I know I've done one of these before, but with the Astros playing the way they have been lately, and with July 31st fast approaching, the trade deadline is shaping up to be the only interesting thing left for Houston in this disappointing 2011 season. So why not? Let's take a look at three potential deals that I'd love to see the Astros make.
1. Astros trade Hunter Pence to the Padres for Mike Adams and various prospects
Look, I love Hunter just as much as the next Astros fan, but let's face it, the guy's getting expensive, and with Jason Bourgeois hitting the way he is right now, and newly-drafted George Springer possessing some big potential, I don't really mind parting with Pence at this point. The Padres aren't too far gone in an NL West division that is led by the young Diamondbacks, and everyone knows they're longing for a bat to stick in their lineup. Mike Adams is arguably the best reliever in the game right now, and because he plays in the overrated shadow of Heath Bell, he'd be a cheap way to solidify the worst bullpen in the majors. Think about this: Wilton Lopez in the 7th, Mark Melancon in the 8th, Adams closing out the 9th. Now that's not too shabby. And with the Padres' decent farm system, this deal could shape up to be a winner for the 'Stros.
2. Astros trade Clint Barmes to the Reds for Ryan Hanigan
While I don't think prospects would be necessary to cement this trade, if they were needed, I wouldn't mind throwing them in. It's no secret that the Astros need a catcher, and it's also no secret that the Reds are dissatisfied with Paul Janish's performance at the plate. Both players are defensive whizes, and while Barmes hasn't exactly hit the cover off of the ball, he still projects to have better potential with the bat than Janish does. Hanigan is expendable for Cincinnati, as they have a competent backstop already in Ramon Hernandez, and carrying two decent catchers may soon become a luxury they can't afford. The Astros, meanwhile, would surely be happy to plug in Hanigan over the woeful Carlos Corporan or J.R. Towles behind the plate. Barmes hasn't exactly lived up to his billing when he was signed this offseason, so I'm not thinking too many Houston fans would be sad about this trade.
3. Astros trade Carlos Lee to the Mariners for anything they offer, including Jack Cust
The M's are hurting for a bat like no other team in the league, and even though Seattle management is notorious for shying away from paying big money for anybody, I think that at this point Ed Wade and Co. would be willing to swallow a hefty chunk of Lee's contract to get him out of town. Since the Mariners play in the AL, Lee could obviously be placed in the DH spot, giving the team at least a little bit more pop then they had before. While I'd be very surprised to see anyone jump at the chance to acquire the overweight underachiever, Seattle might be the one place desperate enough to attempt it, as they're only two games behing the Rangers right now, and stand absolutely no chance of winning the division if they don't add some hitting to complement their fantastic young hurlers. The Astros could finally place Bourgeois in left field everyday, giving everyone in Houston reason to celebrate.
Those are my ideas. What's yours?
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