I'm calm. I am coping. Forever it's going to be: 1) did the 2024 Astros make the W.S.? 2) Does Bloss or Blubaugh have the better career? 3) Does Leon or Loperfido have the better career? In many ways it's the Randy Johnson deal and Richard Hidalgo or Bobby Abreu all over again.
We're already a "World Series or bust" franchise but this trade intensifies that to the nth degree. Trading away 3 prospects for a 2 month rental means they have to get there or it was a complete waste of time.
It was not a good trade, but the process made sense. We had Springer and Reddick and Marisnick under contract for years, with Marwin on the roster and Tucker and Straw and Fisher as potential prospects. Teoscar was an MLB ready player without a spot on our team and so we took advantage of that surplus to overpay for an obvious need: short term LH relief pitching. Yes, the results ended up sucking but the thought process behind the move was understandable: Even if it backfires and Liriano is a non-factor and Teoscar becomes a star, it wouldn't (and didn't) set us back. Currently, we do NOT have a surplus of young pitching prospects under team control for years. We do NOT have a surplus of young toolsy outfielders. We do NOT have a surplus of corner infielders knocking on MLB's door. But we DO have likely openings at all three of those positions in the coming years, given the likely departures of JV, Bregman, Tucker, etc. Yet we still overpaid and created future problems to acquire the furthest thing from a safe bet to succeed. There's a difference in the ways a team can overpay, and these two trades are glaring examples of how smart and dumb teams handle it.
The problem with that is that neither Lopeffido nor Wagner project as everyday regulars. The Astros are desperate for production in LF. Is there any chance he is sitting the bench if the Astros viewed him as a regular starter? Wagner doesn't have enough power to overcome his lack of speed and defensive ability. Yes, Bloss SHOULD have been enough. Based on player value, he will produce way more over the next 6 years. But simple economics: 10 other teams are looking for SP and you know the Blue Jays are calling them telling them what Houston is offering. In the end, Brown paid more than any of those other guys would - but only just enough to get the deal done. He wasn't bidding against himself, and Kikuchi was identified by the organization as a guy worth getting. The Astros won the bidding war and they are comfortable with the cost. Let's see what happens.
What’s done is already been done by Brown and his stooges. Still upset about it but this whole trading process and FA signings by this FO since 2022 leave us fans to have no confidence in their ability to run the franchise. That’s what worrisome to me. If that’s what it cost to get Kikuchi, what the hell are we giving up for high profile players. Again, I might be in the minority but I’m really hoping Dana doesn’t make anymore trade today. Or forever as an Astros GM. If Toronto can do that to Dana, what do y’all think TB will do to him. Dana is not in a good spot to be making trades. Other GM knows that too.
Loperfido main value is in his defense. If he can hit in the .250 range that's a starting CF. I could see this happening.
Question? Those who are upset about this deal. Are you more upset that the players sent out wre on the Team and you developed an affinity for them? (mostly Loperfido) If it was Zach Cole who is a higher rated prospect but unknown to most fans, would it make a difference? If it was Blubaugh or Gordon who are higher rated, would it have made a diffrrence?
I think you can still be upset about the trade, and understand it was a trade that they probably had to make.
It is an overpay, unless they can fix Kikuchi if that happens then it's a good trade and I expect the Stros to be favorites to win another WS. I know it's a long shot.
Is it an overpay though? 1) they had to get a SP or give up on 2024. 2) there are more teams needing SP than are available. They did not pay more than they had to.
Liriano got one of the biggest outs in franchise history and helped win a championship. Although Luhnow overpaid it was a small price to pay and I liked Teoscar. Hopefully this is the same thing that happens with the Kikuchi trade
