The Astros don't have to get rid of Biggio... and they won't (they're paying him too much, and he's a cultural icon... for what that's worth.) They, however, cannot afford to LEAVE HIM AS THE LEADOFF MAN! Does anybody remember last year? Lugo was our lead-off man till he got hurt. Jimy knows Biggio is ideally suited for the bottom of the lineup (esp. now that he knows Ensberg can be his #2 guy), but there just weren't better options this year. I don't see why Biggio can't take the roll that Mark Grace has had during the last two years... a player who was great once, still getting paid big bucks, but doesn't play because there are better options. Grace retired last weekend with little fanfare, but you also know he didn't hurt his team's chances of winning these past two years. So, besides pitching help (which everyone will be looking for, btw... you think the Braves were happy with their rotation?... they won despite it), the #1 PRIORITY is a lead-off man. He doesn't neccessarily have to be a CF, although that would be a nice tidy package (and, most lead-off men ARE either CF or 2B). Another priority is improving the 'Stros bench. Honestly... do we realize we're paying Merced over 2 Million a year for a job that could probably be done better by somebody down in AAA? The same applied to B. Hunter when he was still on the team. At least Viz is versatile enough to play some decent defense at different positions... but even he becomes costly if he doesn't produce with his bat. The FINAL priority would be to improve pitching... why is this the final priority?... because, I HONESTLY don't beleive it was as big as a problem that many made it out to be. Obviously, you can't have guys like Robertson sporting a 5.00 ERA, but the pitching staff overall (even Robertson), won many more games for us than they lost. The progress of Rosario and Hernandez will weigh HUGE on the future success of this team. I do believe Hernandez will come back even stronger... mainly because he did have some VERY GOOD starts in 2002... and that was when he was pitching hurt. Rosario is more of a question mark... but perhaps he could fill the roll Lidge did this year, thereby freeing up the oppurtunity to trade Wagner. (which is easier said than done... does anybody have ANY possible trade scenarios on who they'd want for him?) Finally, everybody should understand the differences between Baseball and Basketball... its about 150 times harder to make the playoffs in baseball, and its twice as hard as that to do it at a competitive disadvantage financially. Obviously, far more teams are competitive for the playoffs in basketball (which makes the Rockets dissapointment even more magnified), and Baseball IS the tougher sport to be good at consitently. That being said, I still wish Drayton's comments would have been a little less cheery after everyone on his team is obviously dissapointed.
The Astros are a good team and have been a good team for the past 10 years (excluding the 2000 aberration). Unfortunately, baseball is not like all of the other sports where around 50% of the teams make the playoffs. 25% of the teams make the playoffs in the NL. Once again, while I am certainly disappointed that they did not get in the playoffs, they were in contention up through game 161. For 9 of the past 10 years, they have finished first or second. This has been both a blessing and a curse. The curse is that they have not been able to dump veteran players in July or August to contending teams, thus they have had to rely on their own very competent minor league system to keep supplying players. They have also had to get rid of some of their talent (and/or depth) to acquire players late in the season. For those of you who don't want people extolling the Astros virtues by bringing up the fact they won 4 division titles in the past (now 7 seasons), isn't it then hypocritical to continually bring up their past failures? I have been a Colt .45/Astro fan for as long or longer than anyone else on this board. To me the past 10 years have been great. Much better than the first 10. Much better than any period of time in their history. Am I happy when they lose in the playoffs or suck as they have the past 2 games, of course not, but after the season is over I look back and the good times, far and away, outnumber the bad. Year in and year out they compete. They are a team well respected by other teams and fans across the country. They are a team of players that goes out every game and does their job without showboating. They play hard and generally play smart. Regardless of your feelings for Biggio and Bagwell they set the tone for the expected behavior and work ethic of every player on the team. I suspect that the lineup that played yesterday is the same one you will see next year unless a major trade is made. The only major trade I can see that would dramatically alter the lineup would be to trade Kent for an accomplished center fielder but I can't see them doing that at this time. This year has shown them to have 3 competent starters in Oswalt, Miller and Redding. For Redding being such a 'head case', as the media has led us to believe, he certainly had good ERA numbers. Redding is 15th in the NL in ERA, ahead of such guys as Morris, Ortiz, Hampton, Maddux and Leiter. With Robinson's run support, Redding would have won 20 games. When healthy, Oswalt is as good as they get and Miller is a workhorse. They need two starters. Hopefully Hernandez wil be healthy and continue to display the prowess that he has showed. Robinson would be fine as the 5th guy, but Rosario looks to be better. It would also be good to throw Lidge into the mix. With the exception of Wagner's salary, there is nothing wrong with him. He is a good closer, although it is the most overrated position in baseball. Look at the closers on the NL playoff teams - Smoltz, Joe Borowski, Tim Worrell and Looper/Urbina. 3 of the teams filled that role with journeymen. If anyone would take Wagner, The Astros could probably get by especially if they sign Dotel to a long term deal. The bench was terrible. The one statistic that continues to jump out at me is Merced's sub .200 pinch hit average YET he set the record for most at bats by a Houston pinch hitter. Why keep trotting him out there? You may say that he was the best of a bad lot (especially when Vizcaino was hurt), but someone explain to me why he had OVER TWICE AS MANY pinch hit at bats as Ensberg and Blum combined (32). Generally, Blum and Ensberg did not play at the same time so one should have been available over Merced during most games. I hate the lefty/righty matchups - arghhhhh!
