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Here come the Big Three: Lane, Everett, Ensberg sign!

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by ryan17wagner, Jan 25, 2007.

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  1. ryan17wagner

    ryan17wagner Member

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    HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros announced today that the club has signed third baseman Morgan Ensberg to a one-year, $4.35-million contract. The announcement was made by General Manager Tim Purpura.
    Ensberg, 31, hit .235 (91x387) with 23 home runs and 58 RBI in 127 games for the Astros in the 2006. He posted a .392 on-base percentage and drew a career-best 101 walks, becoming the first third baseman in club history to draw 100 or more walks in a season. Ensberg hit nine homers in April, including a home run in a franchise-record six consecutive games from April 15-21. Since the beginning of the 2005 season, he ranks second among National League third baseman with 59 home runs, trailing only Aramis Ramirez (69).

    In 2005, Ensberg was named to his first National League All-Star team, and both his home run (36) and RBI (101) totals in 2005 set franchise records for a third baseman. Ensberg also became the first Astros third baseman to hit 30 home runs in a season and the seventh Houston player all-time to accomplish the feat. He won the Sporting News Silver Slugger Award at the position and was a finalist for the 2005 Hank Aaron Award.

    Ensberg has appeared in 588 games for the Astros over a six-season span (2000, 2002-06). He carries a lifetime .270 average (499x1,848) with 97 home runs and 304 RBI.

    LANCE AND EVERETT​

    HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros announced today that the club has signed infielder Adam Everett to a one-year, $2.8-million contract, plus incentives, and outfielder Jason Lane to a one-year, $1.05-million contract, plus incentives. The announcement was made by General Manager Tim Purpura.
    The 29-year-old Everett hit .239 (123x514) with six home runs and a career-high 59 RBI in 2006 in 150 games for the Astros. He posted career-high totals in doubles (28), triples (6), and walks (34). Everett also committed only seven errors last season, and his .990 fielding pct. ranked fourth all-time for a National League shortstop in a single season. His 2006 season included a career-best, 53-game errorless streak, and he ranked fourth in the Majors and third in the NL with 479 assists.

    Additionally, Everett was named the best shortstop in the Major Leagues last year by a panel of judges from The Fielding Bible, a publication that conducts an in-depth study each season of all MLB defenders. Before the 2006 season, the same publication termed him "quite simply the best shortstop in the Major Leagues." Everett has started at shortstop on Opening Day for the Astros in four of the last five seasons, including the last three consecutive (2002-04-05-06).

    Lane, 30, hit .201 (58x288) with 15 home runs and 45 RBI in the 2006 season. He drew a career-high 49 walks and also hit .263 (5x19) with two home runs as a pinch-hitter. Lane also appeared in 12 games at Triple-A Round Rock in 2006, where he hit .261 (12x46) with one home run and 11 RBI. He hit his first career grand slam on Aug. 29 vs. Milwaukee, the first pinch-hit slam by an Astro since Gregg Zaun in 2002.

    Over the last two seasons (2005-06), Lane has hit a total of 41 home runs. His 26 home runs in 2005 were two shy of the club record for a right fielder, set by Richard Hidalgo in 2003 (28). In 2005, he set career highs in games (145), at-bats (517), runs (65), hits (138), doubles (34), triples (4), home runs (26) and RBI (78).

    Since 2004, Lane has appeared in 21 playoff games for the Astros. On Oct. 6, 2004, he became the ninth player to homer in his first career postseason at-bat, launching a solo shot in the ninth inning of the NLDS Game 1 at Atlanta.

    In 426 career Major League games, all with Houston, Lane has hit .252 (261x334) with 53 home runs and 162 RBI.
     
    #1 ryan17wagner, Jan 25, 2007
  2. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    "quite simply the best shortstop in the Major Leagues."


    love that guy!!!!! :)
     
    #2 MadMax, Jan 25, 2007
  3. sammy

    sammy Contributing Member

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    Im really sick of Lane at this point. I dont see the need for a low-average hitting OF.
     
    #3 sammy, Jan 25, 2007
  4. rodrick_98

    rodrick_98 Contributing Member

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    i'm surprised ensberg's 36 home runs in '05 set the club record for a 3rd baseman.
     
    #4 rodrick_98, Jan 25, 2007
  5. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    really?

    remember this team spent many years at the Astrodome.
     
    #5 MadMax, Jan 25, 2007
  6. Buck Turgidson

    Buck Turgidson Member

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    They haven't exactly had a parade of great power hitters over there either.
     
    #6 Buck Turgidson, Jan 25, 2007
  7. Storm Surge

    Storm Surge Rookie

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    Jason Lane got seven figures?

    How does this guy even get SIGNED?
     
