Hypothetical questions for everyone here. Would you take this deal. Yes or no. We trade away our farm and win a ring this year but we don't make the ALCS for 4 seasons straight. Wondering
Super easy answer, because Patrick Corbin is a worse contract. Ignore the money, they are both trash contracts. Just say Washington covers the difference. They have a 33 year old pitcher making 35 million next year with an ERA over 5 for 3 consecutive years. He does get lefties out and has almost never pitched in the bullpen. He could have his value rehabbed as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen. Montero has value for them relative to Corbin. The Nationals have no real closer. If they can fix him and he's closing games in 2024 pitching like 2022, they will get some nice prospects at the deadline for him as a guy with 1 more year left and not a pure rental. I think both teams get something potentially in a trash for trash scenario.
Yes. Those 4 years wouldn’t be ideal, but I’ll gladly take another ring if that’s what you’d be giving up. Cements this as one of the few most dominant runs for any team in MLB history.
On a side note - expect changes to the Astros scouting department. From what I was told, Crane has asked about the health of the scouting department and is aware of all the reasons the system is bare at the top - but he has told Brown to make it a larger priority and more resources and emphasis to be put on it. Quietly, Brown as already made a few changes, Gavin Dickey was promoted from cross checker to the right hand man for Brown. He is familiar with the Georgia area that is rich with prospects, and that helps Brown. Russ Bove is a super scout and he was brought on to basically do anything he wants. He was the one that scouted and pushed for Bichette, Guerrero Jr,, Biggio, Monak and others with the Jays. Typically he is sent to review the work of other scouts. He is supposedly best friends with Brown, and he is looking over the international and local draft to see areas to improve. The international scouts have really been beefed up, and I expect the Astros to increase the number of state side scouts. Brown and Bove have said they are huge in seeing players multiple times in person before drafting them. Gross/Bove and Brown is a pretty well thought of group at the top of the scouting department - so with a little luck, we should see better prospects for the Astros.... Goodrum and Miller do a very good job of player development.
Sounds like the Rangers are trying to sabotage our farm system and bring us down to their level. It's the perfect crime
That's the excuse I hear but it doesn't make sense. That's 4 players total and many 1s a d 2s immediately struggle and lose trade value. There are far more guys signed on the international side that impact the farm system more... It's more to do with not acquiring players in general that are perceived as having value.
Can another team in Houston reach the Finals or Superbowl in those 4 straight seasons of no ALCS? If yes, sign me up.
It should be clear to everyone that the Rangers are absolutely committed to out trading us, out spending us, out playing us, totally outdoing us at any cost. They are going to bet the farm to beat the Astros. If they don't succeed, they may be stuck in baseball hell for years to come. BUT, I think they have a chance to do it.
Probably - but necessarily for sure. Image that the Rangers add another high end pitcher - Verlander or Rodriguez and another arm.... combine that with Scherzer and Montgomery. If this happened, it is possible that the Astros could decide to increase their offer for someone like Hader, especially if they believe that would still be enough to not only win the division but have a 24-30% chance at winning the WS - which is about as high a chance as anyone can have in the modern era. As for Drew Gilbert - he is a good prospect, and there is a chance that he becomes a 10 year starter in this league, but he is being over valued by Astros fans because he is the best they have. He isn't, for example a better prospect than Brett Phillips was for the Astros. Gilbert happens to get a lot of attention because the Astros did not have top draft picks for awhile. I would rather keep Gilbert - but he isn't in the same class as a lot of prior prospects. He also hasn't had a great year. He started off well but really struggled in AA until the last 2 weeks, where he has been 18/54 for a 333 average.
I could see a scenario where only Gilbert is asked for in a trade for Hader, with the Astros knowing he's a rental and won't be back. But that's still a high price to pay to try and win another WS now if more is asked. Perhaps it's me as I still have the Randy Johnson rental in mind that I'd prefer not to happen again. I think that only happens if they feel they could bring Hader back next year and beyond as it will surely cost more than Gilbert to get him from "The Fathers"
As they should - look - Verlander is the hottest pitcher in baseball right now, he won the Cy Young last year and he makes 14,43 and 34 million over the next 2.5 years. If the Mets are willing to eat half of that, it means that the team getting Verlander will pay 7 million this year, 21.5 million next year and 17 million his last season - that is a lot of value. Frankly, if I am the Mets I would want a pretty damn good return. They let Scherzer go for a top 50 prospect and 35 million, because he didn't want to be in NY and he has struggled, some of the advanced stats are nasty. The advanced stats show Verlander isn't quite as good as last year, but still really good. I am sure that someone will give up a handful of promising prospects for him if they decide to move him. The only exception is if Verlander refuses the trade, and after hearing his comments after the Scherzer deal - I don't think he will.
yup. and repeating myself here but, all this, PLUS OF is our system strength with a plethora of other good prospects, PLUS, they can basically eliminate the need for star-level OF's (which, let's face it, is the concern/light fans are viewing Gilbert in) for the next 5+ years anyway by simply choosing to pay Tucker.
