A true dynasty was built. How the team handles their business will decide whether this org is a 10 or 15 maybe more if they are ran like Luhnow ran . Inningsings, Dana is no Luhnow but he's got an eye for talent it's gonna take some time for Dana to grow into the job, just like any new GM. I believe in his ability to judge talent. He will grow into the trading and money part of the job.. . Tell me now if they can straighten out Kikuchi and Leon is a guy that this isn't a WS favorite.
Brown put himself in a tough spot. He seriously overpaid for Kikuchi, which wasn't going to move the needle enough, and then didn't finish what he started by not going all in for a bat. We are only marginally better than we were before. I dunno. It's hard to defend the way he played this hand.
Leon tearing things up for the next few months would answer this question. But we agree. I'm in a hopeful place.
Harris was asked specifically about the Blue Jays’ return for Kikuchi. The Houston Astros sent Toronto right-handed pitcher Jake Bloss, outfielder Joey Loperfido and minor-league infielder Will Wagner. It was a trade many in the industry praised as a serious win for the Blue Jays. It was also a trade some in the industry claimed a day later had been blown far out of proportion. “I completely reject the premise,” Harris said when asked about receiving “less return” than the Blue Jays. “These players we got are really good. We had opportunities to make different deals with different teams. This is the deal we chose for a reason. We think these players have a chance to impact us on both sides of the ball at premium positions.” Throughout the course of trade negotiations, the Tigers are thought to have discussed a similar pool of players with the Astros. No deal was agreed upon. Regarding Flaherty, Detroit also talked with teams including the New York Yankees, New York Mets and San Diego Padres. In the case of the Yankees, concerns about Flaherty’s medicals led to a nixed deal. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/56...n-jack-flaherty-thayron-liranzo-trey-sweeney/
2nd year in a row he's been traded at the deadline...and he was complete dogs!!t down the stretch for Baltimore last season... It's not like he was a slam dunk guy. All things being equal, I'd take the flier on him over Kikuchi, but all things are never equal.
GM Luhnow was a solid Draft Luhnow but wasn't trade/roster Luhnow (don't make me remind you) until Luhnow was Really Luhnow after a couple/few years. It took him a bit, I think I'd give Brown more than 8 months.
Okay Dana…. Spin it whatever warped way you want. It’s odd that you don’t want the media to know how hard you went after a bat on the day of the deadline… and how you or the Pirates were close enough to getting Diaz to play 1st that the Rays had a deal set up for JD Davis before backing out because they didn’t move Diaz. I don’t blame Brown for not giving up Brown in a Paredes deal and I don’t blame him for not giving literally half your top 10 prospects in a deal for Diaz - but then to leak a deal was never close? Why? Because you didn’t get it done? You were going to sit your top prospects but were never serious about a deal? Okay. Tough situation though - Brown can say he liked their deadline and they did enough - but he is lying and no they didn’t do enough. Not convinced their line up is good enough to win a WS. In defense of Brown though, I don’t know if anyone improved enough in baseball at this deadline. Astros will really need Tucker and Verlander to comeback strong and Brown and Blanco to keep it up.
These guys stemming the tide until other guys can get healthy is the plan. Leon could very much be a bit more than that. They just could not continue to run both Bloss and Arrighetti out there ~40% of the games. Had to have a starter, hope it works.
Looking at what the other starters cost at the deadline - I don’t think he overpaid, he paid the going rate. As for not finishing - I suspect he in hindsight wishes he steered the Rays away from Brown and offered a haul for Paredes or at least offered a lot for Arazorena. Even if Brown had dealt Arrighetti, Matthews, Melton and Cole/Baez for Paredes - the Astros would have gotten a first baseman this year and a third baseman for like the next 2-3 years at a controlled cost… importantly it would have improved the team a lot this year. While I like some of the guys in the Astros system to be solid long term big leaguers, no one is a for sure thing.
What in Brown's and Luhnow's pre-GM CVs would make you say this "long shot" s!!t? One worked for ****ing McKinsey and some baseball...other worked entirely in baseball, first as a scout, last 15 years in a Front Office?
I think they may have part of the answer in AAA pitching right now - Eric Lauer. He is starting to look better and is knocking the rust off..
7th AAAA callup starter? It's sure as hell a 1-game strategy. Until a big boy or 2 gets back...why not give him a shot on our next "burn the bullpen" day. At least we hope Kikuchi can take one spot in the rotation. eta: now that I looked...what the **** are you thinking, amigo? If his arm's that good, try and make him a reliever. Holy crap he can't get AAA guys out as it stands. There's gotta be a better temp plan that *this guy*
Ryan Gusto has been dominant in his last 5 AAA starts, I am surprised we haven’t heard anything about him.
After doing some more digging, I think Kikuchi really has been awful since like the beginning of June. Maybe they have a fix already identified so I'll hold off from totally ******** all over this deal for a while (although it was obviously an overpay), but if Kikuchi keeps pitching like he has been....oh boy are fans gonna be pissed.
What do the Astros gain by disclosing a deal was close? They can't mention players on other teams; they don't want their own players who might've been involved distracted; and it's ultimately empty fodder for fans to gripe and complain (BROWN CAN'T CLOSE DEALS!!!)
I don't really expect them to tell people a deal is close - but they put out to the media that it was never really serious on the Astrosa side and I know for 100% that is factually not true. They were speaking to Tampa a lot on the deadline day. I do not understand why they would say that or address it at all...... that is what I mean when I say sometimes Brown says the opposite of the truth.
