That's irrelevant. So we know he's willing to spend if he has options to win. Fine - I don't argue that. You stated, conclusively, he wouldn't spend in other circumstances. Where is your evidence for that? When have we had a similar situation to now, where Drayton then scrapped payroll?
What are you talking about? What does Tejada and Berkman "skating" around the IF even mean? Tejada has proven to be more than adequate at SS, and Berkman has not been a weakness thus far. Kaz Matsui is not over the hill. And Towles has impressed several people with the way he calls a game behind the p late. I don't know how else everyone can stress to you that defense is NOT this team's weakness. People have continually called you out on it, and you aren't responding to it. I'm assuming the "combination" you are talking about is pitching and defense, but this argument has been pretty much nullified because defense is not a problem. We aren't going to need to "overhaul" the pitching staff, but another SP will be nice. But who in this thread has said Wade will refuse to make a move for one this season?? We need a SP, but that doesn't mean we'd be trading our "high-priced talent" for one. Its not all or nothing. The team can trade other players for SP, not just Oswalt, Berkman, Lee, or Tejada (because those guys aren't going anywhere).
Oh my goodness. no outs and 2 men on for lidge, 5 minutes later 2 outs and beltran up, eric bruntlett makes an amazing catch and throw to win the game. Former Astros FTW.
Name the trade we can make to improve our starting pitching enough to compete for the playoffs? Don't just name a trade to get a pitcher. There's no reason to make a deal for an established starting pitcher unless you are in or that pitcher is going to put you in the thick of a playoff chase. Name the deal. I'm serious. I'd like to know what kind of deals do you think are out there that "could" possibly be made that would make this club playoff competitors. I don't see it. Perhaps you see a deal or deals possible that I don't. Espeically if we are not trading our "high-priced" talent but are trading other player for a SP. To me, it's kinda like the Rox trying to trade for a starting PG this season. There just wasn't one out there.
While you make some valid points, the problem is that no one can take your arguments seriously because you greatly exaggerate so many elements and then ignore them when questioned. For example, I'd love to see some evidence of how Tejada and Pence, particularly Pence, have been defensive liabilities at their positions this season. Pence is one of the best defensive right fielders in terms of range and ability in the game. You seemed to criticize Matsui as "over the hill" in a discussion over defense, even though he's right in the middle of his prime and is universally considered one of the most valuable defensive players in baseball. Could you elaborate on that? Then, you argued this: Well, the last two NL champions shoot down that theory. The Rockies didn't have a single starter that you would've looked at in April as a legitimate No. 2 starter, much less an ace. The Cardinals had Chris Carpenter and complete mediocrity, led by studs such as Anthony Reyes, Jeff Weaver and Jeff Suppan. One ace, and mediocrity. Sound familiar? In the case of the Cardinals, it was simply a matter of luck and having mediocre pitchers get hot at the right time. In the case of the Rockies, it was a situation where younger pitchers greatly outperformed expectations as the season went on. But in neither scenario could you have predicted in April 2006 or April 2007 that those staffs were pennant quality, and they didn't make a significant trade or acquisition during the season, either. That goes completely against your theory (which you present as fact), yet when confronted on it... you say nothing. It's the same thing with the 100 loss BS from last week. It's absolutely silly to think this team has regressed 11 games from last season. But I'm pretty confident you exaggerated for effect, and that's why your bigger points tend to get lost.
We've touched on this before, but he really, really needs to improve his throwing accuracy. I know his goofy sidearm technique stems from the shoulder injury he had as a teenager, but he has to fix this or he's destined for LF. An average RF arm has a close play on Taveras (iirc) at home last game, his throw (like many if not most) was 10 ft off target. Outside of that, he looks so much more comfortable in RF that he did in CF last season. Relatedly, I'm having a hard time recalling a player who was so good (or at least has the potential to be so good), who was so fundamentally flawed in some of the basic things in the game: throwing, sliding, etc....
It's kind of impossible to answer that question considering the season is not even a month old. There is no way to tell how the Astros will be playing a month from now, let alone at the trade deadline.
Who knows what the combination is, I'm not a GM. No one is disagreeing with you that we probably need to get a SP. If you want me to lay out a "this player and this player for this player" hypothetical, you'll never get it from me. I hate those kinds of threads, they are pointless to me. Why is anything I said any less important if I don't? It doesn't change the fact that Oswalt, Berkman, Lee, and Tejada aren't going anywhere. You were saying the team is going to go firesale, which simply most likely isn't going to happen. You still haven't addressed what everyone keeps asking - why do you think those players are liabilities on defense?
