Quote:
Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor
So declaring that "We're rebuilding" should give an ownership group carte blanche to trade off every piece for minor leaguers and field a roster of all guys playing at league minimum?
|
If the team doesn't think said player is going to re-sign or is a part of their plan going forward...sure, why not.
Quote:
|
How is that fair to the rest of baseball? Other owners have to sell tickets to games featuring players who would be bench guys on any other team, and teams in competing divisions trying for Wild Card spots or homefield advantage have to contend with the fact that the AL West has a legitimate doormat sitting at the bottom of their division.
|
I'm pretty sure that the Astros ownership couldn't care less how the other teams feel about it. Their main concern should be the best interest of THEIR club...not how it's viewed by other teams. Keeping Wandy when he's not going to re-sign or when his value is diminishing does nothing for that team especially when all it does is add a few more wins to the total and STILL keeps them in last place. If they can trade off a valuable asset that doesn't currently change the fortune of the team for a piece that very well could down the road...you do that deal.
Quote:
|
In the NFL, the Astros would have a salary floor to meet. In the EPL, the squad would be a surefire bet for relegation. In baseball, they get people defending their right to be cheap and place an inferior product on the field because they can't be bothered to spend like a small market team, much less a major market side.
|
I could get behind a salary ceiling and floor. I'd have no problem with that. But the difference here is I don't think this is about the money. I think it's about getting as much talent in the system as possible. The Astros haven't shown an unwillingness to spend money...but time will tell with the new owners. IMO, no amount of spending was going to make a difference with the state things were in at the start of last year (and maybe slightly before). They needed to build it up from the ground up. That means the farm. But the only way they were going to be able to rebuild that farm was by dealing assets not in their future plans.
I think we're at the point to agree to disagree IMO.