B-Turg, you catching the game tonight? We gotta meet up with my sister to drop off my niece, but will probably be back around 8. Watch some 'Stros then head over to Wescott?
A couple of questions of my own: You're saying that teams should roll out their best 8 players for all 162 games? You're also saying that there's no benefit to either a rested regular or a bench player who stays sharp with occasional playing time?
No, I'm saying that: Jimy rests our top players too much. AND When he does rest our top players, he does so poorly (EX: Vizcaino at 1st) AND It didn't seem to help last year when the team collapsed down the stretch.
For what it's worth, my "source," when asked about Beltran before the trade happened, made a comment like "Why would they [Astros] trade for Beltran and not re-sign him?" This was just his opinion, though. He's a Yankees fan, anyway, so he doesn't quite grasp the concept of "fiscal responsibility" or "budget".
VS, Hunsicker was on the radio this morning. When asked about resigning Beltran, he game the impression that there is slim chance we will resign him or try to resign him. I am sure they will handle it like The Unit. Theyll make him the best offer they can afford and hope that he likes the team and city enough that he will take it.
i don't expect the astros to resign Beltran but i think their chances sure could increase if Bagwell decides to retire. Depending on how much money is left over once we cut some guys loose, then give pay raises to others, who knows, this is the center fielder Gerry and Drayton have been dreaming of having for years.
I'm under that impression, too, codell (and told my "source" as much). Just throwing out what he said. Hey, if anything, my post was just a nice opportunity to bash Yankees fans.
Stros have played 72 games Berkman - 70 Kent - 69 Biggio - 69 Bagwell - 69 Along with Lamb at 2B the other day, that's definitely the only questionable start I've seen. Of course, Viz was in the beginning stages of a ridiculous hot streak, which has continued since (.368 in his last 50+ ABs). And trotting 'em out there every single day sure didn't help Biggio, Alou, Bagwell, Everett, et al under Dierker in playoffs past. But... Sept. 03 numbers (season numbers) Biggio - .296 (.264) Bagwell - .283 (.278) Kent - .330 (.297) Viz - .280 (.249) AE - .317 (.256) Ensberg - .323 (.291) Blum - .268 (.262) Merced - .214 (.231) Berkman - .315 (.288) Ausmus - .243 (.229) Hidalgo - .344 (.309) Doesn't exactly bolster your argument. In fact it does the opposite. Players need days off. All of them. And it helps, ask them.
Wow, interesting numbers Buck. Every one of those players except Merced had a higher September BA. Sprint, meet Marathon.
I'd bat them: Biggio Beltran Berkman Kent Bagwell Ensberg Everett Ausmus I might even switch Big and Beltran in the order. Funny how our newest addition has a name starting with 'B', isn't it? Might be the greatest incarnation of the Killer Bs yet.
Ditto...I think the lefty-righty situation with Berkman and Beltran is irrelevant because they are both switch hitters anyways.
me too, from all indications Beltran will either be in the #2 or #3 slot. I Personally don't see a reason to move Berkman.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2646640 The Astros finally landed the classic center fielder they have craved for years, acquiring Kansas City Royals star Carlos Beltran on Thursday night in a three-team deal that club officials compared to the trade that brought Randy Johnson to Houston in 1998. To land Beltran, the Astros sent closer Octavio Dotel and catching prospect John Buck to the Royals, who shipped Dotel to the Oakland Athletics for two prospects. Industry sources confirmed that the Astros also gave the A's nearly $1 million. "How lucky is Houston? They're very, very lucky," Royals manager Tony Peña said of Beltran, who is earning $9 million this season and plans to test free agency this winter. "You're very, very lucky to get a talent like him. He was my best player, and one of the best players in the majors. Unfortunately, we can't afford him." Beltran, who hit a home run Thursday in his final game with the Royals, joins the Astros as a rental for the pennant stretch. His acquisition will have a trickle-down effect on the lineup, and several players expect Beltran to hit third. Franchise icon Craig Biggio, who has started in center field since Jeff Kent took over at second base last season, will move to left field. Lance Berkman will move from left to right. Brad Lidge, who served as Dotel's setup man, assumes the closer's role. "Hopefully, he's really going to help us out," Biggio said. "Jimy just said we're going to switch. Lance will go to right and I will go to left. ... There's no other option. It's what we're going to do it. That's probably what's best for the club." The Astros may not be done. General manager Gerry Hunsicker's scouts are monitoring A's reliever Arthur Rhodes, who has lost his job as Oakland's closer and recently exchanged barbs in the newspapers with some of the A's starting pitchers. "When you make a trade like this, there's no free lunch," Hunsicker said. "I would be less than honest if I didn't tell you that I believe there's some risk here with regard to our bullpen. Octavio Dotel is a very talented young arm and obviously has been our closer, and we're going to miss him. "Some of these guys in the bullpen are going to have to step up in a big way. It's not like we didn't take something away from our club." The switch-hitting Beltran, 27, hit .278 with 15 home runs and 51 RBIs in 69 games for the Royals this season. Beltran, the 1999 American League Rookie of the Year, hit .307 last year with 26 homers, 100 RBIs and 41 steals as he became the first switch-hitter to hit .300 with at least 25 home runs and 40 or more steals in a season. "There's not too many players in the game that are really impact players, that are make-a-difference players," Hunsicker said. "Don't get me wrong. I don't expect Carlos to come in here and just carry us on his shoulders, just like you can't expect that of Roger Clemens or any single player. But he significantly makes us better and he is an impact player and will have a tremendous effect on this ballclub." After beating the Red Sox and Yankees for Andy Pettitte in December and luring Clemens out of retirement, the deal for Beltran gives the Astros three major acquisitions in one year. Dotel, 30, cried when he learned of the deal. "It hurts my feelings a little bit that I have to leave this place," said Dotel, who was 0-4 with a 3.12 ERA and 14 saves. "I love this town and I love the fans, and I had a great time here." I guess Beltran will bat 3rd. Hearing about Dotel's reaction makes me wish we had kept the guy, but Beltran is an incredible player. Hopefully we can sign Dotel when he is a free agent.
Is it going to be Biggio in left and Berkman in right? I don't like Kent going to third, he hasn't played there in alot of years. .
The "Kent to 3rd" speculation by radio/print guys was what prompted the quote from Kent posted earlier. He took infield practice as a joke. Gerry used the phrase "middle of the order" when asked where Beltran would hit. I'd guess Beltran-Kent-Berkman.
Well...forgot the 'Stros are in the AL this series. DH Biggio, let him take fungos for a couple of days before starting him in LF, same with Berkman. I'd probably start Berkman in LF, Lane in RF.
Bingo. If they get a big lead, throw him into left to ease into it. Maybe give Berkman a start or two in RF with Lane in LF. I suspect we'll see a combination of alignments in the Ranger series.
