Pressly for one of their OF? Only issue is, they still have Helsley. So I doubt Pressly waives to be a setup man on another team. Even if St.Lous trades Helsey, would Pressly waive his NTC? Probably wants to go to a better team?
I feel like Diaz is gonna hit 30 bombs at least. He was consistently hitting the ball on a line right back up the middle with risp last year. I will take more of that too.
Again? Who exactly has been "using" us, you act like the Astros are punks that nobody want to play for. It isn't as if we're desperately vying for his services, when Crane really wants a guy (Walker,Abreu,Hader,Verlander) he gets him. Otherwise they make offers they believe to be fair, and if another team wants to overpay so be it.
I would agree. I think the Astros NEED an everyday player in at least 1 ( and 2 is better) of the OF spots. Of all the OF on the roster (I don't consider Yordan an OF. He a DH who plays some OF) Chas is by far the most proven. Chas: should start every game vs LHP. This can be in any OF position, but LF and CF are much preferable to RF. As constructed, he is the only CF option vs RHP on this roster. Meyers: If the Astros add another everyday player who hits well vs LHP, then he is expendable. If not, then he could be the starter in CF vs LHP. He could also be expendable if they need too many platoon OF to jigsaw puzzle this roster together as Chas and Dubon can do what he does. Trammell: As it sits, he is a starter in one of the spots vs RHP. Which one is TBD. He is also likely the first guy out if another LH OF is brought in. He has played CF but reports are that he is not good there. I have not seen him play. Leon: the only true OF with a chance to win a spot in ST and be a true ROY candidate who does not need to learn a new position. It will come down to his strikeouts. 30/30 potential. He could potentially play excellent RF defense or be average in CF. Melton: is simply not ready. Brown has already publicly stated he will start in Sugar Land regardless of what happens in ST. Dezenzo: one of my personal best hopes. He has the bat to win a starting spot. He has the athleticism, speed, and arm to play RF but is very new to the OF. Because of this, they may put him in LF or even give him more time in Sugar Land. Bonus: hit RHP better than LHP in MLB last year and that matches up w/ his minor league numbers each of the past 2 years. Brown has made positive off season comments about him and he had a very good (but also very short) winter ball performance. Whitcomb: Didn't get any OF play in MLB and did not play winter/fall ball. No indication of where they intend to play him, but Brown has been strangely quiet about that since commenting that his future is in the OF, before he was called up. He certainly didn't look like an infielder in Houston. Has the bat for a corner OF spot but hasn't proven that in MLB yet - and is RH. His splits in the minors have gone back and forth between hitting RHP or LHP better at various times. Is currently behind several guys on the depth chart. If this is the roster to open the season, my preference would be: LF: Dezenzo or Trammell vs RH / Chas vs LH CF: Chas vs RH / Meyers vs LH RF: Dezenzo and/or Leon
Dont sleep on Hummel’s chances of making the roster. He is out of options, hits lefthanded, and can play corner OF, 1B, and serve as a 3rd/emergency catcher. Hes survived several roster trimmings so there’s gotta be a reason. A Trammell/Dubon platoon in LF and a Hummel/Meyers platoon in CF/RF, with McCormick playing everyday (and Singleton available to pinch hit for him in some high leverage at bats against RHP) would be ok, considering how good the other hitters in the lineup are. I will be shocked if they don’t add at least one more good everyday bat. But if they don’t they’ll still have a good lineup and the OF will have more upside than downside relative to projections.
I will be shocked if they do add a bat, but they’ll still have a good lineup. The OF will have more upside than downside relative to projections.
Why will you be shocked? I guess you dont believe they're going to trade Pressly? If they trade Pressly/Caratini they will have money to add another bat in FA and it's possible they could get another bat back in a Pressly trade, somebody like Alex Thomas. So it's more likely they add 2 OF bats than none IMHO.
I do not believe a Pressly trade is likely unless the Astros are willing to eat a lot of his salary. Not leaving enough money left to make a difference. Caratini is more valuable to the Astros than he would be in a trade. I think the Astros replace their starting outfielders from within as needed with minor leaguers as they become ready.
In the end if they want to be competitive in the post season I believe they will need to add one and replace one. But they are not in a position to do it before opening day.
Very likely one of our IFers will get a steady diet of OF innings in spring training. Wouldn't surprise me if it ends up being Isaac Paredes.
I'm thinking they trade for one before the season starts (This means moving Pressly/Caratini and possibly Meyers) and possibly signing one in FA depending on who's out there in FA. If they only make one move then the starting OF will probably look like this. Dezenzo/Chas/Traded for OF.
