Dammit, everytime I see there's a new post here, I'm hoping it's some real news about the Astros. Just some stupid back and forth between lawyers and Microsoft website.
Astros sign Moehler, Newhan Both players invited to big league Spring Training camp By Alyson Footer / MLB.com HOUSTON -- The Astros added two more players to the mix on Tuesday when they inked right-hander Brian Moehler and infielder/outfielder David Newhan to Minor League contracts. Both have received invitations to Major League Spring Training. Moehler, 36, returns to the Astros after spending the 2007 season with the club as a member of the bullpen. He was 1-4 with a 4.07 ERA while appearing in a career-high 42 games. Over 10 seasons in the Majors from 1996-2003 and 2005-07, Mohler is 64-83 with a 4.75 ERA in 252 games (189 starts). Newhan, 34, hit .203 (15-for-74) with one home run, six RBIs and two stolen bases over 56 games for the New York Mets in 2007. He also played 44 games for Triple-A New Orleans last season, hitting .347 (60-for-173) with 12 doubles, seven home runs, 30 RBIs and seven stolen bases. A veteran of seven Major League seasons with San Diego (1999-2000), Philadelphia (2000-01), Baltimore (2004-06) and the Mets (2007), Newhan has hit .252 with 21 home runs, 108 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in 349 career big league games. Moehler will compete for a bullpen spot, while Newhan will look to win one of the backup outfielder jobs.
Byung-Hyun Kim and Livan Hernandez are both still available. Either one of them would be an improvement to our rotation.
Livan maybe. Kim isn't any better than anyone else we've got. I'd rather take my chances with the much younger Sampson, Paulino, Wandy, Backe, or the older Woody before adding salary to take on Kim.
Not really related to the Astros, but Morgan Ensberg signed with the Yankees... bench role, of course.
Look out for the Yankees in 2008! The additions of Jason Lane and Morgan Ensberg will carry them over the top. The top of what you might ask? I don't know.
The benefit of adding Livan Hernandez is that he's going to eat innings. Even if he doesn't pitch that effectively, just pitching an extra inning or 2 each start would be a huge benefit to our questionable and shallow pen. Which would help keep those guys fresh for when our 3/4/5 starters pitched, none of whom seem likely to give you 7 or 8 innings per.
