I think the Astros end up with one of the 4-5 top guys being mentioned, I just don’t think it will be the 1-2 top guys. I could be completely wrong. I can tell you inside the organization they expect to get one of the top guys. If the Astros ended up with Hand or Liam or Rosenthal I would be satisfied... I think the bigger issue is in the outfield
This is how I feel as well. Yes, I think they need to add Hand or LH or someone else that is quality... but we already have a black hole at catcher, and don’t need more
This offseason is boring me to death... Here are some crazy moves for the Astros.... Blue Jays were runners up for Lindor. Also, Correa was mentioned earlier in the offseason as being shopped. IF Correa wont sign an extension do this..... Trade Correa, Tyler Ivey, and Cionel Perez to the Blue Jays for Lourdes Gurriel, Randal Grichuk, and 5 million dollars. Blue Jays can move Biggio to LF, Bo Bichette to 3B, and sign Springer for CF. For the Astros you fill LF and CF for 3 years. Lourdes Gurriel is making less than 15 million total for the next 3 seasons. Grichuk is a local kid and making 30 million total the next 3 seasons. The 5 million helps bring that cost down. Then I have 2 options for 3B that move Bregman to SS. 1. Sign DJ LaMahieu for 5 years 100 million 2. Trade Forest Whitley, Bryan Abreu, and Jeremy Pena to the Cubs for Kris Bryant, Wilson Contreras, and 4 million dollars. Option 1 Lineup: Lamahieu 3B Altuve 2B Bregman SS Alvarez DH L Gurriel LF Tucker RF Y Gurriel 1B Grichuk CF Maldonado C Option 2 Lineup: Altuve 2B Bregman SS Alvarez DH Bryant 3B L Gurriel LF Tucker RF Y Gurriel 1B Contreras C Grichuk CF Then sign one of the top relievers, a backup catcher (if you don't trade for Contreras), and call it an offseason.
I don’t see us trading Correa. Just looking at the Lindor (who had to include Carrasco) and Betts returns, I just don’t think Click can sell that type of return to Crane baring some collapse/rebuild. 2021 roster will take a severe hit if we trade Correa. The prudent move may very well be to getting 50 cents on the dollar for Correa now, but I just don’t think that’s a bullet we bite right now, unless there are some things going on behind the scenes that we don’t know about. We do need to make some 40-man changes, but I would be really surprised if Correa was that move. Lourdes and Grichuk are fine players, both those assets and 5mil? For Carlos? The GOAT? Showrea? Jose’s double play cannon maker? I’d rather ride 2021 out.
While I agree with a lot of your points here, in my opinion, the idea is to try to maximize the competitive window. Springer is gone... and once he’s signs with another team, it’s gunna sting as an Astros fan. I don’t know what type of negotiations are happening behind closed doors or if there have been any at all... but if you can’t lock in Carlos long term, I’d absolutely explore trading him this offseason rather than losing him for nothing in less than a year. Especially if that return nets you young, controllable, cheap talent for years to come. The injury thing still concerns me. A 162 game season with Carlos still concerns me. His value after his postseason showing this past season might be as high as it will get between now and the deadline. Just my opinion man
I don't expect it to happen, but I'm putting some of the news stories together to make some scenarios up. If Click/Crane aren't extending Correa long term I have no problem trading him IF we can extend our window by getting major league proven players. Also, Lourdes Gurriel is a stud and for 3 years at 14.69 million is a real bargain. Lourdes has a career .836 OPS vs .833 for Correa, and Correa's OPS+ is only 3 points higher. Gurriel hasn't been a full time player outside of the shortened season, but his ceiling is pretty high.
If Pedro Leon is as good as advertised, Astros can skate with Straw for a month or 2. Add someone like Profar or Rosario, and Astros have enough room for 2 elite relievers. I'm not advocating this strategy, but it is a path to 2 elite relievers depending on high degree of confidence in Leon. If Astros have a high degree of confidence in Leon, it would explain some of the rumors. I expect Astros to go cheap on an OF and get one decent one....same as with relievers with Stanek possibly being the cheap one.
Now that Hendricks is off the board, should we expect to see Hand, Colome, or Rosenthal to sign soon after? Or will it be a waiting game once again? Also any interest in Kirby Yates? Apparently he's looking for a incentive laden 1 year $5 million deal.
The White Sox are over paying... they have been doing that a lot. They did a really good job on the rebuild but are blowing all their financial flexibility. I would not pay Hendricks 4/54. He has been really good the last couple years but it is far from certain... I bet the Astros are kicking themselves for not claiming Brad Hand off waivers.
Honestly, until all these reports came out I didn't believe the Astros would sign one of the top tier guys and would look more at someone like Archie Bradley. So we will see if these reports were just agent talk or if the Astros actually fork over the cash for an elite reliever.
$54/4 is an overpay for Hendriks. I’m glad Houston didn’t do that. I hope they don’t let that shift the market for relievers and overpay a lesser guy like Hand.