Kaz Matsui has played in 3 games this season. He just came off the DL. I obviously wasn't talking about him. But even so, he's coming off the DL, he was let go in the offseason. He could come back and be a better player. The odds say he is in decline. Tejada has started off real sharp defensively. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain it for a whole season. I have my doubts. I think his lack of range will catch up to him when he tries to make plays that he can't quite catch up to the ball. Sure, Pence looks better in right. In comparison to what?? He can run and he can catch. I do NOT think he is a good outfielder........period..........and although he may improve this season......I do NOT think he will be a good outfielder this year. He may turn himself into an adequate outfielder. But there's a lot more to playing outfield than running and catching. Carlos Lee is what he is. If he don't give us 240 RBIs or so, he ain't worth it. Cuz his defensive range is horrid. Towles is a rookie. Simply said. Brad made his living in the major leagues playing defense. Better arm? Don't matter if the throw is not on target. To say Towles is a good defensive backstop right now.........is crazy. Blum is our best shot at having decent defense at 3rd. Are we gonna bench Ty? And we hide Lance at first base because he is so bad defensively and we gotta hide Lee in left field. WE ARE NOT AN OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE TEAM! And we really need to be a very good defensive team, especially if our pitchers are going to give up a .288 batting average against. We may work ourselves into defensive mediocrity............maybe.........by the end of the season...........provided we are competitive, in a playoff chase, and everybody on the club gives a .... Or we could slip to being very bad defensively as guys stand around while our pitchers run the pitch count up to 3-2 and daydream because we are 20 games below .500 and 15 games out of first place in July. Look, I'm not a pessimist. The last thing I want to see this summer is a 100 loss scenario. I'm just being realistic. I think we are much closer to 100 losses than 80 wins.
Umm, what?!? Players go on the DL and change teams every off season. He was on the DL for the most freakish injury of all freakish injuries -- unless you think his anal fissure is a chronic injury (now there's a sentence I never thought I'd say), I have no clue what you're talking about. As for being let go -- the Rockies offered him a contract. The Astros offered him a better one, and he came to Houston. You're really not making any sense on this one. The "odds say he is in decline" because he changed teams? So, was Carlos Beltran on the decline after the 2004 season when he was let go by the Astros and signed with the Mets? That guy really sucks, huh? All evidence pointed to him being a league average SS last season, and all evidence this season points to him being slightly above average. You have, well, nothing, yet you're assuming he's going to be "on skates"? This is why it's impossible to take you seriously. http://www.hardballtimes.com/thtsta...eague_filter[]=2&pos_filter[]=9&Submit=Submit That's the most absurd thing I've ever read on this board. As Buck has said numerous times, if your defensive liabilities are 1B and LF, you don't have a whole lot to worry about. Especially LF in Minute Maid Park. Based on what? Dude, you're talking out of your ass again. Towles has a terrific reputation for calling games, and his arm has been generally very accurate all season. Can you please provide actual evidence to the contrary? Exactly, the Astros have put their two players that are defensive liabilities in positions where defense is not particularly crucial. You just answered your own question. I don't know what to say. You're flip flopping all over the place. When evidence for this season is good, as it is with Tejada defensively, you dismiss the sample as being too small. When the evidence is bad, as it is with the .288 BAA, you do the complete opposite and act as if it's representative of the entire season. Work into defensive mediocrity? Dude, you're absolutely ridiculous. This team has two of the best defenders in the game in Matsui at 2nd and Bourn in CF. It has two more plus defenders in Tejada and Pence, and Towles projects average to above average as well. The only two spots where this team is below average defensively -- 1B and LF -- have been proven time and time again to have very little relevance compared to the other spots! You also keep building strawman arguments. Who the hell said this team was outstanding defensively? And now you're making the subtle change to "closer to 100 losses," after insisting for days in your haughty tone that that's where this team was headed. Flip flop, flip flop.
He may have a point, you know. That Troy Tulowitzki was just garbage on the defensive side last year.
Yeah, throwing. What else is there? Pence has speed, he can catch...so aside from his awkward throwing motion which has been discussed already I'd say we don't have to worry too much about him. If you want evidence, how bout that last catch he made tonight. So...what is it about Ty that makes him a bad defender? Cause based on his stats, he seems about average. They aren't outstanding...but, so far this season they have proven to be pretty good; better than last year.
And getting back on topic...we're not in last place anymore..whoo-hoo! I see rays of sunshine trying to peek through the clouds.
