When a team is full of high-priced/older players and they are not winning, what are they supposed to do?
2010 Team (76-86)
C. Lee (34, $19.0 Mil) - traded mid-season 2012
L. Berkman (34, $14.5 Mil) - traded mid-season 2010
P. Feliz (35, $4.5 Mil) - Traded August 2010
H. Pence (27, $3.5 Mil) - traded mid-season 2011
M. Bourn (27, $2.4 Mil) - traded mid-season 2011
M. Keppinger (30, $1.15 Mil) - traded mid-season 2011
H. Quintero (30, $0.75 Mil) - traded beginning of 2012
C. Johnson (25, $0.4 Mil) - traded mid-season 2012
R. Oswalt (32, $15.0 Mil) - Traded mid-season 2010
W. Rodriguez (31, $5.0 Mil) - Traded mid-season 2012
B. Myers (29, $3.5 Mil) - Traded mid-season 2012
B. Norris (25, $0.4 Mil) - Traded mid-season 2013
They went from 8th in payroll in 2009, to 28th in payroll in 2012. These players just didn't walk, because most were already under long term commitment in 2009 or was under team control. HOU traded whoever they could, when they could, trying in the process to maximize their return. All but one listed above was traded during a season, not in the off-season. They were trying to keep a core group of players, but it wasn't working out.
2nd Half Record
2010 = 40-33 .548 WPCT (after trading Oswalt, Feliz and Berkman)
2011 = 26-44 .371 WPCT (better than the .326 WPCT from the 1st half - Bourn, Pence and Keppinger traded)
2012 = 22-54 .289 WPCT (worse than the .384 WPCT from the 1st half)
DET
2015 = 30-43 .411 WPCT (worse than .500 WPCT in 1st half)
2016 = 40-32 .556 WPCT (better than 1st half)
2017 = 25-50 .333 WPCT (1st half was .448 WPCT, 6-24 .200 WPCT last 30. Tank job?)
DET might be lucky to win 60 games this year. If at the trade deadline, they can get anything for Iglesias, Castellanos, McCann, Fulmer, etc, etc.....then they should. And that might mean 1-2 more years without winning 60 games. What it does do is accelerate the process to being back winning. The players were performing to their abilities and were not tanking.
