Astros add Keppinger

[Castor27]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090331&content_id=4096570&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou&partnerId=rss_hou



KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Houston Astros have acquired infielder Jeff Keppinger from the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Keppinger, who turns 29 on April 21, hit .266 with three home runs and 43 RBIs over 121 games for Cincinnati in 2008.

He struck out just once every 20.9 plate appearances, the best ratio in the Major Leagues last season.

Keppinger will serve as a right-handed complement to Geoff Blum at third base, but he can also count on seeing playing time at short and second as well.

"He gives us a guy with experience all around the infield," general manager Ed Wade said. "He's somebody who's played a lot at second, short and third. He'll certainly be a factor at third with [Aaron] Boone out."

"He doesn't strike out a lot," Wade added. "He's a rare player who has more walks than strikeouts every season. He's a contact hitter, a blue-collar player and he fits perfectly on our club."

Additionally, the Astros optioned infielder Edwin Maysonet to Triple-A Round Rock.

[magnetik]

that's a pretty poor BA for a guy that only struck out 1 out of every 20 times. wonder how many of those were dp's. hehe I hear he's pretty good other than that. sounds like a Morey move. :)

[juicystream]

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2005/5-2-2005/splash.jpg
SPLASH

Someone had to do it.

[v3.0]

This pretty much seals the Central division for us...

[xcrunner51]

so we acquired a white, infielder version of Orlando Palmeiro. wooohooo

[Refman]

so we acquired a white, infielder version of Orlando Palmeiro. wooohooo
Except that he is a ton younger, strikes out less, can play 3B, is more versitile...

sure...they are exactly the same. :rolleyes:

[right1]

so we acquired a white, infielder version of Orlando Palmeiro. wooohooo

Comparable.

Palmeiro had over 200 AB's for the 2005 National League Champion Houston Astros. He played 13 seasons in MLB and had an over .350 OBP.

Palmeiro could hit singles/doubles and get on base. Keppinger (other than after his broken knee cap last yr.) has shown he can hit singles/doubles and get on base a little bit more.

Other than that, Keppinger was born in Miami. Palmeiro in Hoboken, New Jersey.

[HoustonN06]

Very good pick up. Keppinger had a good season until he got hurt. He is a good hitter.

[Creepy Crawl]

so we acquired a white, infielder version of Orlando Palmeiro. wooohooo

A black version would have been much better!! :mad:

[Malcolm]

I heard from sombody close to the Round Rock express the Bourne might be sent to minors and Abrocrombie will be on the big league roster

[BrooksBall]

I heard from sombody close to the Round Rock express the Bourne might be sent to minors and Abrocrombie will be on the big league roster

That post is more suited for the ST thread but, without giving us a name, what do you mean by close to RR? What is that person's role with RR?

[SamCassell]

A good hitter in 2007, and the first few months in 2008 until the injury. If he can approach those type of numbers again, he's an asset, especially given his defensive versatility. Even if he can't, I like the idea of having a guy who doesn't strike out as a pinch hitter, with men on base, in a steal or hit-and-run scenario. Not a bad addition at all.

[Cowboii]

Just heard we gave up Drew Sutton for this guy. :mad:

[Summer Song Giver]

Remember Bob Knepper?

[Cowboii]

Drew Sutton was to be the player sent to Cincinnati

From Justice's blog post:

"Anyway, Wade's acquisition of Jeff Keppinger seems to make a lot of sense. I'm not completely comfortable trading another young guy, but as long as Uncle Drayton is in charge, the goal will be to win this year and worry about next year later on.

[leroy420]

Drew Sutton was to be the player sent to Cincinnati

From Justice's blog post:

"Anyway, Wade's acquisition of Jeff Keppinger seems to make a lot of sense. I'm not completely comfortable trading another young guy, but as long as Uncle Drayton is in charge, the goal will be to win this year and worry about next year later on.

Actually, there is no confirmation of this. Just Justice blogging. His history of getting these things right is, well, worse than Brad Ausmus' batting average.

[The Cat]

A good move just became a stupid move.

Why? If true, Sutton is a 25-year-old AA player who projects as a solid bench player, at best. Keppinger mashes lefties, plays all infield positions, gives you excellent at-bats -- essentially, the same things Loretta gave you the last few years, only Keppinger is younger. From all I've read (and the fact that he's 25 and in AA), I doubt Sutton reaches that level.

[Ottomaton]

A good move just became a stupid move.

As loathe as I am to admit it, and as often as I generally dismiss the idea, this is one case where I think I agree with The Cat's idea that people are overvaluing our minor leaguers because they are the best in an empty cupboard. The absolute best case outcome for Drew Sutton is something along the lines of Ben Zobrist or Geoff Blum. That is hardly an irreplaceable commodity and even that outcome is far from a sure thing. This is basically a lateral move; an older player to fill an immediate need. You get minutely less long-term potential payoff (because of fewer years under control) for immediate gratification.

If, in a couple of years, Keppinger is gone and they find a need for a player like Sutton, they can pick one up for only slightly above pre-arbitration prices via free agency at no great effort.

[leroy420]

Maybe Sutton doesn't pan out. But when you could have possibly signed a 3B for very little and not have given up one of the few prospects they have, I'd have to lean towards not thinning out the already anorexic farm system.

[msn]

meh. regardless of how anorexic the farm system is, a 25-year-old still in AA is not a big loss.

