Do you think the Guardians are the type of team that would value Luis Garcia's 3 years of control? Maybe they do Bieber 's 1 year for Garcia's 3 and a 40 grade prospect like Joe Perez?
Can’t give up Gilbert due to the high possibility of losing Tucker after next season. So I’m not sure what they do at the deadline, I guess it all depends on health. I don’t think they touch the SP rotation and go 6 man once LMJ and Urquidy come back. Probably a Valdez, Javier, Brown, Urquidy/LMJ playoff rotation. If anything maybe a move for another BP arm or a DH type bat if it doesn’t look like Brantley will be a factor. Meyers, Leon, and Whitley are probably what we shop.
No, they want guys that are pre-arb because of payroll reasons. I don't think we have the prospects to get Bieber either. Go take a look at the Luis Castillo trade. Bieber has the same amount of control left.
We don't lose Tuck after next year- it's after 2025. But agreed about Gilbert being absolutely necessary to hang on to.
I don't think a bullpen arm or another bat really helps this team. 1) Let's say Montero has pitched himself out of leverage spots and the main playoff "rotation" Pressly, Neris, and Abreu still look locked in there and Maton has earned his way back in. Last year, take away the extra innings from ALDS game #3 and the top 4 RP threw 31.2 of 39 bullpen innings in the playoffs. Stanek, Martinez, Montero, and Blanco, Gage or whoever else gets thrown into the bottom of the pen are deep enough to keep them fresh. 2) Once Altuve returns, this team has regular starters locked in at 8 spots even if Brantley doesn't return. I am not convinced that Dusty will sit Abreu more than 20% of the time, Maldy more than 25%, or Dubon more than 50% regardless of if his bat ever comes around. I can hear Dusty ( and likely Brown too) " We brought him here because we need him. We need him to play to get right" That final spot will be divided up between Dubon, whoever is not in CF, possibly Diaz, Hensley, and Julks, and whatever hitter the team brings in. That's simply not enough playing time for any bat brought in to make a difference.
I agree, I don’t think those positions help much either. I was just saying since we don’t want to give up a bunch, a top 3 SP is probably out, so if they do make a move maybe they get another arm to eat up bullpen innings down the stretch(will smith type move)or another bat for injury insurance. I definitely agree with you on Abreu, he’s going to be in the lineup no matter the results. Atleast for this year anyway.
It's a little early to tell what we need because of the injuries. My #1 priority right now would be a bat to replace Brantley. Having him go all the way through his rehab and then get "sore" right before he was going to be activated is not a great sign. So come the end of June if Brantley isn't healthy and playing I would look at Charlie Blackmon. He's the perfect Brantley replacement. He makes 15 million this year so with that salary and him being a rental he shouldn't be very expensive. He's hitting pretty close to what we expected Brantley to do and he is a left handed hitter that walks and doesn't strike out very much. Blackmon (165 plate appearances) .279 AVG, .370 OBP, .791 OPS, 106 OPS+, 3 HR, 9 2B, 21 K, 17 BB If Abreu is still trash come July I start looking at rentals like Garret Cooper, Yuli, Aguilar, Cron, etc The reason I would be interested in the pen is because the rotation won't be the same as last year with Verlander gone and Garcia out. Plus, I don't see the Astros being able to make a trade for a difference maker starter. You improve the club wherever you can and bullpen is a more feasible trade for the Astros. I don't trust Stanek and neither do the Astros when it really counts. So adding one more big weapon out of the pen is a trade the Astros can probably make and upgrading Martinez or Gage shouldn't be too difficult. Also takes some pressure off the starters to go quite so deep in games if you have a stable of studs in the pen.
I really really really wanted Kris Bryant after the 2021 season. I was even suggesting trading Brantley to make room for the salary (it’s really not that bad on a yearly basis but there will likely be some dead money at the end of the contract no doubt). He should be our trade candidate. By far. Should be super cheap to get and provides an above average bar that can play any of the 4 corners and that you won’t feel like you are getting lapped if he happens to be your DH. Colorado was dumb to sign him and should give him away for free, basically. Trade them Leon and ask for $10 or 20M total and call it a day.
I would like to have Bryant. I just don't see Crane taking on the money. Bryant also has a no trade clause so he would have to approve any deal. Also, they now recalculate AAV based on the remaining contract after a trade. Bryant's AAV will be around 27 million for his new team minus whatever the Rockies would eat.
Yeah- you get that down to 20 or 25M and that becomes something that isn't going to be a big problem going forward. Next year Brantley and his 12M are gone- so if you could get the Rockies to kick in 20M your net is only 12 or 13M to the payroll. Eventually he takes over for Abreu and then that becomes pretty much a wash with his salary and Bryant will be old enough he's probably settling into 1B and DH only. No idea if he would approve a trade here. I wouldn't think he'd like getting the **** kicked out of him for the last 7 years of his MLB career, but maybe he got one title and doesn't give a **** about anything else other than living in Colorado or something like that.
The end of 24 is the optimal time to trade him. If he has not agreed to an extension by the end of the season trade him. All the pieces for a whole new outfield will be in place by then anyway.
I agree he was my number 1 target in the off-season. I think there might be some competition from other teams, but he is the perfect fit for us. Imagine this lineup if Abreau comes around: Altuve 2b Bregman 3b Alvarez LF Tucker RF Bryant DH Chas CF Abreu 1b Pena SS Diaz(lol) C
Only drawbacks are he's never been able to hit outside of Coors and can't play the OF for s!!t. Stros should be able to do better.
