Bottom 10 Markets. 10 teams will go unchanged barring a population shift or expansion. The 10 lowest revenue teams will rotate as will those that receive revenue sharing, but don't fit in either bottom 10. Hopefully Astros are in it next year.
Already posted? <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Should Rangers not get Garza, sources say they've been in on Bud Norris. Other teams in on Norris: Pirates, Dodgers, Jays, Giants and more.</p>— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/statuses/357960946515324928">July 18, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Red Sox have been more interested in starters like Bud Norris than Garza, Santana. Here's why: <a href="http://t.co/AqLUc8cpyf">http://t.co/AqLUc8cpyf</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/WEEI">@WEEI</a></p>— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexspeier/statuses/358248363528945664">July 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It's good to see the Astros are asking for high end prospects for Norris. He shouldn't be given away and if we can't get enough we should just keep him.
I completely agree and its the best position for us to be in given he could be a solid #3 or #4 guy for us. Still, even though we have control of him 2 years after this one (thats what I have anyway) he will in his last year of control before we can hope the farm has helped us enough to be good, or possible to have seasoned #1 and #2 guys in front of him. So prospects that can deliver Norris type numbers in 3 or 4 years may be more valuable than what Norris himself can deliver in the next 2.
I don't know what I'd do if Jeff Luhnow managed to pry away Garin Cecchini. I also like Francellis Montas, although his numbers are mediocre-poor and is years away.
I'm sure Luhnow will get the best deal he can for Norris, but I think history tells us not to get too excited about leaks like these. It reminds me of the rumors that were leaking before the Bourn trade to the Braves. If you remember, at the time of the Bourn deal, Atlanta had four top 50 pitching prospects in AA or higher (Teheran, Vizcaino, Delgado, and Minor). Starting pitching was a huge need in the Astros system so the Braves seemed like a perfect trading partner. Leading up to the deadline, rumors out of Atlanta were that the Braves didn't want to part with more than one of their four pitching prospects. That was contrasted against reports that Wade was asking for two of the Braves' top four pitching prospects as part of a Bourn deal. This was right after the Pence deal, and I took the leaks about Wade's high demand as hope that even if he didn't get his full demand, he'd still likely get at least one of Atlanta's big four back. We all know how that trade turned out. I only take these leaks as leverage ploys or, at the most, the starting point for negotiations.
It is worth remembering that Wade botched this trade a little bit. If I recall correctly, there was an opportunity for him to trade him elsewhere, but he did not.
The Astros were in fire sale mode at the time and I don't think it's the same situation now. We're about to have a zerg rush of top prospects hitting the majors over the next few years.
I also think he could have gotten one of the top guys. Wade asked for the moon. Wren countered with garbage. Wade accepted garbage to Wren's shock. Frank Wren internally said Michael Bourn is a perfect fit. He'd have paid if Wade had insisted on one of them. They also had Brandon Beachy, who for some reason wasn't rated much higher. His 2010 minor league season was incredible, and was holding his own in the majors during 2011.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>According to <a href="https://twitter.com/SacBee_JoeD">@SacBee_JoeD</a>, Garza to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rangers&src=hash">#Rangers</a> is 99% done. 6 players involved, teams exchanging medical records.</p>— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCotillo/statuses/358288545884434432">July 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Another guy I'd like to see as part of a possible haul from the Red Sox is Drake Britton. If only for the fact that he's from Tomball.
That's what this rivalry needs to get a boost!!! Man, I can't wait for us to turn the tables on those guys!
99% done. Spoiler <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Sources: Cubs-Rangers deal for Garza hits snag, no longer a certainty. While teams still negotiating, Chicago seeking alternatives to Texas.</p>— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/statuses/358370961734635521">July 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Sorry. Carry on.
Wade was told to do it (and do it pronto) by some gladhanding baptist shyster. For reasons that still escape me, Bourn did not have the same value around the league as a guy like Pence did, even though he was a better player. I will never, ever, completely understand the Bourn trade (i.e. why they ever rushed to trade him in the first place) from a baseball perspective, it was just a pre-emptive salary dump to facilitate selling the team.
