The Houston Astros don’t have to deal infielder Isaac Paredes just because their depth chart appears full in early March.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal called a Paredes trade the “obvious move” to fix Houston’s infield problem before Opening Day. The idea is simple: there are too many infielders, not enough places for them to play defense, and the front office can’t afford to have problems in the clubhouse during a season when they need to win now.
But just because something is obvious doesn’t mean it’s right.
Depth Isn’t a Crisis
Jose Altuve is at second base, Carlos Correa is at third base, Jeremy Peña is at shortstop, and Christian Walker is at first base for Houston. Yordan Alvarez plays DH and sometimes left field.
That puts Paredes in a tight spot on paper.
In reality, it protects Houston. In May, Altuve will be 36. Walker is 35 years old. Alvarez has missed a lot of time in the last few seasons. There is a lot of information about Correa’s medical history. It’s hopeful to think that bunch will play 155 games across the board.
Paredes is 27, under control, and one of the best managers of the strike zone on the team. His pull-side power works in Houston. His ability to get on base makes the lineup longer. If you trade that profile away in March because you might have too many bats, you’re ignoring how quickly injuries and slumps clear up roster congestion.
Having depth in October is a good thing. It’s not a problem.
The Return Has to Make Sense
Rosenthal said the Boston Red Sox would be a good partner, while recent Heavy reporting said the Pittsburgh Pirates discussed Joey Bart, the second overall pick in the draft.
That’s where the break should happen.
Bart’s family history is authentic, but his record in the major leagues is not very good. He didn’t do well with the San Francisco Giants, hitting just .219 with a.288 on-base percentage during parts of four seasons and striking out more than 35% of the time at one point. Pittsburgh helped him get better, but he’s not a sure thing.
If that’s the kind of return being talked about, Houston would be giving up one of its better bats for a reclamation project or a piece that fits in.
The industry knows the Astros have too many infielders. That information makes leverage less strong. Trading today probably means selling at a price lower than the highest price. Waiting until June or July, when competitors feel the need to act quickly, and injuries change their needs, might make the market much better.
The idea that keeping Paredes will automatically cause problems in the clubhouse is based on the idea that professional batters can’t tolerate rotation.
Teams that win know how to control at-bats. They rotate the DH spot and shift veterans around the field when needed, embracing short-term inconvenience if it means building a stronger roster over the long haul.
Houston has one of the deepest lineups in the American League if manager Joe Espada gives the senior core 120 to 140 games and keeps Paredes interested. And if Paredes does well in that role, his worth will go up, whether it’s to Houston or on the trade market.
Dana Brown doesn’t have to do anything to show that she is decisive.
He has to do the right thing.
If the return isn’t strong enough, it’s not bad management to retain Paredes. It’s leverage.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Astros Don’t Need to Force a Trade to Fix Their Infield Logjam appeared first on Heavy Sports.