We're in a win now situation. Our best players are on rookie scale contracts and won't be due for a big raise for about 3-5 more seasons. We need to try to sign or trade for some big name free agents who are under contract for 3-5 year deals now and then once those contracts expire, our youth will be super stars and we can keep them. This team can easily win a title in the next 1-3 seasons if we can add 1 more ace, 1 more quality SP, an elite closer, some relief pitchers who throw in the high 90s with high strike out ratios that can come into jams and not allow any runs and lastly 2 hitters that hit above .300. These players can be added internally, though free agency or trade. Now is the time to spend some money and make some moves. The next 5 years will be a failure if we don't get back to the World Series and win at least 1 title
It all comes down to money. The Astros would welcome all three back at the right number. However I don't think this team is going to go crazy to keep any of these three players. Gomez and Springer are locks. If the Astros improve offensively at other spots, I could see them go with Marisnick. If the Astros strikeout at improving the offense at the corner infield spots, I could see them sniff around Upton to see what type of numbers he will demand. There are a few very promising outfielders in the lower levels but not anyone close to ready. This is where flexibility comes into play. If the Astros find a very productive third baseman on the market, they would gladly like Valbuena walk and move Lowrie to poaching at bats at 1st, SS, 3rd and DH. Valbuena's bat is not good enough with other unproductive players in the line up. Carter is arbitration eligible and I hope they let him walk. If they can find a reasonable stop gap like Adam Lind via trade, they may do that. Unless they get a major bat at first, I cannot see them making an impact signing or trade. Lind would be a free agent after next year and could DH if Reed proves ready. The Astros are not going to sign Chris Davis. I don't think he is near the free agent that Greinke, Price or Cueto is. Still, the Astros have limited finances and other options at first base. Gattis had a sub 300 OBP and was clueless at the plate. He does not play a position either. He will probably be back because he is cheap and under the Astros control financially. There have been off and on whispers of non-tendering Castro. Conger is the superior bat and would have the job if he wasn't terrible defensively and throwing runners out this season. I think the Astros would love to non tender Castro and acquire a catcher like the Cubs did with Montero. The question is, who would it be? Wieters is someone the Astros would love to buy low on. He can be very good, but I think someone over pays. The Astros would welcome Kazmir back at the right price, otherwise I think you see the Astros go into the season with what they have and try to rent an arm at the deadline like the Royals did. They are unlikely to want to tie up 150,000,000 in an arm. It was no secret the Astros wanted a power arm in the back of their pen. They offered a lot of money for one this past winter, and at the deadline make a strong push for Chapman and Kimbrel. One interesting point was that I was told that the Astros had an offer from the Brewers for KRod and Lind, but did not want to spend the money on KRod. That leads me to believe they will get someone that is elite and not simply good. The Astros also have a couple of players they drafted that may very make the club in Riley Farrell and Michael Freeman. You may very well see Freeman as the lefty specialist out of the pen. You move Gregerson to set up man, resign Sipp if the deal is short money and hope that someone emerges. Also keep an eye on Ken Giles from the Phillies. The Astros had a lot of interest but the Phillies were asking for a whole lot. With a change in the front office, he would be someone the Astros would love to trade for and add to the pen as a dominant power arm. I think it is unlike the Astros roll out the same 3rd baseman and Catcher and DH. They know they need to lengthen their line up and that would do it. The Astros will wait and see what is available, however I don't see the Astros throwing money huge money at any position unless it is for an elite player. The Astros are still going to be ran with finances in mind. You will see them get creative.
The Astros thought they were close to get a 1st baseman and closer from the Padres, but the Padres never moved on their demands. The Reds GM dislikes Luhnow and was absurd in his demands for Chapman, that was never that close to happening. The Astros were close to getting KRod from Milwaukee though and made efforts to get Giles from the Phillies and discussed Carson Smith from the Mariners.
Give me a legit closer and a few upgrades in the lineup with a couple higher average/OBP type guys and I would be very happy with the offseason.
Gattis isn't very good but he is cheap and under contract. Unless someone over pays for him in a trade, he will be back and get a shot to DH. I don't see the Astros spending $200,000,000 on a starting pitcher. I think they rent one at the deadline. Depends, you could see trades made. If Sipp gets a Neshak or Gregerson offer, he is probably gone. I expect Feldman is dealt. VV and Feliz are probably too valuable to be pigeon holed into the pen at this point. If for no other reason the Astros can deal them for a fairly substantial haul. Valbuena can go somewhere else. Morneau is fine when healthy, but at that point, why not deal for someone like Lind? Freeman and Farrell are going to be given every shot to win spots in the pen.
So all we need is basically 2 very good starting pitchers added to our team...an elite closer...a few power pitchers as set up men...and just 2 guys that hit above 0.300. That's all? Why dont we just add a few 40+ HR guys while we're at it too? If we want to be realistic, we may add one more good starter...we will probably add 2 arms to the bullpen...and probably one bat to the lineup.
Exactly. Remember this is a team that would be in the ALCS if we could have held a 4 run lead in the 8th inning. We don't need a complete overhaul.
Yes - but it's also a team that benefited greatly from an underachieving division (and overall league, really). I cited this elsewhere but last year, three teams in the AL West won 87 games, including Anaheim winning 98. This year, just one team won more than 87. Texas can do nothing and should be markedly better with Darvish and a full year of Hamels at the top of their rotation. And Anaheim with Mike Trout will always be a competitive team. The Astros don't need an overhaul, by any stretch - but they also can't be complacent. The team has holes; they should do their best to proactively address as many of them as possible.
I said these players could be added internally. Reed, Appel, Oberholtzer, White, Velasquez could easily fill half of our needs. Tucker should improve as well. Velasquez should be considered as a closer the same way we converted Dotel years ago. JD Martinez would look really good in LF right about now too. It's a damn shame we let him go for absolutely nothing in return.
I don't want the Astros to "do nothing" But a full season of Correa, Gomez and Springer as well as Fiers, should make the Astros better next season too
Why did we get rid of Dexter Fowler? He is killing it with the Cubs and his approach to hitting was much needed
He was poor defensively and is a FA this winter. Made sense to try and get value while we still could.
Fowler 690 PA 2.2 bWAR Valbuena 493 PA 2.1 bWAR Rasmus 485 PA 2.6 bWAR Marisnick 372 PA 2.2 bWAR Valbuena was more valuable than Fowler per PA, and trading Fowler opened up money to sign Rasmus (who was also better than Fowler). To top it off, Marisnick was just as valauble as Fowler in 300+ less PAs due to the vast difference in their defensive ability. The Astros did not miss Dexter Fowler.
