Now that I slept on it, this trade isn't actually that ba-....no, it sucks donkey and makes zero sense. None. Trading a current SP with 6 years of control for a rental that isn't even producing well provides no net benefit to the current roster whatsoever. On top of that, you just gave away at minimum depth pieces in the OF and 3B, two positions where we have free agents on the brink of departure. One of whom is currently injured indefinitely. Dana Brown is absolute moron idiot platitude giving jerkwad that got outsmarted, and obviously has thought process issues short term and long term. Stick to scouting, you aren't good at anything else. Please do not even try to do any more trades today, you've harmed the team enough. He's going to learn pretty damn quick the fans here are smart and the bs he keeps feeding us with his fast talking will go nowhere. Screw him. He's a dumbass.
Now that the initial shock has worn off, I can make a case for this move.... but I still don't want to right now.
I promise you if anybody on here proposed Bloss, Loperfido and Wagner for Kikuchi we would all give a resounding HELL NO.
I think people are just mad because it doesn't look like we did a very good job negotiating or think we could have used the same assets to get a better pitcher. My hunch is that DB didn't think much of Wagner and Loperfido, so they were just throw ins.
Let the record show that I was willing to stay pat and argued that we didn't need upgrades at LF, 1B, and even SP while being open to an upgrade and wanted a new medical staff. Just saying
It was a HELL NO when it was initially reported Bloss for Kikuchi. Definitely a hard **** NO to included Lope and Wagner in the trade.
Like if we wanted to open up a spot for Pedro Leon... fine... but Chas was the one to go for lottery tickets not Loperfido for a back end rotation/depth piece as part of a 3 player package. Bloss just needed more seasoning and he would have been a good vital cheap piece on a solid roster... sure he couldn't contribute this year much but we just need to survive until Verlander and Garcia return (but this move signals they may not be back soon)... I am unhappy about the trade but at least less dumbfounded.
This trade is being UNIVERSALLY panned in the media as an overpay. Even MLBTR which usually doesn’t weigh in on who “won” a trade included comments in their article which pointed to it being an overpay. The insider on this board received comments from people working for other orgs who said it was a massive overpay. Every knowledgeable fan on this board is in agreement, which NEVER happens. Hell, even Espada and Brown didn’t seem very enthusiastic about the trade. So there’s no question it was an overpay. Whether or not it comes back to bite Houston or ends up being a big win for Houston remains to be seen. Loperfido has strikeout issues. Bloss doesn’t have elite elite stuff and was getting rocked in the majors. Wagner is a middling prospect. Maybe Kikuchi wins the World Series mvp. But the bottom line is you don’t give up two top 100 level prospects for a rental pitcher that “needs fixing”. Ever.
We seem to have collectively decided two things, in the aftermath of this trade: 1) somehow, our starting rotation isn't in taters and running on fumes; 2) our farm system is robust and healthy and pumping out All-Stars with amazing consistency... Kikuchi makes the 2024 Astros better. They are DESPERATE for arms in their rotation. He has a sub-4 FIP and 10 K/9 - adding that pitcher to your rotation is a plus. They had to do something and, at least for now, I'm not sure a better SP has been traded. As for the cost, it certainly feels like - and probably is - a lot. But just because these prospects all have name recognition... I don't know anyone that thinks Loperfido is a future everyday OF; that Bloss is a TOR SP; that Wagner is anything beyond a utility player. We have been told for a while now that this is a seller's market and I think it likely is. It'll be interesting to see what SPs fetch today as I think one of the reasons few have been moved (only 3 significant ones by my count: Fedde, Eflin & now Kikuchi) is because teams are asking for a fortune.
My first concern is whether Brown and crane knew this was an overpay. If yes, then it’s just a decision to do or not do. Let’s say the only choices are to do this deal, or have no SP help in 2024. I’m indifferent on which way to go … because I’m overvaluing 2024 and 2025. The bigger picture questions are (1) how we got into this predicament in the first place, and (2) was the price paid just the market, or was Brown an ineffective negotiator.
I gotta say I've been expecting something like this. The Astros were desperate for starting pitching, and were unlikely able to swing for a pitcher that has a low FIP and a low ERA with what they had. I think the Astros likely have an uphill climb to make in 2026 so they really needed to make a move now. I'm not too big on Loperfido and Wagner. Toronto wasn't going to give Kikuchi up for a pu pu platter. The Astros are better with Kikuchi this season than with what they gave up. It looks to me like the Brown had the following options: -improve team in a way fans will say is an overpay (i.e., Melton, Bloss, Dezenzo, Mathews were going to be needed in a deal for a player with warts). -not improve team and fans will boo him. I don't think the Brown had the option of trading the valued prospects in the Astros system for a player that would have made fans happy. Crane maybe could have, but I'm not sure Brown had the budget to do anything cool. PS. I hope I'm wrong and the Astros can get a better than an averagish starter.
Eflin and Fedde are better performing pitchers with more years of control and both got a lesser return than what Houston gave up for Kikuchi.
We have no idea how teams view our prospects. The fact Tampa wanted Hunter Brown for Paredes, as Nook has stated, shows they clearly didn’t think that high of any of them. I’m guessing the Tigers weren’t interested in the package we sent for Flaherty or that would have happened instead. Who knows what they were asking. I know one thing for certain though…this board highly overvalues our prospects. Loperfido looks like a 4th outfielder, yet I’ve seen people calling him a potential franchise player in this thread.
We are in desperate need for MORE arms in the rotations. Swapping a young mid (but promising) starter for a mid rental provides no net benefit to the rotation.
And I promise you had he done nothing and said teams were asking too much from us you all would have given a resounding HE’S A LIAR
