223.1 IP, 12-12, 3.87 ERA, 4 complete games, 160 SO If we're calling this a ho-hum year simply because he dropped off from his Cy Young candidacy, it just simply adds to the fact of how awesome a 24 year old talent like Dontrelle Willis is.
I don't know what part of the phrase "free agent" you don't understand. If you aquired any of those players by trade like they were trying to do you're going to be giving up major league talent, making major league salary. Roy and Berkman are excluded. The Astros were forced to give them big, long term contracts. The fans would never forgive them if they let them go. Huff was a half season rental. And if they re-sign him (which they may not do), he won't be making big money. No. What I said was that the Astros chose to gamble on him not signing with someone else and coming back to the Astros for half a season. They got lucky. It doesn't mean making that gamble was the right decision. Actually, even though the Astros got lucky and were able to re-sign Clemens it doesn't mean they won. You have to believe Roger would have added at least a couple more wins to this team had he been here from the beginning of the season. That would have been enough to get us to the playoffs as it turned out. And please do some thinking and don't blindly accept our team's mistakes just because they are the Astros. I am a true fan, have been a season ticket holder for the past three years and religiously follow this team even when I can't go to the games. But because I love this team doesn't mean I can't be critical of them when the front office screws up. I give them credit when they make good moves, and I call them out when they make bad moves.
The whole world seems to understand now that Clemens was either going to play for Houston or not play at all. Don't buy into that east coast media spin. But this debate has been worn thin.
Once again. Where was the downside in offering him arbitration? All it would have done would have allowed Clemens and the Astros to talk for a couple of more months if he came to the decision he wanted to play. Why didn't the Astros offer him arbitration? Because they didn't want to risk being forced to go before an arbiter and pay market value for him for an entire season. No, much better to gamble and if you get lucky and still have the chance to sign him later, only have to pay for half a season of Clemens. Well, for the price of another half season, we could have been in the playoffs right now. Would have been nice.
Last I checked, it was Clemens decision to NOT want to pitch till he did... I'm pretty sure the Astros would have both offered him arbitration or signed him before the start of the season had Clemens made a decision. And if you're going to say that "Roger pitches from the start of the season if the Astros offer arbitration..." then I will say that Clemens, clearly not sure if he'd want to pitch but is forced to suit up because he signed the contract, would have been a very vulnerable pitcher. Finally, how do you even know that his body holds up? Roger didn't even know that. Seems like you know a lot of stuff that Roger had no clue of before the season (like whether or not he even wanted to play).
Because of baseball's rules, the Astro's could not negotiate with him until summer. How do you know he didn't come to the realization that he wanted to pitch in January or February, but couldn't sign with the Astros then because they were not allowed? Offering him arbitration would have given him more time to make up his mind in the wintertime, without being hamstrung by baseball's rules. More options is a good thing Nick. Stop trying to make excuses for their gamble. When Roger Clemens says he needs time to make a decision, you give the man the time he needs. Unless of course you're afraid of having to pay 23 or 24 million for a full season. But hey, if you can gamble and get him to come back for half a season, you might only end up paying half of that, and you can present it to the fans as a success too! What a win-win for the front office! Too bad it might have cost us the playoffs.
If that was the case, why wasn't he ready to pitch until June 22? Theoretically, if he was itching to go he could have signed and pitched on May 1st although that would be a bit unrealistic. He certainly could have been ready to pitch well before June 22 if he was chomping at the bit to get going.
This is not true. He could have signed May 1. He did sign until mid-June. Unless, of course, you're calling him a liar when he repeatedly said from November into late May that he was unsure if he wanted to pitch again.
How do you know that Clemens didn't have a wink wink* agreement to resign with the Astros at mid-season because he knew he couldn't hold up over a full season? Clemens talking to other teams in that period was just Clemens being Clemens and getting attention.
I don't see the point in giving Clemens a deadline. Make whatever deals you want assuming he's done. If he comes back, treat it like a midseason trade. The Astros may have to pull a Marlins and trade a position player for prospects to get him into the budget.
You can't just leave $10-$15MM in salary up in the air. Contrary to what people want to believe, Clemens doesn't generate that much revenue for the team. An average of 3000 extra fans in about 7-10 of their 162 games doesn't generate much money. You can have a budget range, but $15MM isn't easy to clear, nor should the team do so at the last second just to add a Clemens. You have to plan one way or another.
I don't care about the revenue he would generate. I wouldn't take that into account because I think winning will generate much more than having the best pitcher in this era on the mound a few times. I do think having Clemens on the team creates a buzz that generates revenue outside his games, but not as much as winning. If Clemens is interested early, you sign him. If not, don't sign him and build team as best as you can. If he wants to play midway through the season, you trade away players to lower your budget to sign him. If you can't do this, you don't sign Clemens midway through the season. Giving Clemens an ultimatum is not an advisable course of action. Saving money for him in case he decides to play is not feasible because 15 million can do wonders for a team. If/when Clemens decides to play is when to plan on trying to sign him. If there is no money at that time, you don't sign him. I enjoyed watching Clemens pitch this season, but down the stretch....I wanted to watch all the games.
Getting D-Train would be a dream come true, I love that kid. It would be as significant an acquisition as the Rockets getting McGrady. It doesn't matter what you have to give up as long as it's not your franchise players Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman or some 'can't miss' prospect. Nothing should stand in the way of the Astros getting two aces in D-Train and Roy-O. Pitching is THE key factor in baseball, everyone knows that. The possibility of having Roy-O, D-Train, Clemens, and Pettite in the rotation is enough to give me many, many sleepless nights.
i didn't read all six pages, but i know somebody has to have mentioned it. If not: "this sure aint gonna happen. last I checked. DWills was black." Serious part of my post. Willis would sure help the offense out. And he's not a bad pitcher.
Dont mess with team chemistry. Dont trade away players just because you want to sign a pitcher midway through the season. Drayton can just man up and up the payroll to bring him in at that point.
...and your insomnia will be complete when the Astros score an average of 1.174 runs per start for each of their four aces, netting them 37 no-decisions and 21 1-0 or 2-1 losses between them.
Umm. He wasn't allowed to have any negotiations with the Astros prior to May 1st. I suppose you think that a contract like his can be hammered out in a day or so? Also, he didn't re-sign in mid-June. He re-signed in May. His first game back was on June 22nd.
actually, yeah i do. the contracts are all pretty standard...they are drawn up under the collective bargaining agreement. once a team and a player agree it doesn't take long to put it in writing.