Sure the players were good, but they were good only in the regular season. I'm sick of these type players on my favorite baseball team. Here's what the owner can do: he can get rid of players in the offseason that suck in the clutch after getting numerous chances (aka biggio and Hidalgo), and give someone else a shot. If that means the Astros have to go through a couple of years of rebuilding or adjustment period, so be it. It's better than standing pat with a team with hitters that tend to choke when it counts. That is the best an owner can do to make the Astros hit in the playoffs. Like I said in a previous thread, there is no way Steinbrenner would put up with this crap that Biggio has done over the years in the clutch. He would not be a Yankee long term because The Boss wouldn't want this kind of player on his team. Why can't Drayton have this same desire to improve his team? I realize Steinbrenner has more cash than Drayton, but the Astros arent the Royals or the Expos either. and Drayton needs to put winning over loyalty. He's satisfied only with what Biggio has done in the regular season over the years, and ignores Biggio's choking ways, and that is a shame.
Disclaimer - I am a casual MLB fan at best and an Astros fan solely by virtue of spending 16 adult years in Houston. I'm pretty much a Rockets only fan and the vast majority of you know much, much more about the Astros than I do. But I feel the need to comment... My casual watching started to peak and I intended upon watching every single pitch of the last SFG @ Houston series. The Rockets appeared to be playing well and the Giants seemed a good yardstick of how well. Heck, the Giants at the time only had 10 more wins, the Stros were first in the NLC and were at home. Beginning with the first inning of the first game, I immediately knew they were cooked. The whole team, vets and Sept. call-ups, had that "deer in the headlights" look. Maybe that is what the Dotel comment was getting at. At any rate, the Giants had swagger, the Astros just staggered. I don't have the insight that you hardcore baseball fans have. I can't tell if it's better ownership, field management, scouting, players, payroll expenditures, fan attendance or something else... But I am convinced that if the goal is the NLCS and beyond, the current fold was no fluke...they do not have a team that is NLCS competitive and without changes this casual fan can't see how he will be in store for any positive surprises next September. This is a team in need of severe revamping. It just does not have a winning attitude. And maybe that starts at the very top. If this seems to obvious, please avoid the impulse to bash me. I have made no pretense at baseball expertise. It's just a view from afar.
Dotel, Here is an idea...THROW A FRICKEN STRIKE so you don't walk the TYING run in against San Francisco....... The whole team stunk this last week. DD
The solution,while painful,is this. Boycott all the Astros games. Dont go. Make Drayton lose so much money he is forced to sell. He cant move the team becuz of the lease I believe just like the Roxc are locked in here for 30 years. Then ,hopefully he sells to a billionaire who will spend $$$. That simple. I have NEVER gone to astros game since 1986. Not becuz Im not a fan,but becuz Im not stupid and dont want to support lousy coaches(dierker,99 playoffs bases loaded no outs,didnt know how to sac to bring 1 run home) and owners.
So then you must consider all of us fans who have attended Astros games since 1986 stupid since you don't go to the games because you are not stupid - correct?
I don't have the final total attendance tally but if it makes anyone feel any better it is safe to assume it declined this season compared to last year. Declined in a season the Astros were in contention. If that doesn't say "screw you Scrooge", I don't know what does.
