Yep, the system needs a few more breakouts or rebounds. It would probably behoove them to make sure they have a full complement of draft picks too.
In fairness those 16 SB look better when you consider he was only on base 16 times in those 400 games.
It's the same story as last year. Jim Crane will not spend enough money to overcome the dead money and the underwater contracts on the roster. Astros desperately need a couple guys from the group of Matthews, Melton, Blubaugh, Ullola, Cole, and Cam Smith to breakout in a major way. They also need to get extremely lucky on the health front as well...
Brown said " the speed play". Allen's speed is 27.4 ft/sec which is 49th percentile. Dubon's is 28.0 which is 65th. This was about money. I have no problem at all with the trade - just don't lie to us.
Not a fan of the trade. I get it, that the Astros are trying to move money from the IF payroll to the other aspects of the team; but the return was very lackluster. Perhaps if they are able to move those approximately 3.5 million in saving into someone viable. Maybe it’s to get Verlander back.
People are angry at Brown and Crane for dumping Dubon for nothing, but they’re ignoring the pressure HEB put on them to open a slot for Correa to return to the commercials.
Unless you are spending like the Dodgers, you need your young guys to break out to be a contender in this league. We haven't had a break out guy since Pena. Heck, even the Dodgers had some break out guys. This coming season relies on 2 of those guys in the field breaking out with one being above average, and someone filling the 2 spot in the rotation. I'm pencilling Cam to being at least solid because his swing path issue seems very fixable. I'm really hoping Cole can keep on being the aberration that he has shown. High power, high strikeout, high walk player. If he eliminates his strikeout tendencies, he has MVP vote potential because his tools are loud AF.
Why would they play Altuve at 2nd base every day? The Astros have moved on from that, to turn back now would be a capitulation on their part.
Again, take what Brown says with a grain of salt. He has gotten in trouble in the past for being too blunt, he discussed that when he was with the Braves and actually when he first was hired by the Astros. At this point I don't believe anything he says if it doesn't pass the objective analysis. The good news is that Brown seems to be in reality pretty objective and has a really strong backbone at talent evaluation. The bad news is that Brown cannot be taken at face value. What makes logical sense here? The Astros were not going to pay reserve infielders $10,000,000 combined (Urias/Dubon) and so the Astros tried to trade them. Everyone in baseball knew the Astros were not going to pay Urias and Dubon, so the market was close to zero. The Astros get to move on from Dubon and tell the casual fan they like the player they got in return. The Astros get someone that has a very good glove that can play SS and 2nd if needed, yes he sucks with the bat and is basically waiver wire fodder. The Astros will use the money from Dubon and Urias elsewhere and give their younger players more opportunities. A pessimist can look at this and say that the Astros are desperate for pitching and realize that the positives Dubon brings won't matter if your starting pitching sucks and you are losing 10-2 in the 5th inning. I personally am glad they are shedding these guys and not just running it back. They also must think they can get something done with Sanchez in a deal. Even if he is just released, and they save $7,000,0000 I am fine with that. I would rather take the money from McCormick/Dubon/Sanchez/Urias and sign a starting pitcher or an objectively upgraded corner outfielder. Hell - I hope they get good value for Meyers and deal him. The Astros have Cole and Matthews and even Melton that can play the position of CF and do have legitimate upside. All three of those guys have power and will steal 40 bases if they can hit 250
Meh - I mean I guess I would say that if the Astros were getting real value from McCullers, they would not have to do this..... but from a depth perspective, the Astros have players that are young that have upside that either need to be dealt or played. I am fine with Matthews getting Dubon's time at second and the outfield. I am fine with Cole and even Melton getting his time in the outfield as well. It would be nice to have most our guys in early arbitration and keep Dubon as a Jose Oquendo type player, but he is very much a known quantity.
Because they are considering addressing the outfield situation externally. They also are looking hard at giving guys like Altuve, Correa, Alvarez and Paredes more time off and basically rotating this group. They want to have a good enough line up that they can have one of these guys sitting most games and still be good. This is especially true if they end up keeping Walker. That gives Altuve more time at second, less time in the outfield, more time at DH and more time to stay fresh.... he is still very good but doesn't need to be playing every game.
Because Altuve was really bad in LF? Because they like Dezenzo and view him as a corner OF? Because ALL of the young controllable prospects/semi-established position players are outfielders? They even started playing Matthews in CF in September. Maybe they feel running around the OF effected Altuve's strength and endurance as the season went on more than they expected? Maybe Altuve simply didn't like it? Regardless, Jake Meyers got hurt, Cam Smith was terrible and they were scraping to try and find outfielders the 2nd half of the season, but still played Altuve less and less often in LF as the season went on. Whatever the reason, we should face the fact that Altuve is still just as much of a 2B as he is a LF.
Also, when you have close to elite defense at 3rd, SS, 1st.... you can live with Altuve playing 100 games at second base..... if nothing else, you can bring in Brown's homeboy Allen to play second in late games. Of course if Espada does that, I will throw a baseball at my television screen.
Altuve is not a 2nd base nor is he a LF. He is a Bench Bat/DH who can fill in at those positions if the need for his bat outweighs the risk of his poor defensive abilities. He is an ageing player still loved by his team mates and by the fans who gives his all every day he gets older.
