Pretty high prospect currency cost. Not a surprise. But I like it because the particular currency we spent, I’m not so high on and Diaz is the future anyway. Somebody needs to send James Click a thank you note for Straw 4 Maton Diaz trade.
The problem with replacing Mushinski with Graveman is that Mushinski can provide Graveman’s 2023 production or better for free. They must see Graveman’s problems as an easy fix.
Seemed like, from my memory, he started out very good for the Astros and then faltered. Seems to have control issues. Looking at his prior Astro stats he had 12 walks in 23 innings. His SO/W was 2.25 with Houston.
he didn't fail. he wanted a 3 year deal. stros only offered 2. now they get him back for less than 2 years A 1.64 ERA (2ER/11IP) through nine appearances in the 2021 postseason, including three appearances in the World Series isn't failing great pickup for a much needed bp arm for someone who that locker room wants to be here
Spoiler https://theathletic.com/4730070/2023/07/28/kendall-graveman-astros-white-sox-trade/ What the Astros are getting in Kendall Graveman Kendall Graveman has mostly covered the ninth inning for the White Sox this season, and his surface numbers have been fine … mostly. It’s been sustained stretches of excellence — like a 16-inning scoreless streak from May 3 to June 9 — and then periodic blow-ups, like a three-run outing July 23 against the Twins. What to make of it? Well, Graveman is good. Let’s start there. He has a 2.78 ERA over the past three seasons. He can fill multiple roles in a bullpen. But he also has missed some spots this season. He’s a sinkerballer with only moderate strikeout rates and declining ground-ball numbers, and his walk rate is higher than ever this year. So, there is room for improvement. His track record suggests better days are ahead in a new uniform. https://theathletic.com/4730123/2023/07/28/mlb-trade-grades-white-sox-astros-graveman-lee/ Andy McCullough: One thing Astros general manager Dana Brown has in common with his predecessor, James Click? Both executives have now made trades for Graveman, who was perfectly fine as a midseason addition to the Astros in 2021. Graveman posted a 1.64 ERA that postseason and parlayed it into a three-year, $24 million contract with the White Sox. In 2023, he is striking out fewer batters and walking more than he did in 2022 (and back in 2021), so the Astros may suffer through some regression. But Graveman does make Houston’s bullpen deeper and reduce some strain on closer Ryne Pressly. Another benefit to acquiring Graveman: He is under contract through 2024, owed $8 million. The cost is a tad high, but the Astros can afford it, especially with Hector Neris, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek all headed to free agency. Lee was a first-round pick in 2021 and a top prospect before becoming strikeout-prone in the upper minors. He is still quite young, only 23, and still has a solid ceiling. That feels like a strong return for a good but far from overwhelming reliever. Astros: B White Sox: A- Stephen J. Nesbitt: Hold up. Rick Hahn is cooking. In baseball, the spoils of failure come out in spectacular sell-offs, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing on Chicago’s South Side. In exchange for Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López, Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly and Kendall Graveman, the White Sox have added the Angels’ Nos. 2 and 3 prospects (catcher Edgar Quero and lefty Ky Bush), two Dodgers minor-league arms (right-handers Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure), former Astros first-round catcher Korey Lee and once-and-future White Sox outfielder Trayce Thompson. That’s a pretty remarkable haul for five pitchers who have one good 2023 season and one more guaranteed year of control between them. As for the Astros, Graveman again fits the bill. He’s been all right this year. He’s had sustained stretches of excellence — like a 16-inning scoreless streak from May 3 to June 9 — and then periodic blow-ups, like a three-run outing July 23 against the Twins. He’s a sinkerballer with only moderate strikeout rates and declining ground-ball numbers, and his walk rate is higher than ever this year, so he’s not returning to Houston at his peak, but better days are probably ahead. Losing Lee could sting one day, but Yanier Diaz has helped clarify the Astros’ catching future beyond the Martín Maldonado era. Ultimately, Lee was expendable for the Astros, but he could represent a prominent piece for the retooling White Sox. White Sox: A Astros: B https://theathletic.com/4729990/2023/07/28/white-sox-dodgers-astros-scouting-report/ The White Sox also are shipping out reliever Kendall Graveman to the Astros for catching prospect Korey Lee, which seems like the best return for them so far. Graveman has been a consistently average to above-average reliever since he returned from 2019 Tommy John surgery, a sinker/slider guy who has been effective against hitters on both sides of the plate, walking a few more guys this year and running into what looks like some bad luck on balls in play. He’ll help the Astros, although their right-handed relief corps has been generally solid this year beyond Rafael Montero. Lee was Houston’s first-round pick in 2019, a modest surprise who wasn’t on my predraft top 100, someone the Astros liked more for some of his metrics than from a scouting perspective. He performed well enough to project as a soft regular until he reached Triple A last year, where he’s become a much less disciplined hitter, chasing way more pitches out of the zone, like he’s trying to just mash his way to the big leagues. It’s enough to make me think he’s more likely a backup than a starter, but he still has that everyday ceiling if he gets back to the hitter he was through 2021, swinging at strikes and putting the ball in play rather than trying to dead-pull so many pitches.
I'm guessing that the Astros ask him to cut his 4S fastball rate back to pre-CWS levels and he's mostly a sinker-slider pitcher for the Astros. Graveman has pitched better in the past so there is a decent chance he's better next year than this year. I'm interested in Mushinski. He appears fine for low and medium leverage situations and may become more. I gotta think the Astros expect more from Graveman than he was giving the CWS. I'd feel a little better with Graveman than Mushinski right now, but yeah, it isn't much unless Graveman bounces back.
Ryne Pressly? Did Stanek and Pressly accidently get caught together in that contraption from The Fly?
This is one of those dudes that seems to get pumped up (and sweaty) when the bright lights are on, and uses that to his advantage. A proven arm that brings depth to the bullpen, which we know to be super important during the postseason. Obviously, with Diaz's emergence, the prospect cost for the Astros is not severe. This is a great trade.
Decent trade considering we're desperate and the current market of seller's. Garveman's career numbers are similar to Montero. -- a couple good seasons and all else subpar.
We simply don’t have the prospects to get the likes of Bednar. This is a solid deal, even if expensive (due to the market), with Diaz’ clear emergence. Thank you click for landing Diaz. the “graveman is unhappy in Houston” story is a bit overplayed. He had one interview the day after he was traded. His interview was more deer in the headlights vibe than unhappy in Houston vibe…and yeah, there’s a personal side to players and he was understandably really happy in Seattle until they decided otherwise. graveman should help with our bullpens strain and his addition could very well help reset some of our other arms but allowing them to rest. It’s no secret that our BP is running laps on the league in appearances, and that’s doubly concerning given our recent lengthy playoff runs. love the move. Hurts to lose Lee…but good trades will hurt, and especially so in this market.
Looking more into it, I'm not sure how they plan on fixing him. His sinker has been hit pretty hard beginning last season, and maybe he's moved to the 4S as a way to compensate. His real problem though this year seems to be that his slider has gone to complete **** beginning in June. Not sure what that is about.
