ESPN Insider Jan. 27 - Add Houston to the list of teams that ma be interested in signing closer Ugueth Urbina, suggests the Washington Post. The Astros need a closer after trading Billy Wagner in the offseason.
I read the article. I don't remember Dotel being referenced at all. The 'stros have committed to him. UU shoots guns. Which one will get run in Houston? And which one run off?
What, have Dotel and Lidge both torn their rotator cuffs? But man, having a Lidge-Dotel-Urbina end game with this starting staff would be beyond sick.
I'd rather have Dotel close than Urbina. Plus, Urbina is looking for a lot of money - it wouldn't make sense for the Astros to spend money on a closer when they have Dotel capable of filling the role.
I still think we need another arm in the bullpen, and Urbina would be a great signing. I'm still not sold on Lidge, he pitched great early, but was a real liability down the stretch, and the history of injuries scares me a little as well.
No way! He'll get Wagner money and if the Astros were willing to spend that then they would have just kept Wagner.
Here is the article that ESPN Insider is apparently referring to. It is simply a suggestion from a columnist and all of a sudden it becomes a rumor to ad dHouston to the list of Urbina suitors. Finally, we have Houston. The site of the Super Bowl, next year's All-Star Game and the city where President Bush grew up. Who thought Houston would ever be hot? "We've got everything these days," says the Astros' Craig Biggio. They're even got Pettitte and Clemens, as everyone knows. What they don't have anymore, which few have noticed, is lights-out fireballing southpaw closer Billy Wagner. "They got rid of me because they don't like me," Wagner said after being dealt to Philadelphia. Wagner blasted owner Drayton McLane late in the season for not spending for stretch-drive help. Malice wasn't the motive, says General Manager Gerry Hunsicker, claiming, "The Pettitte and Clemens signings were unusual circumstances not contemplated at the time of the Wagner trade." Oops. Caught by surprise by our own good fortune, were we? Whether it costs him more or not, McLane might want to contact the still-unsigned Urbina, who closed out two games in the last Series. Houston has everything covered except the ninth inning. Yet nothing's more vital. If that isn't fixed, the phone call the Astros' owner gets in October could be from a miffed ex-Texas Rangers owner who now watches from a round office. Oval, actually.
Kinda like the Lidge-Dotel-Wagner trio BUt I would rather let Dotel a chance before getting another contract.
Astros wont sign anyone who fires a gun http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_y...aA--?slug=ap-urbinaarrested&prov=ap&type=lgns
OK...assume we sign him. How much money will be deferred until 2006? The way it is we have the GDP of a small nation coming due in 2006.
If the money's not bad, I think this will be a great pickup. Having Dotel around for those close games in 7th-8th is much better than wasting him on protecting 2-3 run 9th innings. Of course, Dotel will probably be pissed at all the $$$ he'll lose by not being a "closer".
As a Cards fan this scares me quite a bit. The recent gun incident may drive his price tag down enough that you could sign him to a reasonble deal. Urbina found his old velocity of around 95 in the second half of last season and was damn effective. I think he had been trowing in the high 80's for Boston 2 yrs ago. Add him in with Lidge, Dotel and the new starters and you may have the best all around pitching in baseball.
Read the article again. It is ONE sportswriter's suggestion(from Washingron DC, no less) that the Astros should pursue Urbina. If the same sportswriter had suggested that the Astros sign Greg Maddux to complete an 'all-star' rotation, ESPN Insider would have written, "add the Astros to the teams pursuing Greg Maddux". It is not even a rumor. It was not stated by someone "in the know". It was not stated by a baseball executive or MLB insider. The Astros will not pursue Urbina (unless some crazy injury happens to Dotel in the offseason). They have no inclination to sign Urbina. They have no money to sign Urbina. Even if the Astros traded Hidalgo and his salary, they would not sign Urbina.
