Houston Astros 2024 Season Thread

[UTexasFight 9429]

Leon getting the call 

[UTexasFight 9429]

5 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

LMAO at those quotes. “Look, I know the cost was high, but I want to make sure you also know that this guy wasn’t even at the top of our board.”

Yeah.

there were some very cringe, defensive comments in that presser.

a lot of cya going on 

[UTexasFight 9429]

I just love hearing our GM and manager talking about getting the guy you have for 2 months and just gave up 3 major league ready guys with tons of team control… getting him in and see what the staff can do with him.

Effectively admitting he damaged goods.

Just lovely 

what an all around complete debacle 

[HtownHorn 14670]

Based on recent history of what the Astros have given up during past deadlines, and how those guys failed to perform over the long haul, I wouldn't be to sadden by today. From a standpoint of winning baseball games, the Astros are better today, from a stand point of future value where those values hardly ever actually turn out, the Astros got screwed today. He lengthens the rotation, but probably doesn't start in the playoffs. I guess that is ok for one real prospect and 2 guys that have more question marks than not. The problem still remains, this team is relying on too many shitty players to play major roles in the every day lineup and Kikuchi doesn't fix Dubon/Meyers/McCormick/Cabbage/Singleton getting way too much playing time.

We have positional depth at CI and OF. Leon, Melton, Baez, Dezenzo, Whitcomb, and Bastidas still give the Astros plenty of options and those guys are equal or better prospects than Loperfido/Wagner.

Edited July 30 by HtownHorn

[David Dennison 18851]

1 hour ago, Macklemore said:

Please hire this kid as GM after he graduates from U of Chicago. Rather have him learn on the job than have a “baseball lifer” like Dana make one of the worst trades in Astros history.

 

Blah, blah, blah.

[dr99 560]

- 

Edited July 30 by dr99

[tx 3 putt 76874]

Lace them up and kick ass tomorrow 

we should have won today

[tx 3 putt 76874]

Hope to see this arm in action ….

 

[Chuckie Finster 22694]

Hope to see this arm in action ….
 

Maybe he’ll pitch for us in one of the games where “innings eater” Kikuchi goes less than 5, as he has done more often than not over the past few months.

[WBT 20561]

7 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

Tap the brakes on worst trade ever, we traded a young Joe Morgan because of a racist manager from Mississippi 

For Lee May.  Hmmm

[Dbeasy 15042]

I’ve gotten to the point over the last few years where I stopped paying close attention to personnel on the Astros. This trade looks terrible for the Astros. I’ve read in here that they’ve also made several other really bad moves. What are the worst ones? Because I was always under the impression that they had to lose several guys after winning the title because of skyrocketing salaries. Was it more than that?

Edited July 30 by Dbeasy

[runthebone 7967]

Worst personnel moves?  Front office ones:  GM, manager hire

Edited July 30 by runthebone

[Gut Wagon 8065]

6 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

Lace them up and kick ass tomorrow 

we should have won today

Without the debacle on the field last night it was maybe just a head-scratching trade born of desperation. But Pressly and Hader amped up the anger tenfold. 

[Murfdogg21 4412]

That package should’ve yielded Blake Snell.

[kevwun 15765]

I can't wait to see what he gives up for a shitty middle reliever today or tomorrow.

Edited July 30 by kevwun

[Wulaw Horn 19068]

12/7/41. 
09/11/01

7/29/24

 

days that will live in infamy. 

[runthebone 7967]

43 minutes ago, kevwun said:

I can't wait to see what he gives up for a shitty middle reliever today or tomorrow.

Dana may be waiting for tomorrow...

[Scraps 13561]

Dana acting like we got Randy Johnson or some shit lol 

[TejasPedro 1857]

Why toss in Joey in that deal? Could have been made without him. What’s really going on? Very unbalanced trade.
Did Joey run through all the wives of this organization? 

[Mitch Hedberg 2090]

1 hour ago, Murfdogg21 said:

That package should’ve yielded Blake Snell.

We have a defensive CF though….

[Wulaw Horn 19068]

2 minutes ago, Mitch Hedberg said:

We have a defensive CF though….

So the giants are apparently delusional. Right right. Worked out well for SD as they held on to Snell and Hader at the deadline last year and finished 8 below 500 or some such nonsense. 

[David Dennison 18851]

I wonder how a no deal at the deadline meltdown would compare to this one.

 

[Gourmand 7774]

22 minutes ago, TejasPedro said:

Why toss in Joey in that deal? Could have been made without him. What’s really going on? Very unbalanced trade.
Did Joey run through all the wives of this organization? 

For all we know he may have been the centerpiece of Toronto's asking price. 

