Dusty skipped Clement in the rotation down the stretch in September.... don't question me on facts, I'm not like other posters here. "It is what it is," manager Dusty Baker said of Clement. "We'll probably skip him a turn, and hopefully he can have a couple of bullpens and get it together." Health does not appear to be an issue, so there might be a little punishment here. The Cubs thought they had the perfect plan to sweep Florida Monday when Mark Prior shut down the Marlins in the first game while many Cubs' hitters, including Sammy Sosa, rested for Game 2, in which Florida was starting reliever David Weathers against Clement. Then Clement allowed Weathers to out-pitch him. He's 0-2 with a 7.63 ERA in his last four starts. (taken from http://www.allstarstats.com/scb/lm/reports/player.asp?sport=BB&Leaguenum=0423&Mode=&X=6099&Y=0 , but you can find more on this in other places... I simply did a google search.) Also, Haren was the Cardinals BEST pitcher down the stretch in the season, and he was the only one they had who could throw strikes in the World Series. Calero was their most effective relief pitcher for the entire season... he's a future setup guy/closer... and if you watched him against us, you know he's got wicked stuff. All this for a guy who may have had his best years behind him in Mulder... I've spent a lot of time in St. Louis, and I can tell you that fans there are VERY weary of that deal... and these are the most knowledgeable fans in all of baseball. Once again... I'm open to your criticism... as long as you do accept others as well, as all I did was state the facts.
Well, some of us would still be fans and go to the games to cheer on the Astros no matter what. I hope you would, too.
Matt Clement, who came out of Sunday's start because of a sore neck, said he'd be ready to start Saturday in Florida. "It feels like a day after, maybe a little achier than normal," Clement said. Source: Arlington Daily Herald Matt Clement - S - Boston Red Sox Free Agent Aug 29 Matt Clement left today's game in the fifth inning with an undisclosed injury. Kent Mercker replaced him. Clement gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings. Matt Clement - S - Boston Red Sox Free Agent Aug 29 Matt Clement left today's game with an upper back and neck strain. Clement is day-to-day. If he can't make his next start, Glendon Rusch will fill in for him. Matt Clement - S - Boston Red Sox Free Agent Aug 29 Matt Clement doesn't expect to miss any additional time after leaving today's game with an upper back and neck strain. It looks like Glendon Rusch will remain in the pen. HE WAS INJURED There were 3 or 4 guys in their bullpen with as good as or better ERAs than Calero....As for Haren...40 something innings with a 4.50 ERA isn't anything to write home about
Yet Dusty and Clement himself said he was not hurt by the time he was able to make starts in September... (its in the quote I posted). A lot of Chicagoans saw thru this guy has a head case and a career underachiever... that's why I call him Redding-lite. If they really thought he was worth it, they gladly would have shelled over the $$$. They didn't... and the Red Sox (who have now taken a risk on two NL central pitchers) did. As for Calero... he had a 2.78 ERA while filling Lidge's role of two years ago. As far as everyday relievers, only Julian "the head case" Tavarez was a better righty. They gave up quality to get quality... and any time you do a 3 for 1, it could always end up backfiring.
Say what you want about Clement, his ERA was better than any starter in their rotation last season except Zambrano - better than Kerry Wood, better than Prior, better than Maddux. He's not a star, but he's a solid pitcher. $6m was probably too high, but the SP market went sky high this offseason for some reason. Dusty Baker, btw, is an idiot. I don't think you can base anything on his expertise. Danny Haren and Kiko Calero were both good relievers for the Cards last season. Haren's a prospect who's probably going to end up being a #3 starter. Good, not great stuff, and he's young still. Calero a future closer? You talk about him like he's a prospect, but he's already 30. He's as good as he's going to get. Neither are anywhere close to Mark Mulder, a hard throwing, young, lefty starter who's averaged 18 wins a year over the past 4. If Mulder's injured, or Barton develops into a good player (probably not a catcher, he's got a weak arm. LF or 1B is likely) then Oakland got over on the Cards. If he's healthy, it was an absolute steal for St. Louis.
