I agree, and I think he hurts the Astros’ defense less at second base compared to left field. I was only saying Brendan Donovan’s best defensive position is second base and that he would start there quite frequently if acquired by the Astros. Donovan would also see some starts in left field and could spell Correa at third from time to time.
My speculation is the Astros spent a great deal of the late fall trying to complete a deal for Donovan, and it did not work out.
I don’t know how much this is playing into teams thinking but in a potential trade of Paredes for either Abreu or Duran or Bello, a potential lockout and lost 2027 season would favor the team acquiring more control. If there’s a lockout next year then Paredes really only came with one year of control. That was another reason why I would have been in favor of Houston gauging Peña’s value and trading him if they got a good offer.
Altuve's longevity and success are two different things. Nobody can effect his longevity but God. Success is only possible for him as a hitter, defensively he is as you said "a liability".
Indeed. I meant one of the ones that got traded. I made that part of the comment about as clear as mud.
Part of the appeal of Bello is that the Astros would like to attach Abreu or Duran (less likely) to Bello in exchange for Paredes and another player. In that scenario the Astros address an outfield spot and a pitcher that can be a 2-4 starter for them that gives them innings. The Red Sox would be giving up a lot in a hypothetical deal of Bello and Abreu. Bello is under contract for 4 years and Abreu is also under team control for four years. Also Abreu is an exceptional fielder that would possibly play some center. Paredes is really good but he is under less control. Red Sox have asked about Abreu and others on Astros, in addition to Paredes. From the perspective of the Astros it isn’t just locking in two guys through 2029 but it also saves them a lot of money that can go at other positions. The Red Sox want to win now, and they have some excess pieces.
I don’t see how it would save them money, Bello has about $70M/5yrs on his deal, that AAV would roughly match what Paredes and Bryan Abreu will combine for.
