My projected 2027 starters: C) Diaz 1b) Walker 2b) Matthews 3b) Smith SS) Pena LF) Altuve/Alvarez CF) Gomez RF) Dezenzo DH) Alvarez/Altuve I think it's likely that Dezenzo and Smith outplay Paredes over the next 2 seasons putting him on the bench or even traded. I also see a world where Pena is traded before his final season, like Tucker was. I'm not willing to put anyone currently in the system at SS to project that, but Jaworski could if he develops. I hear Sacco has some traction.
I don't think I was alone in thinking jabreu would be a right handed Michael Brantley at 1B. Instead he was Ed Reed
I have a hard time seeing Paredes not starting in his age 29 season (edit: actually this would be his age 28 season) without something majorly going wrong with him. If Paredes loses his starting spot because everyone else is just better than him, the Astros will win 125+ games.
For a second there I thought you had that listed by batting order and was about to call in a welfare check to the local EMS
I'm not down on Paredes, but I'm super high on Dezenzo and Smith. Maybe, he learns the corner OF this offseason and becomes the primary backup at 5 positions?
So we are going to have a 4 WAR player on the bench? Like @Joe Joe said…we would have a 120 win roster if he’s our worst option lol
Paredas at third is likely to produce better than Bregman will this season. I do not get why everybody is expecting him to fail so miserably. This Spring he is hitting .286 getting on base at a .500 clip with an ops over 1.07. What more do you hope to get at 3rd base?
A few things here. First, I never said he would be a 4 WAR player. I just said I'm not down on him, just higher on others. Secondly, Marwin Gonzalez was a 3.9 bWAR/4.4 fWAR player on the 2017 team who was not a starter at a regular position. That is a perfect example that what O am suggesting is plausible and that team did not win 120 games. Thirdly, if he could play 5 positions, even if he just started 25 at each (giving the regulars 137 starts if they managed to all stay healthy) that's 125 starts + whatever PH and other games he gets in. 162 game season gives lots of opportunities to players other than the starting 9.
1) ZIPS and steamer have him at 4 fWAR this season. He put up 4.3 in 2023 and was on pace for ~4 last year before being traded to a team he clearly wasn’t a fit. You’re either overrating our prospects or underrating Paredes. 2) With all due respect to Marwin, Paredes is a far superior player. Marwin had one fluke season.
Marwin was critical to this team in 2017(even if his offense was inflated due to the sign-stealing system)…. I’ll take that. Between possible never will be prospects and dealing with a score of players with no real position, you guys are going to pretzel your way throughout this very long (and not yet even started) season…
There is no hate for Paredes here. Nowhere did I say I hope he fails, or even say I don't expect him to be good. But, YES, I admit to being very optimistic about the prospects. I hope Paredes is an .800+ OPS guy who isn't good enough to take 2nd from Matthews, 3rd from Smith, or 1st from Walker. And Dezenzo is too good to be taken out of RF. That's what I mean when I compare 2027 Paredes to 2017 Marwin.
If they are hating on Paredes that would be very foolish. Bregman didn't want to be here. From the little media time I have seen. Paredes seems happy to be in Houston. Give the guy a chance. Jeez! It would not shock me at all if he hits 30 plus homers this year.
Cams OPS belongs in right field where he is needed most and will have a much better chance to succeed.
But then you’re also expecting Matthew’s to be 2017 Altuve, Smith to be 2017 Bregman, and Dezenzo to be 2017 Springer? (Either next year, or at some point in the next 3 years?) Ok. (And the more realistic former Astros comparison to Paredes is Luis Valbuena).
