Everybody likes the hit tool. It's just extremely hard to be an impact player with just a hit tool and no associated power, speed or defensive value. You can be a .300 hitter and provide meh value.
You really think all prospects succeed right away? You really think the ones that have early success are destined to continue it? Every player reaches a certain level at a variable pathway (just look at every current everyday establish Astros player, or recently demoted Astros players, as an example of such variance). I dont think the Astros were counting on any of the guys they promoted this year to be expected/groomed for future stardom. The ones that do make it are the ones who continue to work hard and adjust to the adjustments. All players that have gotten this far (or on the cusp of promotion) have god given talent at some aspect of baseball. Will Wagner was a 26 year old AAA player whose development overlapped several Astros front office members. We also need to calm down to the point as if Dana Brown (or any GM or president of baseball operations) is doing their job or making these decisions completely solo.
Wagner could be Dubon, but with less defensive versatility. That’s an important piece to have around as a utility player, but it’s not irreplaceable (as we saw with Dubon taking the same role from Aledmys). If Kikuchi keeps this up, lets the starters be a bit fresher for the playoffs, and ideally wins a game or two in the postseason, it is worth losing a rookie Dubon and likely AAAA outfielder and pitcher.
He has a war of .7 in 16 games which would project to a 7 war season. Which would be very very good. We don't need to diminish players when they leave.
Tuve has 2207 career hits and still doesn't have a 5-hit game. Will Wagner has 20 career hits and now has a 5-hit game under his belt. Incredible. Baseball can be crazy indeed.
There is the possibility he will turn out to to be good. He always hit in the minor leagues. Why try to diminish that the guy might be good. Look at altuve and JD Martinez. Altuve just hit a bunch of singles when he came up.
If maintains a SLG this high he'll be a superstar, theres just nothing in his minor league career to suggest he will. I don't care one way or the other what he becomes, plenty of other people will.
Wagner is 50+ pa into his big league career so I do think it’s safe to say he has the hit tool to stick in the majors. But his 3% walk rate is poor and his .400 babip is not sustainable. He still projects as a league average bat with minimal defensive value. He may end up as an above average bat with average defensive value, which is a 2-3 win player. But it is incredibly unlikely that he turns into Jose Altuve.
Agree. I hope Wagner has a very successful career. I'm just saying that his tools and abilities make him someone the Astros didn't ( and shouldn't) cry over losing- Josh Rojas? Solid player but not really a difference maker. I think Cavan Biggio may be a good comp - great start to career and stick around a few years as a productive MLBer but not quite good enough to stick into arbitration as cost goes up or hold off the young hotshots.
I just asked a question, which you spent time typing three paragraphs not answering and yes, on minor stuff like promotions, minor trades etc... Brown makes the final call. Crane only gets involved in money decisions like Abreu/JV/Hader etc... The Kikuci trade was a Dana trade and I'm glad he made the trade. It solidified the rotation and was a catalyst for this run of great pitching. With that said I'm wish he would've kept Wagner.
I asked 2 questions to your one question. Second paragraph addresses yours (no, not all prospects hit right away… and wagners ‘prospect’ status is a bit of a stretch at his age). Most GM’s/owners will delegate. Most fans likely don’t know the litany of his assistants involved in advising on minor league development/promotion and who’s in brown’s ear suggesting expendability vs. retainability. food for thought: Altuve and Yordan were never considered to be “sure things”. Yes, the final results are on him.
It's not like Wagner didn't play passable defense wherever he's been put. Not GG defense but passable. Certainly better defense than what Singleton has given them.
I think Wagner's bat will always play, maybe not at the current level but still at an above avg level. The guys a natural hitter and always has been. Remind me what your 2nd question was and tell me why even if Wagner is just having a hot streak why other prospects the Stros have brought up haven't had hot streaks. The only person the Stros have acquired or brought up is Gamel. Agreed with the last paragraph, but you can bet Dana looked at some film of Wagner before he traded him, or at least he should have. I would like to think a GM would have an idea of what he's trading away instead of only listening to others opinions. But it appears that you're correct looks Dana took the advice of others. Or maybe Wagner was the piece in the deal that Click really wanted. Anyways, I'm very happy with the deal. Look at the record/pitching since they added Kikuchi. Good to talk ball with you.
Biggio/Berkman were first round picks though… many years ago, I used to rant that they waited too long to promote Berkman. Probably delayed his ascension by at least a year given how he was already an MVP candidate/over-prepared in his first full season. But those late 90’s teams were that good/stacked. And moneyball/analytics was still theoretical.
Biggio was an unknown if he'd hit enough, especially after moving off of C. Berkman would never have lasted until the 17th? pick if people were sure of his bat and ability to play the field. Bagwell was Boston's 3rd rated 3Bman at the time of The Trade. Oops.
