http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/6500177.html Backe’s time with Astros over Popular righty designated, must be traded or cut By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle June 27, 2009, 1:33AM Righthander Brandon Backe, a Galveston native who was one of the Astros’ most popular players, was designated for assignment Friday night to make room for Felipe Paulino to be activated from the disabled list. The Astros have 10 days to trade or release him. “He’s been a standup guy the whole time he’s been with us, but because of the health issue in spring training and other circumstances, just some guys have moved past him at this point,” Astros general manager Ed Wade said. After entering camp needing to fight for the fifth spot in the rotation, Backe suffered an intercostals injury in spring training. The Astros placed him on the disabled list and then sent him on a rehab assignment shortly after the start of the season, but he went into the bullpen when he finally returned. “It’s extremely difficult just the way — I kind of hate to say it — just the way that I was treated,” he said. “I was given a schedule of five starts in the minor leagues to get myself rehabbed and back in the rotation. Then they threw another (rehab start) on me at the end to go to Round Rock and pitch. Once that’s over with they played the game, ‘I don’t know what’s going on,’ until the last minute. “And then all of the sudden I’m in the bullpen. Mentally that’s pretty frustrating. Then not only being in the bullpen but just getting, so to speak, ‘scrap’ work. It’s difficult. I was thrown into something that was out of the norm and was expected to do well, apparently. And it was tough to just battle the mental demons inside of just being treated the way that I was.” Backe, 31, was acquired from Tampa Bay at the 2003 winter meetings. He was 30-28 with a 5.16 ERA in the regular season for the Astros and 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA in six postseason starts and one relief appearance. This season, he posted a 10.38 ERA without a decision, giving up 15 runs over 13 innings through four relief outings and one spot start.
what a slew of immature comments. he says all that like they owed him something. it's about them, not him. they can put him on any schedule they want to bring him back from injury. if they think that was sufficient evaluation, that's all that matters. if they made a mistake, go try and prove it to somebody else. he lingered around this franchise and they gave him opportunity after undeserving opportunity for 7 freaking years. have a little more class and be a little more grateful.
i was disappointed in those comments too. the astros stuck with him through a pretty rough injury and paid him some significant cash in the meantime.
It was fun to see Cy Backe pitch in the postseason when he really stepped up his game. Unfortunately, those excellent performances probably hung some really unrealistic expectations on him that he could never recapture for an extended period of time. While he's been here, he's been the epitome of mediocre. I commend him for his guts and willingness to take the ball, but he's been less then stellar since his surgery, and just doesn't have the stuff to get by with poor location. Would take a guy like Backe on my team anytime as far as his heart and willingness to compete goes. He's the antithesis of a certain highly paid basketball player that has made Houston home the past few years.
What we've got here is Backe's comments coming from someone who is thinking more about his situation than the team's situation. I see where Backe is coming from. But, like was said, he's not owed anything. How much more time were the Astros going to invest in him and not see a return? But, one has to wonder if the Astros did not push Backe back to soon to fit their idea of a schedule...versus letting Backe's condition dictate the pace. It does seem like some love was lost on both sides during all this. I think it really comes down to seeing performance in the end. Backe hasn't really been good since the World Series year. One has to think the Astros thought their pace was the right one and, when Backe didn't meet expectations, he became a liability. I think a healthy Backe has some game left. But, healthy isn't a word one associates with Backe for quite a while. Good luck, Brandon. Maybe the Rangers can give you a shot?
Astros stuck with Backe a lot longer than most fans would have liked to start with. Brandon needs to realize the only things the 'Stros have done is help him not hurt him.
Backe was getting paid 4 million dollars this season. If you are getting paid 4 million you should be able to perform from the bullpen, from "scraps", from any place the team asks you to. I'm sure if he shaved half of his ERA down to 5 the team might have had more mercy on him.
I don't see a problem with what Backe said. He just got cut from the team he's been with for his whole career, and he doesn't know what his future holds. I don't think it's all that surprising he's upset/bitter, regardless of whether he realizes it was deserved or not. If he still feels the same way a month from now, yeah, that's immature, but in the heat of the moment the day he was released? I don't think it's a big deal at all. It's probably just a lot of frustration over the last few months boiling over.
About freaking time! Backe has sucked for years and has only been a marginal player anyway! Good Riddance!
concur. it's not like backe flew off the handle or anything, he just voiced his frustrations on a day where he was essentially fired.
huh, that's weird, for some reason I remember him making 4 million per year at least once during his time with Houston.
I'd say 1.5 mil is pretty generous for a dude that had an era over 10 this season and over 6 era last year.
Tough to watch Backe go, especially being a local guy and with all the heart and fire he displayed. Remember him just going to town on Ausmus' bat before the big homer against ATL in Game 4 of the NLDS?...gonna miss him. Truth is at this point though, he's a better pinch-hitting option than starting pitcher. I hope he accepts the DFA and is able to make his way back up with us in some capacity.
that would be nice, but i'd rather him get claimed on waivers so someone eats his salary rather than us owing him while he's in the minors
