It was a blind bid and it wasn't far off from the winning bid. It was a very good effort. I don't know where you get this token effort stuff. Actually I was shocked they made that kind of bid. It was definitely encouraging for the future.
You don't make a $60 million bid in a blind bid auction unless you're damn well ready to pay it. The idea that they were just playing around with $60 million is beyond laughable.
No, I read it all. What you are describing is not a token effort. If you had typed the words "they made an offer they knew for sure would not be accepted", that would have been an example of a token effort.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>As a formality for what you knew would happen: Jason Castro has been tendered a contract by Astros</p>— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/statuses/407641775784726530">December 2, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Reading this today about Kazmir signing a deal with Oakland, did the Astros drop the ball on this? It's not like we couldn't use a productive lefty like him last season. Sure would have been nice trade bait. http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...ott-kazmir-2-year-22-million-deal-sources-say The Oakland Athletics fortified their rotation Monday, reaching a two-year, $22 million agreement with free-agent left-hander Scott Kazmir, sources told ESPN's Jim Bowden and Buster Olney on Monday. Kazmir, a first-round draft pick by the New York Mets in 2002, made the American League All-Star team with Tampa Bay in 2006 and 2008. His career quickly unraveled due to a combination of injuries and mechanical issues, and the Angels released him in June 2011. But Kazmir worked his way back in a stint with the Sugar Land Skeeters in the independent Atlantic League, attracting the attention of Edwin Rodriguez, a minor league manager in the Cleveland system, last winter in Puerto Rico. After winning a spot in the Cleveland rotation in spring training, Kazmir struck out 162 batters in 158 innings. He was particularly effective at home, going 7-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 14 starts at Progressive Field.
$11 mil is a lot for Kazmir IMO. But if it works out for them, great. Phil Hughes got $8 mil(3 years) from Minnesota. Ricky Nolasco got $12.2 mil(4 years) from Minnesota. Jason Vargas got $8 mil(4 years) from KC. Dan Haren got $10 mil(1 year) from LAD. Tim Hudson got $11.5 mil(2 years) from SF. Josh Johson got $8 mil(1 year) from SD.
Certainly a team with a 13 mil payroll and an owner who asks the fans to write 10 million checks for players is way above this...
precisely. There are plenty of legitimate things to criticize Crane over (or, in your case, loathe to the point of obsession) without grasping for nonsense.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Astros have acquired OF Dexter Fowler and PTBNL from the Rockies in exchange for outfielder Brandon Barnes and RHP pitcher Jordan Lyles</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/407996738151018496">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In former Astros prospect news: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>So since summer 2012, Rob Rasmussen has been traded from Miami to Houston to Los Angeles to Philadelphia to Toronto. Call him Suitcase.</p>— Greg Rajan (@GregRajan) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregRajan/statuses/408062356757819392">December 4, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
