You are not alone.
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I don’t disagree but at the same time, if they can get into the postseason, I’ll feel good about this team vs almost anyone.
Losing record against teams above .500.
23rd in OPS against teams above .500.
Yeah, I understand those feelings as well. Sometimes I think we have too many holes, and then other times I think that if we can just get healthy, and add one starter and one bat, we have a shot. To be sitting where we are right now, with more innings thrown by rookies than any other team, is amazing. The Rangers have played about as good as they can possibly play, and we’ve had obstacle after obstacle, and they haven’t shook us. What if we get healthy and add?
How often do you get the chance to go back-to-back? I think we have a good enough team that we should make a couple of smaller moves and give it a shot. By a couple of moves, I mean cheaper rentals, not folks like Cease and Robert. They are too expensive. Hell, the rentals could be too. It’s gonna be a sellers market. Try to add without giving away the absolute best we have in the system. Might cost you one premium guy and some lower others. That’s fine with me, even if Gilbert, to get a solid piece for a chance to go back-to-back. But not multiples of the best we have.
I know Cease and Robert is the report, but with Chicago’s rotation issues for next year, it feels like Giolito may be easier to work a deal for and be just as good the rest of this year and the playoffs.
Including Robert will still make the deal hurt but fewer pitchers and pieces would need to change hands.
Pena, Garcia, Gilbert, and Leon for Giolito and Robert?
Imagine an OF of Chas, Robert, and Tucker for 162 games. I can see 100 HR and 3 gold gloves
I’m not giving up Pena AND Gilbert. Period. If thats the cost I just move on
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For me, no to trading Pena. Given our outfield depth, I’d move Gilbert for the right piece but I’d look at alternatives to that.
For me, no to Luis Robert. Players with term are too expensive. I’d want Bellinger or a comparable rental bat and Stroman, Giolito, Paxton or a comparable rental arm. Could you get Bellinger and Stroman for Bielak, Meyers/Julks and Leon/Lee? Perhaps throw in Whitley?
Is Bielak by himself enough for a rental pitcher like Giolito or Paxton? Add Whitley and make it two for one? I don’t know, but I think we can get a solid rental pitcher without giving up Garcia or Pena for sure.
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“The other team will think our trash is their treasure” is my favorite trade speculation subcategory.
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Robert is about to turn 26, and is great defensive CF.
Per 162 g in his career
6 bWAR
97 runs
36 doubles
32 homeruns
94 rbi
.285 avg
.837 ops
And is signed for 4 more years at $16.875M AAV.
If you can get that player you get him.
Pena is a very good player, but I don’t see him ever getting MVP votes. He is a legitimate gold glove shortstop with very good power and speed and a below average MLB bat.
Any team would love having him holding down shortstop for 6 years, but he is not the type of player that is off limits when there is a chance to get a potential MVP.
You need to add the games played per season number up there. Yeah, his rates are good, but if he’s only playing 100 games, you still have a hole.
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Peña is not untouchable. But, trading him, Gilbert and Garcia for Robert and a rental in Giolito is simply too much. If that was the package for Robert and Cease, it would be a bit different.
Also, you are fixing one hole with Robert by creating another at shortstop.
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He played 56 of 60 in 2020
68 in 2021
98 in 2022
And 94 out of 97 so far this year.
Totally healthy this year and no reason to think any of his previous injuries are chronic.
1.8 WAR in 2020 ( 4.9 WAR over 162g)
3.6 WAR in 68 g 2021
2.1 WAR in 98 g 2022
4.4 WAR in 94 g 2023
And he’s still 25
Morosi reports the Astros and Rays are interested in Lorenzen. Not exactly who I had in mind but if the price is right, just throw him out there and see how many innings he can give you.
Dubon plays SS with Kessinger backing up the rest of the season
Then look for a SS in the off season.
Dubon has been as good as Pena this year.
Dubón has been a very pleasant surprise this year, but he’s still best suited for a super-utility role. I do agree that he can be a solid shortstop for the short term.
That said, it wasn’t the inclusion of Peña in your proposal that made it too much. It was trading him, Gilbert and Garcia for Robert and a rental arm. The White Sox have good players available, but other teams have things that can help the Astros at a much cheaper cost.
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I don’t see the sense in trading for an all-star quality CF when we already have an all-star quality CF.
Of course you can move Chas to left and Yordan to DH, but Robert is gonna cost us dearly in prospects and there are probably cheaper ways to add thump to the lineup.
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Chas - Robert- Tucker
Could hit 100 hr and win 3 gold gloves.
With Robert’s age and contract it would be very hard to beat the improvement he could bring.
I have a few thoughts:
- Bringing in Robert would cost Gilbert and a boatload more. I don’t know why the White Sox would move Robert just as he is showing out this year. Maybe sucking for three years might lead to a panic move by the White Sox.
*If obtaining Robert was seen as a way to transition after Tucker leaves in free agency, I see the appeal from the perspective of the Astros. They still have other outfielders in the system.
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Pitching is the real need, as Dana Brown stated. I wonder if there may be more quality arms available in the bullpen?
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I think it will be hard for the Astros to compete with the other teams in the hunt for too many impact moves. I have low expectations, though I am hopeful.
I would - you sell high - and we’ve got Dubon plus the Nebraska kid coming through in a few…
Pena is the kinda of marquee trade piece that could actually swing a deal for an ace (in concert with a few other picks).
And I am not sure Robert is the ideal trade piece for us. There is a reason CHISOX want to trade him - and while he would be more at home with Abreu and few others on the team – I think we need to avoid the injury plague that is Robert (Alvarez PART DEUX)…
We should be looking for value - the RP and SP in Pittsburgh would be a start for me. Keller and Bednar. Also, I am comfortable rearranging our OF - 1of our back up catchers - and one pitching prospect not named Colton Gordon to get a deal done. We are top heavy in a few positions - and need a few young arms and one bat. But lets not get crazy here with Tucker/Alvarez or Framber massive trade talk at this point (imo).