I don't know much about Yusei but hopefully he loves the environment and the staff enough to stick around for a little less.
A lot of that was being propagated by the "experts" in the media as well as in here. I guess this is them starting to backtrack? I fully need to eat crow as well. I was complaining how the current regime wasn't able to identify the Gerrit Cole or Charlie Morton type pitcher... guys who had talent but just wasn't all coming together consistently... and within this year we've seen Blanco, Brown, and now Kikuchi get immensely better (albeit last one will still need a few more innings to cement). Hopefully a harbinger of future potential acquisitions (along with the eventual return to form of Garcia and JV... not you LMJ).
I have to say I totally complained about the trade, but not because of Kikuchi. I posted in here wanting Kikuchi multiple times before the deadline. But I did think it was an overpay. But now that part makes sense - if that is the guy and the only guy you pay more. And that part is right on so far. The part I really complained about was not following it up. You gotta protect the chips you have in the pot by making a continuation bet. Hopefully Dezenzo, Whitcomb, and/or Leon bring the impact a bat would have. If that happens and you add bat(s) for free the trade deadline becomes a grand slam. Even if it is largely luck.
There are a lot of guys in the Astros minor league system that are being taught fundamental ML level baseball. It’s apparent by how many guys move through the system that aren’t on any National top prospect rankings; yet are currently on a major league team right now. I’ve lost track the amount of former Astros that pepper MLB, but it seems significant. With that said, you can keep them all and you can’t find room on the MLB roster to even play them on the team. The Astros have a good pipeline to get players into MLB, and they have legit depth. Sure they are currently lacking in upper echelon prospects, but there are superstar on both the pitching and batting side of the current Astros team makeup. Luhnow one time said that the Minor league system is to get the best team onto the Astros, whether it’s by moving them into the team or using them as trade chips to get guys to improve the team the most.
I am finding it odd that it appears like all English speakers consistently mispronounce YOU-SAY-E's name, even face to face. His name has three syllables not two.
No chance he becomes Yordan. He has below average power, below average speed, and below average defense. He may hit 300 but it would be among the least valuable 300 in recent MLB history.
If a team starved for quality/healthy starting pitcher acquires a quality/healthy starting pitcher... that just can't be considered a loss, IMO. If he pitches well, he would have done his job and made a much greater impact than Loperfido, Bloss & Wagner combined - at least on the 2024 season.
I agree with this about 90%. It would be 100% but you can't completely ignore what the 3 prospects end up doing over the next 6+ years. There is so much more to consider. Obviously there is the direct results and results vs salary but beyond that: 1) Has he saved innings, wear and tear, and even potential injury of the other starters? 2) Has the vacated prospect spots given opportunities to other young guys that could result in them filling those expectations? 3) Could Kikuchi's experience here result in him telling other Asian pitchers and open doors to new potential signings in the future? I'm sure there are many more.
Since his wife is a newscaster, I bet recruiting him will require making sure she has opportunities in Houston.
He has no power. At best, he will be a guy that gets on base. Not a bad thing at all, but he will never be a high OPS guy because he isn't much of a slugger. I really trust Brown as a talent evaluator, so I'm not too worried.
