I’m sure you’re right.
They’re 2.0 games out of the division lead and a first-round bye, and 2.5 games up in the Wild Card. I don’t think they’re ready to shut this season down yet.
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I’ve always felt the trade market was going to be costly this year even for rentals, but that price for Giolito is steep. He was my number one target for the Astros so I’m disappointed in this. Now I’m thinking Paxton and Lorenzen will probably be the best we can get if this is going to be the cost, and I’m not sure Brown will pay this price. It’s going to be interesting to see.
I really want Suter from the Rockies in our bullpen. Then if we could get Paxton or Lorenzen, let’s rock ‘n’ roll.
The team is looking better lately (last night notwithstanding) and with Altuve and Yordan back, the lineup is in pretty good shape. But personally I’d prefer rentals at the deadline, maybe a reliever or two (2021-lite) and a relatively cheap innings eater. A LF bat would also be nice and there are some decent options who could probably be had without giving up a top ten prospect.
I actually have the exact opposite feelings.
This year has had more injuries and speedbumps than any in recent memory but the team is still in position to win again.
All the position players are now healthy except Brantley who hardly even counts.
The bullpen is the same one from last year and Framber, Javier, and Brown all have the stuff to win in the playoffs.
All this team needs is a couple of quality arms and maybe a bat to help vs RHP.
From what I have read, Crane is putting pressure on Brown to add just like he did Click. After last year, I expect a bit of an over correction due to this.
I think it will hurt and several players that none of us want or expect to be traded will be.
Altuve and Bregman are FA after next year. Framber, Tucker, Pressly, and many others after 2025.
There are only so many opportunities left with this group of stars and in this position, this late in the season you must do everything you can to win.
I fully expect a move or two that are surprising and make us very happy. But the cost will be very dear.
They will need to deal with the future roster issues after the season is over.
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Giolito is a mid rotation starter at best and was a rental. The price for him was an arm and a leg. I doubt seriously there gonna be any cheap options even for rentals. I would love to be wrong .
Currently a sellers market I guess.
Yep, and Dana has been reinforcing this during every interview he’s given. A lot of buyers and very few sellers.
I wonder if this is a deliberate effect of the new(-ish) playoff format. More teams within shouting distance of a berth leads to fewer sellers. And overpaying by the buyers may help prevent dynasties.
Of course it is. That’s the goal…to have more teams in contention late in the season.
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Giving up certainly isn’t the answer. 2 months of baseball are left to be played and they are 2 games out of first and 4 games back from having the best record in the AL. You sound like Randy Quaid in Major League 2.
That was not my point. I agree that that was/is the (primary) goal. It seems, though, that it has also affected the deadline trade market in ways that may or ma not have been deliberate, though should have at least been predictable. More buyers — under pressure from fans, but also with economic and ego incentives — inflates the price of the even-scarcer “commodity”. And overpaying now leads to a talent “debt” later. Again, this is not new, but the new system seems to accentuate the swings. So a team’s unwillingness to pay the price this year puts them in a better position relative to the old system to get to the playoffs next year. And overpaying this year to compete now, makes it harder relative to the old system to maintain a dynasty.
“You’re old Mother Hubbard, and there’s only Montero in the cupboard!”
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Everyone here wants help.
But I’m guessing every GM sees Dana Brown on their caller ID and says “Hey Dana, let’s start with McCormick and you can sweeten the pot from there.”
And my point is that of course this outcome was deliberate. The league wants more teams in contention and fewer trade deadline rentals. Those two things go hand in hand and it’s absolutely by design.
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There is no such thing as “not meant to be” in competitive athletics, and competitors never give up until it is over.
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I think a local basketball coach said something to that effect.
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I’m normally more of a glass half-full type guy but I think we are looking at possibly an addition in the bullpen…and maybe a middle of the road starter (thinking Lance Lynn) to help eat some innings and that is probably it. That means Framber has to sit down on a weekly basis with his shrink so he can find the strikezone again and Javier/Montero must regain their form from last season between now and the time the playoffs start.
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Please note that Montero telling me to blow it out my ass, then entering to “Wild Thing” at full blast is an outcome I heartily endorse.
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