- 1 day ago
ITL reacts to the Astros sending Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers and discusses what it means for Houston.
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00:00And I don't know if this makes you happy, as we were just discussing, but if you were just tuning
00:03in.
00:04The news of the hour is that, and then there was one, Jose Altuve remains the final Astro that dates
00:11back to the 2017 World Series title team
00:13because the Astros are finalizing a trade to send pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. to the second best record in the
00:23NL having Milwaukee Brewers.
00:25That is currently happening. What we know, as of right now, if you recall, Lance McCullers Jr. has a no
00:30-trade clause,
00:31so he is agreeing to this in order to make this happen, but we don't have anything on compensation yet.
00:37And obviously the compensation will give us some more clues as to the mind state of Dana Brown, Jim Crane,
00:43and the Astros in doing this.
00:45But your immediate thoughts on Lance McCullers Jr. soon to no longer be a Houston Astro.
00:51Yeah, clearly, you know, happy for the guy, as I just mentioned.
00:55But beyond that, you know, I saw somebody mentioning on Twitter, this is purely a dump.
01:02Well, from the Astros' perspective, it is a salary dump.
01:05We'll see exactly how much, you know, it ends up being.
01:09And it does give them some flexibility at the trade deadline if they want to add somebody, etc.
01:14So, yes.
01:15Especially if they want to take on money, right?
01:16Because it feels like that's a possibility of how you have to do this if you want to get something
01:20at the trade deadline.
01:21It does feel like you might have to take on money in order to make this more advantageous.
01:25But it's not just purely a salary dump because of the no-trade clause.
01:30This is Lance McCullers.
01:32I'm really intrigued by this because he feels like he can still contribute.
01:37He's felt that way before.
01:39You think so?
01:40Well, why would he?
01:42Oh, to the Brewers.
01:43I thought you meant to the Astros.
01:44No, no.
01:44It did feel like we had gotten out of the space of feeling that McCullers would contribute to this team.
01:47I'm talking about with the Brewers.
01:4859, I believe 59 wins.
01:50Correct.
01:50That's a really good squad that's going to be in the postseason, that's going to maybe make a run.
01:56So, he feels like he wouldn't have waived the no-trade clause unless he felt in his heart, physically as
02:02well, that he could do something.
02:03So, it's, you know, say, hey, Lance, we're going to dump some salary.
02:07We're going to go to Milwaukee.
02:08No, it wasn't that.
02:08Lance had a say in this.
02:10So, it's going to be really interesting to follow.
02:12Yeah, no, I think so as well.
02:13Well, the Brewers are dealing with some, like, IL with some of their starters, which I wonder if that is
02:18where he's willing to win the no-trade clause, being able to slide in as a starter.
02:23Because, again, that's also what I imagine might be some of the reason why the Brewers undertake this.
02:28But, yeah, man, there's two sides of this, right?
02:31I think that there's, for me, I can't get past the feeling of helplessness that I felt when it came
02:37to Lance McCullers Jr.
02:38Hell, when this weekend you have previously Mike Burrows' spot in the rotation up, we're talking about who could possibly
02:46step in and take it.
02:47And, obviously, it ends up being Christian Javier, as we kind of hypothesize.
02:51But, in the conversation, Lance McCullers Jr. is sitting right there, and everybody is looking at him like the last
02:56kid to be picked for dodgeball.
02:58Everybody's like, do you want to pick him?
02:59You sure?
03:00I don't know if I want to pick him.
03:01Right?
03:01And I think that that says a lot, that they have recognized, or at least this demonstrates to some degree,
03:08them acknowledging that feeling from them as well.
03:11And so, I do appreciate that.
03:13But, yeah, man, there is the possibility that this is, they're moving, they're looking at this as like a step
03:18backwards in order to get two steps forward.
03:20You would think.
03:21And, yes, Texters, Carlos Correa also from the 2017 squad, but, of course, took that little hiatus to Minnesota.
03:28So, that's two, I guess, technically.
03:30Also on the IL.
03:31That's what I'm saying.
03:32I said on the IL.
03:33Oh, my bad.
03:33Yeah, yeah.
03:34But still, technically, too.
03:35But, either way, Lance McCullers gone.
03:38Here's the other interesting part.
03:40The Astros know Lance McCullers better than anybody in terms of inside the room, medicals and prospects and where he
03:47is.
03:48And yet, they traded him, and they need pitching.
03:53So, I mean, McCullers clearly feels like he's got something.
03:57But the Astros traded away a guy that they kind of need if he is healthy.
04:02You know?
04:03So, it's really interesting to watch.
04:05Yeah, it is.
04:06Right?
04:07Is there anything within you?
04:08As I think you exist more on the side of the spectrum when it comes to the Astros of hang
04:14it up, old man.
04:14Right?
04:15I think you exist in that place where you go, hey, what are we actually fighting for?
04:23I am.
04:24Not like you stink, lose 100 games.
04:27But you do have to evaluate exactly who you are.
04:31Is there any chance that this represents the first step towards that for the Astros?
