The Houston Astros have not had a lot to cheer about these last couple of years and have not had a winning record since 2008. Now, the Astros decided last season to cut their losses and essentially rebuild by trading some of their best talent to other clubs and some Astro fans might of felt let down, but I surely didn’t because this shows the Astros could possibly pull a Houston Rocket style approach. The Rockets cut most of their losses before this past season and basically did an entire rebuilding of their team, which included James Harden. Even after signing Harden, Asik, and Lin they still have 18+ million dollars to potentially use in this years off season. How does that connect to the Astros?
Well, the Astros total payroll is around 25 million dollars, which as we already know is less than what the New York Yankee third-baseman Alex Rodriguez gets paid currently by sitting on the disabled list. The Astros have got to take advantage of this low payroll this upcoming free agency and really consider pigging out on some of the big names or consider trading some younger prospects for some immediate impact bats or pitching. They have expendable players like the 29 year-old back-up catcher Carlos Corporan, who is batting .290 with 5 homers and 11 RBIs. Even though Corporan is a good bat and supplies some ammo when the Astros need it, I don’t feel like Corporan is something you want to keep when you are in the middle of the rebuilding process. Brandon Barnes and either Ronny Cedeno or Marwin Gonzalez are logical options to trade away as well for someone big. Of course those three players would be one package to get one big name, but that’s why I would lean and take a chance maybe more on the farm system and then add possibly a name like Carlos Corporan or Brandon Barnes and etc.
2014 free agents include Robinson Cano, Shin-Soo Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, Matt Garza, Nelson Cruz, Curtis Granderson, and Corey Hart are just some of many free agents that are up there that the Astros can pull a move on. Of course, Houston would have to convince a needed free agent that what Houston is doing is the direction of improvement and not failure and lets not forget the selling of their own city. New York, Los Angeles, or even a team that doesn’t have the best city, but is having success are much more glamorous destinations for free agents then Houston and thats why they have to sell their city with the greatest of authority and have the money in the end to convince a free agent to come into Houston. Big name free agents try to avoid rebuilding projects at all costs because its like stepping into a crap shoot and its either gonna work or its gonna fail.
The Houston Astros have a lot of work ahead of them, but i suspect if they follow this approach they can get back to the promise land.
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