Contreras solves 1st base right off jump street but at what cost? Yordan is going to miss 30 games for this that and the other. And how much do you have to throw in to get rid of Walker’s contract? If you were to ship Paredes and Walker ( and I doubt they will with Walker) you’re dangerously close to having only one legit power bat for 30-40 games.
Sadly, I think Dana will move Paredes and have to keep Walker. Not a horrible idea depending on the return but it will sadden me. Paredes is pretty young and has some great seasons ahead of him.
Good thing Dana got Adam Everett’s grandson from the Braves. That guy makes Maldanado look like Wade Boggs.
This would make me start the season with pretty low expectations. The Astros will regret trading Paredes if they do that.
As far as Contreras, I think I’d rather have Caratini, even knowing you won’t get the same power numbers, particularly if Contreras comes with the same price tag as Walker. Caratini at 2 yrs/$15MM vs Contreras at 2 yrs/$36.5MM seems like an easy decision.
Where do you put Caratini though. You can’t put Yainer as DH because that forces Patient Zero into daily duty. I’d like to have Caratini and it makes that position very consistent in output but wouldn’t you be spending that money on 70 games a year? (If you factored in platooning at 1st too)
I’m not saying it’s a bad idea. You’d probably get another 25 games as a pinch hitter too. And he does switch hit so there’s that.
Cole would like a word….i don’t know how the kid will be handled, they have screwed up plenty of young guys in the last few years……but I am bullish on Cole, not Yainer confident but still.
Speaking of Yainer , I think the new hitting coach is going to have a big impact on his mental approach this year….he should be one of the guys that benefits the most.
Whatever Cole might become, I don’t think there’s any way to call him “consistent” in the majors based on his body of work.
In any event, we’re mainly talking about 1B here, along with the fact that Yordan apparently can’t be expected to play a full season. I don’t have the stats to back this up, but it seemed like the offense last year was better with Caratini in the lineup. If Caratini is determined to move on, then maybe you look at a guy like Contreras - just seems like a move that they’ll regret.
And as for Paredes, I have a strong suspicion that Correa will be injured for stretches of the season, so having IP on the roster is pretty awesome insurance.
All of this is predicated on the assumption that they’ll try to field a contender and aren’t just going to throw the young guys out there from the start.
Lot to be done and we need to be patient….but unless Crane gives the green light to ad a couple of quality starting pitchers……we’ll, then fire sale that some bit-ch and play some kids.
Nothing worse than a .500 team IMO.
I’d rather see 60 wins, play the kids to see what you have plus you will draft in the top 5-10….trade some vets to help with farm, etc.
You guys know my background so you understand why I am probably the only person here that would want that.
Of course Dana didn’t go after Gray. Why sign any of the impact guys when you can wait until the end and bring in three more utility infielders. Speaking of which, our utility infield has a batting average that is too high. Dana should go get Rey Ordoñez out of retirement. F#%! Bring Everett out of retirement as a player-coach.
