Astros Major Press Conference at 4:30 (UPDATE: Astros trade 3 for Jason Jennings)

This is like buying shares of Dellat $50 right now, when the market value is around $26.

 

Really?

Not to worried about seeing Willy T or Buchholz leave. Hirsh looked good when I saw him pitch.

It is a high price, but the season will tell if it was too high. Astros still need another starter.

 

I'm looking forward to next season...We've made some moves, unlike in past years...Only time will tell if we made the right ones...

 

Are you saying Kazmir would've swung at that meat pitch to Beltran? Ok.

Using Kazmir as an example of how trading a top pitching prospect can kill your team is r****ded. That team was the best team in the regular season and was within a game of the World Series.

None of this changes the fact that there is absolutely no guarantee that Hirsh will be as good as Kazmir. In fact, there's a much bigger chance he won't be. You act like there's never been a prospect that hasn't become a stud.

 

Ok I'm going to draw on the Scott Kazmir analogy again because its very similar to what we have now. (and that's not even counting Buchholz and Taveras)

Kazmir's first season he had a 5.67 ERA, while Hirsh had a 6.04 ERA. BAA were similar (Kazmir - .256, Hirsh - .267) and WHIP was also similar (Kazmir - 1.62, Hirsh - 1.57)

Point is, not everyone is Roy Oswalt who just comes out of nowhere to become a stud pitcher. Most pitchers start with a crappy year and then develop. Kazmir is now one of the top lefty pitchers in baseball and if he weren't playing on a horrendous Tampa Bay team, he could've easily gotten 15 wins. The Mets screwed up bigtime with that trade and they know it. Victor Zambrano was a reactionary trade because they needed an instant starter and in the process they traded away a future stud.

This was just flat out reactionary after the Pettite fallout. Everyone knew we had to get someone and the Rockies knew it too and then held us at gunpoint so they could get our top pitching prospects and a starting center fielder. We were desperate and now we paid the price. Bad trade, bad move, we sold out our already weak minor league system for a pitcher who hasn't proven anything

Oh and the worst part is that this is Jennings's LAST YEAR before Free Agency, meaning he could walk away from the team next year. And considering how absurd the contracts for pitching have been, he could walk off with 10 million per year for 5 years from some stupid team that wants to overspend on pitching.

 

How in the hell do you know that? With Kazmir the dynamic of every fifth game is changed offensively as much as defensively. We had Roger Freaking Clemens pitching every fifth game the last one-and-a-half seasons and could barely win half his starts. That's not to blame it on Rocket's bat; it's just a glaring example of how adding a solid (or Hall of Fame) pitcher does *not* guarantee additional success.

 

regardless of altitude or not, i bet tavaras hits .330 25hr's...which is an acceptable loss, but giving up on two relatively promising pitchers is just...

 

I understand people being frustrated at times, but you're blind if you don't see this forum is completely full of negativity. You had a good number of people who b****ed about the Astros all the way through the 2004 and 2005 playoffs. You have people b****ing that we don't have any offense, then the same people b****ing that we overpaid for a proven slugger. You have people b****ing that we don't have anyone behind Oswalt and Williams except prospects, then the same people b**** when we trade for a starter who had a sub-4.00 era last season and is still young.

But yeah, thanks for the lecture, Dad.

 

I think Jennings might have better stuff than Garland. He struck out over 200 batters last year, and even had a shutout at Coors I believe....He'll give us 15 wins and an ERA around 3.5........I'd take

 

WHAT THE **** IS GOING ON WITH OUR GM'S?

 

A risky deal but really had to be made. The team needed pitching and must have seen something in Hirsch to package him in with Buccholz and Taveras.

People complain to much. Ya'll wanted Purp to make a deal; well anytime you make a deal there is a risk-factor involved.

Now hopefully they don't stop there and maybe get a number 4. Or hell, Huff is so under the radar right now maybe the team can get him for cheap and have some insurance in case Ensberg or Burke or Scott falter.

 

didn't jennings have a 3.60 ERA last year?

and seriously...you think you can get a 1/2 pitcher for the crap we gave up? you do realize there aren't that many #1 pitchers? I hope hirsh has a great career but let's face it taylor sucks and willy t is a serviceable player but nothing good. it always sucks having to give up the unknown potential in hirsh but you have to give to get. further, I have my doubts on hirsh but that's just my opinion.

finally...look at jennings numbers last year. they are a hell of a lot better than garland's.

 

Gotta give up something to get something. Obviously the Astros brass see something in Jennings that is promising otherwise they wouldnt have given up 3 players for 1.

 

With what we gave up, we better damn well get someone better than Jason Jennings dammit. Do you know anything about market value?

 

I don't know about everyone else. I'm just concerned we gave up too much. That we gave up as much as we would have for Garland. I don't equate Jennings with Garland. Maybe, I'm wrong. I certainly hope I am.

 

Don't forget... people b**** when fatty pupurra doesn't make moves because he's too fat... but now he makes moves because he's too fat.

 

Had to do this trade, had to

 

it's not jennings' number last year that give me concern. it's his numbers from all of the other 4 seasons of his career.

again..i know he played in colorado. so i think that mitigates. but i feel like he's a huge unknown. and i feel like we just gave up a whole lot for that.

 

I think people underestimated Willie T's speed on the defensive side. Yeah, he had alot of holes at the plate, but he covered some major ground in centerfield, where it is huge at MMP. Also, he had a cannon of an arm so baserunners were not taking liberties with him.

I like Jennings, but for a team that obviously values defense at SS and C, it makes me wonder.

Oh, and I know Burke's got some speed in center but his arm for an outfielder his downright sad (remember Bigg in ceter....uggghhhh).