What about Mitch Keller from the Pirates? Our advanced technology pitching machine can take him to a 3.1 ERa. We didn't rip them off in the Cole trade. Not our fault they didn't want to keep a stud in Musgrove.
Pitch clock and balk rules messed up Garcia's mechanics more than WBC. Javier was slower to the plate before pitch clock also -- his rhythm is thrown off. Considering the timing of the World Baseball Classic, the ramp up for our reps in WBC probably didn't affect them too much, and the pitchers didn't play much at all... Luis Garcia - 7 IP Urquidy - 6.1 IP Javier 4 IP America's Closer 3 IP Neris 2.1 IP Abreu 2 IP Montero 2 IP
If they were trying, they would be getting core players, not patching up problems using the farm system.... They would also be getting contact hitters. We've seen the Rangers offense before in the Bronx... we know how that plays in October...
I'm sure someone has posted this in the thread already, but how would y'all rank the Astros' top 10 "trade assets" heading into the deadline, EXCLUDING the core MLB players and Drew Gilbert (and obviously their recent draftees)? (I'm assuming Korey Lee was very high on that list prior to the Graveman trade.)
Cousins has mid to upper 90s gas and some big breaking pitches If they can fix him could be a nice piece for the pen.
I think France gets us a better pitcher from a team wanting to move a contract and have more club control. As example, if Padres put Snell out there having 5 years of France for 2 months of Snell is a decent start....
Brown and Gross have rightfully pointed out to ownership that the Astros actual value and production from the farm system has been very good. However, they also have supposedly admitted that it makes trades harder and causes a bottle neck - something that Brown has personally pointed out as a big problem. The Astros will end up with a glut of useful and productive players, but not many elite players. Efforts are being made to try and get more prospects with high ceilings. We saw it this year with the MLB draft. The still took some guys they can develop and "coach up" but they also took some volatile prospects. I know that people say having Luhnow and Click and Brown have kept the Astros on cutting edge, but there have also been costs IMO. While Gross has remained consistent, the scouts have not and the tact taken by Luhnow and Click and Brown have been very different. Luhnow had transitioned away from a more traditional approach under Quinten McCracken and had cut down a lot of physical scouts and was experimenting with almost all numbers and a cross checker. That approach did not really work for the Astros, and had Luhnow stuck around, he likely would have made changes. Under Click, he increased the scouting department and put the same emphasis on value over upside that Luhnow did - and we likely have some good solid big leaguers but no one special out of those drafts. Brown has gone to the approach that he did in Atlanta - but has asked and received permission to increase the budget. Go look at the amount and what the Astros are paying their international scouts. This off season, Brown is expected to re-organize an increase the number of scouts and bring in some non traditional scouts as well. The Astros have not overall done well on volatile prospects in the past under Luhnow and Click. I expect that to change under Brown, as most of his success has been on these types of players. As for the Dodgers - Crane is really bright and very involved since the Luhnow dismissal and has learned a lot about scouting and analytics. I was told that he has asked him people why teams like the Dodgers, Padres, Braves and Rays continue to get top 10-20 prospects and the Astros are not.
I haven't heard of Dana Brown losing it on anyone yet - in Atlanta and Toronto he was known for losing it on people every once in awhile. Maybe he will do it this trade deadline.
I bet that Brandon Bielak made sure to tell Jose Abreu you really appreciated that 4 run first inning error the other day - that really was a nice going away present.
If I was another team, I go in this order... France - has shown success at big league level and has club control, as a solid back of rotation guy he lets a team spend more money elsewhere Whitcomb - close to ML ready, hits for power at 3 infield spots. Has backup value as utility player if fails as everyday player Barber - still only 22 in AA. Not an older prospect. Draws walks and hits for a little pop. Strikes me as a Benintendi, Verdugo, or Conforto level ceiling... Those would be 3 most appealing to me in that order...
You know things are not right in Astros land when we start being active on the waiver wire. We barely gave it a second thought for 5 years.
Same as last Monday against the Rangers. Bielak has some unlucky moments with the defense behind him recently but wouldn’t hurt my feeling if I don’t see him pitching for Astros again this year.
Interesting they optioned Bielak, means they definitely expect to either activate Urquidy or acquire a SP in the next 5 days, since they only have 4 SP on the active roster right now and it wouldn’t have made sense to send down Bielak to call up Blanco or Dubin to start.
