Oh I get the sarcasm. I think it's perfectly legitimate to criticize the Astros for not spending that money as other franchises have signed the best players available and some even exceeded their pools. For a franchise stripped to the bone like this, how they spend and what they spend should be open for criticism. Of the top thirty rated players they've signed one. Maybe they have a strategy or maybe they messed up, we dont know. We can certainly discuss it without claiming that because they signed their draft picks they're spending money when in fact most teams sign their top draft picks.
It's too early to call on whether they'll leave a lot of that unspent, in my opinion. I still think that they'll shell out some money for an overage guy like the Reds did with Jacob Constante.
now that's what I called getting pwn3d. Cometswin, that's what happens when you come with an uninformed, yet angry accusation.
I dominate your thoughts so much you follow me around like a puppy. Sit, I'll give you a treat. :grin:
*giggle* nice try to recover, but the damage has been done. Go sit in the corner and consider how you can become a better poster in the future. TIA, brah
Oh texx, I think it's cute how you avoid the threads you're getting destroyed in and go trolling new threads. So cute, if only anyone could figure out your MO.
You gotta keep in mind that these are 16/17-year-olds. The equivalent of HS sophomores and juniors. They may be the top foreign kids for their age group, but their bust potential is significantly higher than an American kid. A lot of the Latin kids look good while their handlers are shopping them. And they look good because it's a glorified practice. One of them has serious pop. Another kid is smooth in the field. Another kid can run his fastball up to 95. But, a lot of them can't seem to get their raw tools to carry over in game situations. Fast-forward 3, 4 years later. The kid has serious pop... but it turns out that he can't make contact. The kid who's smooth in the field couldn't hit a beach ball. The kid who throws gas has no idea where it's going, or he doesn't have a usable offspeed pitch. I know this was during the Wade regime, but the Astros splurged on Ariel Ovando. The jury's still out on him since he just turned 20, but getting relegated to a 3rd year of rookie ball means he hasn't put it all together. The Astros have not gotten much of a return from a kid that they gave a $2.6 million bonus. He could break out next year. Or, he might never reach AA. If it's the former, then he's back in the prospect conversation. If it's the latter, then it's $2.6 million down the drain. Can you blame them for taking a more measured approach in the international market, instead of throwing money every which way?
Their money is capped so they can't throw it every which way. The way the rules are structured gives the Astros an advantage. Not using it negates it as an advantage. It's true the players are young and it's unpredictable. The amateur draft is also unpredictable. It doesn't mean you skip your top picks because there's inherent risk. I'd simply like then to use every advantage they have. Also, with Oviendo he may well be a bust instead of Darryl Strawberry. He might also take years to blossom. Gregory Polanco is an excellent example of that. Later.
This is absolutely no different than any American HS prospect. This is why scouts matter, but young baseball talent is the biggest crapshoot in professional sports.
Don't overpay. We even had one guy turn down our higher offer. Not like the team didn't try. Don't know what they spent on Amador or Heras, but their bonuses count against the pool as well (but not the transfer fee).
Don't overpay? That might be true if you're managing your family checkbook, but when the Astros' payroll is the lowest in MLB, then you have a little room to work with, even if you "overpay" a little bit. Which of course is subjective anyways...
Overpaying creates future overpaying. When you overpay, you increase the market value of future prospects by comparison. I have room in my family bank account, but I'm not going to pay sticker price.
Crane says he'll spend on players in 2014 [rQUOTEr]RICHMOND – After watching the 2013 Astros set a franchise record with 111 losses, Astros owner Jim Crane is adamant that his club will start picking it up in 2014. Moreover, he promises to open up the purse strings this winter. “Don’t lose the faith,” Crane said before the Astros Foundation’s Golf Tournament at Shadow Hawk Country Club on Monday. “We hit the bottom yesterday.” “We will spend some money, not only here (at the fundraiser) but on the team next year,” he said. “And you will see us on TV.” Crane echoes the frustration of his team’s fans, acknowledging he was not pleased with his 111-51 record. Moreover, it’s clear he realizes the bullpen must be upgraded next season. “I think nobody’s happy with the way we ended up,” Crane said. “We lost a lot of close games with the back end of the bullpen not being able to shut anybody down.” For the first time since he bought the club from Drayton McLane in 2011, Crane admits that the Astros must spend money to upgrade the club this winter. “I think from rebuilding our organization, I think not from this team’s record this year, but I think the farm system is ahead of schedule,” he said. “I think when the rankings come out and you saw the performances of the (farm teams) this year, all six of them made the playoffs. “Now we have a nucleus to draw from. And so we got that established. I think in the off-season you’ll see Jeff (Luhnow), and he’s already said it, we’re going to fill some of those holes. As the kids come up through the system we can get competitive very quick. We lost a lot of one-run games. It’s pretty obvious where our needs are, and we’ll work on those in the offseason and start loosening the purse book.” The Astros had the lowest payroll in the majors last season, starting with about $21 million for the 25-man roster on Opening Day and dipping to around $14 million after the trade deadline.[/rQUOTEr]
If we're believing everything Crane says... we better hope for sure that CSN (or some sort of RSN where the Astros get PAID) works out. Otherwise, he's also saying we need that $$$ to remain competitive.
Their signing bonuses don't count against the pool. Because of their age and playing experience they are exempt from the bonus restrictions (like Tanaka or Abreu). Haven't heard the figures but Ben Badler said in a podcast that neither was a significant expenditure.
He laid this plan out from the get-go, and he's pretty much stuck to it. What are you upset or surprised about?
you're just not paying attention. left field advertising wall, CSN Houston, Astros wives gala, moving to the AL, complaining about how much money the Astros lose, "you write a check for $10M"... show me the link where all that was laid out from the get-go. TIA
[rQUOTEr]he was not pleased with his 111-51 record.[/rQUOTEr]hot damn! franchise record! oh, wait...
