Why would Luhnow pull that deal.? Keuchel has won a Cy Young, will finish in the top 5 this year in voting and is proven in the playoffs. Swapping him for Archer one on one is a downgrade
If we are thinking about what we need next year, maybe we should consider a catcher that can throw out runners? I think we rank last at around a 12% throw out rate (last in all of baseball).
If Luhnow refuses to make a trade this off-season due to the inclusion of Hoyt and/or Reed he should be fired.
Think of it as two trades: 1 yr of Keuchel for 1 yr of Archer 3 yrs of Archer for Martes/Reed/Hoyt The first is a downgrade if Keuchel is healthy. The latter depends on how you feel about Martes, but most teams make that swap without thinking twice. Reed & Hoyt are filler at this point.
Hoyt could very well have a great year, sort of like Josh Fields did this year. Of course I don't regret for 1 second getting rid of Josh Fields (without regard to the fact that we got back Alvarez).
I would hold back on the "if" regarding the firing of Luhnow until after the offseason. Astros have a good chance to win World Series this year and Luhnow will have carte blanche if that happens.
As long as the run game continues to be de-emphasized in modern baseball... its not as critical as having a catcher who can hit relatively well for his position.
It was a hyperbolic statement. I cannot imagine that Luhnow would scuttle a trade if Hoyt and/or Reed was requested this offseason.
Sure... but if you had to choose one aspect... I'd say this year has proved that having no black holes in the lineup can win you a ****-ton of games.
I'm curious to see if teams run wild on the Astros during the playoffs when there is more emphasis on every run and every pitch. If I saw Astros catchers only catching 10% of baserunners, I'd run at every single opportunity.
I would too. I know its extremely hard to plug every hole a team can have. But if every opponent single becomes a double, that is a hell of a disadvantage for us.
Pitchers still have to do a better job of paying the runners attention, making throws over, and being quick to the plate. You can have all the arm-strength you want at catcher.... base-stealers end up stealing them on the pitcher just as much. Also, its very hard for a team to just start running simply because its the playoffs... either its in their nature, or its not. I'd be more than happy if their increased aggressiveness leads to more successful pick-offs or outs on the basepath.
Exactly, but better make them perfectos. Don't want anybody advancing to first on a walk, HBP, error, wild pitch, passed ball, or catcher's interference either.
