Don't forget Aoki! They've basically plugged holes without giving up anything. I like it. Now we need the game-changer.
Agreed wanting another bat. Besides OPS, Reddick is better than Colby due to contact. Josh has a sub-1.5/1 K-rate last 2 seasons, while Colby is 3+. Reddick is an upgrade. I'll glady take additional upgrades. Batters and pitchers.
This was a signing I had been hoping for since the off season began. I could not be happier with the first two additions to our line up. You put McCann and Reddicl eliminate the black hole that was LF and Catcher at the bottom of our line up. It's such a good feeling knowing that someone like Reddick will be turning our line up over than Castro. I try not to get overly excited about projections and how I may feel about a lineup or rotation for an upcoming season. However this is reaching a dangerously good territory as far as our line up goes. CF - Springer 3B - Breg 2nd - Altuve SS - Correa 1B - (If we make a splash for the position) DH - Gattis C - McCann LF - Gurriel RF - Reddick Even if we don't make a splash at first, this is one very... scary line up for opposing pitchers. Obviously it's all if's right now. Everything is for every team. However, the if's this year... IF they happen, are far more dangerous than the majority of line ups in baseball. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking at this potential.
He saved more than 30m by not keeping any of their free agents. Thats good, but why not spend money on a good catcher, or starting pitcher.If the Astros want to have more than about 85 wins next year they need to sign better players than the ones they are signing.
Not saying getting the #1 starter they need will be easy I've laid out my Sale trade package several times, and he is the obvious top target His teammate Quintana is another second-tier option known to be shopped this past summer You mentioned Gray as a riskier, younger, cheaper option, and of course the same applies to Archer as well If either team is willing to eat some salary going forward like the Yankees did, I'd also throw Greinke and Verlander in that mix That's 6 names rumored to be available Highly unlikely 0 of the 6 are moved in an offseason when the premier FA starter available is Rich Hill Thumping lineups are great for piling up reg season wins to get to the postseason ... but the hottest/best staff usually wins it all The Giants have routinely ridden a great staff to playoff success, despite never having an elite lineup The Royals have a nice young lineup, but the only time they won it all was when they added Cueto to the best bullpen in MLB The Braves dominance was built on Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz Even our own Astros' best teams were built around great pitching (86 98 04 05 15) The Cubs' lineup was fantastic all year and so was the Indians' Here's all 10 2016 playoff teams' rank in runs scored during reg season: BOS - 1 CHC - 3 CLE - 4 TEX - 7 WAS - 8 TOR - 9 BAL - 12 LAD - 14 SFG - 19 NYM - 26 It was the Cubs adding Lester, Lackey & Chapman to Arrieta & Hendricks that won them the Series Same for Indians getting Miller as finisher for the best 5-man rotation in baseball to win AL pennant Here's all 10 2016 playoff teams' rank in runs allowed during reg season: CHC - 1 WAS - 2 NYM - 3 SFG - 4 LAD - 5 TOR - 6 CLE - 7 BOS - 9 BAL - 17 TEX - 21 Only 1 (MIA) of the 9 best pitching staffs in baseball missed the postseason last year The 2 PO teams with worst staffs (BAL & TEX) combined to win zero PO games in 4 chances As for the in-house options ... Keuchel and McHugh are often mistaken for #1 Starters I see them as our modern-day Mike Hampton and Shane Reynolds I'd say the decline of Keuchel from CY to mediocre was the single biggest cause in the Astros regressing from a PO team in 2015 to missing out this year I like the guy and am rooting for his return to 2015 form, but the fact is Dallas has more bad (3) than good (2) seasons among his 5 in MLB to date Same exact track record for McHugh after 5 years Like Dallas, The Bulldog had a great 2 year run at the ages of 26 & 27 (99 & 2000) He never approached that level again despite pitching another decade in MLB Both were soft-throwing, great-fielding lefties that never really had the raw stuff to consistently dominate Like Colin, Shane peaked as a 19-game winner with pretty average peripherals He won 16 games 2 other times, but never topped 14 wins in any of his 10 other MLB seasons Shane's career ERA was a respectable 4.09 ... Colin's currently sits at 4.13 As both approach 30, the odds that we can bank on either Keuchel or McHugh performing consistently at 14-15 levels as our co-aces for the next 5-6 years are dubious at best Most likely, this duo can be expected to perform decent #2&3 starters, or excellent #3&4 starters, for a real contender These were the exact roles Hampton and Reynolds excelled in on the best Astros team of all time in 1998 Why? Because we swung a huge trade for a tall, flamethrowing lefty regarded among the top 3-5 Starters in all of baseball by acquiring a true ace, The Big Unit Sale can be our 2017 Randy ... and stick around beyond a half season this time I agree that our best in-house shot at developing a true ace lies with LMC In 206 IP with the club, he has pitched like a young SP with that kind of upside His problem (going back to the minors) is that he rarely stays healthy long enough to prove it over a full season IMO his ceiling is more of a great #2 starter, but #1 is not unrealistic Otherwise you've listed journeymen (Fiers & Morton) or totally unproven youngsters who have combined for about 10 ML starts I'm not shrugging them off ... I just don't see Ace potential in any of them Musgrove and Martes look like to have the most upside, but again, unproven prospects can't be assumed to do anything Why would we assume any of our young arms blossoms into a star, yet write off AJ Reed as a bust after 1/2 season and go spend $125M on 34yo Encarnacion to further bolster the lineup? Reed has done way more in the minors than any SP in our organization
no way they trade springer, his defense alone is huge out there for 4 wins a season, not going by war just the eyes chico and the games he saved us from losing. Just sign stud 1st baseman and trade prospects to Tampa for Archer and call it a night. May the baseball gods bless us with good health. peace to the gods.
