A couple of other things. 2 years at 17.5 million, plus a club option for a 3rd year at 9 million. The buyout is $750,000. The real odd man out is Ward. Hunsicker stated that coming into camp, Hidalgo is in RF and Biggio/Berkman are going to be in LF or CF.
It will be interesting to see if Kent shows up for team pictures with the Astros. Not that I will really give much of a damn if he doesn't...but I am curious.
Maybe you can try sending it here and somebody will pass it along. http://espn.go.com/sitetools/s/contact/espntv.html
Well, Biggio doesn't know yet. Maybe he's the OF we've been looking for? I do know that biggio doesn't have the arm to play CF, but I think Ward will be better than Hidalgo.
Woooooo! Drayton, you proved me wrong! I don't see any downside to this deal. The length of the contract is great and Kent will put up great numbers. He'll look great in our lineup. God, baseball rules!
I don't get this signing...a slugging old 3rd basemen is not what we need the most.... What we need the most is speed at the top of the order and get on base...someone like Last year's free agent Johnny Damon, who covers alot of the outfield...or even Ray Durahm of this year... An experienced, dominating, proven pitcher is number 2 on the priority list....someone like G. Maddux...we've got a young rotation, and we really need that experience to show our young guys the way...
I'm not complaining about Kent though, of course I don't mind him playing for us....He's nice to have, but its not like we have a big hole in the middle of our lineup...
Campbell wrote that the Astros 3B position was very weak offensively when ESPN published a report a couple of weeks ago indicating that the Astros 3B position led the NL in OPS. I no longer see Campbell's sidebar column in the link. Perhaps they removed it since it has come out that plans are forKent to play 2B.
My Dad called right before the press conference started...I missed it. Does anybody know where I may be able to find a replay of it in its entirety?
Kent signs 2-yr deal with the Astros December 18, 2002 Print it HOUSTON -- Jeff Kent and the Houston Astros agreed Wednesday to a two-year contract, a move that forces Gold Glove second baseman Craig Biggio to move to the outfield. The 34-year-old Kent, who won the NL MVP award two years ago, hit .313 last season with 37 homers and 108 RBIs, helping San Francisco win its first NL pennant since 1989. "This was not in our plan, was not in our budget and was not on our radar screen," Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker said. "I would dare say, after Nolan Ryan, this is the most significant free-agent acquisition that this franchise has ever acquired." Kent, Biggio and Jeff Bagwell combine to give the Astros a formidable middle of the lineup. "This team has an opportunity to do some great things," Kent said. He injured a wrist during spring training last season and fought with Barry Bonds during a game. Yet Kent had a chance to return to the Giants, who offered salary arbitration. He had until Thursday to accept San Francisco's offer. "There is no doubt that I will look back fondly on my years in a Giants' uniform," Kent said. "San Francisco is where I blossomed as a ballplayer and achieved many of the goals I set for myself when I was drafted by Toronto in 1989. My family and I have also developed deep community ties in San Francisco, and I know that we all will miss this wonderful city." San Francisco had prepared for Kent's departure by signing Ray Durham, who can play second base and the outfield, and Edgardo Alfonzo, who can play second or third. Kent will play second base with the Astros, Hunsicker said. Biggio, a four-time Gold Glove winner, will shift to the outfield. Biggio began his career as a catcher. "He's already made one position change that didn't turn out too bad," said Hunsicker, who hasn't had a chance to speak with Biggio about the move to the outfield. The Astros went 84-78 and finished second to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central last season. Kent, a three-time All-Star, has a .289 career average with 253 homers and 1,007 RBIs. He hit .269 with three homers and eight RBIs in the postseason, hitting three home runs against Anaheim in the World Series. http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/articles/20021218/446032.html Link
well it seems somebody at ESPN.com got wise to Campbells comments because they are now removed. For those that missed it Campbell's first sentence was: "The Astros struggled offensively at 3rd base last season. " The article bobrek posted a few weeks ago from ESPN showed the Astros 3B men lead the NL in OPS last season. http://espn.go.com/mlb/s/2002/1121/1464082.html
You can still get speed at the top of the order. There's a ton of players in the minors with speed and Lofton is still out there. Possible HoF 2nd Basemen don't come around often...of course, now you have two but this team has a very scary lineup. Kent's not young but he did hit .313-37-108 last year in a pitcher's park. And isn't Reynolds the veteran of the staff? Nonetheless, Oswalt and Miller are fine and ready...guidance is overrated.
Hmm, I'd rather Kent play 3B...I'm not completely comfortable with Blum and Ensberg there on the offensive side, despite the OPS stat. And I don't like the idea of Biggio in the outfield-I don't think he can play center from the arm or leg standpoint, and I'd really rather Berkman played LF instead of CF-we could use a speedy guy in CF covering that deep field, and I'd rather Berkman use his energy knocking the cover off the ball than roaming our huge CF. This is huge. Big kudos for Drayton and Hun for making it happen. It'll be interesting if Wags is moved. I'd move him and Ward for a another young gun (a la Damian Moss from the Moss for Ortiz trade) and a setup man, and move Dotel to closer.
OMG! Did Drayton REALLY open up his wallet or am I dreaming? Whatever happened to what Gerry was saying that we would go wtih what we have and that they would have to step up and play. Guess they realize if you wanna play ball you gotta play ball! This is GREAT!
Geez just thin how solid we would be if we could have kept Mike Williams, and now Flash Gordan. Wagner, Williams, Dotel, and Gordan would make it close to imposible to lose the close games.
