Today is the deadline day to tender him. Tim Purpura seemed like he was not going to tender him yesterday on interview with Sports Sunday. Also they could trade him and I read they offered him for Shea Hillenbrand. Other tenders include Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt, Pete Munro, Tim Redding, Brandon Duckworth and Mike Lamb. I think everybody will be tendered but Miller and maybe not Munro.
Have you seen the insane contracts being offered to FA pitchers? We'd be foolish to non-tender Wade a contract unless we're certain that he's done for. Pitchers can and do come back productive after surgery, happens all the time.
From Ken Rosenthal The Astros inquired about Diamondbacks 1B Shea Hillenbrand, figuring they also could play him at third and in left. The team also considered trading RHP Wade Miller for OF Carlos Lee before Lee went to the Brewers. . . . If we non-tender Miller, I'll be really disappointed. Even if we don't want him, if there's talks of trading him for a 28 year old coming off a .300/30/100 (ok 99) season, and put up virtually identical numbers the year before. I'm guessing this was a backup option if we lose on Beltran- if we end up missing on him, I wouldn't mind sending Miller to Chicago for Podsednik plus a reliever (what they got for Lee).
The only way i see us trying to move Miller is if we are concerned about his health...in which case he isn;t going to be very tradable.
I doubt that we extend a contract to Miller just based on the fact that he has an injured shoulder and hasn't gone to get surgery to repair it. I doubt the Astros want to risk putting any money in him and haveing a large chance of losing on their investment if they do offer him a contract.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1950421 HOUSTON -- Right-hander Wade Miller became a free agent Monday when the Houston Astros declined to offer him a new contract. Miller was 7-7 with a 3.35 ERA in 15 starts before going on the disabled list June 29 with a season-ending rotator cuff injury. In his first two full seasons for the Astros, Miller was 31-12 in 2001 and 2002. He then pitched through right forearm pain in 2003, but still was 14-13 with a 4.13 ERA in 33 starts. When the Astros signed Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens last offseason, the 28-year-old Miller was dropped to the No. 4 spot in the rotation behind those two and Roy Oswalt. The Astros offered contracts to Oswalt (20-10, 3.49 ERA in 36 games), outfielder Lance Berkman, infielder Mike Lamb and right-handed pitchers Brandon Duckworth, Pete Munro, and Tim Redding. Berkman has hit .303 for the Astros with 156 home runs and 535 RBI the past six seasons. Lamb, acquired from the New York Yankees in March, hit .288 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 2004. Duckworth was 1-2 with a 6.86 ERA for the Astros in 2004. Munro was 4-7 with a 5.15 ERA in 21 games in 2004, and Redding 5-7 with a 5.72 ERA.
Thats the samething I was thinking. If Clemens retires we are screwed because Roy O and Andy will have to a ton of pressure on them. Hopefully this new GM will make some sort of move to get a solid #3 pitcher.
Pressure is a bad thing? I think those 2 can handle it just fine. Yes, I'd like a #3 pitcher too. If Clemens retires and we're not paying Miller, I have a feeling there will be $$ (Beltran or not) to sign a pitcher or trade for one.