I agree with most of this post, if you told me Sale would be healthy for 3 years I would do whatever it takes to get Sale. However his drop in velocity bothers me to the point that I would pass on giving up the farm for him. I would rather trade for a younger/cheaper Quintana. He's as good as Sale and has less Miles on his arm. He's expensive and has alot of miles on his arm, but since Verlander has learned a cut FB at about 89 MPH he has learned how to pitch and should be good for another 3 yrs, so I would take the risk. Gray is more of a risk but I would take that risk at the price of Paulino, Fisher/J.D. Davis/Rodgers.
No way in hell I would consider trading Springer, unless it was basically straight up for Sale, which it wouldn't be. I think it's robbing Peter to pay Paul until this lineup is a little more proven. While I think this lineup is gonna be outstanding, there are still plenty of question marks. Gurriel and Bregman are still unproven, Gattis is coming off a really good year, but wasn't too hot in 2015, McCann is on the older side, Marisnick still can't hit and Aoki is old, injury prone and a slap hitter. I think most of those question marks will come up on the good side for us, but without Springer i could easily see that being a very average lineup. As for the Reddick signing, I love it. He's not a great hitter (and we're not paying him like one) but he is an above average hitter, and looks to be entering his offensive prime (K rate way down, OBP up over the last 2 years. Defensively, it's hard to tell because metrics are notoriously fickle. Off hand I can't imagine why a 29 year old, without an injury, goes from really good to bad. If I had to guess, I would think he's still at least an average defensive OF. BBR still has him as such. This gives us a non cost prohibitive player to stabilize an OF spot for the next few years that was otherwise looking very thin. Plus as is, every player in the lineup (save for Marisnick when he starts) can drive the ball out of the park, or get on base at a good clip. No zeros
Love that we are actually going out and getting people! however, I said this in August and it's scary how true: WCF 2 years ago for Rockets, just need a PG --> Law Barely lost to Royals in playoffs, just need a CP --> Giles here is where I said it: Texans blown out in playoffs, just need a QB --> Brock Scary how Brock ended up in the mold again.. I love that we are trying, but I won't trust FA or get my hopes up until I see it on the field.
This was my issue last offseason; a lot of assumptions about young, unproven talent. For me, the big question mark is Correa - if he can make the leap... man, does that lessen some of the other concerns.
I honestly think this opens the door for a Springer trade. Hopefully Chris Sale or another ace that's on the market. If that doesn't happen I don't like the idea of Springer playing Centerfield. Please sign Mark Melancon next
Correa getting into the top 5 or so players cures a lot of ills. If Astros keep adding league average players without giving up much, they are going to be a juggernaut.
We agree on this point. Obviously it would be exciting for the Astros to land one of those big names, but I would prefer for them to stand pat, keep the draft pick and financial flexibility, and open the season with the lineup as it stands today. I think I'm just a little higher on the clubs SP situation than you are. A true proven ace would be nice but I don't think they need it to make a deep playoff run.
This is by far the best trade they made since they broke out of the no spend mode. A's fans adore him and we got him cheaper than Colby Rasmus. Just read the other forums, you will see he his like an idol to them. He will make each be like the Mario Elie. I can't wait for the season to start.
Are there legit injury concerns with Sale right now? I know decreased velocity is never a positive sign. Wasn't he pitching to contact more earlier in the season last year? Or did I imagine hearing that? The problem with Quintana being younger and cheaper is that the White Sox will probably be more reticent to trade him than Sale. They will also want just as much or more for him in a deal. Verlander would be interesting. Not sure what the package would look like or how much money Detroit would be willing to pony up. And I would do that deal for Gray in a heartbeat. I think it would be very much worth the risk. What do you think of Archer? Greinke? I still think a deal for Teheran/Freeman would be worth looking into even though Teheran isn't necessarily a 1 or even a 2. I'm also still fascinated by elite older bats like Votto, Miggy, and Braun but I know they have way too much money/years left on their contracts and deals for them would be extra complicated. Plus they are starting to run out of room for position players and adding Beltran would just about close the door on more hitters. I still love Chapman too but I know that's a pipe dream.
What good catcher or starting pitcher are out there? I mean I guess there is Ramos, but he is hurt and likely won't catch a good portion of the season. Hill would do well for the 100 innings he'd give you. I'm not saying these moves are amazing, but there's not much out there available. SP can be had through trades, but will cost a lot and those deals probably won't happen until the winter meetings anyways
