Wulaw Horn

I’d rather my joke about amputation when it was clearly a trade be true than that absolutely disgusting and awful trade.

Burt Steele says it’s Snell. Burt Steele is almost always wrong.

Jake Bloss to the DL with neck discomfort. “It’s ok- probably being overly cautious about nothing,” Dana Brown says. 1 month later word slowly leaks out his right arm has been amputated. “He’s always been pretty ambidextrous,” Brown said. “We expect to see him back next July or August in time for the 2025 stretch run.”

I think he might actually be good. He’s interesting as an arm in the 6th or 7th slot in your bullpen pecking order.

My greatest hope is we miss out on all the arms that make sense and Crane has to sign off on Snell or nothing. That will be the best arm moved at the deadline- he won't cost much- but boy oh boy if he gets hurt you are completely boned.

One mans trash is another mans treasure. Dana views shitty relief pitchers with options as treasure. so far like 1/10 with Taylor Scott, but what a nice 1 that's been.

Yandy Diaz would probably be just fine as a fallback option- he’s got a 108 OPs+ and that’s way lower than in years past, but he had a dreadful start to the year and has been over 800 OPs since May 1. He’s probably not washed or anything and just had a rough start. He’s guaranteed through 25, with a team option in 26 so he probably would be fine as the bridge to something else at 1B in 25 or 26. Beyond that- unless the Jays move Vlad Jr which they are saying they won’t it gets dicey as far as guys you’d actually be excited about at 1B. Maybe Cody Bellinger but fuck that guy- do not want. Lamont Wade Jr if the Giants sell and don’t mind giving up a guy with control through 25. I wanted Winker but he got dealt as well already today or yesterday. After that if it’s not Rooker it feels like you are in the Pham or Taylor Ward or Conforto bargain basement in the OF already.

We’ve been rumored to be in on every important player at the deadline. we have plenty to offer if we offer plenty. I think the Astros currently have 2 guys who could be stars, 8 or 10 guys who I see as average to above average MLB regulars (call it 3 or 4 of them hit) and a shitload of pitchers that will be at least MOR guys. category 1- potential stars: Matthews and Baez Category 2- potential average or better regulars (in order of my belief that it happens): Dezenzo, Leon, Whitcomb, Melton, Loperfido, Zach Cole, Wagner (not a regular but an above average utility guy) pitchers- potential Ace- Ullola MOR guys- Arrighetti, Bloss, Blubaugh, Gordon and a host of other guys that the Astros dig up and develop every single year. Honorable mention for Forest Whitley who looks/ to me- like he’s gotten to the point where he should be a big leaguer, worst case scenario middle innings guy/ best case scenario probably a leverage guy. I think he either gets traded and immediately promoted or he’s up for good on Wednesday/Friday but that’s just a guess. I know we are ranked like 28th but we’ve been ranked terribly since Tucker graduated and Whitley busted. All we’ve done since then is promote the following guys who were on nobody’s prospect list but have been average or above MLB regulars at their positions: Brown, Garcia, Urquidy, Pena, Chas, Bryan Abreu, Jake Meyers, Yainer Diaz I mean- that’s average 2 above average players a year- which is insane from a “shitty” farm system. this year we’ve seen Loperfido and Arrighetti promoted who are both proving they belong some days and not quite ready others (I’m not quite ready to lump them in with the other success stories above because those 8 all have had 2 or 3+ WAR seasons already which is the mark of being an above average regular) , but I’d bet on them getting there due to their makeup and high points right now, plus Bloss who is way too early to tell but I kind of like. We aren’t the Orioles or the Dodgers but we are so damn much. Better than we are given credit for on the farm that it’s ridiculous. I am well aware of that. Notice the past tense with the word WANTED not want- which would presuppose all those guys were available still. I also wanted Arrozarena but we already litigated that trade here so in the interest of brevity I didn’t bring it up again, as he was traded 3 or 4 days ago. That’s my entire point about it’s getting to be not early anymore. that was my wish list going into this weekend.

