that's disappointing. while you can't prove the astros last season hitting improvement was due to bagwell, they sure looked more patient at the plate when he was there. I would have liked to see him give it a full season.
Well...understandable from Bagwell's perspective Good news/bad news for Mills. I'm sure he'd love to have Bagwell back, but not the case. Now he can get his own guy in there.
Also this Via 610 The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice reports that Jeff Bagwell has informed the Astros that he will not return as hitting coach.
It is emblematic of this franchise. The very essence of the word stupid. He should have been an Astro for life. Instead he was literally run out of town by as a**hole owner. So what does he do? Merely come up to Arlington and pitches his 7th no-hitter. Then when his playing days are over, he comes in and helps to resurrection what had been an absolute joke of a franchise. Just think for a minute what he could have done for the Houston Astros. But that's all water under the bridge. For now, the Astros are in yet another rebuilding effort for the next (fill in the blank) years. To be an Astro fan is to know the true meaning of the word futility because in the end, that will be all you have left after years (or decades in my case) of patience and support. But maybe all is not lost - after all it only took Texas 39 years to get a clue. Here's hoping the Astros can get one in the next 20.
I am pretty much with you on your first point but on you second, did you miss 94-2006 and 2008? It appears the pieces are in place for a successful rebuilding process so cheer up. Stros had LOTS of success for many years, so a downturn isn't suprising. The way the downturn took place was ugly but at least that has been corrected for the most part.
This statement sounds like you slept through the Hunsicker years. These things are cyclical. The Astros will be up again, and others will be down again. Oh and by the way, the Rangers finally "get it"--for now, of course--after 39 years thanks to the guidance of a Houstonian.
Dramatic much? Drayton wasn't even the owner who ran Nolan out of town the first time. Nolan went back to the Rangers after running/owning the RR/CC clubs because he didn't have a chance to move up in the Astros organization or buy into ownership. Tal Smith wasn't going to get fired and Drayton is looking to gouge whoever buys the team. Tal Smith not being fired randomly so Nolan Ryan could become team president isn't emblematic of the Astros stupidity. And I wouldn't be so quick to praise Nolan Ryan so much. Just like the roots of Astros demise lay more in the latter years of Hunsicker's reign than Purpura, the roots of the Rangers success go back way farther than Nolan Ryan. Hell most of the credit should go to GM Jon Daniels who acquired most of the team (including Josh Hamilton, Neftali Perez, Elvus Andrus, Cliff Lee). Stop being such a whiny b. The Astros look a lot better this offseason than they did last off season and that's more than most mediocre teams can say. At least we're not the Cubs..... or the Pirates....
I think Pirates and Royals fans would disagree with you about the meaning of futility. I can promise you that it doesn't include a World Series a mere 5 years ago.
glad to see so many reasonable responses here. While the Astros aren't where they should be considering what they had going for them in 2001, there are certainly many other franchises who have a far better argument for "futility" than do the Astros. They'll be back. Until then, we can enjoy the ride or we can wring our hands and whine and moan at every turn. Your choice.
Alyson Footer says payroll next season will likely be around 80mil so that would be about 20mil on free agency after arbitration. And says, they are looking for a utility infielder at short, a left handed hitter in the outfield to platoon with J-Mike and a fifth starter. Astros pursuing Carl Crawford is "slim-to-none" Also could look at bringing Puma back.
20 Million dollars could go a longways into making us competitive next year. Myers/Rodriguez/Happ/Norris as the front four. Why do we need a 5th if we have Paulino and maybe Nelson coming back.
Paulino has not shown the ability to stay healthy for a full season over his entire career, minors included. He may be better suited to the bullpen. Figueroa would be fine in a swing man/long reliever/#6 starter role.
This. Plus, what exactly about Bud Norris is it that makes you think he's a solid #4 starter? Was it his 5 ERA or his 1.5 WHIP? His 77 walks in 153 innings? He's a well below average starting pitcher. If he's starting because of "upside", fine, but he's an anchor on the pitching staff, an anchor in the sense that he brings the group down, collectively.
Aren't the Astros still on the hook for Oswalt and Berkman's salaries next year? That could eat into the 20 million. If 20 million is the real bottom line, I for signing one big fish versus many smaller fishes. Gotta say that I sure hope that the Astros don't spend 20 million collectively on a bench IF, bench OF or a fifth starter. These are positions that should be cheap to fill, like less than 2 million per.
I just do not see the Astros going 162-0 next year with Norris as their #4. I could say the same thing about the other 24 roster spots.
Norris & Paulino are very inconsistent. Sometimes they look like Nolan Ryan out there. Other times they look like Tim Redding.
