Yeah, because ESPN's sports knowledge is incredible! They're never wrong. Signed, Reggie Bush and the rest of 2005 USC
Doubtful, to say the least. A lineup in the weak NL Central with a core of Tejada-Berkman-Lee-Pence and productive hitters all the way through the eight spot won't be one of the worst teams in the game.
Miguel Tejada - $13,811,415 Luke Scott - $382,000 This trade added something like $11-12M in salary, so that would be a silly thing for a Drayton basher to say.
im not so amped about this guy. gave up 5 GUYS... this guy is 31... batted .296 last year. Isnt trading away prospects and the like how we got here in the first place? also, im really scared that Tejada is on the Mitchell list. why would the astros pull this deal a day before all the guilty are recognized??
I think they are at 92+ Mill right now with the Tejada trade I need to check Cot's salaray and check it out.
It was doubtful that any of those player would have had a significant impact on our team next season. You're really not going to be able to judge this trade for a couple of years. Unless Tejada turns out to be the next Jason Jennings. Oops I might have just jinxed it.
and jettisoned that much in cheap service time. something like 27 years of cheap club control for tejada's two years of club control (at $13mil no less)
so then would you prefer the team go into rebuilding mode and trade away its high-priced stars for young guys that are cheap and have many cheap years remaining? (i.e. the reverse of the tejada deal...say dealing berkman away)
Berkman, Lee and Oswalt are all locked up for at least three more years. You're telling me that we couldn't begin a gradual build up towards 3 years from now and then do the ridiculous 5-1 trade then if its necessary? I don't think terribly highly of Albers nor Patton but in three years they could be solid producers for a club. Clearly that would suck for Berkman, Lee and Oswalt but its an idea. Definitely not a great one but it was another option. What this trade effectively does is decimate the farm system and cheap talent to the level that it is unlikely the farm will be able support the big league club anytime soon. Plus it didn't make us a good team. It made us a team that could be good/great with 2 more solid starters, a closer, and another dependable bullpen arm, but that may just be a pipe dream because we've got nothing to trade for those pieces now. In three years, Albers/Patton could be 1/2 of those solid arms, Sarfate could be a solid bullpen guy (if not potential closer). I know that's a lot of "coulds" but it is unlikely every single one would bust.
On the flipside, the entire offense is now signed for the next two years. Assuming it's good, you can now spend the rest of this offseason and all of next offseason on improving the pitching. That could be the two-year building plan. This is definitely a concern. It will depend on what turns out of those prospects. Albers, Patton, and especially Luke Scott could all be cheap, viable pieces of a team. With the direction free agent prices are going, Luke Scott types in free agency may cost upwards of $8MM a year soon (Aaron Rowand just signed a ridiculous 5-yr deal at $12MM/yr). So being able to fill a lineup with $500k versions of that is going to prove more and more valuable. We'll see what the future of the team is, though you could argue the farm system was already wrecked to the point of not mattering anyway. This is the interesting part of this - it does seem like we're trading away a lot of pitching (Lidge, Patton, Albers) and not getting any of substance in return. But it's still mid-December and there's a long way to go. They offense should be pretty much done now. If they can fill the rotation with Livan Hernandezes and the like, it could be functional. We'll see where it goes from here.
Here's my take... The Astros use Tejada for this season...Let him raise his value with cheap HR into the Crawford Boxes...Inflate his numbers and then turn around and trade him for young top prospects.
Since when did 31 become old in baseball? If anything, players are staying productive longer than ever before. 2007 was the first time in his career that he had an injury that kept him out for any length of time. Dude played every game for 6 straight years. I think we got one of the best players in the game for a bunch of maybe type players. Yes, if there is absolutely no changes over the next 2 years, 2010 will be a bad year. I'm inclined to think that there will be a roster move or 2 in the 2008 off season and even the 2009 off season.
well... he is going to a better team. change of scenery is good for him. in other news i think roy oswalt has a real good shot at 20+ wins this season.
