http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=insidedishdontexpecttheo&prov=tsn&type=lgns Astros LF/2B Chris Burke was not part of a proposed deal that would have brought Mariners lefthanders Jamie Moyer and Ron Villone to Houston. The Mariners' package likely would have included RH reliever Chad Harville, RH starter Ezequiel Astacio and at least one other prospect, but Moyer nixed the trade by invoking his no-trade rights. . . .
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/234745_moyer01.html The Astros tried for Randy Winn too in a package, according to this article. The majority of reports though seem to agree with/go with what "the other AL GM" says - that the actual deal that was nixed was Nieve and a AA pitcher (probably one of the 3 or 4 25+ yr olds having good seasons there). In short, we should all be thankful that Moyer nixed the deal - a 43-year-old lefty with an ERA well over 4 in a pitcher's ballpark isn't worth our best AAA pitching prospect no matter how you spin it.
But Ron Villone! We could have had Villone again! Personally, I'm a big fan of Villone. I think he was about as solid for us as can be. He wasn't Cy Young, but you knew that he took the ball out there every time looking for a win. He was a competitor and I value that, especially in pitchers. Maybe we could just pick up Ron?
