That's exactly what the no-trade clause is! He could have waived to come here... Otherwise the Phillies would have just traded him outright as the Astros did have the best offer. Also, had the Astros guaranteed him his last option year, chances are he would have waived it.
it's pretty shameful the way we let the rangers swoop in a pick up two players we desperately could have used for far less than a kings ransom right smack dab in the middle of a division chase... i understand not wanting to sell the farm but if they were willing to make two sizable moves last year it's really hard to explain why they decided to sit on their hands this year. lunhow has said before that yuli and bregs should count as making major moves to improve the team prior to the deadline but that's a cop out - since when does a team in serious contention look towards two late season rookie call ups to become serious contributors??? i love what the FO has done turning this thing around but i'll be damned if it doesn't look like they conceded the division to our arch rival when it was their for the taking.
Way to many rangers fans at MMP. It seemed like the rangers fans were louder. There were 4 right next to me. Lets go rangers was like super loud.
The 86 Rockets and the 2012 Thunder are perfect examples of young teams everyone thought would be winning multiple titles. The Rockets eventually got theirs but with a drastically different roster. I wasn't in favor of selling the farm because the AL is very deep this year and there wasn't a move that could be had to put a team over the top. I also see that if you don't make the playoffs and then your young players start inexplicably falling apart in future years, then Luhnow did waste an opportunity. There are August moves to be made and I think he'll get at least one more player via trade that can move the needle.
Add the 95 Magic if you really want to go into it.... But I tend to stay away from comparing basketball to baseball because it's really far easier to have a dynasty in the NBA where more than half the teams make the playoffs, and the team with the best overall player typically wins. Making the playoffs in baseball is one thing... But winning it all once you get there is truly a crapshoot, and is significantly tougher if you don't have front-line starting pitching. As of two weeks ago, Luhnow seemed to be hinting that they wanted to really shore up their chances to make a deep playoff run (i.e. - acquire starting pitching). I wonder once any potential talks for Sale broke down, if that basically sealed the deal for any possible moves... As they ultimately feel that without that ace-like starter, it's damn tough to advance in any short series (even tougher now that LMJ's return could be in question). However, I'd have liked them to have still attempted something... Who knows what Keuchel does the rest of the year, or what Musgrove ends up doing. It will feel wasted if they continue to pitch like they have been (well), and the lineup continues to be inept because frankly there are inept people inhabiting the 5-9 spots nightly.
This series so far shows why the trade deadline this year was a fail. Putting their eggs in the basket of prospects and a Cuban defector toward the later part of the year and allowing the rivals in the division to get proven mlb vet talent was just a fail no matter how you spin it. I wouldn't be surprised if the core players were pissed. If the organization keeps taking cheap routes like this, don't be surprised if Altuve possibly bolts when the time comes which he should. Don't waste your prime with a cheap organization not willing to go all in on NOW not just continuing to think about the future. Like Charlie Pallilo said after the trade deadline, if the organization keeps looking to the future, the future may never get here. The pitching has been showing they are close enough for the organization to have done more to help them out offensively. Just frustrating.
There is a price to be payed when you tank. The better players dont want to come here. Eventually, the stigma attached to our club will fade, but it will take time.
I guess you could look at the Rays in baseball as a really good young team that just never made those all in moves to capitalize on their talent. Last year, I think Luhnow sort of made a move just to make one with Gomez (after Hamels fell through), it helped but didn't push the needle. This year he decided that if what he wanted wasn't available, he wasn't accepting something he felt was less valuable. I understand seeing Bregman and Gurriel as lineup transformation pieces. The thinking being that both produce at your average RoY numbers for the remainder of the season, then the lineup is ok and then you're hoping to catch a Michael Wacha type lighting in a bottle with Musgrove. The only thing Luhnow didn't factor it seems is luck regarding injuries which have taken out your 2nd best bat and your best pitcher since the trade deadline. I think they make moves this month as long as they don't fall out of contention by the next homestand. It starts with having to beat the Rangers today. If there ever was a must win game in early August, this is it.
Still Pissed off at this lost. I usually don't let them get to me but geez it's one thing for odor to beat you but sipp, lucroy and ricky beltran ricardo. Three people that should not be on the field. You couldn't have trade Lucroy to St louis? thanks milly-wau-kay.
If Bregman can string together another couple of hits today I'd feel much better about what he can contribute the rest of this year.
Any news on Valbuena's return? Also, random question thought I'd ask here. Can a DH hit for anyone or only the pitcher?
Only the pitcher. If the DH takes the field during the game, you lose the DH and the pitcher then has to bat. If you master this, you'll instantly know more than former Astro manager Bo Porter did.
Admit it...you miss Porter's mastery of the rules, double switches, losing the DH and having pitchers alternate between LF and the mound.