[Refman]

Maybe Sutton doesn't pan out. But when you could have possibly signed a 3B for very little and not have given up one of the few prospects they have, I'd have to lean towards not thinning out the already anorexic farm system.
Could have gotten a 3B for very little? Really? Who?

Please don't say Wigginton. That train left Union Station when we did not offer arbitration. If we had offered arbitration, it would not have been "for very little."

[Castor27]

Could have gotten a 3B for very little? Really? Who?

Please don't say Wigginton. That train left Union Station when we did not offer arbitration. If we had offered arbitration, it would not have been "for very little."

My guess is that he meant MacPherson. But he honestly has done less than Keppinger has.

[Refman]

My guess is that he meant MacPherson. But he honestly has done less than Keppinger has.
Either MacPherson or Jeff Baker, but there is no telling what Baker would have cost us via trade.

[The Cat]

Could have gotten a 3B for very little? Really? Who?

Please don't say Wigginton. That train left Union Station when we did not offer arbitration. If we had offered arbitration, it would not have been "for very little."

No, it didn't. There was absolutely no reason for the Astros not to stay in regular contact with Wigginton after they did not offer arbitration.

[Refman]

No, it didn't. There was absolutely no reason for the Astros not to stay in regular contact with Wigginton after they did not offer arbitration.
Tell me that they would have gotten Wigginton for the roughly $750,000 they were willing and/or able to pay for a 3B.

What a laugher.

[Major]

Tell me that they would have gotten Wigginton for the roughly $750,000 they were willing and/or able to pay for a 3B.

What a laugher.

Blum + Boone = $1.9 million
Wiggington = $3 million

Which is a better value?

[The Cat]

Tell me that they would have gotten Wigginton for the roughly $750,000 they were willing and/or able to pay for a 3B.

What a laugher.

If you want a laugher, consider that Wigginton signed for $3m and the Astros spent nearly $10m on Brocail, Hawkins, Blum, Boone, Backe, and Michaels. Eliminate any one or two from that mediocre-at-best group and that's all the money you need.

[Refman]

Blum + Boone = $1.9 million
Wiggington = $3 million

Which is a better value?
Blum was going to be here regardless. IIRC, Blum had an option that vested. Boone was signed for $750,000.

Even if all that is not true, it was an extra $1.1M that the team was not going to spend.

All of this is assuming that Wigginton would have wanted to sign with the Astros after being denied arbitration, which is not a given.

[SamCassell]

If you want a laugher, consider that Wigginton signed for $3m and the Astros spent nearly $10m on Brocail, Hawkins, Blum, Boone, Backe, and Michaels. Eliminate any one or two from that mediocre-at-best group and that's all the money you need.
As Refman stated, there's no indication that Wiggs wanted to stay here, after he got refused arbitration. He got a 2 year deal from Baltimore.

And as to the rest of your post, Brocail and Hawkins combine for 6 mil of that total you complain about. Brocail had a 3.93 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 68 innings. In Houston, Hawkins had a 0.43 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP in 21 innings (3.92, 1.21, 62 inn. overall). That makes them both good setup men that eat a good number of innings. Hawkins-Brocail-Valverde isn't the famed Lidge-Dotel-Wagner unit, but it's a very solid pen combo that's absolutely critical when you can't count on any of your starters other than Roy O to make it past 5 innings.

Both of those WHIPs, btw, were better than Lidge's 1.23 last season (and he makes 11.5 mil this year). Not saying they're better pitchers, but I don't think it's ridiculous to pay for good setup men when your starting staff doesn't pitch deep into games and you'll need a bridge to your closer often...

[The Cat]

As Refman stated, there's no indication that Wiggs wanted to stay here, after he got refused arbitration. He got a 2 year deal from Baltimore.

Wait, what? Why are we assuming guilty until proven innocent? Most players don't hold grudges -- they simply let the market play itself out and typically pick the best combination of financial/winning situation for themselves and their families. Wigginton said immediately after the decision that he held nothing against the Astros. Had Houston made an offer competitive with Baltimore's, I feel confident he would have stayed. Ty liked it here -- trust me.

And as to the rest of your post, Brocail and Hawkins combine for 6 mil of that total you complain about. Brocail had a 3.93 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 68 innings. In Houston, Hawkins had a 0.43 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP in 21 innings (3.92, 1.21, 62 inn. overall). That makes them both good setup men that eat a good number of innings. Hawkins-Brocail-Valverde isn't the famed Lidge-Dotel-Wagner unit, but it's a very solid pen combo that's absolutely critical when you can't count on any of your starters other than Roy O to make it past 5 innings.

Both of those WHIPs, btw, were better than Lidge's 1.23 last season (and he makes 11.5 mil this year). Not saying they're better pitchers, but I don't think it's ridiculous to pay for good setup men when your starting staff doesn't pitch deep into games and you'll need a bridge to your closer often...

First of all, the Hawkins sample is ridiculously small and you know it. Second, I never said they weren't solid or that they couldn't help the team win. But to me, having a deep bullpen is like the cherry on top of the sundae. Sure, it's a nice luxury, but when you have a legitimate, power-hitting 3B (.850 OPS ish) and your alternative is Geoff Blum... to me, that's a clearly bigger priority than a seventh or eighth-inning reliever, and I'm pretty sure that would be true for most teams. It's not that they are worthless, and I hope I didn't imply that. But it's about being able to prioritize, and one of your top run producers (whose alternative is Geoff freakin' Blum) should generally be higher on the list of things to maintain, if the finances are similar, than a setup man.