Who the hell has proclaimed Larry Bigbie as THE answer to our offensive needs? Why do you people keep bringing up players that anyone with half a brain knows wouldn't help us significantly? Come up with a new argument, please. There were and are better bats available. According to Kevin Kennedy the other day 350 players have passed through waivers. Do you honestly believe that none of those players would help? It will take either of two things to get a good bat here, prospects or absorbing an overpriced contract. Let's do it and take control of this wildcard lead. IMO, every prospect should be available for the right bat except for Patton.
Because you guys keep bringing up these supposedly available players. Here's a hint: there are LOTS of teams looking for big bats. If big bats aren't getting traded, they probably aren't at available at a fair price. This is not an Astro-specific or Purpura-specific problem. I'm not sure you understand the waiver process. Just because a player passes through waivers doesn't mean the team is interested in trading him. In fact, the ones that aren't claimed are generally the ones that no one wants. The good bats (for example, Alou) generally get claimed. It's the crappy players (the Larry Bigbies of the world) that make it through. The only good bat we know of that has gotten through waivers is Griffey, and there are more than a handful of reasons not to trade for him. If the White Sox report is to be believed, Cinci management is nuts anyway and can't decide whether they even want to trade him.
Because it's absolutely ridiculous to criticize management for not trading for players that haven't even been traded. If they haven't been traded, it's pretty clear that there wasn't a good deal to be had. Just because some fans want a bat at any cost doesn't mean it's a sound move. Not to mention if we had broken the bank for a bat that wasn't even traded to any team, in two years when we're like the Marlins between their World Series wins, the same people would be b****ing that we did mortgage the future for a bat. Face it, even if we added a bat like Griffey or Dunn (which no one has traded for yet), that's no guarantee that we would automatically win it all. Then the same people would be b****ing. Regardless, if you're whining about us not making a move for a player that hasn't even been traded, you look like a fool. You have no idea what's going on behind the scenes. You have no idea about the conversations Purpura has had with other teams regarding a bat. Where did I ever say they wouldn't help? Please re-read my arguments and use the time to brush up on your reading comprehension skills. I have never once said that we didn't need another bat or that having Griffey or Dunn or another significant bat added to the lineup. Look at the facts though. Every year players pass through waivers. Not every player who passes through waivers is traded. Post-trade deadline trades rarely happen, especially involving big names. Like I said before, we have no idea what Purpura is doing to try and make this team better. Until one of those 350 players is traded and he was someone who could've realistically helped us take control in the wild card race, I choose to root my heart out for this team instead of constantly b****ing and moaning about things that haven't even happened.
If you know that this team needs a bat why are you blasting posters asking why this team hasn't signed a bat in a full season? What was the purpose of your post? The question is valid. Just because some of us aren't sheep and are asking questions doesn't make you anymore of an Astros fan than we are. If you have nothing to offer in response to a valid question why don't you keep your sarcastic bs to yourself?
Because it's a repititive, annoying question. Everyone knows we need a bat, everyone knows we tried to get a bat, and by now, everyone should know the reasons we couldn't get a bat. So when people keep saying, "Why didn't the Astros get a bat at the deadline?" as though this magical cure-all to the Astros problems had occured to them and only them - it irks some people. But just for the record: 1) A great many teams are still in contention for the playoffs, either through the wild card or the NL West. Some of the teams that aren't really in contention, aren't in selling mode because they're building a team and don't want to r****d that process(see: Detroit, Milwaukee). This means there are fewer players available at the deadline and a great many teams buying - so the price for anything will be extremely high. 2) The impending free agent class is weak, especially in bats - this greatly reduces the motivation for losing teams to trade away players at the deadline, increases the leverage of the selling team - and pushes the price for a good bat, yet even higher. 3) The involvement of the Reds and the Devil Rays, especially with regards to bats. The Devil Rays are legendary for being horrible to deal with - and have been spoiled dealing with the Mets so much(Kazmir for Zambrano and the Manny deal prospect haul) - so that they were asking for each organization to bring it's top prospects to the table to even begin discussions. The Reds couldn't decide who they even wanted to trade. Dunn, Kearns and Griffey were on and off the table in rapid succession - and the Reds were desperate to unload Milton in any deal. How can you deal with a team that doesn't know who they want to keep or trade? 4) Manny. One of the bats that would've been a huge upgrade - Aubrey Huff was locked into the Manny deal until late on deadline day - and after nearly getting Hanley Ramirez, Lastings Milledge, Yusmeiro Petit and Jon Lester - any other deal would pale in comparison for the Devil Rays - so they kept holding out to try and get the deal done. The Manny Deal also would have had a ripple effect - with the teams involved having some contingency deals lined up to fill holes created by the trade, and move surpluses. But those moves couldn't be made without the Manny deal going through - so a number of teams were frozen waiting for that deal to go down. 5) Jamie Moyer. If they rumored trade goes through - and we end up with Randy Winn who's been scorching the ball the past week - Astros fans would've been lining up to fellate Purpura. But Moyer killed that deal, and the Mariners got a better package from the Giants - a guy who can start at catcher for them in Yorvit Torrealba, and Jesse Foppert - who was one of baseball's best pitching prospects before needing Tommy John surgery. And that is how the Astros got through the deadline without getting a bat.
I don't think there is anyway you can pass judgement on Purpura after just one year. No one knows exactly what was available and at what price. If he would have made a deal just to get a bat and 2 prospects turned into studs, everyone that is now critical of him would be calling on him to be fired for making such a stupid trade. If we are in pennant races 4 or 5 years and nothing ever gets done to improve the team, then I think it is fair to criticize the GM for never being able to make something happen. Hunsicker was a very good GM, but even he could not make something happen EVERY year. And by the way ... This year was especially tough to make a good deal because so many teams were still in the race for a playoff spot at the deadline that it made it an extreme sellers market. I'd rather the Astros avoid mortgaging the future unless it were for a can't miss guy that would almost definitely get the team in the playoffs with a great shot at the World Series. I don't think ANYONE was available that fit that bill this year.
Damm Mike Lamb, how in the hell do you pop up with a runner on third and only one out Luckily Willy T drives him in...
Phil Garner has been making some horrible decisions lately. Why let Harville pitch in a close game? Purpura is also a idiot for not bringing up Luke Scott right now when he is hot and we are not.
