halfastros81 said:

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Don't disagree but Dana trying to save his own butt could very well be a piece of the puzzle . If they end the season in 3rd or 4th in the Division and nothing to suggest significant near term improvement he could be unemployed.

If they win the division even with nothing to suggest significant near term improvement that would be a harder move to make.

Smartest move would likely be sell your good players that aren't a part of the future like JP , load up on quality prospects especially pitchers and build toward 2028-2029.

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All of this talk about Dana making the choice of buying or selling is nonsense. If he's buying, it's only because Crane said to buy. If he's sells, it's only because Crane allows him to sell. Dana can give his thoughts on buying or selling, but Crane is the 100% decider in that. And when we don't sell like we should, it's 100% on Crane.

If I'm working off the assumption that we are hell bent on doing something stupid then the case for Adames is the following:

1) Get SF to eat a bunch of salary. If you go by the trade simulator, Adames is worth -42M so they'd have to eat $42M just for us to take him off their hands and give up nothing. Clearly you aren't giving up prospects of any value (though giving up a B or C tier or two would get them to eat more money)
2) If you get Adames then part 2 is Peña is a very valuable trade chip where you can do make an impact move. You can get a #2 starter (for us at least) and a good starting OF from the Red Sox. Saurez and Duran? Bennett and Abreu? Either of those trades helps you beyond 2027 (when Pena is leaving anyway).

At that point you just hope Adames is more like the 2025 version and isn't much worse than Pena while the trade with the Red Sox solves your primary concerns.

From a Brewers fan that's a friend:
Rumors are Brewers are sending Joey Ortiz, our SS with a golden glove but plastic bat. He's been on the trading block for awhile with our deep minor league prospect bench at SS

wmitchell said:

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From a Brewers fan that's a friend:
Rumors are Brewers are sending Joey Ortiz, our SS with a golden glove but plastic bat. He's been on the trading block for awhile with our deep minor league prospect bench at SS

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Can he play multiple positions? If so, so long Nick Allen?

That could be another way to free up Peña as a trade chip, though Ortiz has very limited upside

EastCoastAgNc said:

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wmitchell said:

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From a Brewers fan that's a friend:
Rumors are Brewers are sending Joey Ortiz, our SS with a golden glove but plastic bat. He's been on the trading block for awhile with our deep minor league prospect bench at SS

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Can he play multiple positions? If so, so long Nick Allen?

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https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ortizjo06.shtml
According to this he plays second, short, and third. Nick Allen might be a trade chip now

At least we aren't bottom 3!

Baseball's best and worst systems approaching the trade deadline?

1. Brewers
2. Rays
3. Dodgers
--
28. Rockies
29. Phillies
30. Padreshttps://t.co/Lu30EP0qur

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) July 15, 2026

Truth. In the end Dana will do what Crane wants . No doubt about it but his primary job is to make recommendations and present a picture of where those recommendations will lead short, middle, and long term. I suspect their minds are both in the same place . Try to make this team a playoff team. Not the smartest imo but still what I expect.

100% on Crane is also true but if it doesn't work Crane isn't the one at risk of being fired.

MaxPower said:

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That could be another way to free up Peña as a trade chip, though Ortiz has very limited upside

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Dana using Pena as a trade chip while trying to fix the offense is the most self defeating move possible.

MaxPower said:

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That could be another way to free up Peña as a trade chip, though Ortiz has very limited upside

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Sadly this was my first thought. I love Peña but I also know he's likely gone.

In the short term, yes. But if the assets coming back have more control, it would be a way to help the future without giving up on the present.

I just don't believe Crane would agree to trade one of his premier players mid-season, even if he should.

As much as Pena has been a great asset to us the last few years, we need to remember that he is also a bit of a china doll. I'd sell High on him. Retain Yordan and see what we can get for just about anyone else.

That's where I am as well. EastcoastAg is right. Trading Pena now would clearly be a move toward the future at this years expense. I think you are also right . Both are true . It's all about what Crane values most, having a chance at the playoffs now vs looking ahead.

