This is their window. I don't assume Gilbert/Diaz/Melton/Barber/Julks are better than Chas in 2023. I assume Chas will outperform no one (i.e., Giolito is a rental) in 2024 and 2025. If the Astros have a logjam in the future, trade someone then. Nothing is promised for this season. The Astros already have 3 starting pitchers on the IL. Having Julks as a fulltime OF in the postseason is not my idea of how to best win during this window. If the Astros are in a Game 4 this postseason, I'd much rather run a bullpen game with Meyers in CF and Chas in LF than Giolito starting with Julks in LF. Next season, when the Astros are about as likely to make the postseason, odds are good that Chas can be traded for a better rental than Giolito. If one has to absolutely trade Chas for a SP, get someone better than Giolito. If Melton/Barber,etc. can replace McCormick, they should be enough to add to McCormick to get Burnes who is a better pitcher and has more control than Giolito (Caveat, I don't think these guys can replace Chas easily and I don't think they have much trade value. I've excluded Gilbert and Diaz because they are likely needed on roster and as such can't be used to replace someone else). Add more to deal if needed. I don't see Giolito as a pitcher I want starting a postseason game over Framber/Javier/Brown/Bullpen Game/LMJ.
I don't want to trade McCormick. I'm just pointing out the cost for even a rental Giolito is going to be more than our trash in AAA like Leon, etc. List 8 prospects you don't want the Astros to trade. At least 2 of them would be required in a trade for Giolito.
And I'm just pointing out that if you are trading McCormick, get someone better than Giolito or stand content that Giolito isn't a needle mover over other options. Edit: You may like Giolito a ton more more than me or have a ton more faith that the Astros will be able to field 8 competent hitters without Chas than me. I have faith that Brown will not let Julks start over Chas or Meyers in the postseason, and LMJ is more likely to be healthy than Brantley at this point.
I don't like Giolito that much and would rather have a healthy McCullers start in the playoffs. The market is just not likely to be great for rental starters and the Astros don't have the excess prospects to trade to get a good starter with multiple years of control. The BEST case scenario for the rental market is the Cubs move Stroman and the Tigers move Eduardo Rodriguez. I'm not sure that either gets traded even with them having opt outs after this season. Stroman has made it clear he wants an extension with the Cubs. I'm not sure the Astros would take on the risk with Eduardo Rodriguez. He is likely to opt out of his remaining 3 years 49 million. However, I don't see Crane taking the risk of him getting hurt and owing him that money not to pitch. Same could be said on Stroman as well. Ohtani isn't happening, and I doubt the Phillies become sellers and move Nola who isn't even pitching that well this year. So Giolito is the next tier down from Stroman/Rodriguez.
I see Dirden and Gilbert getting called up at some point this season. Julks will not be on the post season roster unless he totally figures it out.
His playing time should be at DH,1st base, and bench catcher. It is worse than not getting time at catcher. I didn't think much of Click but he at least tried to reign Dusty in.
I do not know how you all came to the conclusion that our players are worth so much less than everybody elses. You start out by finding a team that needs what have and you trade value for value. I would love to sell Y'all a bunch of used cars. Sheesh.
It's not that the Astros don't have some valuable prospects. The Astros don't have an excess of the kind of prospects required to make impact moves for guys with multiple years of control. Part of the problem is the draft picks the Astros lost from the cheating scandal. Another part is big international signings like Leon haven't worked out like we hoped.
I am sure this comment will offend folks, but with how good our pitching has been past two years, was Stromy over-rated?
Interesting way to think about it. However I think there’s a very good chance that Strom’s impact on Miller and the rest of the organization’s pitching coaching staff is pretty significant and a major reason why the organization is still having so much pitching success from top to bottom.
Is Jake Meyers a better more valuable player than Jeremy Pena? Meyers career line: .249/.311/.343, 95 wRC+, 9.1 dwar in 139 g Pena: .252/.289/.423, 100 wRC+, 10.7 dwar in 182 g Closer than you’d think, especially when you consider how much of Meyers’ MLB time has been affected by injuries and inconsistent playing time.
Pena has been solid over an extended period, and in October, so I'm giving him the nod. But Meyers approach at the plate since he started playing regularly is sensational. If he can maintain this to go along with his top flight defense and elite speed he's gonna be amazing. He's showing the improvement at the plate we were hoping to see from Pena.
Baggy had me rolling all night. He turned the troll meter to 11. Spoiler Usually he pisses me off during games. "Oh man he just missed that pitch if they throw another in there like that it's gonna go a loooooong way." Next pitch - Same location - Strikeout "We're in good shape we're gonna crush this pitcher."
Most of us were wrong giving up on Meyers when he probably wasn’t even close to full strength. I still think he has more pop to show as he gets more at bats and further removed from the shoulder injury, but at this point between all his tools and hitting slightly better than Chas, he’s earned his way back to being the everyday guy.
I am pretty sure a bullpen game in the playoffs is a worst case scenario. Absolure nightmare. Miggt as well start the series down 0-1. Furthermore I have a totally different opinion of Giolito. In the playoffs high impact and "stuff" becomes much more desireable than dependability and "pitchability" Giolito is the type of pitchers that teams try to get for playoffs. Has a bad year in 2022, but is back this year and CY Young votes 2019-2021. K's more than a batter per inning and walks fewer than MLB avg. Better than 1.125 WHIP Except for 2022. Better than MLB average exit velocity and hard hit percentage against but about average BABIP which means better defense and Astros pitching development staff should make him better. Everything about him says he's a top 50 MLB starting pitcher now and has potential for the Astros to help him step up into a top 25-35 guy. As a rental he will be much cheaper in trade than almost any other startervwho could make an impact.
