Offseason moves and discussion of offseason moves belong in here. Keep the chit-chat to a minimum as well as the insults.
and insults although to stay on target, we better go find a decent #2 pitcher and some guy who can hit the ball and drive in runs. Carlos Lee sounds good if we can get him for a reasonable price. Maybe Jason Schmidt on the pitching end? Although we can probably only get one or the other at best
If Carlos Lee wants $15 million a year.... pass. He's going to ask for that, but I highly doubt somebody pays him that (and if they do, they're fools). If he really wants to come here, the Astros should go no higher than $10-11 million per. If Soriano wants $15 million a year... pass (somebody will pay him, however). In the end, neither of those guys are Lance Berkman, nor are they going to magically become Lance Berkman once they put on an Astro uniform. If you want to pay somebody that much money, they should be producing what Berkman just did, and what Pujols does ($12 million/year)... I'm not going to be convinced by a player having a great year in their CONTRACT year as a reason why he deserves that much money. Jason Schmidt, being the best pitching FA out there, will get the customary $14-16 million offer from one of the big-money teams... the Giants may hold the inside track, if they're serious about building the team around somebody other than Bonds. The simplest option remains to re-sign Pettite, sign another veteran pitcher (Woody Williams, Matt Clement), take a flyer on an AL pitcher who isn't wanted, and explore trade options for Dontrelle. For bats, try like hell to sign Carlos Lee at a price that Carlos Lee is worth, re-sign Huff if he agrees to a deal that's too good to pass up (possibly re-sign him anyways for market value if the club loses hope in Ensberg, or finds a trading partner), keep an eye on Pence and promote him if he handles spring training well, or tears up AAA early, hope Luke Scott doesn't pull a Jason Lane/Ensberg, and make Willy Taveras EARN his job over Chris Burke... don't just hand it to him.
What about Woody Williams and Carlos Lee? Williams isn't Schmidt, but he would work. He's getting older, but he is still a pretty good pitcher. 12-5 with a 3.65 is darn good. He would be a lot less than Schmidt so that should solve those two problems. This is obvious, but we are still at least a bat short even if we sign Lee. Who would we try to get after that? Do we look for an outfielder, or do we dump Ensberg, let Huff go, and sign a third baseman? Also, is this the year we finally go after a catcher that knows how to get on base and drive in runs? Now would be a great time to make Ausmus the back up catcher since Roger might not be coming back. Jorge Posada (If the Yanks don't pick up his option) sounds good, even though it probably won't happen.
What happened to Andrew Jones? I thought he was going to be a free agent or am I off base on that? I thought there was some talk earlier this year that he would not resign with the Braves at the end of the season. Would he not be the idea fit for the Astros? A great center fielder with a solid bat. I think he deserves his asking price.
Clement just underwent shoulder surgery ... and is nowhere near the end of his contract (just check Theo's tears) ... MC is sked for the Bosox bullpen if and when he recovers. Does Wms have any wood left? He's ancient and declining (from a middling career). The big question to me is what the 'stros get back for Lidge WHEN they deal him this Fall.
The big question to me is what the 'stros get back for Lidge WHEN they deal him this Fall.[/QUOTE] I really don't see them getting that much for him, do you? I think if we were going to get rid of him, Boston would want him. Who could we get in return from Boston though? Also, do you think that they might keep him now? The Hickey firing made me wonder if they wanted to bring someone else in to see if they could work with him. He did say many times this season that it was not mental and it was all mechanics. I don't know how much of that I believe, but no one know better than Lidge himself. Would any of you guys want to give Lidge another chance? What about Ensberg and Lane? I don't want to give up on Ensberg yet, but Lane can go a way for all I care.
NEED TO GET CARLOS LEE & dontrelle willis resign huff & pettitte, look for trade poss with ensberg, lane, lidge and play the guys that can produce! not the ones you hope can produce
Should the Astros get involved in the Daisuke Matsuzaka sweepstakes? He was the MVP of the World Baseball Classic, throws from 90 to 96, has 4 pitches (fb, splt, ch, sl), and he's only 26.
The Astros won't win a bidding war... especially not for an unproven pitcher, when they're already paying an ace big-time money. Also, despite this guy's credentials... foreign pitchers are still coming over with mixed results. Without the evaluation time in a team's farm system (where you can really break down his mechanics, how he responds to adversity, his control in certain situations, etc.), its still very risky to pay the big bucks for them.
If the Yankees decide to panic and part ways with Alex Rodriguez (while agreeing to pick up most of his contract)... the Astros should be one of the first teams knocking on the door. He's batting EIGTH today... unreal... it seems like both sides would benefit from separating.
October is high-pressure everywhere tho. BTW - how much would you give to get him and how much might some other team?
I wouldn't give up any more than the Astros were offering for Tejada. If some other team wants him fine...there are other options available for us.
Its different in NY... its the only place where the reigning AL MVP could end up batting 8th the following year. The Yankees need young pitching... but they always like guys who are MLB ready (for us, that includes Nieve, Hirsh, Albers, Patton). The Yankees would have to be the ones looking to move him, however. If they aren't, they're likely not going to be "blown away" by another team's low-ball offer to take their troubled player off their hand.
A right hander, who can play 3B, is in the prime of his career, is in position to be the greatest player of all time (if he doesn't get psyched out by NY)... there may be other options, but if he's available, there are no better options that fit nearly every need this team needs offensively for next year.
He would definitely fill the needs this team has on offense but I just don't wanna give up too much for him. Besides, don't you go on yourself about how pitching and defense are the most important pieces.
Normally, I'd agree... but if he is indeed made available, these are rare chances where "overpaying" by giving up a Patton/Hirsh + some other guys, it may be too good to pass up. For years, the Astros have broken deals by hanging on to their prized prospects... Elarton, Lane, DARYLE WARD! This is different than the Barkley deal, or even the Tejada deal... A-rod is a different player. Plus, the Astros offense may be the only one "desparate" enough to actually take a chance on A-Rod by offering up plus prospects (which would entice the Yankees). Other contending teams may not take the risk because their lineups are in decent enough shape... our's isn't. (this is in contrast to why I'd think we'd have a better chance of getting A-rod, vs. getting a guy like Dontrelle who everybody will want). As far as pitching/defense being the keys... they are indeed... but we can't afford to be dead-last in nearly every offensive category. We don't need to try to be like the Yankees this year and have a "stacked" lineup from 1-9 (which is about to get swept as we speak)... but to GET to the playoffs, you need the lineup consistency. Of course, we could have a murderer's row next year as a lineup, but still not be over .500 if we don't have Pettite/Clemens equivalents in the rotation.