SpaceCityAg05 said:

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In the short term, yes. But if the assets coming back have more control, it would be a way to help the future without giving up on the

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That's my thought. Crane won't accept a pure rebuild move. Will he accept a move for big leaguers with more control as a compromise? Maybe

whoa, late to the party...Lance shipped out

Dirty Mike and the Boys said:

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I think Crane threw the baby out with the bath water following the sign stealing ***** He didn't just oust Luhnow and Hinch, he ousted the idea that exceptional analytics should be the foundation of a winning baseball organization. He let everyone with any connection to Luhnow walk. He browbeat at every given moment his likewise analytics-focused Luhnow replacement, Click, and quickly replaced him with a "scouting-guru" lackey. In similar fashion, he replaced his young, numbers-driven manager with the oldest, most old school option in Dusty.

While I do think the rest of the league caught up to what the Astros found out first with Luhnow and Co. that spreading money widely within the international pool and taking shots on the older guys can be just as foundational as drafting well, I still believe Luhnow had the brains and creative acumen to continue to find lucrative outlets to outpace the rest of the MLB. Crane did what he felt he had to do to save face after the sign stealing debacle, but I think it's pretty clear that what he deemed as a failure in leadership with his GM he also (incorrectly) deemed a failed formula to build a winning franchise. One of the big mysteries for me is how Luhnow would've handled the "rebuild after the rebuild". I feel pretty confident it wouldn't look very similar to what we've seen.

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Luhnow would have traded Springer, Bregman, and Framber before they walked. The players he got in return would have backstopped the farm and keep a solid rotation of promising young talent to mix with his diamond in the rough FA pickups.

We wouldn't be talking a second rebuild. We would be where he intended us when he started - a mature organization and routine playoff threat that has a really good chance to go all the way 1 out of every 3 or 4 years.

Farmer1906 said:

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Assume the Astros pull this off at the deadline

• Add a LHH OF like Mickey Moniak or JJ Bleday.
• Add 7th inning type, relief pitcher
• Don't give up anyone critical on the big league roster
• Blanco and Wesneski come back and stay healthy and mostly effective for the rest of 2026.

Is this enough to...

• Make the playoffs?
• Win the division?
• Make the ALCS?
• Make the WS?
• Win the WS?

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NO
NO
NO
NO
NO

Maybe
Maybe
No
No
No

Heineken-Ashi said:

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Dirty Mike and the Boys said:

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I think Crane threw the baby out with the bath water following the sign stealing ***** He didn't just oust Luhnow and Hinch, he ousted the idea that exceptional analytics should be the foundation of a winning baseball organization. He let everyone with any connection to Luhnow walk. He browbeat at every given moment his likewise analytics-focused Luhnow replacement, Click, and quickly replaced him with a "scouting-guru" lackey. In similar fashion, he replaced his young, numbers-driven manager with the oldest, most old school option in Dusty.

While I do think the rest of the league caught up to what the Astros found out first with Luhnow and Co. that spreading money widely within the international pool and taking shots on the older guys can be just as foundational as drafting well, I still believe Luhnow had the brains and creative acumen to continue to find lucrative outlets to outpace the rest of the MLB. Crane did what he felt he had to do to save face after the sign stealing debacle, but I think it's pretty clear that what he deemed as a failure in leadership with his GM he also (incorrectly) deemed a failed formula to build a winning franchise. One of the big mysteries for me is how Luhnow would've handled the "rebuild after the rebuild". I feel pretty confident it wouldn't look very similar to what we've seen.

---

Luhnow would have traded Springer, Bregman, and Framber before they walked. The players he got in return would have backstopped the farm and keep a solid rotation of promising young talent to mix with his diamond in the rough FA pickups.

We wouldn't be talking a second rebuild. We would be where he intended us when he started - a mature organization and routine playoff threat that has a really good chance to go all the way 1 out of every 3 or 4 years.

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He didn't trade Springer unless you think it would have been a deadline deal. He didn't trade Keuchel. He didn't trade Cole. I think you're projecting your own ideas as Jeff's.

Farmer1906 said:

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Heineken-Ashi said:

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Dirty Mike and the Boys said:

---

I think Crane threw the baby out with the bath water following the sign stealing ***** He didn't just oust Luhnow and Hinch, he ousted the idea that exceptional analytics should be the foundation of a winning baseball organization. He let everyone with any connection to Luhnow walk. He browbeat at every given moment his likewise analytics-focused Luhnow replacement, Click, and quickly replaced him with a "scouting-guru" lackey. In similar fashion, he replaced his young, numbers-driven manager with the oldest, most old school option in Dusty.

