what i really like about the huff deal...

[Ric]

i love its urgency. the team got proactive - they indentified problems and then they went about trying to solve them today; not tomorrow when the market for available players might look like a grocery isle the day before a hurricane.

and in doing so, they set the bar for everyone else in the league. i love that cardinal fans are probably spilling into message boards wondering what their team is gonna do now. additionally, as they did in '04, they got a producitve, somewhat under the radar guy who may wind up being the best bat on the market who they may be able to reasonably resign (as beltran would have been had it not been for an unbelievable october).

and best of all, they served notice - and not just to other NL teams, but in their own clubhouse - last year is history; no time to rest on those accomplishments. they option lane on the heels of a horrible all-around game for him; they've also dropped the gauntlet on ensberg - step up, or you'll be gone, too. don't belive us? call jason. and purpura all but spilled that taveras' days are numbered.

drayton continues to run a first-class ML operation that should all make us proud. i hope huff comes in and delivers on the promise.

[MadMax]

excellent post, ric...i agree entirely.

[crose]

i love its urgency. the team got proactive - they indentified problems and then they went about trying to solve them today; not tomorrow when the market for available players might look like a grocery isle the day before a hurricane.

and in doing so, they set the bar for everyone else in the league. i love that cardinal fans are probably spilling into message boards wondering what their team is gonna do now. additionally, as they did in '04, they got a producitve, somewhat under the radar guy who may wind up being the best bat on the market who they may be able to reasonably resign (as beltran would have been had it not been for an unbelievable october).

and best of all, they served notice - and not just to other NL teams, but in their own clubhouse - last year is history; no time to rest on those accomplishments. they option lane on the heels of a horrible all-around game for him; they've also dropped the gauntlet on ensberg - step up, or you'll be gone, too. don't belive us? call jason. and purpura all but spilled that taveras' days are numbered.

drayton continues to run a first-class ML operation that should all make us proud. i hope huff comes in and delivers on the promise.
exactly

they pulled off the perfect trade in a BUYERs market, instantly improving our line-up ten fold.

hopefully ensberg does take notice, and begins playing like the potential MVP he was last year. if not...the perfect trade would be to send ensberg to San Dog for Kottaras.

looks like the stros are going to pull off their patented second half turnaround.

[Buck Turgidson]

they pulled off the perfect trade in a BUYERs market
Seller's market, you mean?

[crose]

Seller's market, you mean?
you are right....I am an idiot...but you get the idea!

[superden]

I hope Huff becomes our Beltran couple years back... well except for the "leaving us for more money" part.

[Groogrux]

I don't really want to say what I like most about this deal. Let's just say that it's nice to be continually proven right about this organization.

[MadMax]

I don't really want to say what I like most about this deal. Let's just say that it's nice to be continually proven right about this organization.

dreighton.

[wrath_of_khan]

The sense of urgency is the best thing about this trade. By getting one guy, a fire is lit under the asses of three more -- Lane, Ensberg and Taveras. How much pressure is Ensberg under between now and July 31?

Not to mention the bullpen guys have to know that they're on the clock now, too.

It would've been easy for management to say "How could we have known Lane would regress, Taveras would regress, and Ensberg would become a .200 hitter with no confidence all at the same time?" and simply stand pat?

Way to be proactive and get the big fish off the market before the frenzy. Kinda reminds me of the Beltran deal.

[MadMax]

Way to be proactive and get the big fish off the market before the frenzy. Kinda reminds me of the Beltran deal.

what an excellent point..i really hadn't thought of that. the beltran deal shocked me because it was sooo early. this one is like that, too. and we had no one breaking the story before it happened. there weren't 13 threads here last night discussing a huff rumor.

[RocketManJosh]

The best part of this deal is having Lane sent back to the farm to work on his game and getting another guy in here that can play 3rd base so we can sit Morgan down without having to worry about Lamb's defense at first. If Morgan can get some time off to reset, and he can come back anywhere near as good as we know he can be, this team just got ALOT better.

Now we need to worry about the bullpen.

