Time to wipe the slate clean, boys... time to give the man his due... thus the need for a new thread that doesn't contain ample pages of "fat-ass", or "does he even have another GM's number" type responses. I admit... I'm SHOCKED that he could get somebody to bite on a couple of border-line prospects: Talbot was a high draft pick, but he had arm trouble, and has already been lapped in the ranks by Matt Albers (I always get the two confused, and I had a mini-panic when I thought they gave up him). Zobrist is 25... and he's got to have a lot of Chris Burke-like moments before he feels he belongs in the big leagues... not likely. But, this isn't a place to talk about the trade. Its a place for this guy to get some CREDIT, after getting nothing but ridicule the last two years (despite his team reaching the World Series, with major contributions from the prosepcts that HE developed). Also, I can already predict that people will be complaining their ass off if Huff comes up and struggles initially (or Zobrist does his best Ripkin imitation if he gets a big league shot). I can also imagine that people will then say that Hunsicker "fleeced" us, since he's basically in charge of the D-rays, and is getting prospects that both he and Purp were very familiar with. All of that will happen, and this mini "praise" will be forgotten... so for now, while its still got some novelty, give the "big P" a pat on the back... (and, he's not yet done...)
Fine job. We all knew he was great with scouting and running the minors; this a good step in seeing if he is a good GM.
good stuff. congrats to purpura on his first real splash outta nowhere Wonder if Gerry decided to help his old friend out at his new job by taking a chance on some prospects, heh..
Let's not forget that Purpura had a deal in place last year for Randy Winn and Jamie Moyer that was negated only because Moyer preferred losing to winning. (Although, in retrospect, I'm glad we still have Burke.) Methinks Purp will still be working the phones between now and July 31 as well!
I've usually defended him in the past... the fact that he hadn't made a trade up till now just means that he didn't make a piss poor move (see *cough cough* Rockets). He stuck with the young guys and paid immensly last season. He recognized the need for a bat a signed a decent hitter in a weak FA class this past offseason, a hitter whose overcome early struggles. He has recognized that this team needed some improvement, some change, and he dealt for Huff without giving up a whole lot. Whether Huff pans out or not this was a great move. Now lets see what he can do to fix that pen.
I've never really bashed Purpura because we really have no idea what was available, when, and at what cost. I don't like making trades for the sake of making trades. This was definitely a good trade for the Astros and I hope Purpura can do what he needs to do get some bullpen help at a reasonable cost. To say whether or not a GM is good, I believe you need to give them at least 5 years unless they make horrible trades or decisions (ala Isaiah Thomas). The jury is still out on Tim.
honestly, i don't want them to give up much to "fix that pen." you just added nieve and you may be adding wandy to it soon enough, when backe's back (tell a friend).
Don Purpura, I am honored and grateful that you have invited me to your team... 's press conference... on the day of your team's press conference. And I hope their first acquisition will be a masculine acquisition.
I'll give Timmah! major props for landing Huff, but c'mon, this is ONE good trade out of, what, one total trade? So he's batting 1.000 with a sample size of 1. Super. I'm sorry, but unlike everyone else, I'm just not ready to anoint him Supreme God Emperor yet. Like Johnny 5 before me, I need more input. Show me a string of good moves (or at least more good moves in total than bad), and I'll declare my undying loyalty. (After all, filling The Hun's shoes is a tall task.) Until then, I'll continue to post my smarmy and sarcastic messages, and you'll just have to live with them.
Anyone listening to 610 right now just heard one of the single dumbest callers in the history of that station. The Huff deal is just "to appease the fans". The Astros are not willing to "do what it takes to win". The Astros "could have *signed* Dontrelle Willis if they hadn't waited around for Clemens". How jackholes like this guy even get on the air, but once they are then subsequently don't get their asses torn up by the host, is beyond me. Station now changed. My mistake listening in the first place.
So what are your thoughts on the agreed-upon trade of Burke for Jamie Moyer/Randy Winn that was vetoed by Moyer? That deal didn't fall apart because of Purp. So the sample size is *at least* 2. Admittedly, in retrospect, Burke looks like a keeper so the price might've been too steep on that one.
"Almost" only counts in horsehoes, hand grenades, and thermonuclear war. In the end, Purp obviously didn't do enough to sell Moyer on the trade, thus I award him no points, and may God have mercy on his soul.
Wait, I thought Purpura had already resigned Beltran, Vescey. Seriously, only grading a GM based on trades is absurd. I'd much rather have a GM who actually thinks about the trades instead of making them just to make them.
And the agreed-upon Tejada deal, nixed because a) Tejada wouldn't waive his right to a trade from the Astros; and b) he relented on his demand to be traded from the O's... And the agreed upon Lidge-Abreau deal, nixed because Philly wouldn't pick up part of his overpriced contract. But, yeah, according to Vescey, Purp's just bin sittin around eating bonbons.
Well, you said "almost" -- I didn't. The trade was a done deal. Period. Now, maybe it's part of a GM's job description to persuade a player that's not on your team to accept a trade, but I didn't realize it was. Wouldn't Purp have to get permission from the Mariners before talking to Moyer? I have no idea how that would work. And I don't know what more could have been done to "sell" Moyer besides telling him he could be part of a pennant race for 5 months and then go back to his family or whatever his hangup was (I forget the specifics) when he becomes a FA. Most sane professional ball players would jump at that chance. Oh, but it's Purp's fault for not flying up to Seattle midseason for a recruiting trip.
I agree with you, but I'll let the Purp-haters have those ones because THEORETICALLY, we could've taken on Tejada knowing we'd lose him or Abreu if "cheap Dreighton" were willing to pay up. Those were our choices -- never mind that they were the right ones. In the Moyer scenario, there was nothing we could have done. Other than a midseason recruiting trip.