While I do think the rest of the league caught up to what the Astros found out first with Luhnow and Co. that spreading money widely within the international pool and taking shots on the older guys can be just as foundational as drafting well, I still believe Luhnow had the brains and creative acumen to continue to find lucrative outlets to outpace the rest of the MLB. Crane did what he felt he had to do to save face after the sign stealing debacle, but I think it's pretty clear that what he deemed as a failure in leadership with his GM he also (incorrectly) deemed a failed formula to build a winning franchise. One of the big mysteries for me is how Luhnow would've handled the "rebuild after the rebuild". I feel pretty confident it wouldn't look very similar to what we've seen.

---

Luhnow would have traded Springer, Bregman, and Framber before they walked. The players he got in return would have backstopped the farm and keep a solid rotation of promising young talent to mix with his diamond in the rough FA pickups.

We wouldn't be talking a second rebuild. We would be where he intended us when he started - a mature organization and routine playoff threat that has a really good chance to go all the way 1 out of every 3 or 4 years.

---

He didn't trade Springer unless you think it would have been a deadline deal. He didn't trade Keuchel. He didn't trade Cole. I think you're projecting your own ideas as Jeff's.

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I was very surprised the Astros didn't try and trade Springer at the deadline in 2020. That would have been an ideal time to trade a rental and pick up some farm capital.

Farmer1906 said:

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Heineken-Ashi said:

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Dirty Mike and the Boys said:

---

I think Crane threw the baby out with the bath water following the sign stealing ***** He didn't just oust Luhnow and Hinch, he ousted the idea that exceptional analytics should be the foundation of a winning baseball organization. He let everyone with any connection to Luhnow walk. He browbeat at every given moment his likewise analytics-focused Luhnow replacement, Click, and quickly replaced him with a "scouting-guru" lackey. In similar fashion, he replaced his young, numbers-driven manager with the oldest, most old school option in Dusty.

While I do think the rest of the league caught up to what the Astros found out first with Luhnow and Co. that spreading money widely within the international pool and taking shots on the older guys can be just as foundational as drafting well, I still believe Luhnow had the brains and creative acumen to continue to find lucrative outlets to outpace the rest of the MLB. Crane did what he felt he had to do to save face after the sign stealing debacle, but I think it's pretty clear that what he deemed as a failure in leadership with his GM he also (incorrectly) deemed a failed formula to build a winning franchise. One of the big mysteries for me is how Luhnow would've handled the "rebuild after the rebuild". I feel pretty confident it wouldn't look very similar to what we've seen.

---

Luhnow would have traded Springer, Bregman, and Framber before they walked. The players he got in return would have backstopped the farm and keep a solid rotation of promising young talent to mix with his diamond in the rough FA pickups.

We wouldn't be talking a second rebuild. We would be where he intended us when he started - a mature organization and routine playoff threat that has a really good chance to go all the way 1 out of every 3 or 4 years.

---

He didn't trade Springer unless you think it would have been a deadline deal. He didn't trade Keuchel. He didn't trade Cole. I think you're projecting your own ideas as Jeff's.

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He didn't trade Springer because he was fired before he could in the 2020 offseason. He didn't trade Cole because he had just traded for him to win a title. He didn't trade Keuchel because we were trying for back to back championships. But I do think he absolutely would have traded Springer, Bregman, and Framber the offseason before their walk years. None of them were anywhere close in contract terms and had any intention on resigning with us.

The expanded playoff in 2020 kept a lot of trades from happening. We went to game 7 of the ALCS and he was a big part of that run so I'm glad we held onto him.

tjack16 said:

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The expanded playoff in 2020 kept a lot of trades from happening. We went to game 7 of the ALCS and he was a big part of that run so I'm glad we held onto him.

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True, but if the trade had brought us back someone who could have helped us go back to back in 2023, I would have taken that.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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tjack16 said:

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The expanded playoff in 2020 kept a lot of trades from happening. We went to game 7 of the ALCS and he was a big part of that run so I'm glad we held onto him.

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True, but if the trade had brought us back someone who could have helped us go back to back in 2023, I would have taken that.

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Yeah but at the time we were all in on winning that 2nd title in the wake of the scandal and houston vs the world. In zero world would any of us been happy about a trade

superaggie73 said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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Heineken-Ashi said:

---

Dirty Mike and the Boys said:

---

I think Crane threw the baby out with the bath water following the sign stealing ***** He didn't just oust Luhnow and Hinch, he ousted the idea that exceptional analytics should be the foundation of a winning baseball organization. He let everyone with any connection to Luhnow walk. He browbeat at every given moment his likewise analytics-focused Luhnow replacement, Click, and quickly replaced him with a "scouting-guru" lackey. In similar fashion, he replaced his young, numbers-driven manager with the oldest, most old school option in Dusty.

