Connolly/Elias interview: Dominican facility upgrades, etc

[atomic]

35 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Honestly, I don’t have an “expectation” of a winner by 2022. Based on what happened in Houston, I am hoping it takes no longer than that.     We play in a tougher division and in certain ways (international being one) we are behind where the Astros were.

I want one thing to be crystal clear: I am not assuming that Elias & co. will be able to replicate the success of the Astros.    I’m rooting hard for them to do so, and to build a sustained contender as quickly as possible.   Every team wants to do that, but they don’t all succeed.   I feel like we have a coherent long term plan, but not all coherent long term plans work out.    We will see what happens.    

When the current regime took over in Houston they had Altuve, Springer, Keuchel and JD Martinez in their system. They weren't devoid of talent. For use to be competitive by 2022 the guys currently in our system have to developed into good major league players.  Plus we would need to acquire quality players.   

[Tony-OH]

It boggles my mind that any shade can be thrown at Elias and company 2-3 months into his tenure. Just because you have money to spend doesn't mean you overspend for talent. That's a great way to get a bad rap. 

If a guy is rated as a 2nd or 3rd round talent, then giving him $2.5 million seems like an overpay. Next year when you are negotiating with prospects, they will be like, "You gave Sanchez $2.5 million and they are similar talents."

There's nothing wrong with discussion the on-goings of course, but I just don't see how you do anything but give them the benefits of the doubt at this point.

As the old saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day."

And Elias and company are starting with Atlantis to build from.

 

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

It boggles my mind that any shade can be thrown at Elias and company 2-3 months into his tenure. Just because you have money to spend doesn't mean you overspend for talent. That's a great way to get a bad rap. 

If a guy is rated as a 2nd or 3rd round talent, then giving him $2.5 million seems like an overpay. Next year when you are negotiating with prospects, they will be like, "You gave Sanchez $2.5 million and they are similar talents."

There's nothing wrong with discussion the on-goings of course, but I just don't see how you do anything but give them the benefits of the doubt at this point.

As the old saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day."

And Elias and company are starting with Atlantis to build from.

 

1.8M tops for a guy rated as a 2nd or 3rd round talent.

[jrobb21613]

23 minutes ago, atomic said:

When the current regime took over in Houston they had Altuve, Springer, Keuchel and JD Martinez in their system. They weren't devoid of talent. For use to be competitive by 2022 the guys currently in our system have to developed into good major league players.  Plus we would need to acquire quality players.   

And to think Keuchel and Altuve were only ranked 21 and 28 in Houston’s top 30. 

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, jrobb21613 said:

And to think Keuchel and Altuve were only ranked 21 and 28 in Houston’s top 30. 

I'm forever going to question Altuve's ascent to stardom. 

[Frobby]

56 minutes ago, atomic said:

When the current regime took over in Houston they had Altuve, Springer, Keuchel and JD Martinez in their system. They weren't devoid of talent. For use to be competitive by 2022 the guys currently in our system have to developed into good major league players.  Plus we would need to acquire quality players.   

Exactly right, none  of those guys you named were looking like the players they became.   How long our rebuild will take depends in part on whether we can maximize the impact of some guys already in our system.    Keuchel was on nobody’s list of top 10 Astros prospects, for example.   Hopefully we have our own Keuchel equivalent sitting in our system somewhere, and some other impact guys.

[atomic]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

1.8M tops for a guy rated as a 2nd or 3rd round talent.

Why did the Braves and Dodgers give us more money that for our picks between 2nd and 3rd round then?

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, atomic said:

Why did the Braves and Dodgers give us more money that for our picks between 2nd and 3rd round then?

As you know I don't generally respond when you ask me questions.

In this case I picked 1.8M for a very specific reason to underscore a point I've been making for months.

I'm sure at least a couple posters know me well enough to figure it out.

[Sydnor]

4 hours ago, atomic said:

Why did the Braves and Dodgers give us more money that for our picks between 2nd and 3rd round then?

 

4 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

As you know I don't generally respond when you ask me questions.

In this case I picked 1.8M for a very specific reason to underscore a point I've been making for months.

I'm sure at least a couple posters know me well enough to figure it out.

If you need a hint, it’s the amount of the signing bonus that was given to a player whose name rhymes with Hayden Meniere.

[El_Duderino]

On 2/11/2019 at 12:06 PM, atomic said:

If Sanchez is worth 1.75 million he is worth 2.5 million.  Really if you think he can contribute at the major league level you give him the 2.5 million.   He is 21.  This isn't a 16 or 18 year old player you are talking about.  

I actually agree with the first part of this. If Elias values him as a prospect then now is the perfect time to overpay to get his talent in the pipeline.  You can draw hard lines in the sand when you are comfortable with the base. 

[sportsfan8703]

5 hours ago, Sydnor said:

 

If you need a hint, it’s the amount of the signing bonus that was given to a player whose name rhymes with Hayden Meniere.

Cadyn Grenier????  Haha. That one wasn’t that easy. 

I do see Tony’s point about if you overlay for Yolbert Sanchez, then it will be held against us in a few months when we try and sign other prospects.