Biggest offseason priority outside of resigning Astros?

LOL...you are not trading Tucker. He is you LF that you needed this year.

 

finding a way to stay healthy the entire season and into the post-season. Health will destroy any dynasty.

 

Bingo.

The "home field disadvantage" thing is real, weird, and unique to this team. It really can't be ignored. Bring in an army of psychologists, because it's definitely psychological.

And hire the best damn hitting coach(es) out there. There's just no excuse for players to bounce back and forth from red hot to ice cold and nobody steps in to fix the cold spots. It's one thing if you just know a guy can't give you more than he's got. It's a whole other thing when players have shown their potential and then are vastly underperforming.

I do think that this season and this series has really exposed the weak and strong players on the team, and Luhnow and crew will take action accordingly. The more general and intangible stuff, though, also needs to be addressed...somehow.

All in all, a fun season, but also wildly and often-frustratingly unpredictable. But, hey, that's the Astros.

 

QO for Keuchel and Morton
Let Sipp, Gattis, McCann and Keuchel walk

Resign: Marwin, Maldonado, Morton

Sign
Catcher: Yasmani Grandal/Wilson Ramos
DH: Nelson Cruz/Adrian Beltre
RP: Andrew Miller/Zach Britton

1B: Gurriel
2B: Altuve
SS: Correa
3B: Bregman
RF: Reddick
CF: Springer
LF: Kemp
C: Grandal/Ramos
DH: Cruz/Beltre

Bench: Maldonado, Marwin, Marisnick

SP1: Verlander
SP2: Cole
SP3: Morton
SP4: McCullers
SP5: Josh James/McHugh

Closer: Osuna
RP: Pressly
RP: Miller/Britton
RP: McHugh/James
RP: Rondon
RP: Harris
RP: Smith
RP: Devenski

AAA call ups: Max Stassi, Tyler White, Kyle Tucker, Cionel Perez, Brad Peacock and others

If Morton retires then Eovaldi, Keuchel, Hamels, Corbin, etc could be options. I trust Strom to pick out a winner.

 

Any interest in J.A. Happ, Garret Richards, or Hyun Jin Ryu as potential Keuchel, Morton replacements?

I would want Cruz as a DH. Wouldn't mind Andrew Miller or David Robertson as a bullpen addition. Realmuto, Grandal, or Ramos for catcher.

*just don't trade Corbin Martin.

 

Underwhelming? Not that I really follow baseball, but didn't they just win the most games in franchise history? Sure they didnt make the WS this year, but I wouldnt call that underwhelming

 

improve where we can. Don't over spend. Stay healthy next year...

 

Just say no to ... Maldonado.

 

Garrett Richards had tommy john surgery a few months ago so cross him off the list. Ryu also has a ton of injury history. Happ would depend on the price but I expect the Yankees to hold onto him.

My interest in Cruz would depend on the Marwin situation. If we resign Marwin then sure go after Cruz. If we don't keep Marwin we need a DH that can also play LF in case Tucker doesn't work out.

I do not see the Astros paying Andrew Miller with the injuries and performance he had this season. Robertson is also probably out of their price range for a non-closer reliever. I think the Astros will be looking at mid-tier relievers more like Justin Wilson. Also, Luhnow might be more inclined to make a trade for a reliever similar to the Pressly deal.... get a guy with a couple years of team control with a low salary. I think most of the bullpen is already set... Osuna, Pressly, Peacock, Smith, Rondon, McHugh (if not a starter), Devenski will probably be back. You may have one or 2 spots left if at all for a Left hander which is why I said Justin Wilson as a possible target or they might keep Sipp.

I think the price for Realmuto would be a trade centered around Tucker or Whitley. I do not believe Luhnow will do that. Also, I expect Grandal to receive a Qualifying Offer from the Dodgers. I would target Ramos since he was traded during the season he can't get a Qualifying Offer so you just have to pay him without losing a draft pick.

It's hard to know what Luhnow is thinking. We got beat because pretty much every part of our team did a bad job during the series. Our starting pitching wasn't good enough, pretty much everyone in the bullpen gave it up in critical moments, and we flat out couldn't hit. Do they blame it away on injuries and roll with the same team with minor tweaks, do they roll with some of our minor league talent, or do they make some trades and bring in some big time free agents? Not sure how Luhnow will play it.

 

RF George Springer
2B Jose Altuve
3B Alex Bregman
1B Seth Beer
SS Carlos Correa
DH Yordan Alvarez
LF Kyle Tucker
CF Tony Kemp
C Max Stassi

SP Justin Verlander
SP Gerrit Cole
SP Forrest Whitley
SP Josh James
SP Charlie Morton

RP Collin McHugh
RP Brad Peacock
RP Cionel Perez
RP Chris Devenski
RP Ryan Pressly
CL Roberto Osuna

Out for the Year - Tommy John Surgery
Lance McCullers Jr.
Francis Martes

 

I think it's going to be minor tweaks and roll with our young talent. If we need more at the trade deadline we can add there. I would make offers to Morton and Marwin to see if we can keep them, but I have a feeling they will leave. Marwin will be the biggest loss due to the flexibility he gives to the team. If they leave Luhnow can try to work his magic again, like he did when he first acquired Morton and Marwin, and find under valued players that they can get to perform well for them. The key for the Astros is to use their analytics to find players like Pressley, Morton, and McHugh on the cheep that excel. In Luhnow I trust.

