http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/view?contentId=901184 HOUSTON (Ticker) - The Houston Astros on Wednesday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with infielder Julio Lugo, their only remaining arbitration-eligible player. Financial terms were not revealed. Lugo asked for $1.8 million while the club offered $1.5 million. Lugo made $325,000 last year, when he batted .261 with eighth home runs and 35 RBI in 88 games before suffering a season-ending broken left forearm on August 12. He made 81 starts at shortstop, where he is expected to play this season with a new double play partner, All-Star Jeff Kent. The 27-year-old Lugo played 140 games in 2001 and has a .269 average with 28 homers and 112 RBI in 344 career contests. Last season, he made just eight errors in 334 chances.
If Julio can field and bat like he was doing before the injury last season, he will be every bit worth that contract. I just hope he continues to improve like he has been doing.
Seriously, Lugo was easily my most hated player two years ago. Now, I have to force my mind to get around that and try to recognize that he does bring some positives to the team and was improving. At least ont he Everett trade the team didn't get completely screwed. Carl was a headcase, and that has been proven over and over again. Granted, they may have been able to get something better in return, but at the time Adam was thought to be a solid major league shortstop in the future.
Plus, let's not forget that, when healthy, Greg Miller is considered to be a major's level talent as a pitcher. He could turn out to be very good indeed over time.
Mainly because he didn't produce. While last year was his first in which he was given the chance to produce daily, he hadn't merited that opportunity before that (which, essentially means he hadn't produced). Given that salary is always a concern for the Stros, one of the outfielders had to go. I'm sure they would have traded Hidalgo if they could given his salary, but at least his other, non-batting tools are better than Wards. Offensively, he could be the key to the team being better than average versus being amazingly productive hitting/scoring team.
looking forward to baseball season...trade one heartache(rockets) for another(astros) but hey it's a new season and the slate is clean
No need to start a new thread for this, but can someone tell me the Astros rotation this season. Herandez is gone for the season, and apparently the first 4 spots are already set, with Redding likely to fill the fifth spot. But I'm drawing a blank on one of the first four, Oswalt, Miller, Reynolds, and....? Thanks.
Ahhh...thanks. Don't know too much about him, but his stats look totally unspectacular. I guess we'll see.
We gave Adam Everett every opportunity last year, but he wasn't even batting .200. Lugo is a huge improvement over that.