04:36Yes.
04:36Or do you think that this is, indeed, like a step where they are actively trying to use this to
04:40get better?
04:40I mean, they're freeing up salary.
04:42Now, is it going to be for a veteran guy?
04:45We'll find out.
04:46Or a younger arm?
04:47Or a younger outfielder?
04:48We'll find out.
04:49I think, you know, it's to be determined officially, but I think they're starting to at least think that way,
04:55you know, in terms of maybe bringing a younger guy that if he helps us now, great.
05:00If not, he's young enough, you know, that we can use him moving forward.
05:04You know, I think that's a possibility.
05:05Yeah.
05:06I'm going to be honest.
05:07Like, I'm not too broken up about this.
05:10About this move.
05:11Where Lance McCullers, first and foremost, I don't think that he was going to help your baseball team.
05:15Like, there is the sentimentality of it, but I think we can acknowledge with this Astros team.
05:20Not to say that they're overly sentimental, but some of the sentimental moves that they have made have been the
05:25ones that you're looking up and you go, damn, this is kind of hurting you right now.
05:28Well, then why would the Brewers, as a contender, just do the Astros a solid?
05:34Maybe they feel like they have their own car wash circumstance.
05:38I also wonder how much of this is the recognition of the seller's market that is coming here with the
05:46trade deadline, right?
05:47Where they need some level of pitching.
05:49I don't know.
05:50I think it could be starting pitching, right?
05:52If we're going straight up.
05:53But there's a possibility that maybe they move Lance McCullers to the pen.
05:56Who knows?
05:58But they might be looking at this and going, hey, we can get in on this without having to do
06:03too much fighting for Lance McCullers Jr.
06:05Because we still are in this place that we've discussed where if you have a pitcher that's available, there's a
06:12lot of teams that can convince themselves that they should be in the running to get one.
06:16Including the fact that Tarek Scuble, who's out there, not on the same level as Lance McCullers Jr., at least
06:20was being discussed as being out there.
06:21The Tigers probably are back in a place where they feel like they can contend.
06:24He's off the table.
06:25Like, how many teams are actively selling?
06:27How many really good pitchers are out there?
06:29And how much competition will be in the marketplace to get it?
06:31Whereas the Brewers go, I mean, we feel really good about our rotation.
06:34We probably just need another arm.
06:36Let's just grab a Lance McCullers Jr. and see what we can do with that.
06:38And see if he can help in the margins.
06:39Figgy, you brought it up, and it was a light bulb moment for me.
06:42I think you were on to something.
06:44Maybe the discussions behind the scenes, unofficial or whatever, maybe he goes to the bullpen.
06:49And that's one of those things where the Brewers are like, hey, it's worth taking a shot if he's willing
06:54to go to the bullpen.
06:55Yeah, yeah, I think so.
06:57And I think Lance McCullers being here, and I'm sure he was a team player and all that stuff.
07:01I ain't trying to paint him in a bad way, but maybe he felt like here he should be a
07:06starter, which they need starters.
07:08Yeah.
07:08So he probably felt like maybe, you know, it's a little bit disrespectful.
07:12It's not going to happen here.
07:13Yeah, but I'll go to a contender and come out the bullpen.
07:17I mean, I do what you need me to do if I go to a contender.
07:21Yeah.
07:22No, I mean, that's a possibility.
07:23And I honestly couldn't begrudge him that either.
07:26No.
07:26Yeah, I don't blame him.
07:28Now, I mean, even if this is a cash move, right, even if this is just you have created some
07:34space here in the Astros' side of the willingness to it,
07:37how much belief do you have in the capability that they will use this?
07:42Who will?
07:43The Astros.
07:44That's a great question.
07:47And how, you know, are they going to, as I mentioned just a second ago, are they going to use
07:52this money to maybe get a younger-ish player that can help them now,
07:56but maybe also be part of the future?
07:59And do you have the confidence they can get it right?
08:01Because they haven't gotten a lot of these right lately, you know?
08:04Yeah, no, I feel you on that.
08:05I wonder also, like, how much of this is just, do you think this creates space for another one of
08:11the guys that you currently have in the system or whatever?
08:13Like, is this a possibility that, and I know this sounds crazy because he's one of the few guys you
08:17trust out of the pen,
08:18could this be like a blue ball resurgence into being a starter, right?
08:21Like, is there anything?
08:23Ooh, I don't know about that.
08:24Is there anything that we might be, or maybe this is a, we trust Hayden Wesneski as he's coming back
08:29in a runnel Blanco, right?
08:31Because I do feel like I would be in that place.
08:33I was in that place.
08:35Again, we were talking about it.
08:36Hey, as you're looking at guys to maybe come back, I'm looking for Hayden Wesneski to return.
08:40I'm looking for runnel Blanco to return.
08:41I was not, honestly, excited for the possibility of Lance McCullers to return.
08:45And that's with all due respect to everything that he has given the Astros.
08:48And he probably saw that, too.
08:50He probably saw that he's not in the Astros' plans currently or for this season and better off going to
08:57it somewhere else.
