I’ll admit my “feel” for baseball is limited with regards to how good a team is / can be. How much of baseball is random chance vs talent etc. so given that I ask this legitimately. I feel like this off season just keeps getting worse. First the obvious losing of Cole. But to lose him to the turds in New York. Then the cheating crap. Then the loss of lunhow and hinch. Now Betts and Price to the dodgers making the Yankees and dodgers better on paper than the Astros. To me it just seems it is getting worse. Couple that with a manager that overworks his starting pitchers having two OLD aces and it just seems like we could either be great or not even 90 win team this year. I have zero feel for how we will be and if there is any reason to be excited. Can someone set the record straight and tell me yea. You are about right or no this is a damn good team with a bright future and this is why.
Not sure what paper you are looking at, but Astros are still the best on paper team and the best on the diamond team. A lot of luck involved in a full season regarding health, and playoffs, but Astros have the best players.
Literally every remotely reputable outlet, and Vegas have us as comfortable favorites to win our division and be one of the best teams in baseball. I'm not sure what else could convince you more.
Last minute Click hypothetical based on NYM interest in adding Lindor. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/02/details-on-mets-pursuit-of-francisco-lindor-in-december.html Mets get: SS Carlos Correa OF Josh Reddick Astros get: SS Amed Rosario IF Jed Lowrie SS Ronny Mauricio 3B Brett Baty Mets get a potential superstar bat, plus they flip Lowrie for Reddick, who fits their roster better. Astros get 2 Top 100 prospects plus a potential long term piece in Rosario, and they get to flip Reddicks salary for Lowrie who fits their roster better. Add Rosario, Baty, and Mauricio to Leon, Lee, Alvarez, and Tucker, and that’s a very good group of cheap controllable talent that opens Houstons window for much longer. And the drop off in 2020-2021 is probably only 2-3 wins.
The Astros should not trade a player with MVP-level talent and two years of control for a package headlined by an average shortstop and the 62nd and 93rd-rated prospects in the game, according to MLB.com. The goal is to win the World Series this year and downgrading from Correa to Rosario makes the Astros significantly worse while lowering their ceiling as a team. The only way this would make sense is if you were convinced Correa will never play anywhere close to a full season again or be healthy in the playoffs. I’d rather gamble on Correa having a healthy season than deal him for Amed Rosario and two good, but not great prospects. If the Mets are interested in a Correa for Syndergaard swap, or willing to include Jeff McNeil in a deal for Correa, there’s something to discuss. Otherwise, there isn’t.
Its funny how so many Astros fans hate on Crane for cleaning house but forget that he opened his checkbook for us to land Grienke. We have another owner in town to trades away first-round picks just to save a few million dollars. We have the best owner in town and I'm proud to have him. I for one will be spending my money on the Stros this year because id def support Crane and how he runs this organization. All of you who were bashing Crane and calling him a shitty owner for him firing Luhnow need to to get a fkin reality check.
I tend to agree with needing a number 2 or extra hammer on the starting staff. Yes Greinke’s numbers look really good, but I’m still worried that he won’t be able to go deep enough in games all season long. Hoping we get something out of at least one of the younger guys that should get an opportunity. I’m just not banking on it being enough. Hope a frontline starter becomes available during the season and the Astros find themselves in the mix to add him if it’s needed. Still, not sure they will have enough to get it done. Also without the top 4 picks over the next two years they may not want to deal off any prospects.
Greinke was 6th in all of MLB last season in innings pitched. What has happened over the off-season to make you think his innings pitched won't be similar to 2019?
The postseason is what gives me pause. Yes I was happy with the last game he pitched, but before that I don’t recall him eating innings. I love Greinke and he’s a helluva pitcher, I’m still concerned.
Greinke got pulled twice because Cole and Verlander ate innings in preceding games and Hinch had a full bullpen available (i.e., Hinch was going for throat instead of trusting his starter). Greinke only had one bad postseason start.
You’re missing the part where I said I love Greinke and feel he’s a helluva pitcher. I still feel it’s justified to be concerned somewhat. 5 starts in the postseason going 25 innings, giving up 6 homeruns, 13 ER along with 10 walks. I understand most of that was one game, but it’s fair to be concerned. He’s also barely over .500 in the AL for his career. Yes, different time, place and type of pitcher now. It’s ridiculous how great he’s become after having to reinvent himself. I don’t question his ability to pitch. I’m just concerned he’s not enough at the top. I felt a lot better with him being the third guy than I do the #2 guy. Weird to say I know seeing as he’s been as great as he has. Having Cole was an amazing security blanket. I am greedy and want another one of those guys at the top.
So...Who do you see out there that the Astros could reasonably acquire that would push Greinke down to being the 3rd guy?
Right now? No one, it’s too early. Nor do I think the Astros should before seeing what they have and/or possibly need. I’m projecting a bit, because I’m thinking another frontline guy will be needed for the postseason. Truth is, I don’t know yet. I just like the feeling of being all warm and fuzzy with 3 guys at the top. LMC is an unknown right now. Would have to think his innings will be restricted. I love Urquidy’s stuff and potential. Still relatively unknown what the Astros will get for the whole season. Has Whitley grown up? Is he ready to put it together and contribute? I have no idea. So do teams like the Mets, Phillies who have guys at the top flounder again and decide to sell? Guess we will see. Does Tampa take a step back and decide to deal CFM? Hell I don’t know, far too early. Could be some young guys that have big potential that are under control that would make sense, but I haven’t taken a deep dive on anyone. Point of my post that started all of this is its my feeling that the Astros will need another top end guy to win. Do I know that for certain? Nope. Just my gut. Hell, maybe adding to the pen will be enough. I’m just glad to be thinking and talking about actual baseball again.
HOU is in an interesting position because we still have an above average rotation. It should be enough to keep us afloat in the AL West in 2020 and get us a ticket to October. I don't think we're likely to outsource for a SP2 this year given the punishment that was levied. I think we will rely on having an elite SP1 (Justin) and hopefully 2 above average SP3s (Greinke, LMJ), and hope to god that some of our younger arms (Whitley, Urquidy, Martes, Javier, Valdez, etc.) pan out to combine and fill out a respectable rotation with some veteran inning eaters (Peacock, Pruitt). I don't see us gutting our farm to move the needle from ~95 wins to ~100+ wins, not with our lack of picks the next few years. Hopefully our international signings will make up for the (4) lost picks, and obviously comp picks will help...but I don't think we can sustain another loss to the farm for what it's going to take to land a TOR arm. As a side note, I keep holding out hope that we bring Hinch back. I know it's entirely unreasonable...but maybe it can happen? I still think he's the ideal leader for this team. His interview taking place before ST was not a coincidence. He's still leading this team even though he isn't the manager! It was fascinating to see. He also made a great point in his interview, that he's a very different person, and leader, now in 2020 than he was in 2017. I'm praying Dusty makes it through this year and we bring back Hinch. He's going to get plenty of offers, that's for certain...I wonder if he and Crane see a reunion as a possibility.
Biggest concern is depth of rotation and how many innings they pitch. 1. Talk of limiting Verlander's innings this year for a playoff run. 2. Grienke can get his pitch count way up there early in a game. 3. Lance McCullers will be on a low pitch count. 4. Jose Urquidy....unknown how deep he can go. 5. 5th starter...unknown Equals a lot of pressure on the bullpen.
