I know this is not popular....but it makes sense

by AstrosBill on Jan 3, 2012 8:35 AM CST

As unpopular as this will be; there is merit to this suggestion. Trading Bud Norris makes sense. Here's why. The Astros will be building toward legitimacy until approximately 2015. That seems like a long time and in baseball years and...it is. But this is exactly why it would make sense to move Bud Norris now. In 2015 Norris will be 30 years old. He will more than likely be the workhorse of this staff. In 2015 when the Astros should be finally making a run at the playoffs, we need an ace and yes; Bud Norris should be that guy. But, who's to say it couldn't be Lyles or Cosart. trading Norris, Sosa, Harrel or Weiland (all 30 in 2015) or Happ (33 in 2015) makes sense if you can add another youngster to the fold. 30 is not old but 25 would be better. So would the Astros be wrong to offer Norris in a deal for a top prospect...not at all.

2015 Potential Starting rotation:

Jordan Lyles

Jacob Turner (??) (just a dream)

Jarred Cosart

Mike Folynewicz

Paul Clemens

It could happen.

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I think you are right about that suggestion.

Although your projected staff is very right handed, we need to get a leftie to break up one of those combos. Also I think Lyles would not be the 1 in that scenario, I think he also would need to be between a couple of power righties because he is a precision pitcher. Great suggestion though!

by blazemule on Jan 3, 2012 9:19 AM CST reply actions

I may be wrong, but I don’t think that Norris would return an elite starting pitcher prospect from another team. I think that we (as Astros fans) probably overvalue Norris. Norris is a two pitch pitcher who had one good year (last season), and carries a higher than average risk of injury. I suspect that many teams’ scouts still think that Norris will end up as a closer. If Norris has another good season as a starter (I think he will), then maybe perceptions of him will change. For instance, if I were a Tigers’ fan, I would be angry with my team’s front office if they traded Jacob Turner for Norris (…and that’s despite the fact that I have a fairly high opinion of Norris).

by clack on Jan 3, 2012 9:59 AM CST reply actions 1 recs

I agree

and I thought about that afterwards. I have overvalued Norris some. But if you could package Norris and Wandy together to a team in need a quality pitching like Detroit for their top prospect and a lower tier prospect you may be able to get something done.

Detroit could do a lot worse than Norris and Wandy as compliments to Verlander.

by AstrosBill on Jan 3, 2012 10:39 AM CST up reply actions

Well in my thinking, I think 29 up is old? IDK why I think that, but I believe that Norris should remain in our rotation and by 2014-2015 our rotation could look like:

Cosart
Norris
Lyles
A lefty???
Armstrong

C-Castro
1B-Singleton
2B-Altuve
3B-Paredes
SS-Villar
LF-Martinez
CF-Deshields Jr.?
RF-Santana
DH-Wallace?

Now for the bullpen, I have no clue right now. But looking at out lineup; I think it looks great.

by astros21 on Jan 3, 2012 4:43 PM CST reply actions

Players who will likely be in the big leagues by 2013:

C- Castro
1B-Singleton, Wallace, Hinze
2B- Altuve
SS- Lowrie, Villar
3B- Paredes, Johnson, Downs
RF- Bogusevic, Goebbert, Shuck, Bailey
CF- Schafer, Wates
LF- Martinez

SP- Cosart, Lyles, Norris, Clemens, Happ, Weiland, Oberholtzer, Buchanan, Keuchel, Aneury, Seaton
RP- Abreu, Cruz, Sosa, Escalona, Carpenter, Lopez, EDR, FRod, Stoffel, Zeid

If some of the higher ceiling prospects like Foltynewicz, Armstrong, Springer, Santana, Nash, Mier, and DeShields move quicker than expected, it could drastically increase the talent level.

Also, once Lee, Wandy, and Myers are gone, payroll will begin increasing, allowing for additions via free agency that will also improve the team.

by Snake Diggity on Jan 3, 2012 6:47 PM CST up reply actions

Line up...

I believe Springer will be in CF and if DDjr pans out, he will be more valuable than Altuve @ 2B.

by Bacasillas on Jan 3, 2012 4:55 PM CST reply actions

yeah forgot about him…springer in CF and Deshields at 2B with Altuve, Downs, Bogusevic, etc. on the bench…

by astros21 on Jan 3, 2012 9:48 PM CST up reply actions

Houston has a chance to be competitive before 2015.

I think most of us would be very disappointed with what most teams would offer for Norris (see clack’s comment above).

At some point there has to be an obligation from the FO to the fans to field a watchable team. I mean, somebody has to take the field.

Generally, a bad team trading one of it’s few brightspots in a flooded market would be a bad idea.

by Snake Diggity on Jan 3, 2012 6:41 PM CST reply actions

Norris will not get a lot of return

I am a big stros fan but for some reson I am not crazy about Norris. Last year he took a big step in becoming a better pitcher but I do believe it was a fluke. His 3.77 era is pretty good. I would cetainly take if for our current #3 starter. however his WAR is only 1.3 which is not even good enough to be considered a good starter. The amount of runs a replacement pitcher would have given up last year was 105 Norris gave up 93 last year. Detroit would not give up Turner to save 12 years. I agree with you AstroBill the only way we get Turner is if we throw in Wandy. And if you read the Wandy for Turner article you’d probably agree that we would still need to throw in some money before Detroit jumps on it.

by Astro#1fan on Jan 3, 2012 9:58 PM CST reply actions

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