Though they may not be able to sign him, I'd be interested in the Astros being interested in Wade Davis.
This was the one that really caught my eye. I have no idea if we can sign him, but we are surely one of the "interested teams."
Will be interesting to see what sort of arms they go for... I've always felt that the best relievers are either failed starters who's stuff magically translated better to later innings (Dotel, Gagne, Miller), or in-house phenoms that have live-as-hell arms from day one (Wagner, Lidge). Giles fit the latter category... and they're not just going to jettison a 25 year old with a bunch of cheap/club-controlled years, because he happened to fail in a post-season full of late-inning "failures". Just like Musgrove found a home in the bullpen... same could be applied to Martes. Whitley may get on the team faster as a bullpen guy first, vs. a starter.... a Wainwright-like fast-tracked introduction to the big leagues. There's nothing that precludes any of these guys to going back to starting again, but in the mean time, may solve the bullpen conundrum.
Ohtani is the only one that really worries me. On Rangers, I would jump for joy if they got Arrieta. He's losing fastball velocity fast and I doubt he has more than 1-2 good years left. Getting him would basically be delaying the Rangers rebuild. Mariners are a little more concerning as Paxton is really good if he ever gets healthy. Oakland seems to be the only team in the division that isn't depending on luck for the future besides the Astros. If Mariners, Rangers, and Angels continue the path of trying to challenge Astros during the peak of Altuve, Correa, and Springer, they will all likely be crushed short-term by the Astros and be Astros 2010 good in a couple of years.
Mariners/Rangers seem one more bad/mediocre year away from going into total rebuild mode. The Angels have a chance to compete (in general, not for the division), as long as they have a healthy Trout, and can/should continue to build around him as much as possible... if they got Stanton (by agreeing to pay the contract), they'd be at least a wild card contender. I doubt any team seriously believes they can challenge for a division they just lost by 20+ games, to a team that just won it all and has its prime core in place for another 2-3+ years.
Luhnow is/was also a big Lance Lynn fan. If his health issues are behind him, he's going to have some really good years left.
Agree with this. I don't know what was wrong with Giles in the postseason, but he gave as many runs in the postseason as Jansen did in the regular season. Odds are Astros could make Sipp the closer, and he would do better than Giles did in the postseason. While I wouldn't count on Giles as closer going forward, there is almost zero chance that the closer in 2018 postseason will be as bad as Giles was in the 2017 postseason if the Astros don't fall apart and miss the postseason. I do think the Astros will continue to develop Martes and Whitley as starters. Odds are good both get spot starts next season and September callups at the least. I see both as guys that will be be given a shot to win tandem starter/bullpen roles if the Astros make the postseason.
If Luhnow could count on getting back fair value trading away McHugh and/or Peacock then I think adding a SP like Darvish, Cobb, or Lynn would be an interesting move. But I have a hard time seeing any team give up multiple elite prospects for McHugh or Peacock, which is the only way it makes sense.
I agree with you. No, I don't see the Astros jettisoning Giles either. There is no incentive to getting rid of him. I do think that the Astros will prepare for the possibility that Giles may not be their solution at closer though. I could see a variety of scenarios. However I do think we will see the Astros add someone capable of closing. All are possibilities, and you can't just "buy" a bullpen. However, I do believe the Astros will attempt to add someone from outside the organization to be a central piece in their bullpen. They tried to do it at the deadline, and nothing in the post season suggests they would change that tact. To all the people thinking the Astros are going to massively overhaul their pen, I can't see that happening. As far as targets go, I could see the Astros going after Morrow, Albers, Jake McGee on multi year deals or Gomez or Rodriguez on 1 year small deals. Still I think trade is the most likely scenario.
I think they may very well have two viable candidates internally: the idea that Lance McCullers could be an elite closer has been floated since before he was drafted. Given his injury-history and struggles this year getting through line-ups 2 and (especially) 3 times, I think his move to the pen will certainly be explored. The other potential option, I think, could be Morton, who has Andrew Miller-like potential out of the pen. A bullpen of McCullers, Morton, Giles, Devo, Harris & Musgrove is pretty doggone good. Having said that, I think the Astros WILL explore dealing Giles.... He's 25, still loaded with potential and cheap/club-controlled. He could be a critical piece to land a starter OR replenish the farm with some decent prospects. I don't think they'll overreact to a small sample size meltdown v. elite offenses - but, while Giles is equipped to be the closer on a 100-win REGULAR season team, they DO have to wonder if he can navigate the postseason gauntlet.
Assuming a rebuild takes ~4 years and Rangers/Mariners rebuild after 2018, waiting a year would likely mean Astros don't have to worry about Rangers and Mariners for the division until 2023. Angels got nothing in the minors above A+. Astros hold off Trout for 3 years, and it seems like Astros and the A's will be the only non-rebuilding teams in the AL West. Considering the Astro's current construction, there just doesn't seem like Astros are going to need to trade for much if they can add a couple of relievers this year in free agency.
I don't see any way the Astros add Wade Davis unless he can be had for like 2/35, and I highly doubt that gets it done. When the bills start coming due, there's no way Luhnow wants significant financial assets tied up in an aging relief pitcher. I think it will be a trade or maybe a cheaper reliever without closing experience. I agree that we will do everything possible to improve with in house options, it isn't as if we have nothing but trash on our staff, despite the postseason struggles.
Wagner was drafted as a starter and started 70+ games in the minors. Lidge was also drafted as a starter and made 50 minor league starts until he tore his rotator and broke his arm.
I'm fully aware of all their minor league starting history. But neither were projected to be big league starters.
Kind of similar to the Lidge situation. He was never as dominant with Houston after Pujols and, even then, he only had the one fantastically dominant season with the Phillies. I think they'll keep Giles around unless they are overwhelmed by a trade offer or include him in a package.
This is pie in the sky, but what would JD Martinez cost us? Play him everyday in left, move Marwin to first and DH Yuli. We'd be awfully right handed, but so?
