Spencer Arrighetti was in the Rotation before the Injury. Spencer Arrighetti returning soon Cristian Javier late July, Early August return Luis Garcia Early July return
87 might have been one of my all time favorite Astros Rosters Cruz, Doran, Gar, Hatcher Scott, Nolan, Danny Darwin, Kerfeld Guys were fun to watch
Biggest What if in Astros History if they kept this Group together and grew. 1997 Was the Best Astros Team with Minor Leagues included. Luis Gonzalez, Steve Finley, Kenny Lofton, Carl Everett, Darryl Kile 1B Jeff Bagwell, 2B Craig Biggio, 3B Ken Caminiti Minor Leagues Lance Bekman, Roy Oswalt, Johan Santana, Freddy Garcia, Wade Miller, Bobby Abreu, Richard Hidalgo, SS Carlos Guillen over Ricky Gutierrez and Adam Everett huge upgrade. Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen, John Halama for Randy Johnson really did hurt the Future for Win Now Rental. Freddy Garcia, Roy Oswalt, Johan Santana, Wade Miller. Roy Oswalt on a podcast said he still thinks about Freddy Garcia and Johan Santana should've been kept and grew together. Hal Newhouser wanted to Draft Derek Jeter over Phil Nevin. Huge mistake they ruled over Hal and Hal quit on the Astros. Sad day in 1992 Draft.
First...don't disrespect Adam Everett. Gulllen was a better offensive player but Everett is one of the best defensive SS's of all time and is still horribly underrated. Yes...in hindsight, it would've been awesome to have Freddy Garcia and Johan Santana. But after Santana put up a nearly 5 era in A ball, I don't blame the team for making others a priority. And 1998 was a better team than 1997.
Adam Everett had a horrible batting average. Fact. Never disrespected him. Don't Gaslight. It is a Fact. Carlos Guillen definitely can play defense. Mariners had a over 100 win Season for a Reason. Great Defense. Johan Santana 5.00 era or not, due to his younger age, he should've kept.
Guillen was an all star level SS. Everette was not, thing is if Guillen had been the SS. I wouldn't have been able to take nearly as mant bathroom breaks when Ausmus/Everette/Pitcher was coming up to bat. So there's that.
And the Astros actually went to a World Series with...great defense. Guillen was a great player. There's no doubt about that. "In hindsight"...something literally every team can say about letting someone go too early. Who knows if he would've developed into what he became had the Astros kept Santana.
Santana had remarkably similar numbers to oswalt who was also on that Michigan team that same year. Redding was on the team too and looked better than both of them just looking at the numbers. Struck out way more per inning. Never can tell. Can't protect them all.
The organization was so high on Tim Redding, a lot of us casual fans were led to think he was going to be a generational stud pitcher based on the Astros management reactions. But Redding struggled at the ML level, and that was that.
It is clear. The Astros procrastinated, masturbated and assassinated their opportunity for Japanese kikoochi. 10/10. Your Stros are way before your bros.
Johan Santana and Carlos Hernandez were really similar. The shoulder injury when Carlos Hernandez was running and sliding head first, Carlos injured his left shoulder and ruined his career. That was heartbreaking to watch and I still remember that around 2002 I believe. Carlos Hernandez used to throw 96-97 mph before the injury. After the injury he barely threw 87 - 90 mph.
What's that? Starting pitching hasn't remotely been the Astros problem? McCullers will be fine? Ryan Gusto, Golton Gordon and Brandon Walter are gonna be the next big things?? This is the mentality of fans who can only live in the now. And this is what you eventually get. Whether it was a Crane or the front office, a colossal B L U N D E ER in letting go of a proven, affordable SP.