I wanted Arozarena, Paredes, Rooker, Vlad or Robert (2 of the 5 anyway) From the pitching side pick one of Snell, Fleherty, Skubal, Gausman or Crochet (before he said he was going into operation shut down if traded. And maybe a 6th inning reliever. As to what I’d be willing to give up? Literally Chas or Jake, Loperfido, Arrighetti or Bloss, and everyone (I mean literally everyone- nobody off limits and no amount of players too high) in the farm system as long as that represents actual fair value. So- if the price for Rooker is Melton, Mathews Blubaugh and Arrighetti do it. if it’s Paredes for Jake and Mathews and Baez and Ullolo- cool. Snell should be something like Montero, Leon and Whitley (they went out of the last of his contract for this year and off the hook for the option that’s coming next year only as a downside to the team- iE he gets hurt, exercises it and it’s 33M they owe him). but- the point is if we got those guys we wouldn’t need anyone in the minors (so to speak) because our lineup would be set everywhere but LF and 1B through 27. And I suspect if the Sam houston catcher is good (who can’t be traded) the answer at 1B is Yainer Diaz in 26 when he should be ready to go- so that leaves just RF. Sign Tucker or a 10/300 deal and be the favorite to win the AL through 2027 with this lineup: Altuve, Yordan, Rooker, Tucker, Paredes, Diaz, Chas, Pena, Sam houston catcher.

I mean- I’m not saying that’s how it’s going to go down. I’m saying that’s how it feels right now. If we get Yandy Diaz from the Tampa flea market- OK- cool- but that was like 3rd choice. This deadline just feels lien a couple of the other lousy ones right now where we hear about how close we were to this that or the other before pivoting to plan D and G. it’s obviously early, but it’s not that early anymore.

This is starting to feel like the Christmas where all the presents you open up are socks and underwear and that pet mom and dad you promised ended up being a bird or a fish or something. I cried so hard during that Xmas- it sucked. I will cry at least that hard if our trading haul ends up being some overpriced shitty reliever and a shitty platoon bat.

Except for this… it really didn’t sound like Dana had any intention to get a bat, and a couple perfect LFers got moved for dick and we didn’t make that happen. So… ugh what a fucking ugly 2 days so far with other teams doing shit and is not. 48 hours.

They said hopefully before September the other day. Figure anytime before 9/1 to be a win, as much as nobody wants to hear that.

Three. Unless you just want to save one or two for tomorrow and Tuesday.

Blake snell. Giants are waiving the white flag. He’s been awesome his last 5 starts. He makes so much money with that option next year (opting out if he doesn’t get hurt but straight fucked if he does) that the risk is on the team side and it’s likely to be a very light prospect haul.

Agreed.

I don’t know that we need a reliever. Forest Whitley is ready to shine. Also- if we get JV back then arrighetti goes to the bullpen and that stuff will play up down there. Starter, 1B, LF, RP in that order imo. Dubon needs to go back to playing 2 or 3 times a week and singleton needs to be a PH. Flaherty, Rooker, Paredes would be a really sexy haul. we’ve won 6 Framber starts in a row. Brown has been the best pitcher in the AL since about May 15, Flaherty would be really good and JV as a 4th starter in the playoffs is pretty sexy. the lineup would be the best in baseball and you’d have LF and 3B fixed for the next 3 years at all star caliber levels.

Best win of the year. Everyone but Yordan with a contribution. Go get em tomorrow big fella.

Ha. My brain can’t handle Biggio the lefty. 68 mph. It’s hard to hit one that soft pull side. we dinked the shit out of them in the 6th I guess.

I hate baseball. Biggio hits one 67 mph for a run scoring triple opposite field. Meyers pisses all over an oppo rocket and it’s an out.

I don’t understand any of what they are doing with JV.

He could be better than TBA- but probably not.

I mean- it’s a 1/30 chance to hang a trophy and they are in the bottom 5 of resources.

I just texted with Andrew how much I love Tampa. They are reasonable. They do the right thing. They move guys without turning it into a circus and screwing over buyers b/c they dither around and won't ever make a decision (looking at you Cubs and White Sox), they have their own mind about the value of prospects and are usually right. Just a well run organization that does everything right, considering all their constraints.

He's basically played like 95 or 98% of the games for his career before this injury. I assume he's neither a pussy nor made of glass and that this injury is a big deal. I'm irritated more with the lack of meaningful communication from the Astros medical staff than I am Tucker not being in the lineup.