Unfortunately i was at work and missed this. I'll have to catch one of the 100 replays i'm sure ESPN will show. 24 home runs in one round is insane
I remember it being a little diff....in 1997 Abreau had started the season in the majors starting in right field when they astros had moved Derek Bell to center,but maybe by mid may it was obvious Bell was not a center fielder and the Astros moved him back to right and sent Abreau down so he could get some at bats.In New Orleans they tried him in center and he wasn't a center fielder either.At that time Hidalgo could play center at an acceptable level and thats ended up being why they chose to keep him and leave Abreau unprotected.Its easy to say they did the wrong thing now,but back then with all the trouble the astros were having finding a decent defensive center fielder the team did what they thought was the smart thing to do.
very good point. At the time (when the playoffs came around) we were stuck using chuckie carr in CF... Carl Everett came and took over the next year--but you're right about the consideration
makes me wonder how good our minor league scouts are.... we sure missed on some good players...and haven't developed many at all....last good players we drafted were oswalt and berkman.....players that we let get away...santana, abreu, lofton, etc... i just feel like the astros don't stick w/ there prospects long enough....i.e. look at Burke...y do i have a feeling if he doesn't do well this season, he's gonna get shipped out of here...i.e. Ward...Lofton....etc
Lidge Taveras Ensberg (He's doing decent this year) Every team screws up. Baseball prospects are so hit-or-miss, no scout will be right all the time.
Also, you can add that Hidalgo was a LEGIT MLB player. He had a 44 HR, 120 RBI season in 2000. Of course, that season became his undoing (he thought he had to be strictly a power hitter after that), that was one helluva year... and it should be noted he had far more road HR's that year (So don't credit the new ballpark). Additional players to add: Wade Miller and Billy Wagner (both drafted by us) worked out pretty good for awhile. Same goes for Ken Caminitti, Steve Finley, Daryle Kile.
