By extension, when Altuve, Keuchel, and Springer succeeded... was that Luhnow getting the credit for Pupurra and Wade's prospects? I think both play a role... the one who's in charge when the player is acquired/drafted/signed, and the one who is in charge when the player makes the big leagues... but we do need to know ultimately, who deserves more of the credit (or which aspect is harder...)
Luhnow has many player development successes, Luhnow has many player development failures. Click needs another couple of years.
One bit of clarification, i wasn’t talking about the draft 2015, I was talking about the Astros farm system. The Astros had a pipeline that was filled to the brim of talent, most of us didn’t think would do so well, but they all became MLB players with some success, except for Appel (but he’s playing minor league again in 2022 and last I saw he was doing very well, maybe he too eventually makes the Major). Heck, In subsequent years, the Astros farm system produced with little fanfare, guys like Framber, Garcia, Urquidy, Peña, etc. Players that never topped the Astros prospects, but we’re internally highly valued by the organization. I’m liking what Click does too. I’d be a fool to not want him to be successful. As I said, these next few years will tell if Click can keep the farm system stocked like Luhnow. I just give props to Luhnow for quickly making decisions on mistakes and keeping the most talented people in the system, if a high draft pick wouldn’t develop, they’d downgrade him as a priority and not let him impede the development of another player showing more.
I thought Luhnow was one of the top 3 GM's in baseball. Every GM will have hit and misses but Luhnow had more obviously judging from how well we've done the last 8 years from where we started(really bad). Click built the Tampa team that has been contending for a few years on shoe string budget, so obviously he knows what he doing. Is he better or worse than Luhnow? I don't know and only time will tell. If he keeps us contending past 2024, I will be ecstatic. Click letting both Springer and Correa leave was ballsy. Click obviously saw something in Pena to not even make a decent offer to Correa, but I'm starting to think that Pena was so obviously ready that Correa even knew there was no chance of him resigning, and the Astros were doing things to help Correa and Boras get their cheddar. If we can't contend past 2024, then he will be judged on the rebuild.
This will be an interesting and pivotal off season. 4 of top 11 position players and a high leverage reliever are free agents. 2 starting pitchers including the Ace will ( very likely) turn down options and become free agents. Tucker, Alvarez, Dubon, Framber, Javier, Urquidy, Stanek, Maton, and Taylor all arbitration eligible.
I said this before and got pushback, it would be interesting if somebody broke down the players on TB's roster who could be accredited to Click and then we can actually have a comparison.
Two biggest decisions that Click has made have paid off so far. Letting Springer and Correa walk and filling those holes.
I have looked into this and asked people about it and it is difficult to give credit or blame to Click because of the structure of the Rays front office. So the Rays have had Andrew Friedman, Eric Neador, Chaim Bloom and James Click come through their front office. When Friedman left back in 2014 or 2015, Neander sort of took over and he would round table stuff with Bloom and Click. Ultimately the decision was made by Neander, but he relied a lot on what Bloom and Click had to say. Supposedly Neander was closer to Bloom than Click. Only thing I have been able to concretely find out is that Click was a supporter of being very very aggressive in the international free agent signing period. He was a big supporter of signing and paying Wandy Franco the 4 million dollars he ended up getting. He is a massive success. There have been some misses too. Click seems to like fast twitch athletes with a quick bat and are middle infielders as teenagers.
Agreed. The jury is still out on Click. BTW, the BIG MOVES made by Luhnow were not possible without the owner opening HIS WALLET. On the other hand, just opening your wallet is no recipe for success.
Nook bringing the heat as always. How different from was that set up than what Lunhow did? Did click have final say on anything or did he just get that once he left for Houston.
I don't think letting Springer and Correa walk were his decisions. Having faith in player development group was. Personally, I think it is a much tougher decision banking on rookies and sophomores than to trade assets for short term solutions that are gone after a year or 2.
Correa wanted to come back. Astros chose Pena. Springer I will give you. Some mentioned that he did want out for reasons we will never know.
Agree, but I think his best decision so far is getting Verlander the contract he wanted this past off-season.
At the end of the day, I trust Crane. He brought in Luhnow which wasn't a slam dunk hire, and Click. He had the final say on Springer, Correa, and Verlander. I trust that Crane will make the right decision if Click is or isn't the right guy.
The recent Guardians series took me down a rabbit hole thinking about Brady Aiken. Looks like he's out of baseball now, unfortunately. That led me to look into the other two pitchers from the '14 draft that were impacted by the Astros failing to sign Aiken: Jacob Nix and Mac Marshall. Nix, like Aiken, had TJS and hasn't pitched since '19 (from what I can tell) after getting drafted by the Padres. Marshall got drafted by the Giants and is also retired after surgery to repair an ulnar nerve subluxation. MLB Draft, what a crapshoot.... but, hey, let's complain about how bad Bregman is
Why ? he was given the keys to the kingdom and allowed to spend big money to bring in Leon. Obviously he was given a fairly strong farm system and a great MLB team.
Brady Aiken turning down that offer got us the following year’s #2 pick, Bregman; most of us were sweating he would of taken the minimum offer the Astro could give him. It was a pride move Aiken, but he would never see that much money in baseball again, but at least he still has his pride. So Aiken is okay in my book. Bregman is struggling right now, but I think he’ll figure it out. Either way, Bregman has been awesome for the Astros.
What amazing major leaguers had Luhnow produced in early 2014? In fact what significant prospects had he even created by 2014 that weren't first or second round picks, which Click hasn't had. All Luhnow had accomplished by that point was a ton of f**king losing and a blown 1st overall pick. He was simply leeching off the farm he inherited from Ed Wade.
