I suspect opposing GM’s have a very different valuation system for Astros prospects when sitting across the table from Brown than the MLB Top 100 prospect list. That decade-old delta between how Astros prospects are ranked and their actual performance and utility is probably glaringly obvious to all but the crappiest GM’s.
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I like Urquidy as a #5 and he is going to be very welcome to this totally gassed pitching staff but have never wanted him or been confident in him starting a playoff game.
Fans remember the good, but in 6 playoff starts, Urquidy has failed to go over 4 1/3 innings 3 times and given up 4+ runs in 2 of those short starts.
There is a reason the team only chooses him to start when others are injured or have already pitched.
Which would be your pick if you could only get one? JV or Hader?
And I 'm sure they are also very suspicious of prospects the Astros are willing to give up easily.
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Verlander. The Astros need the starter more. Crane has to decide does he want to give up a better prospect return so the Mets will pay a large percentage of his contract, or does he want to give up less and pay more of Verlander’s contract.
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I wasn’t arguing that Jose Urquidy is someone I have complete confidence in to win a postseason start. But, I certainly put him on the level of Michael Lorenzen or Miles Mikolas when it comes to my confidence level. I would have more confidence in Eduardo Rodriguez or Jack Flaherty (much higher upside if the Astros can fix him) and, obviously, Verlander or Cease.
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Verlander without blinking
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Hard to believe JV wouldn’t have a few more years left in the tank with the way he’s currently throwing. I’m picking him every time.
Not sure that there’s a guy in our farm system that would be untouchable if it meant getting JV for the stretch run and at least next year too. I think the big question would be how much Crane is willing to pay.
Didn’t Hader get obliterated in the NLCS last year?
Hader was bad from the word go last season. He’s been nails every other year of his career and this year he’s been better than ever
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I have been thinking about matches with Detroit and here’s a dream, fantasy deal that would fill all the holes this team has:
E.Rodriguez, Cisneros, and Carpenter for Julks, Dubin, Melton, Barber, and Arrighetti.
Astros get rental starter and reliever who are upgrades and playoff calibur (though Cisreros will likely be 5th or 6th bullpen option).
Astros get a LH corner OF who is very good vs RHP and has 5 more years of control.
Tigers get a slightly less valuable but decent corner Of and 2 medium high ceiling OF prospects likely a year or so away.
Tigers get a rookie arm to fill the staff now and the Astros top pitching prospect.
The Astros are giving away a ton of OF talent, but with Carpenter, Chas, and Tucker all under control forc2+ more years, and kerping Gilbert its a gamble worth taking.
I just saw a rumor where Astros had asked about Hader. Dana obviously exploring all options in the event a JV deal cannot be reached.
I remember being super excited about getting Greinke but hated to see Beer and JB go, since like now, the farm system is a bit light. Well, JB and Beer have a combined career WAR of -1.8 both are back in the minors and neither is doing well. Corbin Martin has seen a few innings in the majors and been awful and was sent back down and is now on the IL. Rojas had solid 21 & 22 seasons, but has been terrible this year.
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The reality is many prospects don’t pan out as hoped. It’s hard to make the big leagues and even harder to be a perennial above average or All-Star-caliber player.
I have heard that there are 4 Astros prospects that GMs have been asking for in trades but the Astros are VERY reluctant to trade any of them which is what the biggest hold up is.
Apparently there is very little interest in any other prospects.
My “friend” is posting that Drew Gilbert, Ryan Clifford, Luis Baez, and Zach Dezenzo are those 4 prospects.
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This may come down to last minute on JV and other deals. Which teams aren’t able to move the pieces they want moved and then what does that asking price drop to with just minutes left on the clock?
If you like the command aspect to pitching Gordon has done well - LHP with good command and performing well at each level is not that common…
I would!
It’s interesting that all 4 of them are not in the MLB top 10 prospects lists in their respective positions. The Astros know their value. Other GM’s know their value. The talking heads that make up these lists don’t.
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I would rather have JV than Hader and it’s not close, but if I wake up to the news that the Astros have traded for Hader I’m not going to go out and start burning shit down.
Hader shortens the game by an inning, you can have Neris pitch the sixth, conceivably even the fifth. That changes the complexion of things pretty significantly. If Urquidy gives you anything, that’s a pretty good boost.
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