1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Astros do not Tender Miller

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by rocketlaunch, Dec 20, 2004.

  1. rocketlaunch

    rocketlaunch Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2002
    Messages:
    1,622
    Likes Received:
    356
    http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2956553

    Dec. 20, 2004, 8:25PM



    Astros decide not to offer Miller contract
    Rigthander who missed majority of 2004 season with injury becomes free agent
    By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
    Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle


    Afraid they might have to pay Wade Miller more than $3.4 million in arbitration, the Astros decided against tendering him a contract tonight, making the righthander a free agent.

    The Astros have until 11 p.m. tonight to tender a contract to their arbitration-eligible players, and they have decided to tender contracts to all of their arbitration-eligible players except Miller, who did not pitch after June 25 because of a frayed right rotator cuff.

    The Astros tendered contracts to Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt Pete Munro, Tim Redding, Brandon Duckworth and Mike Lamb, keeping their rights. Miller will come off the 40-man roster and become a free agent.

    "There's a chance somebody could come out of it with a very productive pitcher and probably an equal chance that somebody could come out of it with an injured pitcher," Astros general manager Tim Purpura said.

    Miller, 28, went 7-7 with a 3.35 ERA over 88 2/3 innings in 15 starts in 2004. He was placed on the disabled list on June 29 and missed the remainder of the season.

    Miller first reached the majors in 1999 with the Astors. He has a career record of 58-39 with a 3.87 ERA, including seasons of at least 14 wins from 2001-03.

    The Astros also tendered contracts to all other unsigned members of the club's 40-man roster who are not eligible for salary arbitration for the 2005 season.

    Berkman, 28, hit .316 with 30 home runs and 106 RBI in 2004. A three-time All-Star, Berkman has hit .303 (814-for-2,683) with 156 home runs and 535 RBIs in 775 career games for the Astros from 1999-2004. Lamb, 29, hit .288 with a career-high 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 2004. Lamb started games at four different positions for the Astros and was acquired from the Yankees on March 25.

    Duckworth, 28, was acquired from Philadelphia in November of 2003. He finished 2004 with a 1-2 record and a 6.86 ERA. Oswalt, 27, recorded his first 20-win season and led the NL in wins in 2004. He finished 20-10 with a 3.49 ERA, allowing 92 earned runs over 237 innings in 36 games (35 starts). Redding, 26, finished 5-7 with a 5.72 ERA in 27 games (17 starts).
     
  2. RocketFan007

    RocketFan007 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2001
    Messages:
    5,175
    Likes Received:
    271
    Redding and Duckworth?
     
  3. codell

    codell Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2002
    Messages:
    19,312
    Likes Received:
    715
    Miller's shoulder injury must have been alot more serious than any of us knew or, is not progressing like the Astros had hoped/thought.

    If not, then 3.4 MIL should have been worth the risk of him returning to form IMO>
     
  4. RocketFan007

    RocketFan007 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2001
    Messages:
    5,175
    Likes Received:
    271
    Can we still resign Miller at a cheaper price?
     
  5. bigboymumu

    bigboymumu Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 1999
    Messages:
    3,421
    Likes Received:
    1
    Great winter!
     
  6. Kilgore Trout

    Kilgore Trout Member

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2002
    Messages:
    1,748
    Likes Received:
    142
    I dont think they can resign him till April or May. I not sure exacltly but when they dont tender a player the earliest they can resign him is after the season starts. So basicly he is gone and the Astros cant resign him.
     
  7. RocketFan007

    RocketFan007 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2001
    Messages:
    5,175
    Likes Received:
    271
    This team is looking at being under .500 next year if he don't resign Beltran and Clemens.
     
  8. Another Brother

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2001
    Messages:
    7,314
    Likes Received:
    881
    Where then will we spend the money that we will save by not signing them? We could still build something special, I know the free agent market is getting smaller but we could make trades based on the money that we have available.
     
  9. G.O.A.T.

    G.O.A.T. Member

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2002
    Messages:
    354
    Likes Received:
    7
    I think they passed on Miller so they could have more money for Beltran. If that is the case it is not a bad deal, considering Miller could be damaged good.
     
  10. NIKEstrad

    NIKEstrad Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2000
    Messages:
    10,232
    Likes Received:
    4,238
    So we go into next year with the Roy O and Pettitte combo at the top. And 3 question marks. I like Backe, but would prefer to have another option in front of him.

    This is quite an offseason for Purpura to take the reins.
     
  11. Stack24

    Stack24 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2003
    Messages:
    11,766
    Likes Received:
    1,737
    Everything i read and talked to people in the Astros organization, they all stated that it was mainly because of the shoulder injury he has. He hasn't got his rotator cuff surgically repared and just wanted to reahab it which didn't really fix the problem at all.

    He hasn't scheduled to get it fixed with surgery so there is a big risk to sign him and injure it further leaving him unable to pitch again for the season.
     
  12. xiki

    xiki Member

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2002
    Messages:
    17,865
    Likes Received:
    3,208
    Good bye to a fine pitcher. Go to Boston and beat the Yanks, young man. Go AL (you're too good to face 'stros).
     
  13. lalala902102001

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2002
    Messages:
    6,629
    Likes Received:
    445
    I have to think that Miller's injury is quite serious. Otherwise I can't understand this decision. You don't just let a good young pitcher walk out. This guy's best years are still ahead of him.
     
  14. wrath_of_khan

    wrath_of_khan Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2000
    Messages:
    2,155
    Likes Received:
    7
    So does this mean we might get nothing for him?

    If so, the Stros really dropped the ball on this one.

    (Unless, of course, the other GMs knew he was damaged goods and wouldn't trade for him.)
     
  15. RocketManJosh

    RocketManJosh Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2003
    Messages:
    5,881
    Likes Received:
    726
    How many players is it going to take for us to lose before Carlos Beltran decides that Houston is not going to be a competitive team?
     
  16. BigM

    BigM Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2001
    Messages:
    18,091
    Likes Received:
    13,366
    obviously the astros know more about his shoulder then anyone here but i hope that's the ONLY reason they didn't give him an offer. if he goes to another team next year and pitched like he can when healthy i'll be pissed.
     
  17. SamCassell

    SamCassell Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 1999
    Messages:
    9,524
    Likes Received:
    2,411
    Young guy, sub-4 era, winning record, A+ arm, good size. This will come back to haunt the Stros almost as much as letting Hunsicker go. They've really screwed the pooch with this move.
     
  18. kaleidosky

    kaleidosky Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2002
    Messages:
    15,086
    Likes Received:
    1,352

    cause you know exactly what was up with his shoulder, right?

    These guys are running a team. This is real money. They can't just throw it around, especially when making other big decisions like Beltran. Giving lower contracts to guys like Duckworth is fine, but obviously Miller wouldn't take one because he knew his arbitration figure would be higher.
     
  19. mulletman

    mulletman Member

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2002
    Messages:
    1,655
    Likes Received:
    223
    sad to see him go. i wish he was a 100% healthy cause i enjoyed watching him pitch and a 100% wade miller would give the astros a good rotation, even without clemens.
     
  20. MadMax

    MadMax Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 1999
    Messages:
    76,683
    Likes Received:
    25,924
    it's not done yet, guys. just because he wasn't tendered an offer doesn't mean he won't be back...for better or for worse.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now