The Astros are competing against the Braves, Dodgers, Orioles, Red Sox and Cubs for the same type of players and groups of players. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. At first blush the Astros are at a big disadvantage from a prospect standpoint, but the Astros have a lot of good young players under team control - and the Astros are likely viewing their window differently and more willing to be aggressive. I have heard from inside the Astros that they have talked to teams about: Robert, Cease, Koppech (as a reliever), Bichette, Arozena, and a couple other bats I cannot remember off the top of my head. As for pitchers..... Cease, Koppech, Williams with Milwaukee, Glasnow, Bieber, Fairbanks, Manoah and a couple of Reds pitchers that I really don't know much about.
Really hard to see it happening. The only teams it would make sense to trade him to meet all of the following criteria: Need a 3B Can take on a $30M contract Are in the NL (Houston isn’t trading him to a team they could see in the playoffs prior to the WS) Giants seem like a match. Dodgers and Cubs would be dark horses. But I don’t see how it makes sense. My hypothetical for SF would be: Giants get: 3B Alex Bregman Astros get: 3B JD Davis C Joey Bart P Carson Whisenhunt P Reggie Crawford That only makes sense for Houston if they really like Bart and expect to add an OF who is an elite hitter. Trading Bregman lets them add a big contract (Cease, Glasnow, Robert, Arozarena) and stay under the tax.
If Bregman is traded, it would have to be to extend the window beyond 2025 but also not reduce the chances to win in 2024. There are crazy few options that accomplish that. It would require projected 4+ WAR in 2024 and at least 2 projected WAR for 2 or more additional years. The Giants do look like a good match, but Bart doesn't fit the need. Any backup catcher needs to he a knowledgeable defense first veteran. I think J.D. Davis, Mike Yastrzemski, a prospect within 1 year of MLB and 45 or better grade, and a 40/40+ grade lottery ticket. Davis and Yaz are both 2 WAR players. Davis FA after this year and Yaz after 2025. That's 4 WAR in 2024, 2 WAR in 2025 then the 2 prospects.
The Astros lost Cole, Springer, Verlander, and Correa because their contracts/club control ran out. The mentality that the Astros lost those 4 for 3 comp picks is false. The 3 comp picks were awarded through a gimmick designed to help poor teams.
Which is why they have to trade from the big league club which is where they have the most surplus value. Jeremy Pena is just as valuable as Drew Gilbert and Clifford combined. JP France and Meyers combine to give the same value as Clifford. Framber is like two Gilberts and Clifford. You could trade Framber and Pena in a three way deal that gets you Luis Robert and then go sign Yamamoto and Adalberto Mondesi. You don't have to trade just prospects. Brown will figure something out hopefully.
A team that needed a SS and already had a 3B ready and able to move to SS or another position could work. Not too many ways around this one, so yes. A preference for sure. But if a proposal was on the table and the only kink was that it was an AL team, then I hope we would consider it.
Trade Alex Bregman to the Diamondbacks since Bregman bought a House there. The Diamondbacks have some Great Young Pitchers to trade for and get a Center Fielder.
Found this but honestly I can't see them trading him just yet. "You go back to last year and the arbitration. I still don’t think the relationship is as perfect as some other scenarios, in terms of moving forward on a long-term contract,” Mitchell said on TSN 1050. “I don’t think it’s just about money, I think it’s about, maybe the Blue Jays not fully believing internally that he is a long-term shortstop, which means you are probably not going to pay him like one.”
The blue jays are in a tough spot when you look at that team and the division that they are in. Their management are task with some tough decisions that can impact them for years to come. They have to make a decision whether or not to pony up the cash for Chapman. They have to decide if Vladdy is worth the massive contract he is seeking. Their farm system is ranked 20th. They may look to retool.
The Astros had an enormous influx of talent, and there was no way they were going to be able to keep all of them. The Yankees and Dodgers may not have even been able to keep them all. So losing them is no surprise… the contracts for Cole/Keuchel/Correa/Springer totaled nearly $750,000,000. Jim Crane bought the Astros for $680,000 a little over a decade ago… As for the minor league system running dry - it’s been literally over a decade now… the Astros have been the best team in baseball over the last 8-9 years and haven’t had a high draft pick. Further, the Astros lost top draft picks as punishment from the sign stealing scandal. I liked Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford. However Gilbert is 23 years old and multiple people have said he will not stay in center and doesn’t really steal bases. Ryan Gilbert has a lot of power but in the lower levels struggles to make contact. The Astros don’t make the playoffs without Verlander in 2023 and this off season would be looking for a pitcher - like Justin Verlander. The Mets also pay a big chunk of his contract in 2024 and 2025 if his option vests. This idea that the Astros gutted their farm system for Verlander is just false. It was short on higher level players to begin with. Also farm systems go through dry periods - even the Braves right now are weak in the farm system after being elite. Everything going forward until a rebuild is gravy at this point. Every run, especially for a team other than the Yankees or Dodgers ends - and the Astros are no different- but the ownership and front office is doing what it can to maximize this ride. I’ll be thrilled if we get another WS out of this.
I believe Alex Bregman wants to play SS and wants to go to Arizona. It seems like a great fit. Astros should ask for Top Power Pitchers, Center Fielder, Catcher.
Perdomo put up 2.7 fwar this season and they have Jordan Lawler on the way. The diamondbacks don’t need a SS.
New podcast up on FA pitchers with a little nonsense thrown in. Breathing orange fire. Rate and review (I can’t link anymore for whatever reason.
