Wrote some words on Matt Harvey, feel like he could benefit from a change of scenery here. Cheap contract too. Adding a front line starter definitely bolsters the rotation, but I think its an absolute must we upgrade the bullpen. Devenski and Harris are beasts, but after that we have talented players who are inconsistent as hell. Peacock rejoin the BP as a great option, but relief pitchers are cheaper and easier to come by. We have to address that, and preferably get some lefties.
Isn't there something wrong with Harvey, like hes an insufferable narcissistic ******* and all his teammates everyone hates him?
3rd/4th sentences: Harvey has been on and off the disabled list all season. On top of that, Harvey is having the worst statistical season of his career so far. He'd be a great guy to look at and maybe take a flier on in the offseason, but I don't see how he helps at all right now.
Yeah I know he's hurt and playing bad, it's just on top of that reading all the gossip and rumors about him being an jerkface/clubhouse cancer I'd stay completely away. Astros have a "we are family" feel to them that I don't want them to mess with.
I'd maybe do something like Martes, F.Perez, Alcala, and another prospect for Gray or Quintana. That's more than enough in my opinion.
If you include pitchers, obviously Tony Sipp is a candidate to replaced. Once Fiers started pitching better, he made himself safe. Aoki & Beltran are obvious areas we could upgrade, but I don't know about moving those guys when the team is on pace to win 110 games with them.
He makes a ton of sense as a target, I'm just not giving up a top prospect for a really good middle reliever. Gregerson has been pitching extremely well, we just have yet to see him do in in high leverage situations. Having him get back to his old self would be like a deadline acquisition. You need 5 arms you feel really good about giving the ball to in October, and right now we have 3.
I feel really good about Hinch giving the ball to Morton, Peacock, Feliz, Giles, Harris, and Devenski ball in October.
My guess is Gray. Astros and A's are at very different places as franchises. A's limitations makes them take chances on flawed players that Astros don't need to at the moment.
I agree about not wanting to give up a top prospect for Hand. I think the one move they NEED to make is finding another lefty in the pen. One who's more reliable then Sipp.
I think you're exactly right. If I were forced to bet on it, I'd bet that, of all the potential candidates, Gray is the most likely to be an Astro this season.
Only offering one of your top 10 prospects tends to not get many deals done. If that's all it took, Sonny Gray would have been an Astro much sooner. No way they accept any deal without one of the big prospects involved (Tucker,Martes,Whitley,Perez), all those guys you offered are complimentary pieces. Not that those guys don't have potential to elevate themselves, but there's no reason for the A's to settle for lottery tickets that may become better lottery tickets.
While I am not opposed to the acquisition of a lefty reliever, I must point out that Astros bullpen has the highest K%-BB%, and highest xFIP against LHBs. Team average in these stats is better than these stats for Hand this year (though SSS). Hand has been excellent against RHBs. If Astros get Hand, it is so that he can be a relief pitcher that can be used against RHBs and LHBs and not as a loogy (i.e. he would be competing with everyone for a spot, not just the lefties).
I'm not disputing those #s, but looking at the big picture come playoff time and looking at those lefty hitters with Clev, Boston, Dodgers & Nationals. Another effective lefty would certainly help.
I have no problem getting an effective lefty. I don't watch the Padres, but for whatever reason, Hand has a strong reverse split this year. Is a lefty an effective lefty if he is not effective against left-handed hitters? PS. As I don't watch Padres, I don't know what is going on with him. He could be perfectly fine going forward against lefties. I just don't typically think of loogies (Hand does not appear to be used as a lefty specialist, though) as having prolonged slumps against lefties other than Sipp.
