I think a reunion with Colin McHugh or signing someone in that tier is a lot more likely than signing Raisel Iglesias. Click might believe that Maton-Stanek-Pressly can be a good starting point for late inning work in 2022, with Baez and Montero as wildcards.
Oh for sure! I don’t see any scenario where the Astros spend the kind of money necessary for Iglesias. It’s just not what our team tends to do. I’m comfortable for now with the Maton-Stanek-Pressly triumphant and I think Montero is gonna be a big going forward. We can make our customary move at the trade deadline if necessary.
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Was Pressly the only member of the 2019 pen still on the team this season?
High turnover, high variability in performance.
Totally agree re Montero. I really liked him and regretted his injury. I think he has a big upside.
I wish I had an inside source who knows what happened with Graveman. I suspect the brain trust lost confidence in him and/or were unwilling to commit to three years for a setup man.
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Relievers are somewhat fungible with similar skill sets, except for the odd duck like changeup specialist Jones. It also is an extremely high pressure role so I think quick burnout likely is not unusual. Graveman showed some cracks in his armor at the end of last season, which kinda proves to me the point I am trying to make.
I was really hoping Graveman would stay ( as a free agent, that’s more accurate than the team resigning him unless an offer wasn’t made)
That said, I think Pressly-Stanek is a great 8/9 inning combo and am excited to see what else develops.
Maybe the team has great reports on Baez and/or Montero?
I can see Maton becoming a good 8th inning guy too.
Will or can Abreu, Paredes, or Scrubb finally throw strikes?
Do they see Dubin as 2020 Paredes ?
Add all that to the guys currently on the roster and I think that bringing back Graveman was a luxury and not a need, In the team’s eyes
A great report on Baez would shock me
MLB and the MLBPA agreed to move the deadline for tendering contracts up to November 30. The deadline was previously set to be December 2, the day after the CBA expires/lockout begins.
Probably won’t mean much except maybe a quick flurry of activity next Tuesday night.
This was my thinking. I wanted the Astros to sign Graveman but, even though it is not my $$, I understand that $$ is a limited resource and that the Astros manage to value very well. Once I heard that his bidding price was nearing $8-10M per year, and knowing what that would do vice the other needs on the team, I became less interested when I remembered his late season performance. My realistic thought was that 1) it’s tough for relievers to maintain that level of performance over multiple years and 2) the league figures the vast majority of these guys out eventually so you see these 1-2 year flashes of reliever brilliance followed by a regression to the mean for all but the most elite. All a long way of repeating and agreeing with your “fungible” comment.
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If the Astros think their current group of 7-8-9 inning relievers gives them what they need to win, then it makes no sense to pay $10MM a year for a fourth arm out there. Graveman is a 7th inning guy on this team if everyone is healthy. I like him as much as everyone else does, but if injuries or poor performance affect the back of the barn, I’m pretty sure Click can do another deal or seven to shore things up like he did this year.
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Completely agree
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Well said
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Wade Davis retires
Cionel Perez claimed off waivers by Elias and the Orioles.
They also added Escobar and Canha. A definite Black Friday shopping spree.
New transactions today:
Marcus Semien to Texas (7/175)
Kevin Gausman to Toronto (5/110)
Minnesota extends Byron Buxton (7/100 plus big incentives)
Jon Gray to Texas (4/56)
Miami extends Sandy Alcantara (5/56)
Avisail Garcia to Miami (4/53)
Corey Kluber to Tampa (1/8)
Michael Lorenzen to LAA (1/7)
Kole Calhoun to Texas (1/5)
Scherzer expected to sign tonight or tomorrow. Mets have reportedly offered more than one year at more than $40M/y.
Rangers looking like the best 79-83 team money can buy.
I also saw a rumor that the dodgers executed Bauer, and yes that is what i meant to type.
Mets and Scherzer supposedly close to an agreement for obscene money.
Lord have mercy