It's obvious that you send Burke back down. That is as long as Biggio is starting at 2nd base, which all indications say he is. This way we let Burke tear up AAA pitching. Then if the team plays competitive ball, we trade Burke for another bat. Sure, he's already proven himself in the minors, but this way the other teams can scout him and see him play everyday, rather than sitting on our bench. Then Drayton will let Biggio get his 3000 hits, and by then we should have another 2nd baseman ready.
Is it really worth the trouble of having to find another 2nd baseman? What if Biggio gets hurt during the year? I think trading Burke is a mistake...
It feels like we really hamstring our future by automatically allocating a starting spot for Biggio. Sure, we all love the guy, and what he's done for the Astros, and I want to see him get 3,000 hits. But it seems we are certainly in a rebuilding year and he's only clogging up a spot for Burke, who could be our 2nd Baseman for years to come. We've already stunted Jason Lane's growth in a similar fashion Wouldn't it be better for everyone involved to trade Biggio to a contender for a prospect or two, so that he can have a chance for a ring and 3,000 hits, while giving the Astros a chance to play their youth?
i suppose you view this differently if you see it as Random does...if you see this as a "rebuilding" year. i personally don't think Roger Clemens came back for a "rebuilding" year. i don't think our rotation is set up as the kind of staff for a team that's "rebuilding." i think this team can contend...and add a bat somewhere down the line.
Max...I agree that Clemens wouldnt come back for a rebuilding year....but he's got 18 million other reasons to do so. Anytime we consider toting up to 3 (or 4 if zeke lands the #5 job) rookies out there everyday, 5 if you include Lane's first chance to start...its a rebuilding year. Our pitching staff is clearly not in the rebuilding stage...but the rest of the team is.
But the pitching staff is half the team... or even more, when you consider that good pitching normally wins you more games than good offense alone does. Frankly, I'm actually worried about the pitchers and their injuries over the entire season, than I am about the Astros ability to score runs. They play in a ballpark that is condusive to high offense, and they'll continue to do what they have for the last 8 years... play Jekyl and Hyde baseball... as they rough up the mediocre starters of the league, but struggle against the elite righty power pitchers. I'm glad the baseball tonight crew didn't react like many on the bbs... the only caveat they threw in there was Pettite being healthy. I agree with that... if Pettite is healthy, this team is capable of doing some things. If not, then they are no better than 3rd in the division.
I disagree a little...We have 3 established starters and barring injury, they will participate in about 60% of the games...as opposed to the rookies/young guys we will throw out there on an everyday basis. I also think our outcome this season will have more to do with what we get out of the youngsters offensively than it does with Pettitte's health.
Game notes Houston LF Lance Berkman, who is still recovering from a torn right ACL, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday. Berkman isn't expected to return until the end of April. ... Astros RHP Dave Burba, a 12-year veteran, accepted his minor league assignment and will report to Triple-A Round Rock later this week. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250330118 PS. Backe gets rocked; Luke hit his 6th ST homer.
But you also must realize that over the course of a season, offense will come and go... even if you have one of the best lineups out there. That's just baseball. Pitching, however, will be needed to sustain you in those times when the offense will be gone. I still see this team as one that will either hit contagiously, or go cold contagiously. Lance's numbers will be solid by the end of the season, and while nobody is expecting Lane to be an all-star... I don't see anybody out there questioning his ability to hit MLB pitching (in fact, just look at what he did after the Hidalgo trade, and before the Beltran trade... he was one of our most consistent hitters during that period). The only way that I see the offense playing a role in whether or not we ultimately win is if they are just dead-last (or near there) in hitting, scoring runs, hitting for power, etc.... and for some reason, I just don't see them being that bad, especially in this ballpark.