[Buck Turgidson]

what an excellent point..i really hadn't thought of that. the beltran deal shocked me because it was sooo early. this one is like that, too. and we had no one breaking the story before it happened. there weren't 13 threads here last night discussing a huff rumor.
Same with the Randy Johnson deal. And Moises Alou. No pub until it's done.

Smart. Really freakin' smart.

[rocketfat]

why did you start a new thread for this?

[Nick]

Same with the Randy Johnson deal. And Moises Alou. No pub until it's done.

Smart. Really freakin' smart.

No doubt... in fact, those are the best deals out there because you don't have to worry about the possibility of it falling through.

Frankly, whenever you hear a "rumor", its because it was leaked intentionally... not because it was "close to being done, so they might as well tell people early." And, whenever something is leaked... leverage is trying to be gained somehow... and that inevitably heightens the possibility of everything falling through.

[MadMax]

Same with the Randy Johnson deal. And Moises Alou. No pub until it's done.

Smart. Really freakin' smart.

wow, you're right. that randy johnson thing snuck up on everyone.

[Buck Turgidson]

Frankly, whenever you hear a "rumor", its because it was leaked intentionally... not because it was "close to being done, so they might as well tell people early." And, whenever something is leaked... leverage is trying to be gained somehow... and that inevitably heightens the possibility of everything falling through.
See Astros and Tejada, Miguel and Abreau, Bobby this past offseason.

[Ric]

why did you start a new thread for this?
because my thoughts and opinions are important and shouldn't be forced to share space with other, less informed opinions offered up from the masses and people of that ilk. come on - i thought that was obvious...

[grummett]

See Rockets and Stoudamire, Damon.

[ryan17wagner]

Same with the Randy Johnson deal. And Moises Alou. No pub until it's done.

Smart. Really freakin' smart.

Actually, Richard Justice posted on his blog last week the Astros contacted the Devil Rays for Huff and he posted the link to the article as well.

[kaleidosky]

because my thoughts and opinions are important and shouldn't be forced to share space with other, less informed opinions offered up from the masses and people of that ilk. come on - i thought that was obvious...

nice. but yeah, great post initially.. I was thinking the same--that it's great that we got this done before others started dealing and before the rumors. But totally forgot that this has been the MO from previous years...shoot, I even forgot Beltran was like that!

(although your post does drudge up that we could have had the Beltran we're seeing this year for a reasonable amount of $$ if not for an October that didn't end in a championship or WS appearance..)

[kaleidosky]

Actually, Richard Justice posted on his blog last week the Astros contacted the Devil Rays for Huff and he posted the link to the article as well.

true, but we had also "inquired" about Crawford..Abreu..etc. Those are just preliminary talks--nothing was leaked about an impending deal or anything about who might be involved in any deal.

[No Worries]

why did you start a new thread for this?
I am sure this discussion would not fit in that other thread, somehow, someway.

[Uprising]

I like all the options it gives Garner now (roster moves etc.) and that we got a decent player who is hotter than fire right now.

What I like most about this though, is it sort of lights a fire under our slumping players asses. Morgan knows he better improve back to his old self, or atleast show some life at the plate or he is going to be either riding the pine or a plane out of town. I guess, in a way, same with taveras.

Now, if only brad get's some of these flames and starts to producing some numbers. What is he in now? like a 1 for 45 batting streak?

I'm welcoming him here with open arms, just like I did for WIlson. This improves our roster A LOT!

Like some of the posts before, this too is reminding me of the summer we got Beltran. i didn't even know who that guy was till we got him, then suddenly he was a freakin god at the plate. I don't know much about Huff either, only his stats that have been posted repeatedly in the trade thread. Oh, and that he is tired of being on a loser team.

So, this is another great potential trade to me, just about anything is an improvement than what we were putting out to the plate this past month. And this trade really has made my day.

i can't wait to see this guy batting in a stros jersey. Oh, and to see the new batting order and roster positions.

Go Stros!

[MadMax]

Actually, Richard Justice posted on his blog last week the Astros contacted the Devil Rays for Huff and he posted the link to the article as well.

the RJ blog doesn't find it's way into the circulation of MadMax reading time all too often.

what we're saying is that this deal happened with no breaking news of an imminent trade coming.

