I’m ok with shopping any of those guys, except Dubon, but you’re gonna need a center fielder. And a first baseman. So you’ve got to make that part of a deal.
I’d like to keep Dubon, as he’s the kind of guy you need to have around. I hope they don’t think someone like Shay Whitcomb can fill that role.
Caratini was a really nice pickup, and I’d hate to see him go, but finding a backup catcher can be done.
Pressly is a fungible commodity at this point in his career. I don’t need him if he has the red ass.
" my friend" responded to a post I made about Brandon Lowe as an option for the Astros this offseason.
Lowe can play OF, 2nd and 1st.
He hasn’t played a lot of OF because of the configuration of the Rays roster and because Lowe is always hurt.
If the Rays deal him (they are not giving him away/they will pick up the option and listen to offers and decide whether to keep him) to the Astros, he would likely let Altuve play DH more often, and he would play back up 1st and get at bats at the corner spot. The Rays believe that playing outfield makes him more injury prone.
IdStrosfan said: ↑
When @Nook mentioned the Astros were interested in Lowe from the Rays, I thought he meant Josh Lowe who is a true OF but also a year away from arbitration so TB has no motivation to trade him.
Brandon Lowe - has a 2025 and 2026 option. Left handed hitter that can hit 30 homers if he gets 500 at bats. The Rays can afford to keep him financially but are listening to offers and would move him for good value.
IdStrosfan said: ↑
2) would an organization like TB trade away a guy like Brandon Lowe without reducing payroll by getting young cheap guys for him?
Rays will have some money to spend this Winter. They will keep Lowe if the offers are not what they want - but yeah they are listening on him. They are looking for guys under team control mostly. They also really want a catcher - they will have a different one next year. The Dodgers also supposedly have some interest.
I don’t think we are at the rebuild point yet, at least not the complete teardown one anyway. Would it smart to comepletely blow it up, sell Tucker, Framber, and Yordan and be good again in 3 years, maybe but I’m not ready for that. I don’t think the front office is ready for that either. There are definitely holes in this roster but this is still a competitive team and they don’t NEED to rebuild, yet. With the right moves they could be a 90ish win team for another 5 years
How many of those teams have been to the Post Season 9 out of 10 years. I don’t mind a few tweeks here and there but I’m not ready to trade valuable assets for unproven prospects. Miserable memories of 2011 through 2013 are still too fresh. Even though I know those years were integral to the future successes. Just not ready to repeat.
its really tough to trade away an MVP/CY level player and actually improve
my “friend” who I have come to believe has some inside info says it won’t happen
But I would like to see the Astros shop Tucker or Framber (probably not both)
Its very unlikely they return, so the team is facing losing 2 more stars with nothing but draft picks for compensation. Thats not really working out so far.
Alex Santos drafted for losing Cole.
Chayce McDermott for losing Springer
Andrew Taylor for losing Correa
They could each bring back 3+ young controllable players and this is a shallow, top heavy, aging team.
I wouldn’t trade Tucker, that just makes an already short lineup even shorter.
I would, however, try to move Framber. The Astros are the best in baseball at getting the most out of their pitchers, I believe in their ability to replace 80% of what Framber does at 20% of the price. If you can swing an MLB ready 1B/OF type and a pitching or middle infield prospect, I’d do it
I don’t think I agree that they needed too much to go their way to have a shot, not any more than just about any other team.
Last year all they had to do was not completely shit themselves at home and they would have been back to back champs
This year, just don’t get out to a 12-24 start. I think they much closer to the team they were the last 4.5 months than the first 6 weeks. Play .500 ball the first 6 weeks and all of a sudden this team gets a buy and are playing today. I would argue it took a monumental amount of things to go against them to cause this season to be what it was.
3-way trade between Astros (gave up McDermott and Siri; got Mancini and Jayden Murray), Orioles (gave up Manicini for McDermott and Seth Johnson), and Rays (gave up Johnson and Murray for Siri).