Agree 100% with this. Those guy, with Whitley as a possible extra, are as good as any of the mediocre FA pitchers the team might sign for $8-$10MM/yr, minus being a household name. I'd much rather spend that money on Springer/Brantley than a random #3 type starter that's no better than the above. I don't know if they can keep them both - I suspect Correa has to be considered in the mix somewhere - but given how this season has played out, I'd try to run with the proven offense and young pitching staff again - except this time, with the staff having an extra year of experience. Of course, this all depends on what those guys can get in free agency, but Springer and Correa are kind of forcing themselves into the "face of the franchise" players with their consistent postseason heroics, and Crane almost has to make a serious attempt to keep them long-term at this point. Brantley might be the casualty of that.
I’m fine with that, but not with having ONLY 5 guys that can start. We need another couple that can do it. Maybe Whitley is one of those, but I still think it’s worth it to do some bargain shopping for a Charlie Morton type (or two). The reality is not all of our young arms are going to work out, and we need to account for injuries. I’ve always thought Correa was gone, but I didn’t expect Crane to spend competitively. He’s done it, and our pitching prospects finally got to the league....there’s a chance we can keep the band together.
Astros can get to the deadline with what they have in the rotation. Pruitt, Whitley, Armenteros will be back, Abreu, and Luis Garica are options. I'm not worried because Oakland is going to be a different team next year. Minor, Soria, Fiers, Petit, La Stella, Semien, Hendriks, and Grossman are all free agents. Then Chapman, Olson, Montas, Kemp, Trivino, Canha, Manaea, Bassitt, Smith, and Pinder will all be getting raises in arbitration. Piscotty and Diekman also have raises in their contracts. The Rangers will continue to be trash. The Mariners aren't a contender yet. The Angels are paying Trout, Pujols, Rendon, and Upton 118 million next season. Then they have 13 guys in arbitration like Bundy, Heaney, Ohtani, Bedrosian etc. Plus Simmons is a free agent.
You mean they are not? What I really meant was money that needs to be spent elsewhere. (see post #20)
“Elsewhere” is a pretty vague term. They could use it to pay down debt. They could use it to pay for political donations. They could use it to pay for a new plane.
oh I’m not too worried about the West, short of a bunch of injuries to our starting pitchers. I see this off-season being about retaining your players and risk management, not adding to the roster. The greatest risk to this team is with our starting pitching. There’s lots of upside, but lots of unproven players and they are thin. all I’m saying is we should bargain shop like we did with Morton. We can make winning moves at the deadline when we have more info: ie status of Verlander and Osuna, performance of young pitchers, etc.
Ideally, this is how everything works out: Springer is resigned on a 5 year $150 deal Brantley is resigned on 2 year $40 deal CF Springer 2B Altuve 3B Bregman LF Brantley 3B Correa DH Alvarez RF Tucker 1B Gurriel C Maldonado Bench: Diaz, Straw, Toro, Backup Catcher SP Grienke Valdez Urquidy McCullers Javier 6th starter Bullpen Presley Osuna Parades Taylor Scrubb Joe Smith 1 spot open for internal competition So the off-season moves would be: Resign Springer +$9 million Resign Brantley +$4 million Sign a bargain starter/bullpen arm +$10 million Sign a backup catcher +$5 million That’s +$28 million, then -$13 million Reddick -$16 million if Verlanders contract was insured 50% So net neutral on these moves. I can see a reasonable argument for passing on another starting pitcher and waiting to see who is available at the deadline. That just opens more money to throw at Springer and Brantley.
This is very sensible, but it depends on having such guys available and someone in the organization that has the eye for spotting talent that other teams miss.
true. But given that Click helped build the Rays staff and we have the pitcher whisperer in Strohm, I think they can do it. They deserve the benefit of the doubt I think.
While hopeful, I am in a wait and see mode. This coming winter/spring may be the first opportunity for our new brass to show their full colors. I say may, because we dont know what the f#ck covid is going to do to things. And we don't know what kind of temperament the owners are going to have when it comes to spending money.
Enoli parades has the stuff and makeup to be our closer next season. Hell, I could argue that he could be our closer in the ALCS.
I wouldn’t pay Springer 5/150... not sure he gets that on the free agent market this summer either. I would want him back but not at 30 million a year for half a decade. The Astros are going to non tender Osuna so he isn’t back. No idea what Joe Smith will do and am indifferent because they can use his money elsewhere on another reliever. Brantley is appealing because he can really hit and at his age and physical condition, he likely isn’t getting a long deal from somewhere else. I still think the Astros will look at value buys in the starter market. Guys like Morton, Minor and Paxton could be targets.
definitely let the market play out with Springer, but get the deal done. Make a competitive offer, tell him you want him back, and make sure his agent knows you get the last call. Agree on Brantley. We are an idea fit for him simply because we can manage him better than any other club. Our depth on offense and defense allows us to put him in a DH or give him more days off during the regular season. And those are names I’d look at for pitchers.
Maybe they can trade for a young starter and hit gold again on a reclimation project like Luhnow did with CFM.