Dontrelle Willis - What would it take for him to be an Astro?

If they're asking for guys like David Wright, then there's no way we can pull this one off.

 

it would have to be a package of prospects. i'm sure chris burke would be included.

 

The grace of God.

 

The Carlyle Group would have to approve it.

 

It would take Troy Patton, Chris Burke... and a package that included either Jason Hirsch, Hunter Pence, Fernando Nieve or Taylor Buchholz.

They want guys who are either in the minors, or have only been in MLB for a year or 2 years.

 

Probably some top prospects since the Marlins want to cut the budget even more...

 

prob burke and buckholz for sure....prob would want 1 of these guys jimerson/pence/patton/hirsh.... and others......

it would be giving up way too much... I think... I mean Willis is great, but is it worth morgaging(however u spell it) the future......

 

I'm surprised we could give up that little. I guess he's so young he hasn't signed his extension?

It is worth it because it would give us the best rotation in the majors.

 

I would rather see Patton pitch at AA ball. If he's as good as his numbers show, he shouldn't have any problem making that transition... and once he's in AA ball, he can be in the majors within a year or two tops. He's still young, still building up arm strength on a pitch count, but has loads of potential.

Any package would have to include him. Whether or not the Stros should do it... I have no clue. On the one hand, Patton is still far away from the majors... and a number of things could happen along his pre-prepared track to stardom (see Carlos Hernandez). On the other hand, he could be better than Dontrelle... and be fully under organizational control for at least 6 years.

I guess its kinda like the Lidge/Burke for Tejada trade... if it goes thru, it would make our team better in certain ways... but if it didn't go thru, I wouldn't lose much sleep over it.

 

If the young arms keep pitching like they have been and Wilson keeps putting up K's at a record pace, I don't see Tim Purpura pulling the trigger on any deal. He'll keep his young pitchers and insert Burke into the lineup instead of Wilson. Purpura prefers to bring up his own players from within the organization.

 

I would not do that deal!

 

I kind of like the Marlins way of doing things. Every time you get a star player you trade him for as many top prospects as possible.

That way every couple years you end up with a World Series caliber team. Then you trade all the top players from that team for as many top prospects as possible and you play them. They develop faster, get better faster, then in a couple of years you have a World Series caliber team again.

Its like they are playing the averages. Some percentage of top prospects become great players. The trick is to get enough top prospects to where you can fill out a roster with prospects who hit it big.

It seems to have worked so far.

 

This isn't a "strategy" being employed because it works... its being employed because they can't afford the players they signed to FA deals (like Delgado) since they didn't get their new stadium approved.

The bottom line is that die-hard fans can't continue to support a team that will openly have a fire sale whenever they want... of course, since they're not getting a new stadium that a lot of other cities gave their teams, let them move and see if this behavior continues (it probably won't).

I actually like the A's strategy better... sometimes they purposely would rather not trade a guy before he's a FA, because they stay better longer, and they get more draft picks... where they can pick and choose which players they need to fit their system.

 

Well, they've won a couple of World Series. They are doing something right. If they had just won one, that would be something, but they've won two in the last 10 years.

In the last 10 years, the Astros have been one of the best teams in baseball overall. The Marlins of gone from crappy to championships a couple of times.

I'd rather have 2 championships.

 

Maybe before the last two years, I would have agreed with you, but getting to watch this team struggle, persevere, and finally break through... and to see guys like Biggio, Berkman, Oswalt, Ensberg, and Lidge (organizational guys) make it to the World Series... that was extra-special.

If we were doing buisiness like the Marlins, you wouldn't have Oswalt, Pettite, Berkman, or even Lidge anymore... and even if they fielded a team that caught lightning in the bottle and won a championship, what difference does it make if they're going to gut the team in just a year.

Cheering for the players who help get the team to the title is more than half the fun. In the end, the Marlins aren't going to be known as some "successful" franchise, even though they have won a World Series... their way of doing business repels everyone.

 

ensberg and lane is what it would take....stros would be stupid to do it

 

Florida has no ties with the Marlins. They win and sell off. Despite their two championships, no one there cares. The team never endeared itself to the city.

And when they lose...they flat out lose. It sucks big to have your baseball team out of the race by June. Makes for a very long summer. And they've had that experience a lot in Florida.

There is no way in the world I would trade the Astros past 10 years for the Marlins past 10 years. No way.

 

I'd trade every last division championship banner in MMP for one of Florida's WS Championships.