I hate losing Loperfido AND Wagner in this deal and frankly am surprised Dana Brown was willing to part with them considering his public comments on air earlier this week about the need to protect position player prospects that can hit vs pitching prospects. Before the trade was announced I was actually hoping for Kikuchi as a trade target because he can eat innings, has good stuff, and was one of the better trade options considering the state of our farm system. I just didn't expect us to give up all that we did to get him. That's a steep price and it's hard to think we didn't get hosed by James Click.

The only thing to do now is win the WS with Kikuchi providing some valuable innings and Pedro Leon making key contributions along the way.

Fuck it let's ride.

 

[David Dennison 18851]

1 minute ago, Gourmand said:

For all we know he may have been the centerpiece of Toronto's asking price. 

I hate losing Loperfido AND Wagner in this deal and frankly am surprised Dana Brown was willing to part with them considering his public comments on air earlier this week about the need to protect position player prospects that can hit vs pitching prospects. Before the trade was announced I was actually hoping for Kikuchi as a trade target because he can eat innings, has good stuff, and was one of the better trade options considering the state of our farm system. I just didn't expect us to give up all that we did to get him. That's a steep price and it's hard to think we didn't get hosed by James Click.

The only thing to do now is win the WS with Kikuchi providing some valuable innings and Pedro Leon making key contributions along the way.

Fuck it let's ride.

 

Only time will tell if the Astros got fleeced, but they're obviously OK parting with all three of those players.

[cabowabo 4484]

Dana may be waiting for tomorrow...

Yep, there is still time. Lulz.

[kevwun 15765]

11 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

I wonder how a no deal at the deadline meltdown would compare to this one.

 

From this day forward, I will be fine with no deadline deals from the Dana/Bagwell braintrust.  The dude they just traded for is as likely to end up getting DFA'd as he is to help the rotation.

Edited July 30 by kevwun

[Guadaloopy 10960]

Silver lining? The last time we traded for a lefty from Toronto at the deadline, we won the WS.  

[Gourmand 7774]

3 minutes ago, kevwun said:

From this day forward, I will be fine with no deadline deals from the Dana/Bagwell braintrust.  The dude they just traded for is as likely to end up geting DFA'd as he is to help the rotation.

Cmon now

[TejasPedro 1857]

4 minutes ago, Guadaloopy said:

Silver lining? The last time we traded for a lefty from Toronto at the deadline, we won the WS.  

Ahh…Brown and Baggy playing 69D Chess 

 

[WBT 20561]

22 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

I wonder how a no deal at the deadline meltdown would compare to this one.

 

I'm always biased toward not making deadline deals.  It seems like the rate of difference makers is really low.

[Wulaw Horn 19068]

11 minutes ago, WBT said:

I'm always biased toward not making deadline deals.  It seems like the rate of difference makers is really low.

Rentals with low cost to patch a hole. 
good players with club control that fill a long term need for a while, cheaply. 
 

this year that would be Winker in type 1 and arrozarena in type 2. 
Dana forgot the fact that you don’t pay a lot for rentals to patch holes. 
 

[kevwun 15765]

Leon has taken a year to adjust after every promotion.  He likes to strikeout just as much as Loperfido also.

[Gourmand 7774]

6 minutes ago, kevwun said:

Leon has taken a year to adjust after every promotion.  He likes to strikeout just as much as Loperfido also.

He was promoted twice in 2021 and has been stuck in AAA ever since. 

[ChickenSandwich 9829]

8 minutes ago, kevwun said:

Leon has taken a year to adjust after every promotion.  He likes to strikeout just as much as Loperfido also.

Worse than a 43%  K rate?

43 SO/ 106 AB

[kevwun 15765]

It took 2 entire season in AAA before he started to hit at a decent clip.

2022 - 35% k rate

2023 - 33%

2024 - 30%

 

Loperfido was 28% last year and 32% this year.

Edited July 30 by kevwun

[Chuckie Finster 22694]

4 minutes ago, kevwun said:

It took 2 entire season in AAA before he started to hit at a decent clip.

And he got unquestionably passed up by a younger guy with a 40% strikeout rate that was just included as basically a throw-in for a shitty starting pitcher.  But sure, maybe he'll save the season.

Edited July 30 by Chuckie Finster

[Gourmand 7774]

3 minutes ago, kevwun said:

It took 2 entire season in AAA before he started to hit at a decent clip.

He's definitely improved his numbers in 2024 but his 2022/2023 AAA stats weren't terrible either. He wasn't ever getting promoted with the logjam of OFers at the ML level. 

[Gourmand 7774]

2 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

And he got unquestionably passed up by a younger guy with a 40% strikeout rate that was just included as basically a throw-in for a shitty starting pitcher.  But sure, maybe he'll save the season.

