Also foolish to sign another washed player to a multi-year contract (or giving up assets for) that the youngsters can already outperform.
Yeah let’s not do that. I’m a firm believer in the happy medium. I don’t recall anyone pining for another Abreu or Walker.
I don't remember saying anything about the team believing in him - although, based on his performance in the big leagues offensively and defensively, they should be more confident in him than before they called him up. As for Espada..... why did he pitch Hader in tie games and multiple innings? Why did he have him warming up in the bullpen after a like 30-40 pitch inning so recently? Why did Espada burn the DH in extra innings? When Yordan asked to not move in the line-up, why did Espada not listen to him? I am not an expert Inchan - but my reaction is that Espada pulled Cole late for the same reason he does a lot of things, he is a ****ing moron.
And McCullers usage... was that a front office or Espada decision? There was no reason to let him get right in the bigs as if we had games to spare...
It was interesting that Dana Brown talked openly about needing a backup C (and potentially bringing back Caratini). I expected them to at least mention the idea of Salazar having a shot at the job. Also interesting Dana Brown was pretty clear that McCullers is not guaranteed a rotation spot. It’s probably overly optimistic but I’m choosing to read into Brown’s comment about “getting guys off the IL” that Arrighetti will be back next spring.
If Espada is brought back (and I think he will be), then Dubon needs to go. You have to trade Dubon to protect Espada from Dubon.
Small sample size, but give me Cole. He's the kinda guy that will hit 30-35 homers, steal 35 bases and hit .230-.250 with a good OBP because he has a good eye. I would put Cole in CF/Smith RF/ trade for a LF.
We do not need to trade for a left fielder. We have to find a place for Altuve and Paredes to play. If you trade Myers it should not be for an outfielder which we have a bunch of major league and minor league depth. We need starting pitching and an answer at backup Catcher. Unless Paredes can play 2b or LF we have to trade Walker.
If you trade Jake/Sanchez and non tender Chaz/Dubon/Garcia etc... Dana should have enough money to add a Gallen type pitcher and a LHB OF. Trading Walker will free up another 20 mil. I'm thinking after trade Non tenders etc... Dana should have 60 mil to spend this offseason.
Altuve plays 80 games at 2B and DH's 30. Parades plays 1B after trading Walker, saving 20 mil. Cole plays CF and Jake is traded to save money and hopefully brings a middle reliever in return. The Kwan type OF plays in LF and Cam plays in RF. I would think the Red Sox would be a good trade partner Trade for a SP1, I like the Marlins as a trade partner. Overpay if necessary. Sign a Gallen type SP2 in FA with the money saved from Walker and the non tenders.
I would think Sanchez is a non tender? Even at his arb salary I doubt anyone would have much interest
Roster Resource on fangraphs has them at ~$155M CBT calc for their 7 guaranteed contracts (Altuve, Yordan, Correa, Hader, Walker, Javier, McCullers), benefits, etc.; everything except arbitration salaries and pre-arb salaries. Pre-arb salaries should be ~$10M, so that’s $165M. Arb estimates: Paredes $10M Brown $10M Pena $8M B Abreu $6M Diaz $6M Meyers $5M Okert $2M Sousa $2M That’s another $50M, which brings them to $215M if they don’t make any moves. They will want to stay under $230M. So they have about $10M-$20M to spend unless they dump some salary. All that is to say, Houston will not be playing at the top of the free agent market, and will not be trading for guys on big salaries. And yes, a lot of those middling guys on $5M-$10M salaries (Dubon, Urias, Sanchez, Garcia, McCormick) will be gone. And yes, if they intend to make any significant financial moves, trading Walker is almost certainly required to do it. I think we’ll see one low-salary pitcher added via trade (somebody like Pepiot) and one 3rd tier free agent SP signed. And I think they’ll bring in 3-4 NRI pitchers to compete at the back of the rotation and middle relief. I don’t see them bringing in a bat. Even if they trade Walker. Now if they trade Pena or Paredes, all bets are off and there’s any number of hard to predict moves that would follow.
