re: DAT: Offseason Thread (Spring Training has begun!!)

quote:

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is he that ace you dump everyone for?

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I don't consider trading Martes & Tucker dumping "everyone" considering the current build of the Astros roster. So yes, I'd do it. Statistically, Quintana is a borderline top 10 SP and is only 27 years old. Getting him gives us a starting rotation of him, Dallas, LMJ, and Musgrove for the foreseeable future - all 28 years old or younger. Back end rotation starters are fairly easy to come by, so I am not overly concerned about that 5th spot. At worst, Paulino is still a top 100 prospect in our system and has #2 upside according to most scouting reports (gotta remember he has less than 150ish total professional innings pitched and has MLB service already despite the inexperience - kid can throw). Feliz was once seen as having #2 upside if he could develop that third pitch. Devenski has shown potential and may be given a chance to land in the rotation as soon as this season. Thats three possible long term options for the 5th spot already in our system, not to mention signing a cheaper guy to fill the 5th spot like we have for a few years in a row if the internal guys dont work out. So it isn't like trading Martes kills our entire future MLB rotation when we are really just talking about the final 5th spot if he is traded for a proven SP.

Then Tucker: If Springer is a part of our future, then he and Riddick will make up 2/3rds of our staring OF for the next 3-5 years (and both are sub 30 years old). Much like the 5th rotation spot, I dont think finding a LF to play along side them will be incredibly difficult. We already have flexibility there on our current roster with the thought that Yuli can handle it if we were to bring in another 1st baseman. Yuli also started 20-plus games at 3b for us last season, so at worst he can go back to 3rd and Bregman can man LF if we need to shuffle things (not suggesting that - just showing that we do have flexibility to find guys to play LF already). So it isnt like we dont have short term options already and, like a 5th starter, I dont think signing a Reddick like player to play LF within the next year or so will be difficult to do if we chose to go that route in free agency one offseason soon. Hell we went hard after Cespedes this offseason. If he signed and the intention is to keep Springer, then Tucker would have been as good as gone anyways in a trade, imo.

Age is on our side with the current build of our roster, so don't think we are screwed in 3+ years if we trade our top two prospects for a much needed piece to help us NOW. A large portion of our roster will still be sub 30 by then.

Edit: And we are talking prospects. Last season no one here wanted to include AJ Reed in any trade, even when everyone was discussing a hypothetical trade to the Braves for Freddie Freeman. This offseason, no one here would flinch if he were involved in trade for a proven player in return. Same perceived drop-off can happen to any other prospect currently in our system.