The Astros signed Brian Moehler yesterday to a one year, $500,000 deal. He's expected to be the fourth starter with Saarloos, Redding, Munro, and Fernandez fighting out the final spot. Link I'm glad we have another veteran pitcher, but don't know much about him. What are the thoughts/feelings about this guy? Quality addition or scrub? The article also mentions the resigning of Geoff Blum, which was mentioned in the Dotel/Ward thread.
According to the article, he has won at least 10 games in 4 of his 7 major league seasons. That looks real good for a number 4 starter. Last year he was 2-4 with a 6.02 ERA in 10 starts for the Reds. Not very good numbers. We'll have to see how he looks in spring training.
he's battled injury for the last couple of seasons...but he's back healthy now. looks like a good pickup to me....they needed another starter, for sure.
I'm not sure what we will do with this guy, if Carlos makes it back this year. Right now you have: 1. Oswalt 2. Miller 3. Reynolds 4. Munro/Redding/Saarloos 5. Moehler/Fernandez. And that's not even counting Carlos. I personally would rather see Fernandez in the 5th spot because it will be such a change of pace to Roy and Wade. Lidge and Redding can be effective middle men to help Puffer and Stone get to Ducky and Billy the Kid. Saarloos seems to have the ability to be good in long relief if he doesn't crack the rotation. Munro-who knows if he duplicates last year(I doubt it) but he deserves a look. I think our pitching is fine, better than I realized. It's a risk with young guns, but ones worth taking if you ask me. I could almost see us packaging a pitcher or two to upgrade elsewhere(maybe with Ward or Ensberg, etc).
It never hurts to have too many arms. Moehler was cheap, and with this team's tendencies towards SP injuries, I am more than happy Hunsicker has gotten an experienced pitcher that could fill in, ala Dave Mlicki. Also, someone mentioned that a guy named Fernandez would battle for the last spot. Did you mean Hernandez, or is there someone in the organization that I missed?
Jared Fernandez, who played for the Reds the past two season. I believe he is a knuckleballer if im not mistaken.
ah crap, I must have missed that. Well, it may be interesting to have a knuckleballer in the rotation, but I don't have much confidence in Fernandez. Outside of his mastery of the Astros, Fernandez didn't do much last season. I hope Bradley can handle those knuckleballs.
It has become pretty clear that Carlos is done. The shoulder injury he has has become a degenerative thing. It likely is career ending.
crap! where'd you hear that or do you have a link? last i heard he was coming to the states to be examined, didn't think it was that bad. if he had never got that hit his first season and slid back into second he might have won 15 games last year and on pace to be a star. that's horrible.