While I do think the rest of the league caught up to what the Astros found out first with Luhnow and Co. that spreading money widely within the international pool and taking shots on the older guys can be just as foundational as drafting well, I still believe Luhnow had the brains and creative acumen to continue to find lucrative outlets to outpace the rest of the MLB. Crane did what he felt he had to do to save face after the sign stealing debacle, but I think it's pretty clear that what he deemed as a failure in leadership with his GM he also (incorrectly) deemed a failed formula to build a winning franchise. One of the big mysteries for me is how Luhnow would've handled the "rebuild after the rebuild". I feel pretty confident it wouldn't look very similar to what we've seen.

---

Luhnow would have traded Springer, Bregman, and Framber before they walked. The players he got in return would have backstopped the farm and keep a solid rotation of promising young talent to mix with his diamond in the rough FA pickups.

We wouldn't be talking a second rebuild. We would be where he intended us when he started - a mature organization and routine playoff threat that has a really good chance to go all the way 1 out of every 3 or 4 years.

---

He didn't trade Springer unless you think it would have been a deadline deal. He didn't trade Keuchel. He didn't trade Cole. I think you're projecting your own ideas as Jeff's.

---

He didn't trade Springer because he was fired before he could in the 2020 offseason. He didn't trade Cole because he had just traded for him to win a title. He didn't trade Keuchel because we were trying for back to back championships. But I do think he absolutely would have traded Springer, Bregman, and Framber the offseason before their walk years. None of them were anywhere close in contract terms and had any intention on resigning with us.

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There was zero indication that he was even considering trading Springer. He traded for Cole before 2018. By the logic of these posters, Cole should have been dealt in 2019. Jeff has Verlander, Cole, McCullers, & Morton. No reason why he should have kept Dallas with this logic.

But in actuality, Jeff never did these kinds of trades. There is no reason to believe he would have traded Springer, Bregman, Framber, etc. Look at the major ones, he traded away prospects and more control to get players to win now. Look at Verlander, Cole, Harper (failed), etc.

My fav personal memory of LMC was in 2015 I went to see us play the Orioles at Camden. Wifey got us front row seats literally next to the dugout. Before the game I got Keuchel and LMC's autographs on the same baseball. Then Altuve gave me his on a separate ball.

Lance was super nice and I instantly became a fan of him after his Bury me in the H comment after '22

Astros get Jadyn Fielder for LMJ and Gordon.

We got Prince Fielder's son in the trade for LMJ

wmitchell said:

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From a Brewers fan that's a friend:
Rumors are Brewers are sending Joey Ortiz, our SS with a golden glove but plastic bat. He's been on the trading block for awhile with our deep minor league prospect bench at SS

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Not true - The son of Prince Fielder was traded to the Astros. He's in the low minors.

I have it in my closet but LMJ sent me a signed Greenville Astros hat back in the day because I commented on his Twitter account. best of luck 43

512Ag said:

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Astros get Jadyn Fielder for LMJ and Gordon.

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So basically nothing, but Crane likes names.

Understand why, still makes me sad.

Cash Consideration's realtor is going to working overtime for the next month

Jadyn Fielder is headed to the Astros in the Lance McCullers trade, per @Chandler_Rome.

Fielder, 21, is Prince Fielder's son. He's hitting .233/.415/.398 through 45 Low-A games.

Here are a couple swings from earlier this spring ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Njx8G7vLbD

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) July 15, 2026

Quote:

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Updated Astro Bingo standings for the 73 of us through the results of the All-Star Game

Name | Value
--------------- | -----
OPAG | 5
HTownAg98 | 5

Big Al 1992 | 4
JohnnyTexAg1995 | 4
LonestarAg09 | 4

Jackal99 | 3
1996 | 3
AlwysNextYear89 | 3
agenjake | 3
jkag89 | 3
Mr.Ackar07 | 3
AggieJ2002 | 3
CharleyKerfeld | 3
wessimo | 3
CFTXAG10 | 3
B-Rabbit | 3
Marvin | 3
Ag_07 | 3
scrimp | 3
tjack | 3
JB12 | 3
Buck Compton | 3
Hornbeck | 3

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Shouldn't I now have four with the AL winning last night?