Another Smith in Astros' GM post?

[DOMINATOR]

Akhorahil's request.

Houston Astros president of business of operations Tal Smith and his wife and son, Randy Smith, a front-office official with the San Diego Padres, were in attendance Tuesday in Houston.

Randy Smith was the former general manager of the Padres and Tigers, which is why some have wondered if he'll eventually become general manager of the Astros, a position his father once held.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/Another-Smith-in-Astros-GM-post-;_ylt=AmSHIgseuY3OJkO0cLGZpvAb0bYF?urn=mlb,41566

[geeimsobored]

Akhorahil's request.



http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/Another-Smith-in-Astros-GM-post-;_ylt=AmSHIgseuY3OJkO0cLGZpvAb0bYF?urn=mlb,41566

Oh god no, Randy Smith sucked as a GM in the past. there's a reason why he's currently unemployed. Please, please don't get this re-tread.

[Cannonball]

This rumor has been circulating for a little while. I guess his attendance at the game warranted it being mentioned again.

I, like many, am not a fan of Purpura. But holy crap, what in the hell would they be thinking if they hired Randy Smith as their GM.

[leroy420]

This is probably the only way they could downgrade at the position.

Just say no to Randy Smith.

[redgoose]

Did he have influence over the Tigers or Padres farm system that include the players they have today? I don't know much about the guy. If so i'd take him. Purpura screwed up the farm and maybe he could help fix it. He didn't stand much chance to have winning teams as GM of the Tigers and Padres. Those teams only win when a core group of minor leaguers come into their own at the same time. Then the teams will add a couple pieces via free agency to help them out.

[msn]

Did he have influence over the Tigers or Padres farm system that include the players they have today?
No, he just screwed up their major league rosters with stupid, stupid trades.

[emjohn]

Nepotism rarely brings about good things. I want Purpura gone, but have the sense to bring in real help.

Drayton doesn't realize how deep a hole this franchise is sliding into. Sucks that winning is only as much a priority as the business side dictates.

Evan

[Aceshigh7]

God I hope not. Tal and his son orchestrated one of the worst trades in Astros history where we gave away Caminiti and Finley for ole Operation Shutdown himself Derek Bell, Brocail, and Phil Plantier. :mad: What a screw job on the Astros.

[Refman]

God I hope not. Tal and his son orchestrated one of the worst trades in Astros history where we gave away Caminiti and Finley for ole Operation Shutdown himself Derek Bell, Brocail, and Phil Plantier. :mad: What a screw job on the Astros.
That was a fore sale the Astros were having. That trade was meant to dump salary...not to make the team better.

[Akhorahil]

Thanks for posting this Dominator. First off I'm glad some know who this guy is. I was afraid some would be overjoyed at the first sight of a former/potential GM to replace Pup rumor. I'm even happier everyone is spouting on about all these "bad" trades he made. I want to make this clear before I go on, I'd rather have Pup mess things up than this guy.

The reason I wanted this posted was to ask a question... First let me lay this out for ya. We all know he's to blame for all those "bad trades". But is he the only person to blame? Is it fair to blame just him for all of it. Some trades were to dump salary, which most teams do. Some trades were forced by an over aggressive owner and some trades were just plain bad luck.

I bring this up because of Pup... I know he is responsible. But at the end of the day, is he the only one who deserves to foot the bill? Shouldn't the Owner be just as responsible, if not more responsible. The GM can only paint the picture... in the end doesn't the owner have the final say?

[Akhorahil]

I forgot to mention something... For all you people concerned that the Astros might be looking at Randy Smith. NO WORRIES... The article posted on yahoo is an incomplete article.

They cut it off before it got to the point where Drayton said he wasn't looking for anyone to replace Pup. Or rather he said he wasn't looking for anyone for the GM position. So who knows he could sign him up... just not as a GM. shrugs.

It also went on to say that this was just a family catching a baseball game together. Family visit kind of thing.

[yaopao]

That was a fore sale the Astros were having. That trade was meant to dump salary...not to make the team better.

Usually you can trade solid in-prime players for good prospects in said salary dumps.

[Zac D]

Usually you can trade solid in-prime players for good prospects in said salary dumps.

Derek Bell and Ricky Gutierrez were both integral parts of division-winning clubs.

[msn]

Derek Bell and Ricky Gutierrez were both integral parts of division-winning clubs.
Caminiti was an MVP and an integral part of the division-winning club that kicked our asses and went to the WS. Finley had an off-year that year but was productive for several years and won a WS in 2001 in Arizona. Ricky Gutierrez was integral only in that he was the starting SS and we finally had a SS who was either a butcher (Orlando Miller) or a sub-.200 hitter (Bogar). Derrick Bell had two solid years and beyond that was a GIDP machine with a bad attitude. That trade did *not* propel the Astros into the playoffs, they made the playoffs in spite of it.