[Buck Turgidson]

Actually, Richard Justice posted on his blog last week the Astros contacted the Devil Rays for Huff and he posted the link to the article as well.
Uh, pretty sure you missed my point there.

The Stros have been linked to every single corner position player on the market. The Stros had been "in contact" with the D-Rays about Huff for about 3 years.

[JunkyardDwg]

i love its urgency. the team got proactive - they indentified problems and then they went about trying to solve them today; not tomorrow when the market for available players might look like a grocery isle the day before a hurricane.

and in doing so, they set the bar for everyone else in the league. i love that cardinal fans are probably spilling into message boards wondering what their team is gonna do now. additionally, as they did in '04, they got a producitve, somewhat under the radar guy who may wind up being the best bat on the market who they may be able to reasonably resign (as beltran would have been had it not been for an unbelievable october).

and best of all, they served notice - and not just to other NL teams, but in their own clubhouse - last year is history; no time to rest on those accomplishments. they option lane on the heels of a horrible all-around game for him; they've also dropped the gauntlet on ensberg - step up, or you'll be gone, too. don't belive us? call jason. and purpura all but spilled that taveras' days are numbered.

drayton continues to run a first-class ML operation that should all make us proud. i hope huff comes in and delivers on the promise.


Couldn't agree more; to stay a winner you have to keep improving. Hopefully this lights a fire under Mo too, and I love the options Garner has to work with as he can get pretty creative now. And the best part, we didn't give up any of our absolute top prospects.

[The Real Shady]

I don't really want to say what I like most about this deal. Let's just say that it's nice to be continually proven right about this organization.

Everybody complaining that the Astros needed to make a move were proven right also.

[Buck Turgidson]

Everybody complaining that the Astros needed to make a move were proven right also.
Who seriously said otherwise?

Purp had said as much a month ago.

[SWTsig]

i love its urgency. the team got proactive - they indentified problems and then they went about trying to solve them today; not tomorrow when the market for available players might look like a grocery isle the day before a hurricane.

and in doing so, they set the bar for everyone else in the league. i love that cardinal fans are probably spilling into message boards wondering what their team is gonna do now. additionally, as they did in '04, they got a producitve, somewhat under the radar guy who may wind up being the best bat on the market who they may be able to reasonably resign (as beltran would have been had it not been for an unbelievable october).

and best of all, they served notice - and not just to other NL teams, but in their own clubhouse - last year is history; no time to rest on those accomplishments. they option lane on the heels of a horrible all-around game for him; they've also dropped the gauntlet on ensberg - step up, or you'll be gone, too. don't belive us? call jason. and purpura all but spilled that taveras' days are numbered.

drayton continues to run a first-class ML operation that should all make us proud. i hope huff comes in and delivers on the promise.

Feckin' A, man.

[MykTek]

hate to lose good young prospects, but u gotta do what u gotta do....

talbot i thought will be a stud by the time he gets to AAA, zobrist i wsn't high on since we have burke and everett in the middle fielders, i don't remember if he's a 2b or ss....but yeah, i like the deal, Huff is a Mike Lamb cimbine w/ Orlando Palmero.... a good solid hitter w/ some pop...I like the move w/ sending down Lane, I also would like to see Scott given a chance, he doesn't have anything else to prove at AAA....

let go stros!

[kevwun]

I like Zobrist. Same power as Everett, but he'll probably hit for a decent to good average in the majors. You have to give up something to get something though.

[arkoe]

All I know is all those people that have accused Drayton of being cheap over the years need to notice where the payroll is after acquiring Clemens and Huff.

[rrj_gamz]

Yeah, something needed to be done, but to do a deal, for the sake of doing a deal is just bad business...

[Nick]

Yeah, something needed to be done, but to do a deal, for the sake of doing a deal is just bad business...

Most definitely... but if you can get a deal done, without giving up any of your current players or any of your top prospects (neither Zobrist or Talbot were in the top 10 orgnaizational rankings)... its a GOOD deal to make.

This is the perfect harmony of the two factions of Astros fans... those who overreact to every loss and want us to be like the big spenders get their wish, and the conservatives who like to stay the course and are more patient with player's progress (or lack thereof) have a move that didn't cost a lot to get (and it wasn't a "panic" move either... simply something that had to be done).