 

DH is the obvious area of need. Tyler White had a great August, ditto for Gattis in June, but we need a bat there that can produce all year.

Would love to find a way to keep Marwin but it's a gamble for what he's going to command. You can't pay a guy to hit like he did for most of the year.

As far as pitching, Keuchel walks. Re-sign Morton on a 2-yr deal. Bump McHugh back into the rotation and hopefully Whitley takes the 5th spot. I'd like to see James groomed as a late inning guy ... James/Pressly/Osuna could be a very formidable combination.

 

I think everyone has put alot into Tucker and I get it. But what you gotta ask is do we need a hitter at C? Yes. That extra hitter in a premium postion is key.

We have Alveraz that is Wright under Tucker. I think we could sacrifice one of them just to get Realmuto.


Andrew Miller and Nathan Eovaldi would be the perfect two guys to come over.

I dont know if we could get Goldschmidt butvwr could try. They need that money freed up

 

Doesnt Bagwell have a connection to a hand doctor? Bring that guy in for speed consultations.

 

If McCullers really is about to have Tommy John surgery, then the rotation clearly becomes the biggest problem. Losing Keuchel, Morton, and McCullers puts this team in a really bad spot. With McCullers assumes healthy, bringing back Morton would’ve been enough since there are some high upside internal options in James, Valdez, and Whitley.

I am not sure what their payroll flexibility will be. But worst case, they resign Morton, McHugh moves back into the rotation, and James is the SP5. If Luhnow feels ok about that rotation (or if money restrictions make it so he has to be), then catcher is the biggest hole.

Assuming McCullers needs TJ, needs are in order:

1. ToR SP to pair with Cole and Verlander to replace Keuchel
2. Starting catcher who can hit
3. MoR SP to replace Morton/McCullers
4. Elite bat (to lengthen the lineup and upgrade from Gattis) or superutility player (to replace Marwin)
5. Elite bullpen arm to add to already stacked group

Based on what I think I know:

Trade for Realmuto (without giving up Whitley or Tucker)
Sign Nelson Cruz
Sign Charlie Morton
Sign Zach Britton
Wait out the market and sign a vet BoR SP like Santana, Sanchez, Miley, Estrada, Gonzalez, Eovaldi, Hamels, Happ, Lynn, Pomeranz, Ross, or Ryu to a 1 yr deal
Sign a backup C if Stassi is part of Realmuto trade

Opening day 40 man:

CF Springer
3B Bregman
2B Altuve
SS Correa
DH Cruz
C Realmuto
LF Tucker
1B Gurriel
RF Reddick
Bench: White, Stassi, Marisnick
Rotation: Verlander, Cole, Morton, McHugh, James
Bullpen: Peacock, Devenski, Harris, Smith, Rondon, Pressly, Osuna, Britton

60 day DL: McCullers, Martes
Optioned: Stubbs, Arauz, Davis, Kemp, Straw, Rodgers, Armenteros, Thornton, Valdez, Perez, Guduan, Deetz, Abreu, Ferrell, Gustave
Traded: Reed, Fisher

 

Britton looks comparable in quality to Rondon, and doesn't appear worth the investment. Eovaldi, Grandal, and Goldschmidt are players I would like them to target.

 

Eovaldi and Grandal seem doable, would be great fits, and only costs money.

 

Dream Lineup

CF Springer
3B Bregman
2B Altuve
SS Correa
DH Cruz
C Realmuto
1B Gurriel
LF Tucker
RF Reddick

C Maldonado
IF Marwin
OF Kemp/Marisnick/Straw
OF Kemp/Marisnick/Straw

SP Verlander
SP Cole
SP Morton
SP Whitley
SP James/McHugh/Peacock

RP C. Perez (LHRP)
RP James/McHugh/Peacock
RP James/McHugh/Peacock
RP Rondon
RP Devenski
RP Pressly
CL Osuna

 

Get Correa and Altuve healthy sign a better catcher and get some bullpen help.

 

Come on, Realmuto is TOTALLY worth it. We can center the package around Alvarez, I think that'll do it (with the right supporting pieces).
I'd also love Goldschmidt, he has the complete package as well (contact, power, baserunning, defense) and is also October-proven.
Def get another starter. I'd prefer our rotation not be all-righty but if that's the case then I guess whatever. I'd like Corbin but he'll be too expensive, Eovaldi may be less due to injury concerns. Regardless, we can look forward to Whitley.
Not a big fan of Cruz (he's already 38, and therefore aging and could regress), I think DH can be just filled internally, but I'm not opposed to him on a short deal.

1B: Goldshmidt
2B: Altuve
3B: Bregman
SS: Correa
LF: Kemp
CF: Springer
RF: Tucker
C: Realmuto
DH: Gurriel (can also be another utility man)
Utility/PH: Lowrie (sign, should cost less than Marwin as he's not a Bora$ client, he and his wife still live in HOU)
PR/Defense: Straw
Backup C: Stubbs

Rotation: JV, Cole, Eovaldi, Whitley, Cionel Perez (so we have a lefty)
Pen: Osuna, Pressly, Miller, Rondon, Deetz, Devenski, Peacock, McHugh

Traded: Reddick, Stassi, Fisher, Reed, Harris
Gone in FA: Keuchel, Morton, McCann, Gattis, Maldonado

But whatever happens, happens. In Luhnow we trust.