Polanco is a good bet to post $10M+ in production this season. I wouldn’t necessarily offer him that, but something close to it is reasonable. There’s plenty of hitters who struggled in Seattle then did just fine once they got out of there.
I’m not betting anywhere near 10M in AAV that a guy who hit .198 with a .646 OPS against RHP last year is my answer for a significant left-handed bat other than Yordan Alvarez. If he is willing to take a small base salary with incentives for playing well, that’s a different story. That’s especially true when he has no outfield experience.
Then, as I said, paying Polanco or Verdugo a few million at most with incentives for hitting well is fine. But, there’s no way I’m giving Jorge Polanco anywhere near $10M in AAV after last season.
Sign Ben Gamel to very low contract is possible. Left handed bat and outfielder..flashed some leather defensively and had some clutch hits for us.
I think the Polanco rumors have to be to force Bregman into making a decision. Why would the Astros need another infielder if it's not Bregs? Is Altuve going to the outfield for Polanco? We already also have a cheaper version of him in Dubon (who can play the OF as well). No way the Astros get Polanco and trade Paredes back out do they?
I think Rome or Rosenthal suggested that Polanco would play OF. He's coming off knee surgery although his agent said he should be fine by spring training.
I'm kinda like Luhnow, I like winning and winning requires putting the best team possible on the field. If this requires letting long time Stros favorites go finish out their careers on other teams then so be it. Everything that's being done with the roster should be done with winning first and foremost. There should be no sentimentality that should get in the way of winning.
Well then you're kids better be taught to support some really bad baseball when the stars you've taught them to love become over the hill players like Biggio/Bagwall/Berkman/Oswalt etc... did. Give me the best players you can put on the team each and every year. This means having to trade a guy like Tuccker to keep the young pipeline of players flowing.