How many “proven” starters have they started with the past few years? 2016: Maybe 4; Keuchel, McHugh, Fiers, Fister? (was replacement level in 2015), Feldman? (<1 war in 2015), McCullers? (had never pitched a full season in majors). Devenski, Peacock, Musgrove, Rodgers, and Paulino all started games but were totally unproven coming into the season. 2017: Maybe 5; Keuchel, McHugh, Fiers, McCullers? (81 IP in 2016), Morton? (17 IP in 2016), Musgrove? (62 IP in 2016). Verlander was acquired in August. Paulino, Martes, and Diaz started games but were unproven. 2018: 7; Verlander, Keuchel, Cole, McCullers, Morton, Peacock, McHugh. Valdez, James, and Devenski also started games. Last season was the outlier in that the Astros entered the season with 7 proven starters. That was a luxury. No team enters the season with 12 proven options, and maybe 2-3 teams enter the season with more than 5 proven guys.
People remember the insane staff in 2018, people forget how our World Series winning staff was for most of the season. Mike Fiers, Joe Musgrove, David Paulino, Dayan Diaz, and Francis Martes combined for 54 starts, exactly 1/3 of our games. They had an ERA well over 5 collectively. We were still 4th in the AL in runs allowed. We'll almost certainly add a proven arm of some kind just to be safe, but needing 7 proven good arms is unnecessary.
Based on this: According to Enrique Rojas (ESPN),, the deal will be work $14 million and includes a club option for $12 million in 2020 (with a $300,000 buyout) Doesn't sound like the Astros were that interested or thought that much of him. That's a pretty minimal and low-risk price. (Or the Twins were able to guarantee playing time or something else that he wanted)
I never wanted Cruz to displace White anyway. At his age his bat was no more of a sure thing than White's, with little future value. We didn't want him that badly, but he was still really productive last season so no due diligence would have been stupid. The Brantley signing crossed off our "need" for a proven hitter. There's enough potential firepower for us to have the best offense in baseball as is.
Astros probably have other moves they are still working that will require that money. I’m sure they were hoping he’d wait until their other moves get resolved (C, SP, Harper?!?!), but since he was ready to sign they had to pass.
You would be surprised to know how little movement there has been on their end in moves that would take up said money. They are trying to reduce payroll based on their talks recently in an effort to get an expensive pitcher. Will be back on Greinke once cost saving move is made, or in conjunction with it. Hence why you keep hearing Reddick rumors. I warned earlier in offseason that fans may have to be ok going into the season as is with moves near the deadline when Lunhow will realize his mistake and finally move some prospects. See the Verlander move. Move was only made because he realized he made a mistake. Going to be slow moving forward, just wanted to give a heads up.
Ok that sounds like you are confirming my point: they passed on Cruz because they’re saving money for a potential Greinke trade and until they can offload Reddick there’s no money for an expensive DH.
LOL! Yes, Cruz passed on the same or more money from a WS contender in a tax free, warm climate state to go play for a middling team in Minnesota.
The relevance is that Cruz took another team’s offer rather than ours. You’re arguing that we didn’t offer enough? Could be a # of factors.
Does this mean you think keeping Kyle Tucker is a mistake? Luhnow has been willing to move prospects not named Tucker or Whitley. Josh James is the only other prospect that I think of that's probably untouchable.
What factors? You asserted that Cruz rejected Houston. That’s ridiculous, unless Houston offered significantly less money.
Maybe HOU wouldn’t offer the option with buyout? Maybe his wife prefers the cold? Maybe Cruz wants to be the centerpiece of the offense? Maybe he has friends in the Twins organization that convinced him to go there? Maybe....
