenario but it’s doable. Really good defensive Cf with a good arm, bats left, throws left, great athlete, good speed, throws really well for CF hits the ball hard. Gilbert needs a better launch angle if he’s going to hit 35 or 40 HR’s and I doubt he will ever have a 250 iso like Edmonds had for his career, but a 280/360/480 slash line wouldn’t shock me and I think the other stuff compares well with him. That’s a fair but agressive comp I think. Call that Gilbert's 90th percentile outcome.
I think Brett Gardner got thrown around quite a bit when he was drafted. Gardner had all of 4 HRs in his 2+ years in the minors, so Gilbert may have more power early in his career.
No he isn’t. Here are the CF who project to be better than McCormick over the next 3 seasons: Trout Nimmo Rodriguez Bader Harris Robert Carlson Mullins Buxton Yaz Outman Bellinger Siri Suwinski Greene Carroll Chisholm Laureano Guys who are in the same tier as McCormick: Varsho Nootbar Taylor Thompson Duvall Ruiz Duran Wiemer Straw Taveras Meyers Marsh McCormick is a solid player who would be an every OF (not necessarily in CF) for probably a little over half the teams in the league. But he’s an average to below average MLB starting CF.
I think Finley and Mullins are reasonable comps if you subtract out the steroid era stats Finley had. Gilbert doesn't have great power grades (40 game/45 raw). I think a good season from him might look like 20/20 HR/SB with a .280 avg and plus to double plus defense. Could he bust out a .300 or 30 HR season once or twice? Maybe.
Who is a good comp for Gilbert? Steve Finley? Cedrick Mullins? Please say Ken Griffey Jr. Thanks I was more looking for who he compares to in skills and potential strong and weak areas of game more than what stats to expect. Thats very good (and would be a great result) thanks.
I actually think Michael Harris II is a decent comp for Gilbert. LHH. Defense ranges from plus to elite. 10-25 HR, 10-25 SB each season. 6-12% bb rate, 17-25% k rate. 2.5 to 5 fwar each season.
I think Gilbert has a really high floor. Like Chas with a better arm. Good bay to ball skills and elite max EV are tools that are going to make sure a guy has some kind of career for himself.
