Astros: Think twice about the starting pitcher demand

The Astros following on Twitter along with others in the sport have been emphatic of a necessary trade for a starting pitcher.

I continue to ask myself, “Are we really asking the right question here?”. After all, the trade market will likely demand a huge haul from the Astros no matter whom the team targets.

The Market is Low

I took to Twitter to share a graphic that was provided while Buster Olney talked about the Astros pursuit of a starting pitcher. The graphic gives us five pitchers, who have potential to be quality starters in our rotation. However, the graphic also shows us they are not having the best of seasons.

Why?

Well, you can blame their records on the team, but you can’t blame the team for an ERA. All in all, these pitchers have been less than stellar, and do not prove comparable to what we are currently working with on our pitching staff.

Cost/Benefit Analysis

There is a lot to consider when determining what it would take to acquire any of the above pitchers in the graphic. I was not alone when going through this. Larry Paul, who you can follow at @LarrytheGM, was a huge factor in the analysis of this data.

In order for the Astros to acquire a top starting the pitcher, the cost would go as high as Derek Fisher, Frances Martes, Franklin Perez, J.D. Davis along with other players.

Prospective Rotation is Good Enough

Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers, Collin McHugh and Charlie Morton; these are the prospective starters for a playoff series in October. When you see this list, does it make you nervous? The offensive attack of the Astros is hard to defend. Would it be so bad to put our faith in these guys?

Sure, we are yet to see McHugh pitch, but he is a quality starter with the ability to command the strike zone.

Next: Astros Rumors: Sonny Gray becoming the favorite?

All in all, these guys aren’t just good enough, they are, in fact, great enough to put the Astros in a position to win a World Series.