While Crane is opening restaurants and sports bars around Houston and downtown. Spend some money on free agents
Are we following AAA games too (let alone 25 year old former #1 picks still in AAA)? Might as well post Brett Phillips and Nottinghams game lines also.
Pretty counter-intuitive to b**** about trading prospects for established MLB players... and yet b**** about not spending money for free agents.
Giving up valuable prospects and spending money on a FA are counter intuitive? Lets see Crane spend some money.
Prospects exist for the sole purpose of making the big club better. You can sure argue (prematurely I'd say) that they could have utilized them better in trades or whatever, but having prospects just for the sake of saying you have prospects is asinine. The Stros have moved beyond the "build up the farm" stage, it's Win Now time.
You would say prematurely the kazmir and gomez trade have been AWFUL? I understand on the Giles trade, Vince pitched great starting off with the Astros last year but cmon. The kazmir trade was a absolute disaster and the Gomez trade hasl bite us in the ass
Uh, yeah... you're complaining about giving up prospects who would be the players of choice to fill needs, rather than spending on free agents. You then complain about them not spending on free agents... who would be blocking the path of said prospects. Which is it? In this case, the Astros acquired Giles who is in many ways better than a free agent (younger, same number of controlled years at a reasonable price), and they paid with prospects instead of $$$... which always has the possibility of being more costly. I agree there's a time to spend (overspend) on the free agent who no longer has any prime club controlled years... when there's no viable prospect to take that spot, or when there's no possible trade partner to get some club controlled or inflation-proof years remaining on a contract. The Astros would much rather use there excess payroll room to trade for players with years remaining on favorable deals. Its why the Hamels deal, while very expensive, was so desirable. Remember, they did offer Andrew Miller the bigger deal vs. the Yankees (before signing Gregerson)... he chose to go there. That's the other aspect of free agency spending that you can never assume (takes two to tango).
How does signing Upton or Kimbrel limit the chances of a prospect making it up? Gomez wasnt going to be resigned after this season, VY could've been our #5, we could still have nottingham in the system instead of our current catching mess. Only player that didnt have a way to the majors that was really Phillips, and we sold way to low on him. Gomez had one good year
Who did we trade for Kazmir that would be helping the team right now? Who should they have traded them for last year if not Kazmir? Was it a bad gamble to take at the time? And yes, the jury's still out on the Gomez/Fiers trade. Hader hurts to lose, and Phillips may turn into a good everyday OF in a year or 2, but the Stros can worry about a year or 2 in a year or 2. They were trying to win a pennant. Same as this year. Next winter we can talk about how terrible that trade was, or wasn't. Gomez does look terrible right now, I don't think I've hidden my feeling about that, but it's early.
I agree with this Would also add, we can complain about Gomez all we want, but I for one enjoyed being in the playoffs last year, without Fiers and even Gomez it's likely we don't make it. Fiers gave us some good starts, including a big win over the Angels who we beat by 1 game to get in. And for all the hate, Gomez had some big hits in September... He is off to an awful start, and he is a guy who's approach is obviously going to make him very streaky. But those two certainly helped us get in last year, and I for one am glad
You wanted them to sign Upton... who's WAR was totally dwarfed by Gomez over the last 3 years (yes, he had more than one good year)... for double the money and a bunch of overpaid years (that blocks possible promotions of prospects), rather than take a chance that Gomez rebounds in a free agent impending year at only $9 million per? As it is, if Gomez is merely average (or totally is a bust), they're done with him after this year... and they can then move Springer to his rightful position (CF) while pretty easily finding a corner OF either within the system or via acquisition. Kimbrel wasn't a free agent.
Cool so we were trying to win a pennant and thats why we traded away valuable talent. So why is it in the off season we make no attempt to sign a #2 or a real clean up hitter? Are we only trying to win during the regular season? The bottom line is they over paid for Colby and hindered their judgement for the rest of the offseason. They werent going to spend alot of money after they had signed Colby
its likely we dont make it? Gomez had a negative war with the astros and was playing every 3 days during our stretch run.
They didn't offer Colby anything other than what it would take to get a draft pick if he left... and if he puts up better or equal numbers than he did last year, its not overpaying. And again, its only one year... what sort of flexibility have they really impaired? Instead, you want to go balls-in for Justin Upton... who may or may not ever have a season that equals what Rasmus/Gomez have had in their peaks. Additionally, who's to say you can only acquire those sort of players in the off-season or via free agency... when you have the possibility of acquiring much better overall talents with more years available via trade, at a time where you know for sure you're going for it (for instance, if the Astros are somehow not in contention this year at the deadline.... they will hold onto all that valuable talent you b****ed about them giving away).
Fiers came over in the same deal, and won some big games for us And yes Gomez wasn't playing everyday in the stretch run, but he had some big hits (hence the .991 OPS) We only made the playoffs by one game, personally i'm glad we made it...just me though
But just think...BP might have ranked our prospects #6 instead of number 9. I'm still waiting on the banner in LF that says "Houston Astros 2013 Minor League Prospect List Champions"