I just had to laugh after reading Drayton's quote: "just behind the Cubs. "So I'm proud of what we accomplished this year. It's easy to get discouraged and say we should have won this game, but I'm very proud of what the club accomplished this year." Can you imagine those words coming out of George Steinbrenner's mouth? What this team needs is a kick in the ass. To sign these guys to these huge contracts and then let them off the hook by saying "I am happy with what we accomplished this year" What exactly does that mean? That it's ok to blow a 2 game lead in the division? That it's ok to pitch like someone who has never read a scouting report? Someone has to put pressure on these guys, they can't get away with this, can they?. If it's Drayton, The Hun or Jimy it doesn't matter, it's results that matter, and right now this team is getting zero results. To come out and say "Oh it's ok we'll get them next year" is a joke. Someone should have stepped up in that clubhouse and kicked some serious ass to wake these guys up. Gater said it best with his "Deer in headlights" quote. It seems the bigger the game, the more this team loses interest. They look almost apathetic. I think it may be time for a change, as much as I like Bagwell we should get something for him while he is still able to produce. Biggio will be impossible to unload with his contract, and Hidalgo should be shopped around as well. I want guys with a burning desire to succeed (and don't swing at pitches a foot outside) If he strikes out I want to see him slam his bat down, curse at himself, go in the clubhouse and beat the crap out of the water cooler. Always remember, "Nice guys finish last" I don't want a player who meekly walks back to the dugout like he did nothing wrong. Maybe it's just me but thats the way I feel.
What was the deal with the roof today... I noticed they were only rolling it back in the 3rd inning. Today might have been one of the most beautiful days of the year... not a cloud in the sky. I, however, would like to attribute this team's bad play this final week to roof management. (yes, roof management) Last monday, the first game back against the Giants, the roof was opened at the START of the game for the first time in a long time. It was open again the following night during the blowout loss. Then, on the day-game the following day (where Oswalt won 2-1), it was closed despite it being a very nice day (don't tell me that the players or manager didn't have a say in this... ) I think they got so used to playing with the roof on, that the on-again, off-again policy throughout this past week contributed to the team's terrible play. Thanks a lot Drayton! (just to tie it back to the subject of the thread... I know he had nothing to do with it, and I know the roof wasn't the real reason... but it is fun to point these things out.)
I foresee a further dropping of attendance and increase in payroll (unless they have a fire sale). What I don't foresee are any trophies under this current owner. When you're glad about this finish because you didn't spend as much as 1 and 3, you have a loser mentality.
At least we have Les Alexander to bail us out in the "Trophies" Department. We need help; in the attitude, pitching and bench departments - especially attitude wise. We need more swagger. The lukewarm attitude is okay but that is not what this team needs - we need a few spark plug kind of players that can catalytically ignite our team with the attitude, fire, hunger and general personally. Also I will fine if we can package 1 or 2 of our players for an inning eating starting pitcher. Only Roy and Wade do I have confidence in going into next season. Hernandez' injury prone nature still worries me; Redding (despite his descent ERA) and Robertson still do not inspire confidence when they take the mound. Villone is who he is ............ Ron Villone. We need another stud pitcher. I am disspointed about the Astros demise but thank God for Yao Ming, JVG and the Rockets whose pre season starts in a matter of days. And yeah the Texans.
I didn't say it was the best solution, I'm just saying that's why Biggio will probably not be leaving. I'm with the person that made the Mark Grace reference.
I just saw Wagner's comment on the news about how he doesn't expect to come back next year. He made some reference about how they just needed one SP and they would have "had something special." I didn't think the pitching was that bad. The Braves don't have that spectacular of pitching and look at them. It's all about the hitting and getting runs in. As for Hernandez, I really don't think he'll ever be as good as he was his first two or three games.
I'd like to know what SP Billy was talking about, cause the only one who was traded who made somewhat of a difference was Ponson... and that wasn't that great of a difference either (not enough to give up Hidalgo or Ensberg). It IS about hitting for this team. They were too inconsistent... they'd win 5 or 6 games by ten runs, but lose so so many by one run (and they'd only score 2 or 3 in the process). That inconsistency needs to be addressed. (or, they need to move to the AL). As far as Hernandez is concerned, sure he probably never will reach his form of 2001 (that awesome 96 MPH, followed by a curve that was unhittable)... but his 2002 form (when he was hurt) wasn't that bad either... certainly better than Robertson. He had several high strikeout games, and he even had a complete game once. If that Hernandez (the injured one) was pitching in Robertson's spot in the rotation this year (with all that run support), he would have easily won 20 games. And hopefully, the surgery will FIX something, and make him even better than how he was last year.