Horrible trade. Horrible, horrible, horrible trade.

[Zac D]

Caminiti was an MVP and an integral part of the division-winning club that kicked our asses and went to the WS. Finley had an off-year that year but was productive for several years and won a WS in 2001 in Arizona. Ricky Gutierrez was integral only in that he was the starting SS and we finally had a SS who was either a butcher (Orlando Miller) or a sub-.200 hitter (Bogar). Derrick Bell had two solid years and beyond that was a GIDP machine with a bad attitude. That trade did *not* propel the Astros into the playoffs, they made the playoffs in spite of it.

Horrible trade. Horrible, horrible, horrible trade.

Oh, no doubt, awful trade. But:

"Usually you can trade solid in-prime players for good prospects in said salary dumps."

We got a couple good ones. We just gave up a lot more than that.

[TheFreak]

Maybe they didn't know Caminiti was going to roid up.

[Major]

Caminiti was an MVP and an integral part of the division-winning club that kicked our asses and went to the WS. Finley had an off-year that year but was productive for several years and won a WS in 2001 in Arizona. Ricky Gutierrez was integral only in that he was the starting SS and we finally had a SS who was either a butcher (Orlando Miller) or a sub-.200 hitter (Bogar). Derrick Bell had two solid years and beyond that was a GIDP machine with a bad attitude. That trade did *not* propel the Astros into the playoffs, they made the playoffs in spite of it.

Horrible trade. Horrible, horrible, horrible trade.

On the flipside, Caminiti was 31 yrs old when traded, and most years with us, he had an OPS under 0.800. His final year was his best with an OPS of 0.850. Basically, at his very best, he was the equivalent of Luke Scott from an offensive standpoint. Finley, at age 29, was sub-0.800 OPS guy. His best year with the Astros was also the year before he was traded, when he had an OPS of 0.750.

Granted, there is a dome effect to consider, but it's not like these guys were all-world players or anything. Caminiti had to do steroids to become the 1.000 OPS guy he's remembered as and Finley happened to have his best season the very same year, also for the Padres. Coincidence? Maybe, but seems a bit strange. He went from hitting 10 HRs in 1995 to being a 30-HR hitter starting in 1996. Sounds like steroids to me.

[msn]

Granted, there is a dome effect to consider, but it's not like these guys were all-world players or anything.
Yeah, I didn't mean to make it sound like the Joe Morgan trade, but it was still awful.

[Cannonball]

God I hope not. Tal and his son orchestrated one of the worst trades in Astros history where we gave away Caminiti and Finley for ole Operation Shutdown himself Derek Bell, Brocail, and Phil Plantier. :mad: What a screw job on the Astros.

But Randy was GM of the Padres then. If it was so lopsided in their favor, wouldn't this kind of be an endorsement for Randy?

[Cannonball]

RANDY SMITH

Draft Picks

1st Round - Padres

* 1994: 3rd overall P Dustin Hermanson - Kent State University
* 1995: 2nd overall C Ben Davis - Malvern Prep High School

Other Notable Selections - Padres

* 1994: 2nd round (37th overall) 3B Troy Glaus - Carlsbad High School Did Not Sign

1st Round - Tigers

* 1996: 6th overall P Seth Greisinger - University of Virginia
* 1997: 1st overall P Matt Anderson - Rice University
* 1998: 14th overall P Jeff Weaver - Fresno State University
* 1998: 34th overall P Nate Cornejo - Wellington High School
* 1999: 3rd overall C Eric Munson - University of Southern California
* 2000: 8th overall P Matt Wheatland - Rancho Bernardo High School
* 2001: 11th overall P Kenny Baugh - Rice University
* 2001: 32nd overall 2B Mike Woods - Southern University
* 2002: 8th overall SS Scott Moore - Cypress High School

Other Notable Selections - Tigers

* 1998: 2nd round (57th overall) C Brandon Inge - Virginia Commonwealth University
* 2002: 3rd round (80th overall) OF Curtis Granderson - University of Illinois
* 2002: 11th round (320th overall) P Joel Zumaya - Bonita Vista High School

Significant Trades

Padres

* June 24, 1993 traded Gary Sheffield and Rich Rodriguez to the Florida Marlins for Trevor Hoffman, Jose Martinez and Andres Berumen
* July 18, 1993 traded Fred McGriff to the Atlanta Braves for Melvin Nieves, Donnie Elliott and Vince Moore
* July 26, 1993 traded Greg Harris and Bruce Hurst to the Colorado Rockies for Brad Ausmus, Doug Bochtler and Andy Ashby
* December 28, 1994 traded Derek Bell, Doug Brocail, Ricky Gutierrez, Phil Plantier, Craig Shipley and Pedro Martinez to the Houston Astros for Ken Caminiti, Steve Finley, Andujar Cedeno, Brian Williams, Sean Fesh and Roberto Petagine
* July 31, 1995 traded Andy Benes and Greg Keagle to the Seattle Mariners for Marc Newfield and Ron Villone

