His stock has gone way up since I suggested trading for him last deadline, but I’ve really liked Lars Nootbaar and would love if we could add him at a reasonable prospect price.
if there’s a pitcher of CLE to give an arm and a leg for, it’s not Bieber…it’s their closer. Our bullpen has been bad and it’ll be interesting to see how Brown fixes it. Montero and Stanek are more like mono and stanky these days. Hopefully Montero is just fatigued from our king post season run/usage because that contract will not age well if not. Staneks performance last year looked like an outlier and like it’s finally catching up. Maybe we just rely on internal options…but I would welcome a bullpen upgrade or two. I think the right piece could slot us back really nicely. We may not have the ammunition to land Clase but one can dream
Clase just signed an extension so there is no way they trade him. He was a guy I really wanted Houston to go after at the 2021 deadline, he is just nasty. I doubt they listen on Hentges but he’s another pen arm of theirs I like. Or maybe Houston could try to tweak Karinchak.
We should watch the Giants for the next 6 weeks. Baseball Reference has them at 69% and Fangraphs has 53% to make the playoffs but they have 4 teams within 3 games of them for the NL wildcard They have several position players (Yaz, Wade Jr., Conforto, etc) and pitchers ( Cobb, DeSciafani, Manea, Rogers and Rogers, etc) who could help this team. They also lost Haniger and J D. Davis to injury last night. Davis' looks to be less severe but Hsniger looks to be gone for a while. This could trigger a drop in the standing and a willingness to sell coming.
I am sure I am in the minority, but I am not sure I would deal Melton for Pratto. Pratto this season is showing he can hit some in the big leagues but his glove is horrendous.
Isn't it wild that JD Davis has been having a better season than Bregman? Who thought that would ever be a possibility when Davis was traded.
If we are looking at the Giants Webb and Doval would be guys I would key in on. Wade Jr would be another. I would think that would be a rediculasly high asking price from the Giants. But for some reason Alex Cobb scares me in thw AL
Webb actually signed a 5 year extension this year - after the season started. There is 0 chance he is traded. It would be like the Astros trading Javier. Doval has 4 years of control left and is on a team that enters every year expecting/trying to compete. They have no reason to trade him so any price the Astros pay for him would make it a terrible deal. He's good but there are several cheaper guys just as good.
I wonder what it would take to get Tristan Casas from the Red Sox? Isn't doing well with them just got kicked off 1B. Might need a change of scenery. I understand teams don't give up on prospects really fast but he may just need a different type of coaching. Would the a bad Verdugo, Casas and Jordan trade. Maybe McCormick, Leon, Hensley, Taylor, Whitley and Whitaker?
I say Casas and Jordan to be added so we can get some kind of Decent Infielders on the Corners in our system. We could plan ahead and let Casas get another year in the Minors to rekindle his hitting ability. Maybe get alittle coached up. Jordan is on par just needs to define a postion. Maybe a Future 3B for Bregman replacement down the road
Current roster ---> likely/ preferred option Maldy. ---> less starts, but Maldy Diaz ---> Diaz Abreu ----> Abreu Altuve ---> Altuve Bregman ---> Bregman Pena ---> Pena Dubon ---> Dubon Chas ---> Chas Julks ---> Brantley Meyers ---> Meyers Tucker ---> Tucker Kessinger ---> Yordan Salazar ---> trade for run producer Framber---> Framber Javier ---> Javier Brown---> Brown Bielak ---> trade for #2-3 starter France ---> McCullers Blanco ---> trade for leverage reliever Pressly---> Pressly Neris---> Neris Abreu ---> Abreu Maton ---> Maton Stanek ---> Stanek Martinez ---> Martinez Montero ---> Montero ( emergency 13th guy)
Mark Leiter Jr from the Cubs and hope the Phillies drop out of the race so we can get Wheeler and Schwarber.
Ok. So McCullers is out till 2024. Not surprising but it defines the team needs. I am fairly confident that Urquidy, Yordan, and Brantley are all healthy and contributing by the trade deadline. That leaves only 3 playoff level starting pitchers, but some combination of Urquidy, Bielak, France, and Blanco should be able to cover enough innings to keep the bullpen fresh in the playoffs. So, wait until near the deadline when the supply is plentiful and all options are defined but a starter who is a true #3 or better must he added. As for a bat, the issue is the exact opposite. This team needs run production now to survive until Yordan and Brantley return. Once they are back then: C) Maldy/Diaz 1B)Abreu 2B)Altuve 3B)Bregman SS)Pena LF)Yordan/McCormick/Brantley Cf)Meyers/McCormick RF)Tucker DH)Yordan/Brantley/Diaz bench: Dubon, #3 catcher to allow Diaz to DH Is a perfectly good and productive lineup. But the sooner a sub for Yordan is added the better the chances are of making the playoffs and winning the division / securing a bye.
I hope the Astros don't wait till end of July to make a move. The time is NOW. Do everything in your power to add an AS level bat and ToR guy. I don't care if it's an overpay on 4A guys who have no shot of making the roster.
I'll say it again Verdugo, Casas and Jordan For Leon, McCormick, Whitley, Whitaker, Hensley and Taylor I'll throw in J.J. Matijevic. Casas has the LHB we need but isn't doing well. May need a new scene.. who knows? Verdugo takes McCormicks spot. And Jordan goes full 3B in the Minors in hopes to surplant Bregman down the road.