NJ Rocket: I'm as upset, pissed off and generally frustrated as you are. But I can see what the Astros decided. 1. Last year's team was 1 game from the world series. But also, last year's team was terrible for 1/2 the year, then caught lightning in a botte. The truth is that the team was really soemthing in between. A good but not great team. Perhaps if we brought Beltran back, we could make the huge push again. Perhaps. But even in the best case, Biggio and Bagwell are older. Maybe Clemens comes back, maybe not. 2. The plan B's, the beltre, finley, etc, that have been discussed. I honestly don't think they would have been enough. We needed Beltran's entire game, a MVP type person to help in every facet of the game. 3. Should we have broken the bank for Beltran? I think you argued we should. (if i recall incorrectly, sorry). My heart agrees. The GM in me says no. Our offer was fair and the right one. If we could have landed Beltran at 105MM, we would still need to spend some money on building a legit contender. The Burba, Wendell garbage you're seeing now would not have been the course. I think we would have spent extra to get the alloy rims on the brand new Mercedes. 4. We are where we are. The question is where we go. I think it would be foolish to spend money in anything other than relief pitching and maybe Burnitz on a 1 year deal. If Lane and Burke can play, let them play. if they exceed expectations, maybe we make that Randy Johnson acquisition. 5. I'm trying to recall our Randy Johnson team. I htink we had Johnson, Hampton, Reynolds, Dotel, Jackson and Wagner. Our lineup was Biggio, Bagwell, Berry, Bell, Lugo, Ward, and some other folks. (I'm sure I'm leavig out someone). This year's team is about the same caliber. Oswalt, Pettitte, Backe (maybe Clemens), (no middle relief except Qualls), Lidge. Berkman, Bagwell, Biggio, Lane, Burke, Ensberg/Lamb. Lets just see what happens. The reality is that we, as fans, have never experienced anything like last year. Indeed, I felt envious of all the other cities that have teams that are regularly in the postseason hunt. it sucks to be asked to surrender that excitement and hope. But that's MLB and the crappy no salary cap system we have. Maybe we'll outpeform.
Yankees, Red Sox, Atlanta are in the hunt every summer. Who else? Otherwise, it's a lot of one season wonders. Who else always appear to be legit October contenders with legit chance to win a LCS? Angels, Mariners, Twinkies, Cards, A's? Good teams usually. Not year in/year out squads. Mets, Phils, Dodgers spend a fortune and fall flat by May 1. If Pettite is healthy. If Clemens comes back, and continues to define time. If Roy O keeps his groin intact. (Same for Cubbies staff). If a trading deadline deal is made. Then, a contender exists. All hope is not dead. WS? Yanks or Red Sox v ? Why not Clemens and Pettite making back page headlines in the NY tabs?
and...it should be noted...we have the 5th best winning percentage in all of MLB over the past 10 seasons. that's not shabby. admittedly, it doesn't earn you a championship parade and a big trophy...but it's hard to argue the astros aren't in the playoff hunt virtually every season. which is what was being said.
No Dotel... he came in the Hampton trade. Elarton was the setup guy. That Mike Jackson fiasco was another year. Lima was our 4th starter and won 16 games. Pretty sure every starter in our rotation won double figures. Biggio and Bagwell were absolute studs that year (until the postseason), now they're average players. Berry and Spiers were a good platoon at 3B. Oh yea - you've also left out guys like Moises Alou and Carl Everett. They were bit players I guess, easy to forget. Your comparison is really poor. Unit/Hampton/Reynolds/Lima was at least as good as Clemens/Oswalt/Pettite/Backe, and Bagwell/Biggio/Alou/Everett/Berry/Bell was a much, much, much better lineup than Berkman/Bagwell/Biggio/Ensberg/Lane/Burke.
Sam, Thanks. memory gets fuzzy. hated that jackson debacle. I'd take Clemens/Oswalt/Pettitte/Backe over the Johnson led staff any day. you're probably right about the hitting, although much depends on how well Burke and Lane play. The two squads are reasonably similar. madmax, I'd probably add the Giants to that list. They always seem to be in the playoffs or right in the hunt.l
we had a late game lead against ATL. I think 8th inning. Dierker brought in Mike the thriller Jackson instead of Dotel. Jackson got hammered and we lost. Killed our chances in the series.
From what I remember - 8th inning, game 1, Stros up by a run at home, Dotel available but Dierker brings in Mike Jackson to pitch. He gives up a run and the lead (Wags went on to finish the choke job). Stros never recovered in that series, Dierker gets the axe. Think the famous quote by Dierker about his decision was "Check the record."
I believe his point is that every year for the last 10 years (except 2000) the Astros have been in the playoff hunt in September. Not many teams can say that. In addition, by always being in the hunt, the Astros have seldom had the opportunity to dump veterans in favor of youngsters with potential at the trading deadline.