    #7 Storm Surge, Jan 25, 2007
  8. Lil Francis

    Lil Francis Member

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    i dont have a problem with Ensberg because i think he will bounce back this season and is capable of putting up All Star stats. But Everett making basically 3mil and Lane 1mil is amazing. Its not the Astros fault its just how the market is at this point. Lane has done nothing and makes a mil a year and Everett might be the worst every day hitter in the majors and makes close to 3mil.
     
    #8 Lil Francis, Jan 25, 2007
  9. DieHard Rocket

    DieHard Rocket Contributing Member

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    Thats what I want to know. :rolleyes:
     
    #9 DieHard Rocket, Jan 25, 2007
  10. Rocketman95

    Rocketman95 Hangout Boy

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    Probably has nothing to do with the fact that he's the best defensive SS in the game.
     
    #10 Rocketman95, Jan 25, 2007
  11. Lil Francis

    Lil Francis Member

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    I dont care how good his glove is. 3mil a year for Adam Everett is too much when he cant bat over .240 and wont hit more than 5 homers this season.
     
    #11 Lil Francis, Jan 25, 2007
  12. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    you drastically underrate the value of defense at SS.
     
    #12 MadMax, Jan 25, 2007
  13. Lil Francis

    Lil Francis Member

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    Adam Everett is a much better defensive player than Ecstein and that guy has 2 rings. So you tellin me if the Cards offered you Eckstein for Everett that you wouldnt do it? Adam is no Ozzie Smith or Omar Vizquel.I'll take a guy thats solid at SS and will help me at the plate anyday over a SS that sucks at the plate and is a "great" defensive SS.
     
    #13 Lil Francis, Jan 25, 2007
  14. Plowman

    Plowman Contributing Member
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    The Astros didn't have to pay much for these guys.Lane,I could care less about..tradefodder.But the deals that Adam and Morgan took are steals.

    AE is the best defensive SS in the game and if he was hitting in the 2 spot with protection you would get more production out of the lineup.Adam handles the bat well,laying down bunts,is great on the bases,and can turn that piped fastball into a linedrive.

    His wrist seems much better..I'd wager in the 2 spot AE hits .270+.

    No matter what he gives you great defense up the middle and THAT is a prerequisite for a WS title.
     
    #14 Plowman, Jan 25, 2007
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2007
  15. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    did you seriously just argue rings as a reason to value one player over another?

    would you take dave eckstein over ted williams? how about ernie banks?

    hell, no, i wouldn't do it. adam is a better defensive player than vizquel at this point.

    so if he were batting .270, would that be alright?? because that amounts to about 3 more hits ever 100 AB's. you'd let 3 hits in 100 AB's be the difference?

    "great" doesn't belong in quotes. he is absolutely the best defensive SS in the game today. he makes plays look routine that others have to go head over heels for. his positioning, his movement to the ball and his arm are incredible.
     
    #15 MadMax, Jan 25, 2007
  16. JunkyardDwg

    JunkyardDwg Contributing Member

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    Overvaluing his contributions (or lack thereof) at the plate and undervaluing his presence in the field. Everett is one of the best, if not the best defensive shortstops in the league; and that is something that should never go overlooked. It's still a reason Ausmus is very much a coveted player, because of everything he brings to the table (outside of hitting). 2.8 for him (Everett) I'd say is about right. And Lane doesn't exactly deserve 1 mill considering his contributions of late, but baseball salaries don't really work that way anyway, so 1 mill probably is about right too.
     
    #16 JunkyardDwg, Jan 25, 2007
  17. JunkyardDwg

    JunkyardDwg Contributing Member

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    Not to mention the fact that he often cheats up the middle a little to help cover ground balls Biggio can't get to anymore. This team NEEDS AE.
     
    #17 JunkyardDwg, Jan 25, 2007
  18. Lil Francis

    Lil Francis Member

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    No im not saying rings are what makes the player.Im saying having a great defensive SS is overrated to a certain point if Eckstein has 2 rings. He helps his team out more at the plate than AE does.Everetti s not even the best SS in his division. IMO Jack Wilson is a better defensive player and of course has the better bat. Wilson may have more errors but he gets to more balls than AE.
     
    #18 Lil Francis, Jan 25, 2007
  19. rodrick_98

    rodrick_98 Contributing Member

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    i know, but i would have thought maybe Eddie Mathews and certainly Caminiti would have gotten that many... but i guess playing in the dome really did take that many away.
     
    #19 rodrick_98, Jan 25, 2007
  20. kaleidosky

    kaleidosky Your Tweety Bird dance just cost us a run

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    very solid figures for Everett and Ensberg. Lane's # is fine cause of the system and all...I'd just rather not have him. I would think we could grab a random vet that could do what he does for the same amount of money? I guess at least he has his arm out there...and the semi-potential to play a little CF if we need help there and if he happens to get hot.
     
    #20 kaleidosky, Jan 25, 2007
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