Astros Trade option(s)

I really think these DL stints are somewhat by design. The time off they are taking is definitely extended at the very least.

 

Yah, if it's one of those deals where the Mets agree to subsidize his salary, then I think Lunhow might give the nod... he must recognize the benefit of upgrading from Aoki. On the outgoing side, it seems that the Mets are mostly interested in acquiring infielders and a CF. So it's likely that Moran, Teoscar, and possibly White/Davis/Reed could be involved.

 

Taking back cespedes to me means trading fisher instead of tucker. They need the major league ready guy RIGHT now and we would buy ourselves time for Tucker to be ready by having cespedes. Actually makes a ton of sense for us considering Beltran is on a one year deal and is 40 and possibly losing Gattis after this year. Plus, if there is any hole in our lineup it is having a legit 5 hole who scares the be-Jesus out of pitchers behind correa. Sounds like a too good to be true scenario though.

 

In that case they would be asking for Bregman. Imo

 

It's interesting how the New Jersey rag is pitching it to fans - the article basically says, Houston can offer us 2 of the following 3: Martes, KTuck, Fisher. Many of their fans do want Bregman - they even toss around names like McHugh, Springer, and Marisnick for fun - and I thought it was telling that Bregs wasn't mentioned in the article. As though they are trying to gauge fan response to him not being part of the package.

http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2017/07/mlb_trade_rumors_which_astros_prospects_could_mets.html

 

Looking at the Mets needs:

CF: Lagares is a stellar defender but weak bat. If he was the only weak bat in the lineup he'd be fine but with their other weaknesses an upgrade would be goog

C: D'Arnaud is a high potential player who has shown flashes but has struggled with inconsistency and injury

2B: Walker is a pending FA, and although they control Cabrera thru next season Id expect them to trade him. But if they kept him he'd be serviceable.

3B: Wright is a total unknown, and Reyes is not good.

This assumes that Rosario and Smith are ready to step in at SS and 1B.

With that in mind, it's possible this would be a package that would appeal to them:

Teoscar
Moran
Tucker
Martes
F Perez

That's an awfully steep package, but it provides immediate upgrades in CF, 3B, and the pitching staff (whether they use Martes in a relief role or to replace DeGrom), and gives them 2 elite prospects in AA.

Then they'd be charged with filling their remaining needs via free agency.

SS Rosario
2B Walker (they could QO him again or just sign him to a free agent deal)
RF Conforto
LF Cespedes
1B Smith
CF Teoscar
3B Moran
C D'Arnaud

That lineup would be pretty cheap and easily better than what they had this season. And they'd still have Familia to close, with a rotation of Synergaard, Wheeler, Matz, Gsellman, and Harvey (with Lugo and Martes in the pen). And that pitching staff would also be cheap, and probably only 2 WAR worse than their current rotation, which they could probably make up if they decided to spend money on a top FA pitcher like Darvish or Arrieta.

 

"The Mets fans seem to think".

Where are you getting this info..,,off a fan site? So a few people speak for millions of Mets fans? That wold be like cangrejero speaking for this site. Pitching (let alone damn good pitching) is hard to find. Why would the Mets want to trade deGrom?

 

Degrom would be nice, I'll take Archer as a 2nd option. One of those along with Zach Britton.. heard he's available.

 

Mets ownership will not allow a huge team payroll and still hurting from the Madoff ponzi scheme. deGrom is due for an huge salary increase soon so I believe with the right deal with young top prospects they will trade him since he is the oldest of their good group of starters.

 

Listen I'd take deGrom in a second if the Mets were willing to part with him (even it meant including Tucker in the package). I just don't see it happening, and this would be one where I hope I'm wrong.

 

is there any precedent for a team using a tandem system as a No3 starter in the playoffs? Peacock seem s close to unhittable for four innings. Morton can also go strong for three to four innings. In the playoffs, teams usually pitch their best and shorten the bullpen anyway.

If the cost of a Gray is prohibitively high, and its debatable whether Gray as a No3 would outperform a tandem of Peacock/Morton, why not get a Justin Wilson, increase your weapons for high leverage situations, and roll with that.

Of course, the point is moot if a Justin Wilson also costs a fortune. But if it's somewhat reasonable, why not try that route. I suppose the best reason for getting a Gray is injury insurance. But with our massive lead in the division and in the AL, we can and should the offense carry us and DL folks on a rotating basis, keep all arms fresh etc. Anyone reporting discomfort should be DLed on a precautionary basis. Go on vacation in Mexico if you like.

Anyways, is there a past comparable for a tandem system?

 

Peacock and Morton will pitch in the playoffs whether they start or not. I see them as likely bridges to the high leverage relievers. I don't see adding a starter as competing with them.

 

From the Correa thread. Bergman and Degrom have about the same trade value according to fangraphs. So Bergman for Degrom works for me.

 

It's been discussed quite a lot but, as far as I can tell, rarely implemented. Interesting write-up with some projected calculations on the benefits of such a system at http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=19972 . Sometimes we see spontaneously-arranged tandem starts when a starting pitcher gets injured close to game time, but that's different from planning and executing a tandem starting regime in a systematic way.

That article mentions Tony La Russa trying a tandem system out for a week or so in the 1993 regular season and then abandoning the idea. One of the main points of resistance seems to be the players themselves, who worry about the effect of a tandem system on their personal statistics, especially wins/losses and saves. I wonder if things might be changing in that regard however, and whether arbitration boards are willing to develop ways of measuring pitcher performance under a tandem system.

It makes intuitive sense to me as a fan, especially in cases where you may have 3 or 4 pitchers who are very good for 3-4 innings each but then quickly get unreliable beyond about 60 pitches thrown. We've seen that a lot with Musgrove, Peacock, and Morton this year. If any managers are daring enough to try it, I think Lunhow and Hinch would be among them. They seem to be pretty open-minded when it comes to thinking about the game in new ways.

 

Yep, they wanted Keuchel to miss half the year in the middle, McHugh the first half, McCullers a quarter, Morton a third, now's a perfect time to put Harris and the relievers on the DL. There's no overwork, Devenski's arm will not fall off, Harris will be fi...oh, what?...Harris will be fine SOON.

It's a master plan. It reminds me of the Iraqi Information Minister...

No...We need no pitching here. The glorious pitching staff of Houston is on the outskirts of the ALCS.

 

We could have traded bergman for sale. Lets not make the same mistake this year. For this year I don't think even correa would be more valuable than sale to this team.

 

You don't know any of that.