Tigers

* November 16, 1995 traded David Wells to the Cincinnati Reds for Mark Lewis, C.J. Nitkowski and Dave Tuttle
* March 22, 1996 traded Cade Gaspar, Todd Steverson and Sean Bergman to the San Diego Padres for Raul Casanova, Melvin Nieves and Richie Lewis
* June 18, 1996 traded John Flaherty and Chris Gomez to the San Diego Padres for Brad Ausmus, Andujar Cedeno and Russ Spear
* July 31, 1996 traded Cecil Fielder to the New York Yankees for Ruben Sierra and Matt Drews
* July 31, 1996 traded Greg Gohr to the California Angels for Damion Easley
* December 10, 1996 traded Brad Ausmus, Jose Lima, Trever Miller, C.J. Nitkowski and Daryle Ward to the Houston Astros for Doug Brocail, Brian Hunter, Todd Jones and Orlando Miller
* November 18, 1997 traded Travis Fryman to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Gabe Alvarez, Joe Randa and Matt Drews
* November 2, 1999 traded Frank Catalanotto, Justin Thompson, Francisco Cordero, Gabe Kapler, Bill Haselman and Alan Webb to the Texas Rangers for Juan Gonzalez, Gregg Zaun and Danny Patterson
* December 11, 2000 traded Brad Ausmus, Nelson Cruz and Doug Brocail to the Houston Astros for Roger Cedeno, Chris Holt and Mitch Meluskey
* July 28, 2001 traded Todd Jones to the Minnesota Twins for Mark Redman
* December 11, 2001 traded Juan Encarnacion and Luis Pineda to the Cincinnati Reds for Dmitri Young
* July 5, 2002 in a three team trade sent Jeff Weaver to the New York Yankees and received Jeremy Bonderman, Carlos Pena and Franklyn German from the Oakland A's

Significant Signings

Padres

* April 5, 1995 signed Fernando Valenzuela as a Free Agent from the Philadelphia Phillies

Tigers

* November 1, 1997 signed Fernando Rodney as a amateur free agent
* December 9, 1997 signed Luis Gonzalez as a free agent from the Houston Astros
* November 13, 1998 signed Dean Palmer as a free agent from Kansas City Royals

[Jared Novak]

Randy Smith may have gotten the better of the Astros in the Caminiti deal, but he effectively ruined the Detroit Tigers with boneheaded moves.

[Aceshigh7]

But Randy was GM of the Padres then. If it was so lopsided in their favor, wouldn't this kind of be an endorsement for Randy?

Looks to me like a case of dad helping his son out.

I sure wish Purpura's father was the GM or president of a team like the Devil Rays or the Braves.

[Cannonball]

Maybe we could get Tal a front office job with (insert team name here) and then milk them dry. :D

[Big Shot Bob]

Dude i think this guy gets off on trading brad ausmus, he did it 4 or 5 times, maybe he can come here and do it again.

[bottlerocket]

Oh god no, Randy Smith sucked as a GM in the past. there's a reason why he's currently unemployed. Please, please don't get this re-tread.

I agree and so do the all sport radio pesonalities. I rather take my chances with Steve Phillips from ESPN than Randy Smith.

[Vballcoach]

Horrible trade. Horrible, horrible, horrible trade.

Dammit man, you forgot about Phil Plantier and Craig Shipley, not to mention Pedro A. Martinez.....

Drayton holds the key to this whole situation. Hun managed to hold him at bay somewhat, but obviously didn't want to fight that battle for very long. I imagine that Brian Cashman has the same feelings on occasion. My hope is that while Pupura has been a failure, Drayton will see how his involvement has also led to the failures of the past couple of years. Hopefully, he will bring in someone he can trust and give him more authority.

[Nick]

Dammit man, you forgot about Phil Plantier and Craig Shipley, not to mention Pedro A. Martinez.....
Hun managed to hold him at bay somewhat, but obviously didn't want to fight that battle for very long.
Hun wasn't interested in spending loads for Pettite/Clemens... that was Drayton. Hun was more interested in not re-signing Biggio 3 years ago in favor of Burke/Lane... Drayton axed that.

Hun did a lot for the organization by finding some good bargains which translated into success (Carl Everett, Backe, Lamb, trading back for Ausmus)... but lets not pretend that he was flawless.

And the bottom line is that Drayton will always be in charge as long as he owns the team... and given that there are far worse owners in sports for teams that are in a similiar market as Houston, it isn't all that terrible of a tradeoff.