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Old 07-05-2019, 03:48 PM   #46
SirGreatWhite
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Texas
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Trade Deadline 2020 & Minor League System update

Trade Deadline:

It's trade deadline day and the Astros have made a couple of smaller moves that they feel will help them in the long run. Most of their short term work was done in the offseason.

First move was trading right handed reliever and submarine specialist Joe Smith and minor league catcher Luis Torrens (splitting time between AA & AAA) to Baltimore in exchange for RHP Dillon Tate. Smith was in the final year of his contract and was the least used bullpen option for the Astros this year. He also battled injuries each of the past two seasons. He was going to be DFA'd but declined his demotion to AAA (which he has the right to do) to make room for the impending return of closer Roberto Osuna. So the Astros shopped him around and felt like Tate was the best they could get in return. Tate will start in AA and move up to AAA in a couple of weeks. He had been with the Orioles AAA affiliate.

The second move was trading backup catcher Austin Romine to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for utility infielder Christian Arroyo. Romine was becoming more and more upset as the season went on about not getting as much regular playing time when he was acquired via trade with the Yankees at the Winter meetings. No guaranteed starting role was ever promised to Romine, especially after the acquisition of Yasmani Grandal in free agency. Romine started the year playing about 40% of games but that has since come down to about 25% of games. The Astros easily had the best 1-2 punch at the catcher position in all of baseball, so Romine was expendible. He has a team friendly contract of $2.76M, which the Yankees are paying 50% of it this year, for a starting caliber player (or top notch backup if your team already has a great catcher). Romine was hitting .273/.338/.414/.752 with 5 HR, 3 doubles, 19 RBI's, & 21 runs scored in 37 games (34 starts) this year.

One area the Astros have exceptional depth at in their minor league system is catcher. They've drafted and acquired solid catching prospects because of the depth needed at that position. It's a good commodity to have because catcher's need more regular rest than other position players and also are more valuable if they can be above average hitters or better.

Arroyo, who just turned 25 years old, has the ability to play 2B, 3B, and SS - all with above average defense. He is also an above average contact and gap hitter who runs well. The Astros view him as someone who will compete for the teams backup spot as a utility man for next season (2021). He will start in AAA and likely be brought up for the September 1st roster expansion. He gives the Astros an additional utility option along with Aledmys Diaz. Diaz will be arbitration eligible this off-season and is likely to command a salary in the $2.5M range. If the Astros decide that's too much for a backup utility player, they can focus on Arroyo as the man for that spot.

As for on-the-field results. The short gap between the All Star game and the trade deadline (5 games) saw the Astros go 4-1 against the Angels (3-0) and the Rockies (1-1). The Astros start a 3 game series at home against the Texas Rangers next.

Minor League System Update & International Signings:

The Astros farm system was already considered in the top 10 of all of baseball prior to the 2019. With the moves the Astros have made over the last 1.5 seasons and offseason, their farm system now ranks #2 in all of baseball (some even say #1).

Their AAA affiliate, the Round Rock Express, currently are 64-41 and are in 1st place in the Pacific Coast League. Their AA affiliate, the Corpus Christi Hooks, are 60-43 and in 1st place of the Texas League. Their A+ affiliate, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, are 59-47 and in 1st place of the Carolina League. Their A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits, are 51-52 and in 5th place in the Midwest League. And their low-A affiliate, the Tri-City ValleyCats, are 25-14 early in their season and currently are in 1st place.

When the International Signing window opened in early July the Astros took a different approach this year. Last year they signed OF Pacho Olivas to the full $5M amount. This year they tried to target more international prospects but spread that money out. They came away with 4 international prospects: OF Sergio Uribe (16 years old; $1.5M), SS Luis Flores (16 years old; $1.8M), RHP Luis Moreno (16 years old; $1.1M), and RHP Juan Delgado (16 years old $500K) for a total of $4.9 million of their $5.0 million allotment.

Injury Updates:

Astros 2B Jose Altuve will return in 3 days. In his return it is likely that the Astros will send LF/1B Jake Bauers back down to AAA. Bauers' struggles in the majors this season are still showing despite him dominating in AAA (.322/.421/.500).

LHP Blake Snell will return to the Astros this coming week. LHP Keegan Akin will be sent back down to AAA in a corresponding move.

Roberto Osuna just rejoined the Astros after missing most all of July. The Astros traded Joe Smith to the Orioles to clear the roster spot.
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