Buyer...or Seller (Astros version)

jennings for saltalammachia!

 

We can only dream that that'll happen, salty has been allowing some stolen bases this year, especially that one game against the ScRubs.

 

uhm.... no he doesn't. in terms of being sellers, they have three definitive commodities: lidge (if healthy), jennings and loretta. a slight step below them: mike lamb. a step (or two) below that: woody williams. if they blow the whole damn thing up, then wheeler and qualls could fetch adequate value.

obviously, pence, berkman, lee and oswalt could also get back something substantial, but i'm assuming they'll not be on the block.

 

Don't forget about Ausmus.

 

Only guys that should be untouchable on this team should be Pence, Lee, Berkman, and Oswalt. Anybody else you can gladly have. I know Berkman is struggling but I know he will return to form very soon.

 

I think Dan Wheeler is underrated and that you wouldn't get the same value back for him. Pretty much the same for Qualls too. Lidge on the other hand is almost back to the point where he's just dominant and although he's not all the way there some desperate team might roll the dice and offer something good. At any rate I wouldn't trade more than one of those 3.

If trading lidge, jennings or loretta got us back a good young 3B or C I'd do that deal in a heart beat. Salty or Andy Marte would be awesome, highly unlikely, but awesome. plus we could just resign jennings

 

IMO, this team needs a total rennovation. We're simply not good enough to reload rather than rebuild. I don't even think there should be untouchables, although I can't imagine any team coming with a package good enough to pry away Oswalt/Berkman/Pence. Considering Lee's age, I think he's definitely on the market. The guy doesn't belong on a rebuilding team, but rather a contender willing to sacrifice the future(albatross contract later on) to win now.

 

The Astros should definitely be a seller, but the team management has to identify itself as a seller and recognize that they are out of the race. IMHO I believe that McLane and Co. will be afraid to admit that we're out of the race and the that fans will decide not to go to the games. I believe this to be very far from the truth. With the emergence of Hunter Pence (hopefully the next great Astro) and with this quite possibly being Biggio's last season, I think fans will still go out to the games to watch this team regardless if they are in "rebuild" or "reload" mode, at least I know I will.

That being said the Astros' chips are Lidge, Wheeler, Qualls and Jennings. Ensberg could be had too, but I'm sure the Astros want much more than teams are willing to offer.

Lidge - As soon as he comes back from the DL, if he is healthy and shows that he can return to pre-injury form, then see what you can net for him at the deadline. There has been plenty of interest in Lidge this over the last year and a half, the key is him coming back showing that he is healthy and in command of his pitches before the trade deadline. He is most likely your most tradeable commodity along with Jennings.

Wheeler - Has shown the ability to close games, recently has had trouble, but no reason he couldn't bounce back.

Qualls - A good 7th and 8th inning guy who could eventually become a closer, the same as Wheeler with having trouble lately.

Jennings - Is he healthy? Thats the key question, sometimes he looks good (his first start and first start back from the DL) and then not so good sometimes (his start against the Angels). Starting pitching is always a hot commodity at the trade deadline and I'm sure if they put feelers out there, the Astros can get some top notch prospects for him from a team going for it all this year that is trying to bolster their starting rotation (Braves, Mets, Mariners, Phillies and Yankees).

Hopefully the team will make the necessary moves to get quality players to help put us back in contention next season, hopefully they won't be afraid to make any moves at all.

 

Sell them all BUT Pence

 

and oswalt. and berkman. and lee.

 

I originally thought that we should be sellers, but with Bueherle, Glaus, and Salty potentially on the trade market, I think we should be buyers.

If you could trade for Buehrle and Salty, the follwing could happen:

1) You move Woody to the pen.
2) You get Salty's bat in the lineup, at least part time, while he learns from Ausmus.
3) When Backe returns, you move Wandy to the pen.

Next year's lineup could be:
1B Berkman (he will eventually hit like Puma)
2B Loretta/Burke/Conrad
SS Everett/Burke/Conrad
3B Lamb
LF Lee
CF Pence
RF Scott
C Salty

Next year's rotation:
Oswalt, Jennings, Beuhrle, Backe, Sampson

We would have to trade Lidge, and probably Wheeler or Qualls.
Next year's bullpen:
Woody, Wandy, Wheeler or Qualls, Randolph, Borkowski, White

The bullpen leaves a bit to be desired, but the rest of the team I would be VERY comfortable with.

Let's make those deals. The only minor league player I would not want to trade to get those guys is Troy Patton.

 

Buerhle is a free agent next year (and is rumored to be seeking at least an Oswalt-like contract) and there is no way the Braves will trade Salty for a bunch of scrubs. Not to mention you also have Jennings on board for next year as well. Unless the Astros are willing to spend a ton, there is no way that lineup can work.

 

I would love to see that happen, however I seriously doubt that could happen. The White Sox are going to want some very good major league ready prospects (which we are currently lacking, save for Pence and Patton).

Atlanta is going to want something good for Saltalamacchia, they do not want to trade him for a rental. You could trade for one of them, maybe but not both of them. I'd really like to see Salty in an Astros uniform as he could be the future at catcher at just 22 years of age. The Braves want a starter to bolster their rotation, a package of Jennings and Wheeler could net you Salty and a AA prospect maybe, but then again Jennings is a FA after this season and would be considered a rental. If Lidge comes back healthy and starts pitching good again, a package with him may be able to get you Salty.

Backe will probably not be back until next season at best. McTaggert said he had a small setback in his rehab and with the season slipping away every day, I can't see the Astros letting him rush and come back. Wandy has been pitching decent this year and deserves a shot at staying in the rotation.

I'd like to see the Astros try and trade for OF Carlos Gomez, the Mets have their veterans coming back off the DL and want a starter (Jennings) and bullpen help (Qualls, Wheeler, Lidge). Gomez can play RF or CF has blazing fast speed and could be the leadoff man that we've been looking for since we lost Willy T.

 

that bullpen sucks... should build your team around a solid bullpen. just look at this years bullpen can't win games without one.

 

You also can't win if you can't score runs or if you don't have the pitching to get you to the bullpen with a chance to win.

Brooks Conrad is also trade bait. J.R. Towles is also trade bait.

I am not sure what they can get you. Ensberg and Everett could be used as trade bait as well. Apparently there is interest from some teams in Everett because of his defense. IMO, Salty and a middle of the rotation starter need to be our goals.

 

Not to mention the fact that we supposedly now have that $20M that we (wink) weren't setting aside for Roger Clemens.

We could re-sign a couple of FAs so they wouldn't be just a rental.

But that is just in theory.

If you wantr to win, you have to spend all of the cash at your disposal (even that which doesn't really exist but you were going to pay to Roger anyway).

 

Sell if you can. Wheeler needs to pick up his game to have more value and Lidge needs to get healthy. Salty would be both a perfect option as a buyer and a seller.