08:58Well, the thing about that is I don't know how much confidence I would have in Blanco and Wesneski as
09:03much as McCullers.
09:05I mean, they're coming off of injuries, too.
09:07And they have a history with that where it doesn't pay off, you know?
09:11Well, as a team, they do.
09:13And a lot of that history is Lance, right?
09:16Exactly, yeah.
09:17It's not just Lance, though.
09:18It's not just Lance.
09:19I'm saying a lot of it is, right?
09:21I'm not saying.
09:22If I had banked my money on one of this, absolutely not.
09:26But if I had to, I kind of know what Lance is at this point.
09:31So I would rather get Blanco another chance or Wesneski another chance.
09:37So, yeah, I think the days was over for McCullers.
09:41You know what I'm super curious about?
09:42Because we've talked about, and I think we did the in-the-loop GM consultation firm.
09:48And one of the things that we were talking about is Dana Brown, we need to be able to
09:52see more of your prowess as a scout show up.
09:55Assuming that they do get prospects back, because we haven't talked about what the possibility
09:59of the return is.
10:01This is an opportunity for Dana Brown to show, like, to use that scouting and look at a Milwaukee
10:07Brewers farm system and go, I want that, I want that, and I want that.
10:11Assuming that you could even get three prospects for Lance Cullers.
10:13But you get what I'm saying, like, hey man, pick wisely here.
10:17Like, we talked about it.
10:18This Astros team, assuming that they're even having some considerations for how you turn
10:22this thing back over and get yourself to be legitimately good again, it's going to be
10:26your acquisition of talent.
10:27It's one of the reasons why I felt like the MLB draft, this one that you just passed,
10:30was super important for stocking the farm.
10:33This is also going to be an interesting one to see what they get back in this, and if it's
10:38more than simply just relief on your payroll.
10:41Let me ask you about this, what's better for the Astros to get in return?
10:44And we will get the return here, probably momentarily, but certainly today.
10:49What do you think is better for the Astros?
10:50Getting a high-level prospect, or getting a player, a pitcher, an outfielder, or somebody
10:56that can help you?
10:57I think right now, because it seems like there's, and it is a little bit of a chance.
11:04So I will probably want to get somebody that can help now, I guess.
11:08Yeah.
11:08Because I'm not sure what type of prospect you'll get for Lance.
11:12I want a younger player, whether it's now or later.
11:15I want a younger-ish player.
11:16By the way, you want to talk about farm system rankings?
11:19You want to know where the brewer system ranks right now?
11:21I absolutely do.
11:23Number uno.
11:24There you go.
11:25Number one.
11:25This is the best farm system in baseball.
11:27And so, I kind of want to prospect here.
11:31Because I think that there might be a relativity in this where they are willing to let go of
11:36somebody that they shouldn't.
11:37Where it's like, oh man, it's their 10th best prospect.
11:38When you bring him over here, he might be your second best prospect.
11:41You know, I do think that there might be some of that.
11:44There is something to be said, though.
11:46If you could turn Lance McCullers Jr. into a left-handed bat, or into a bullpen arm, or whatever.
11:51Yeah.
11:52That might not be the worst thing in the world.
11:53I don't know why they would give up a bullpen arm in that trade, whatever.
11:56Especially them, from their perspective.
11:57You know, where they are as a contender.
11:59If it's a prospect, that's another sign.
12:02That's a big sign.
12:04Now, I don't know if y'all have this information, but are they paying the whole salary?
12:08We got to get that, too.
12:09Because if they're paying the whole salary, I don't see them also giving up a top prospect
12:14or a top 10 prospect.
12:16Yeah.
12:16Okay.
12:16If they're paying all that money.
12:18Apologies.
12:18But if the Astros are maybe paying half of it, or most of it, then I can see that.
12:23Which of those is more preferable to you?
12:24Right?
12:25Getting all that money off of your books, or paying some of it still, but then also getting
12:30back a prospect of any level.
12:32I would want the prospect in that case.
12:34So, paying half of his salary, or whatever, and then the prospect.
12:37And it would be a sign.
12:38It would be at least a hint that they are retooling.
12:43You know what I mean?
12:43Yeah.
12:45It's going to be very interesting, because this is going to be a canary in the coal mine
12:49to some degree.
12:50I just don't know to what degree.
12:52It's some level of marker.
12:54It's some level of indicator.
12:56But until we get the other side of what Lance McCullers is being traded for, it could mean
13:01a few different things.
13:02So, we're in Schrodinger's trade in this moment.
13:05And if you're just tapping in, that trade is the one that sends long-time Houston Astros
13:09pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers, first place in the NL Central right
13:14now.
13:15Second best record in all the National League.
13:18They will acquire Lance McCullers Jr.
13:19We don't know what the compensation is, but we do know that in order to make this happen,
13:22Lance McCullers Jr. is waiving a no-trade clause.
13:25We'll keep you up to date with things as we get more of them here in the loop on Sports
13:29Radio 60.
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