Trade deadline needs and watch party

The '22 team was a much better team; they needed help on the margins. This year's team has much greater - and more overt - needs. They don't have three aces at the top of their rotation; they don't have an overstocked bullpen; Altuve, Alvarez & Bregman were all better in '22. Tucker wasn't but, he was healthy.

The only area where the Astros are markedly better this year in behind the dish.

 

There are less than 50 guys in all of MLB that have enough plate appearances to be qualified and have a wrc+ of 120 or more.
7 at first base and 17 outfielders.
Of those, the only ones that have any chance at all of being traded are Winker, Happ, Guerrero, Alonso and maybe Michael Busch?
Paredes if you consider him a first baseman.
Not a lot of guys
Happ makes a lot of money through 2026 and has a no trade clause.
Perhaps you could add Suzuki to the list but don't think he gets traded. Also makes a lot of money for several years.

 

1. Trade didn't workout

2. Vasquez drove in a big run in the WS clinchi game.

3. Just because a guy isn't used doesn't mean he's useless. He was quite useful for Bochy last year.

4. See #2

 

If Tucker makes it back the lineup will be 7 strong if Dana trades for a bat. Hopefully Meyers and a platoon can be avg in LF. That would make 9 above avg to avg hitters in the lineup.

Gotta find a SP thought, and I would sign Paxton also. Hopefully JV makes it back and performs well.

 

LOL

 

I think you're vastly overrating this line-up beyond Altuve/Alvarez/Tucker. Every other bat - including Bregman* - is hovering right around league-average. That sort of line-up - especially in a short series v elite pitching - is extremely vulnerable to slumps, injuries, etc.

I would argue they need two legitimate bats and then you hope Diaz and/or Pena can get hot.

(* Bregman has been very good since June 1; if that maintains, you can add a fourth bat to A/A/T, and then maybe you only need one bat. I'm not sure where I am on the trust scale with Bregman, though.)

 

Agreed.

First base and left field, the two easiest positions in the lineup to improve, are where we have the most room to improve.
Yainer, Pena and Jake are all reasonably effective at the plate relative to the expectations of their defensive positions. Bregman has been the Bregman of the last three years over the last few months.
Maybe some combination of Caratini and Yainer playing first fixes that?
We certainly need a huge upgrade in left field.
I'm just not sure that you can expect to fix 1st, left and get a new pitcher.

 

Yeah - because the assumption by many is that the trad for Arozerena means that the Mariners will not trade for someone like Guerrero or Robert - which I don't think is necessarily true.

 

I ****ing hate Jeff Passan .... he is even worse in person.

 

You have never posted anything more dead balls on accurate than this. He’s so ****ing loathsome.

 

Paxton is gonzo

 

Don't Diaz and Pena have top 5 in batting avg and Diaz is second in the lineup in RBI?

I know these numbers aren't everything, but they're better than avd. Particularly for their positions.

 

Every time I see that piece of crap, I always think I'm seeing a ventriloquist dummy -

 

They have the prospects to fix both.

 

Is this the best place to look for defense ratings. Is Vlad really that much of a liability at 1B?

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/m...os=1b&type=1&sortcol=22&sortdir=asc&pagenum=1