I say we pass on this. I like the idea of spending money on pitching and bring up the youth of the team. It's not a guarantee, but may keep the games close.
being 100% honest, I don't based on what it would take to trade for him, based on his salary, and based on the K's. If this team is gonna be built around pitching, speed, defense...then do so. But to throw a Sosa in the lineup now throws us somewhere in the middle of being that and being a power team with K's. Regardless of my views on that, I wouldn't give up as much as it would take just to get sosa
if the astros trade for sosa, then i'll know for sure that van gundy is over there working with drayton. all they will be doing is adding an old has been like the rockets continue to do.
Not really high on Sosa, and I wouldn't give up any good pieces for him or even take his full salary. But if the Cubs wanted to pay half of it, I'd be willing to take him off their hands. The best teams aren't just pitching, or speed, or defense, or power. They're a combination of all those factors.
We are built around pitching...nothing else right now. Other than our ss, we don't have THAT much defense to speak of....and Ensberg is not a superb defensive 3B...he's just better at it than Lamb. Incidentally, our only speed comes from SS as well...and seeing as how he is a career 250 hitter and most of his productions comes from sacrafice bunts, we aren't that great in the speed category either. I'm not saying Sosa is our answer...i DO think he would help a weak lineup...but its not like he would be taking away (nor would he be a huge change) from what we are putting on the field now.
I like this analysis. Thx NJR. I'm Astros through and through, I even bleed brick yard red, and I don't see the harm in landing Sosa. Maybe my memory is just poor in his verbal or other attacks against the Stros. Just think, he's the type of player that if he caught fire for any period of time, especially if during the playoffs, he could carry us like Beltran did at the plate. I'd deal for him in the right deal. I just don't want to send Buchholz or anything like that for him. He'd be a shot in the arm for a team that is a bit under the weather.
Being married to a Cub fan, I see him more than most and he has never, I repeat never, been a great ball player. His hitting and baserunning IQ is subzero, his outfielding skills make Berkman look like a Gold Glover, and the next time he hits a relay man will be his first time. Age and injuries have slowed his bat considerably. He just can't catch up to the fastballs that he used to. Pass on Sosa.
My bigger point was that whether or not he helps what we put on the field right now...he's not even close to worth taking away from the future. And that's what he would do. To Sam: Yes, I would love it too if we could get him without giving up any major pieces AND if the Cubs would pick up 1/2 his salary. But there's no way they do both of those...especially not with Beltran and Delgado off the market. They might do 1...but I'm not willing to eat that salary or give up the minor league pieces.
sosa was fun for a while and a great player(steroids rule!!!) but he's already rolling down the hill. when i think of him now i don't think of homeruns i think of fastballs making him look ridiculous cause he can't catch up anymore.
Think about it, would you trade a player (with some skills and still help pay for him) to a division rival? Unless they are really desperate to get rid of him, I doubt they would consider giving him to the 'Stros. ..
From a business standpoint wouldn't this be a nice move? He would certainly put butts in seats, the latin community would get someone else that they could cheer for, and every Cubs/Astros matchup would be big news. I (for one) SAY LET'S GO GET SAMMY!
Kinda true, kinda not I think. I don't see him putting butts in the seats the way Roger does or anything like that. I mean, he's declining for 1, he doesn't have the homerun-so-often-you-can't-miss-one appeal anymore cause he doesn't jack em as much anymore, and the whole corked bat incident (and steroids talk) has damaged his reputation. For those reasons, he may also not be very tightly embraced by the latin community. I mean, they'd enjoy supporting another fellow latino I'm sure...but Beltran was such a "good" guy also (um..last year anyway). That added to his appeal as much as anything, imo. Every Cubs/Astros matchup is already big news. They're generally highly attended...even if 1/3 of the stadium is full of those damn Cubs fans..ugh. (better than when it's 50% braves fans I guess)
remember that series wade miller just kept blowing him away with straight heat over and over and then oswalt came in and gave him a little more and it seemed like he struck out about 4 times a game until he had to cork it up against us? that was funny.
The Astros already have an aging, past his prime guy in Bagwell. We really don't need another. Putting fans in the seats would be a more valid argument if this was 3 or 4 years ago. As others have pointed out, between the decline in the numbers, steroid alligations, corked bat incident and acting the way he did last year its simply not worth it.
Why would the Cub's trade him to a division rival? Are they that desperate? He hits well at Minute Maid, but the odds of this happening is as high as the Cub's odds in not chocking. In other words, it aint going to happen. Cuck the Fubs
Can you help a guy out with a dumb question? I missed the birth of the "band camp" reset. Does it come from an SNL skit? Please educate, rather than ostracize, my ignorance here. Thanks!