Do you have a source for Loperfido as a throw-in? Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't Loperfido and Wagner drafted by James Click?

[Chuckie Finster 22694]

4 minutes ago, Gourmand said:

Do you have a source for Loperfido as a throw-in? Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't Loperfido and Wagner drafted by James Click?

That's me giving Dana Brown the benefit of the doubt.  If he views Loperfido as more than that, then the trade makes even less sense.

[UTexasFight 9429]

14 minutes ago, Gourmand said:

Do you have a source for Loperfido as a throw-in? Correct me if I'm wrong but weren't Loperfido and Wagner drafted by James Click?

Yeah, before I saw these posts I was already starting to work up a narrative in my head of Brown ego driving all of this. 

click: I want Bloss, loperfido and Wagner.

Brown: you’re insane.

click: look, I know Bloss is your guy but him for kicuchi you know you’d do in a heartbeat, right? 
Loperfido and Wagner aren’t your guys. You’re raving about how good your last two drafts have been and how great you are at that. Throw in Joey and Wagner to make room for all of your guys.

Brown: by god you’re a genius. Deal!

Edited July 30 by UTexasFight

[Gourmand 7774]

 

[UTexasFight 9429]

1 minute ago, Gourmand said:

 

Rays wanted Bloss. Not sure what they’re still interested in now.

[n64ra 1081]

What's the return window on these MLB trade things? I'd like Bloss, Wager, and Lope back.

[texashorne 1177]

I'm scared to see Bloss and Kikuchi's stats lined up next to one another. Just aftaid to look

[Gut Wagon 8065]

28 minutes ago, UTexasFight said:

Yeah, before I saw these posts I was already starting to work up a narrative in my head of Brown ego driving all of this. 

click: I want Bloss, loperfido and Wagner.

Brown: you’re insane.

click: look, I know Bloss is your guy but him for kicuchi you know you’d do in a heartbeat, right? 
Loperfido and Wagner aren’t your guys. You’re raving about how good your last two drafts have been and how great you are at that. Throw in Joey and Wagner to make room for all of your guys.

Brown: by god you’re a genius. Deal!

Another scary but plausible view is that Brown knows the title window is about to slam shut, so he's unconcerned about overpaying for an inconsistent lefty rental. He figures he's not signing Bregman or Tucker, JV might well be running on fumes, Valdez will keep having critical meltdowns and the various other starters we've lost to injury aren't all likely to reach their peak again. Add the catastrophe of your choice to this list, but it all adds up to betting on a longshot today because this Bentley's balloon payment is coming due in a hurry. 

[Scraps 13561]

Kikuchi ain't the problem he will be fine, and is a better option this year than both Arrighetti and Bloss. While he probably won't be a factor in the playoffs....we still need to get there first. He is a better option for that.

Just seems like an overpay giving 3 guys for him. But what the hell do i know.

[David Dennison 18851]

3 minutes ago, Scraps said:

Kikuchi ain't the problem he will be fine, and is a better option this year than both Arrighetti and Bloss. While he probably won't be a factor in the playoffs....we still need to get there first. He is a better option for that.

Just seems like an overpay giving 3 guys for him. But what the hell do i know.

Major league talent is expensive when there are so few sellers.

Did we overpay? Probably.

Did we really want that arm? Obviously.

Was the price acceptable? Yes.

[Guadaloopy 10960]

4 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

Major league talent is expensive when there are so few sellers.

Did we overpay? Probably.

Did we really want that arm? Obviously.

Was the price acceptable? Yes.

Coming around to this view of the situation.  More pissed off about our "shutdown" 8th and 9th inning guys both giving up runs last night.

[UTexasFight 9429]

15 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

Major league talent is expensive when there are so few sellers.

Did we overpay? Probably.

Did we really want that arm? Obviously.

Was the price acceptable? Yes.

This needs emphasis and more folks, I think, need to re-calibrate expectations on trades. This ain’t 2022 and prior. We really only have 2023 and now a half finished 2024 as a baseline.

Someone smarter than me can chime in on how other deals this year are stacking up and, yes, I’m certain there is some overpay here, but I think trades closer to this end of the spectrum are the new normal in a league with a 12 team (40%) postseason and a trade deadline that comes with a third of the season left to go.

just too many teams with too much season left that still think they have a shot drives prices for players to astronomical heights in a sport where winning 60% puts you at the very top of your sport. Teams like the 2023 D-Backs coming within 3 wins of the Commissioners trophy doesn’t help 

Edited July 30 by UTexasFight

[Wulaw Horn 19068]

Watching other teams get pieces that could have helped us for reasonable returns is like flipping on Cinemax after dark to see your wife was starring in one of those movies. What actually transpired was like finding out your daughter was the lead star on a bang bros production.