Astros send Geoff Blum to Devil Rays for pitcher Brandon Backe

Thanks for the info. There were several teams intersted in Blum, so i figured we'd have to get a real good prospect in retun. It looks like we may still have a 3 headed monster closing out our ball games.

Maybe:

Backe
Lidge
Dotel

 

Who now fills out the IF utility roles with Viz?

 

This guy Backe is very intriguing. Apparently he was an outfielder until 2001. Then they converted him to a pitcher. Seems like he has great closer potential if he can continue and develop at te rate he has been.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASAp...nt_id=617791&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou

 

it's only december. Hunsicker will wait and see which guys fall through the cracks of free agency and can be signed cheap.

 

I imagine Biggio could play 2nd or 3rd if needed, then Lane could fill in the outfield.

I imagine we'll sign someone else. Utlity guy are usually a dime a dozen, it just happended that Blum played so well he could start on half the teams in baseball.

 

Biggio does not have the arm to ever play one second of 3B.

 

But he has the arm to play CF?

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but 3B does not require a much better arm than CF.

 

Yes it does. When you consider that there are more "bang bang" plays that a 3B is involved in than a CF in your average game.

This almost like saying it doesn't matter if we had a left-handed 3B.

 

I'm not sure I agree with that; the types of throws are different. From 3rd, you might be throwing across your body, on the run, or at different angles, where from center you're generally trying to throw with your whole body behind it. And to say Biggio has a good CF arm would be an overstatement.

When Kent went down, Jimy went out of his way to make sure Biggio wasn't going back to playing 2nd- don't expect to see him back in the infield ever again, and especially not a completely new position with 3rd.

This tells me a couple pitchers (Robertson? Redding?) are gonna be moved, especially if we get the Rocket.

 

Bruntlett

 

NICE TO SEE SOME ONE ELSE IS LOOKING AT THE HOLE PICTURE.one pitcher is not giong to make that much of a difference they gave up a sw hitter for a pitcher where is the bench there just strewing up the team.

 

same can be said about Biggoi & Bagwell.

 

Biggo doesn't have the arm to throw to second he should be on the bench not in centerfield.

 

I like Bruntlett..that guy has some speed.

 

So are you saying the Astros should spend 2.5 million on a back up infielder (Blum) who was 20th in the NL among 3B with at least 100 at bats in OPS? 23rd in OBP?

I like Blum, but I think they can find a cheaper backup who can provide the same offensive punch as Blum did last year.

Give Hunsicker until the start of the season before you blast him for moves he makes in December that may or may not affect the bench. Someone who sees the "hole" [sic] picture tends to wait until the roster is finalized before strewing criticism.

 

Excellent move by Hunsdigger!

Salary dump enough to free up cash for the ROCKET! (Who I hated before, even knowing he was from Katy, but am quickly growing to love the thought of having the Rocket on the Astros).

 

You may be right but ...

The Astros' track record for the starting rotation out of spring training has not been impressive the last two years. It almost make sense to have a 6 man starting rotation, with the sixth guy proviing long relief while waiting for Oswalt et al to get hurt.

 

Good move by Hunsicker imo. I like Blum, I think he's a solid hitter at a fair price. But he makes too much for a bench player, and that's money better spent elsewhere, when you've got a limited budget. Ensberg's cheaper and proved last season he was better. Any value Backe adds is a bonus.

 

1. Roy
2. Pettitte
3. WaMi
4. Redding
5. Robertson
6. Duckworth
7. Carlos

There's 7 right there, and that's without Clemens. Saarloos can spot start if needed. Some say Buchholz may be ready for the bigs by the break as well, and odds are we'll resign Rosario to a minor league deal. I'm much more concerned on a guy like Kent or Bagwell or Ensberg getting hurt. Who else do we have that can capably fill in in the infield?

 

If Bags went down, I'm sure Berkman, a converted 1B, could fill the spot, with Lane filling his spot in the OF. If Kent went down for an extended duration, Biggio's more than capable of returning to the position. And Viscaino can fill any of the IF spots in a pinch.