When he's hot, he's hot. Let's not lie and say he hasn't had his share of absolutely infuriating starts over the years
Framber is always at risk of going full headcase. That alone keeps him out of the top of top anything discussions.
Yeah, I know we really need a lefty bat that preferably plays 2B, but not sure it’s worth overpaying for Lux. He’s a platoon bat AND he is a negative on defense. Doesn’t provide any power or speed. There’s a reason he’s on pace for only ~1 WAR this season.
My thing is that the 2025 AL is very very winnable and therefore, the World Series is very winnable. That means that any trade that does not improve the team IN 2025, or is not at least a lateral move FOR 2025 needs to wait until the off season. I agree that Jake can't he trusted to continue being an average or better hitter, but I think he is deeper into the circle of trust than Chas. Dubon is needed at 2b. That means, to me, that Jake can not be traded until the offseason unless an everyday or RH hitting CF is brought in.
A low key one shot deadline: Astros get: SP Andrew Heaney RP David Bednar 2B/LF Adam Frazier Pirates get: OF/1B Luis Baez P AJ Blubaugh RP Alimber Santa OF Chas McCormick RP Bennett Sousa Astros get a LHH 2B/LF who complements Altuve. They get a reclamation RP with closer experience and another year of control. And they add an innings eater rental SP who won’t be a nightmare if he has to start a playoff game. The Pirates get 3 prospects ranked in the 7-20 range of Houston’s org plus McCormick and Sousa. Playoff roster: SS Pena 3B Paredes DH Alvarez LF/2B Altuve 1B Walker 2B/LF Frazier C Diaz RF Smith CF Meyers Bench: Dubon, Caratini, Melton, Salazar SP: Framber, Brown, McCullers, Heaney RP: Hader, Abreu, Bednar, King, Okert, Dubin, Arrighetti Javier (Ort), Garcia (Gusto)
I don't think Frazier is going to cut it. This team desperately needs a legitimate lefty bat - we are currently 21st in wRC+ and 24th in OPS against RHP this season as a team. I said it in the Guardians thread, and I'm sure the price will be high for a rental 1B/OF bat, but O'hearn would solidify this team as a legitimate WS contender. There was some concern acquiring him would mean Altuve is back at 2B full time but I think you can get around that by starting to give Walker and Altuve at least a day off per week. Altuve can play 2B a couple times a week and O'hearn would be on the bench against any LHP so it doesn't have to result in Altuve playing 2B every day. Pena Yordan Paredes O'Hearn Altuve Diaz Walker Cam Meyers On the days Altuve plays 2B, you're running out the above lineup...with Hunter/Framber and the bullpen we have, that can win a WS.
Adding O’Hearn means moving Altuve back to 2B at least 75% of the time. I don’t have an issue with that, but as cute as we can all get divvying up time across positions, if Houston adds a bat, it has to be in LF or at 2B, and whichever of those that player primarily plays, Altuve will be at the other spot. I agree that would be a stacked lineup. I am hopeful Melton goes on a heater to get established along with Smith taking a step forward and Diaz and Walker rounding into form. That will lessen the need for an impact bat in which case a guy like Frazier might be sufficient.
That's like half our lineup that involves hope rather than current production. That's a lot of ifs and buts. And someone will need to step up to account for likely regression to the mean from Meyers and Pena going forward. I'm certain they won't all work out. If I was betting, I would rank the odds as (1) Diaz, (2) Smith, (3) Melton, (4) Walker going forward. I'm not down on the rookies, I just don't expect everyone to figure it out in their first season. Walker is old and may not be a positive impact bat anymore. And he's not exactly trending in a positive direction. I'd consider an O'Hearn / Walker platoon at 1B, personally. I'm guessing the team wouldn't give up on Walker as the every day 1B so quickly given the investment.
I don’t see any way they demote Walker to be the short side of a platoon. The most I can envision is they move him down in the order and maybe give him a day off every other week, but for all intents and purposes he is the everyday 1B for at least the next 13 months. He has been a major disappointment and bad player but he hasn’t been unplayable like Abreu was. The Astros have an opening at either LF or 2B, nowhere else. They have studs at SS, 3B, and CF. They have a cornerstone rookie performing adequately at RF. They have high ceiling big contract players they are committed to at 1B and DH. They have an established high upside player at C with a more than adequate backup as insurance. The deadline is 6 weeks away. That’s enough time to see who is gonna break out, get back on track, or fall off.
I don't think it would effect Altuve's % of playing time at 2b during the season but if everyone is healthy, would expect him to play there vs RHP in the playoffs. Altuve has started 95% of all games. 53% of his starts in LF 24% at DH 23% at 2b. I think we all agree less playing time is best for him, let's give him 1 day off per week but make him first PH option on the bench. That leaves 81 starts out of 97 games. 41 starts in LF, 20 at DH, 20 at 2b. That leaves 56 games in LF, and 77 at DH. Let's pretend Yordan returns today and plays every game the rest of the season. He plays 77 games at DH and 20 in LF. That leaves 36 games in LF for O'Hearn. Let's give O'Hearn 1 start per week at 1b and 1 in RF. That's 32 more starts. O'Hearn starts 68 of 97 games, or 70%. Plus you get injury insurance at 3 positions without increasing Altuve's time at 2b ( until the playoffs)
I agree with you that they won't demote Walker, I just think they should. I disagree that Walker hasn't been as bad as Abreu (in his first season - the second was 113 awful ABs). He's been every bit as bad, so far, as 23 Abreu. Walker 2025: .619 OPS, -0.7 bWAR. Abreu 2023: .680 OPS, -0.1 bWAR. (and an amazing postseason)
It wouldn't be 75% if I was filling out the lineup cards (Walker would be getting 1-2 days off a week and Altuve would be getting one day per week against tough RHP; I'd like to see Yordan get some days off as well given this injury) but you're right in that realistically it would be 75% because of the money invested in those two guys. Diaz should be good moving forward and there's a good chance IMO that Cam improves (I think eventually the power will come) but I'm not sold on Walker rebounding or Melton producing. I just worry about the lineup against tough RHP in the playoffs. That said, the two biggest threats in the AL are the Yankees and Tigers - the Yanks will be starting Fried and Rodon games 1/2 and Skubal will of course be the Tigers game 1 starter.
Yeah but you add him and Yordan… And he’s got an OPS of almost 1.000 against RHP this season lol it would be booting Dubon/Rodgers or from the lineup againsr RHP. How does that not significantly improve the lineup? He sucks against LHP but who cares we have been a top three offense against LHP.
Diamondbacks are gonna wheel and deal this year and have a pretty big payroll. Can't say I love anything that they'd deal . . . but there are some rehab projects there.
Well, last year, the team couldn't even get one bat (picking guys off trash heap doesn't count) so what makes you think they will even try for 2? Also, (when healthy) this team has Diaz, Walker, Altuve, Pena, Paredes, Smith, and Yordan who (like it or not) are regular starters. Meyers is playing as well as any available CF. That only leaves one lineup spot.
He's going to be highly disappointed by the trade deadline for us if O'Hearn doesn't get him excited. Realistically that isn't even going to happen lol we'll likely just pick up some mid lefty bat and BOR innings eater
