He kept Matthews out of the last draft and he traded Bloss to get a pitcher that could help them make a WS. As long as he keeps adding 2-3 difference makers a draft the team will be fine. I think he can do this. With that said, I'm as disappointed in this deal as everybody else and hope I'm wrong and Kikuchi can change his pitch sequencing and become a lgit SP,
And we STILL need another pitcher and have Montero on the roster. Makes no sense to need a pitcher and trade three players and only get one pitcher back. Didn't even get a A+ lottery ticket back. He is so over his head in this job.
Hmm. I'm not as high on Bloss as others seem to be, but I understand he is very young and has multiple years of team control (very valuable). I think Dana is betting he can (or already has) find an adequate replacement via the draft. His draft record seems to support that belief. Loperfido has major holes in his swing and, I'm thinking, Dana sees him an as a future OF that can be replaced with Matthews (a much better prospect) who has performed very well, thus far. Wagner projects at best to be Dubon - valuable but not a deal breaker. Yusei has good stuff from the left hand side and could/ should contribute better than Bloss would've in this year's run. It's a risk, yes, but I think Dana is betting on himself. Here's to hoping he's correct and that he isn't done improving this year's team without sacrificing Matthews, Blubaugh, or any other of the talent penciled (hat tip to IdStros) into the Stros future.
I might be in the minority here, but I'd be all in for a trade involving Chaz or Jake + a mid-level prospect + a low level lotto ticket for an upper level MiLB 1B with serious upside for next year (or the year following). It doesn't provide relief or support for this season's run, but it deals from a position of strength/excess while attempting to address a glaring hole with no foreseeable solution. It also doesn't damage our current chances for a title run.
I never saw Snell as a possibility without sacrificing TOP prospects in the minors. We just aren't in that position, if we want to keep the window open longer than a year or two. Our farm is thin, but does have some value. If Dana is as good at drafting as he is purported (and in some ways proven to be) we need to be judicious in those kind of trades. Leon could provide value in this run. Whitley is a long shot, but might help, as well. The pen is going to need help for sure. Let's see if Garcia and JV can come back and help. He mentioned our prospects that could be penciled in as starters in our future. Sorry if you missed his post.
This doesn’t mean much to me personally. Thus far Gilbert and Clifford really haven’t done anything… and the Astros got Verlander back and a chunk of his salary paid. When this is all said and done, the only one that really hurts right now is Bloss and I wasn’t overly impressed from what I saw. Looks like his upside is Musgrove if everything clicks. So I don’t see why who he traded away is a big deal. I love Loperfido’s underrated athleticism and he may well prove to be solid, but he has holes in his swing and the Astros have a lot of outfielders. I didn’t want the pitcher the Astros got and I don’t like the trade - but it’s in line with what the market has been as I looked harder at the deals made so far and the “stuff” of who they got and the other teams that wanted him. I hope that Brown is able to pull off a deal for Yandy Diaz. He improves our line up immediately and is under contract for next year at only like 8 million. We need a solid player at low cost. We will be losing Bregman and Verlander and will have some turnover in the outfield IMO - so having a solid 1st baseman would go a long way.
There is a lot of truth to this. Loperfido is expected to shortly be behind Leon, Melton, Baez and Cole in the Astros outfield pecking order. As for Bloss, he isn’t the highest ceiling young pitcher for the Astros. A good pitcher who lacks an out pitch. Reminds me of Musgrove if he develops well. Brown has to maximize this window and also plan for the future - he is very good at drafting and developing players. Have to trust his evaluations … there are still ten playoff teams wanting starting pitching…. So the cost of Snell, Tailon, Fedde and Flaherty is extremely high when Baltimore, both NY teams, Boston and Dodgers all want them.
I’m thinking the Rays know who they’re trading with… and doesn’t seem like they want to trade within the AL East or to a team they’re expecting to battle against for a possible WC spot next year. I don’t think they’re worried about the Mariners.
Someone could always emerge at the last minute but I think the Pirates are the favorites for Diaz - but I don’t think they need him as bad as the Astros. Time will tell - but I will be happy with the deadline if they add Diaz to the starter they added.
It is pretty clear Dana Brown allowed panic to get to him and he overpaid. It probably won’t be a huge deal in the end, but he clearly allowed the market to take advantage of him. Not a good sign for the long term health of the org.
The Joey Loperfido interview made me sad. Seemed like a good dude and he was pretty choked up about being trade. Good clubhouse guy. Hope that doesn’t hurt team chemistry. Sucks he only stuck around for half a season.
It's about time we got rid of Loperfido. I mean this team sucked with him on the roster going on a big winning streak and all. Now let's finally bring back J.Abreu and go after a higher draft pick. We have the tools, pitch Montero more innings. Hell even Pressly and Hader are in line for the tank. They know what the organization wants.
