Dalati: Astros in "Serious Dicussions" About a "Major Deal"

Daily briefing with Purpura...

Dalati: Any big trades or signings in the works?
Purpura: The team's policy is not to comment on potential trades or free agent acquisitions. But I do have some good news for you.
Dalati: Yes?
Purpura: I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico.

 

I wouldn't hold your breath... even if stuff has been happening, I don't think any members of the Astros like to openly discuss this stuff with the media.

I just had flashbacks to the Beltran dealings, and how every single time we heard something... it was from a major media source, because that's who Boras was leaking it to. The local guys knew nothing except for the initial $70 million contract that Drayton let them know about (until the end, of course).

 

Renteria signed with the braves and now the cards are making a deal for nomar.

 

He's not terrible... but that still doesn't mean that the team shouldn't at least attempt an upgrade. Molina may be worth around $9-10 million a season, in this market.

I'd love Ausmus to be our future manager, though... maybe that's why we're keeping him around.

 

The Cards would have been better off re-signing Grudzelanek... that being said, Nomar would be an offensive upgrade on our team.

 

Bottom line, maclane and purpura are dumb and dumber.

WTF are they waiting for?

 

They're waiting for all the other teams to have their press conferences and news releases, so they can keep all the attention to themselves when all the other deals are done...

 

You know, you do need other teams to tango in a trade.

For ****s and giggles, please tell me who out of the players traded over the past few days you would have attempted to obtain where you could give a better offer than the one that was accepted.

Thanks.

 

But is he worth that when you have Ausmus? I'm not aruging that he's better, but when you're possibly looking at trading for Abreu or Dunn or whomever else, is it smart to blow $10 million on a catcher? He would definitely be an upgrade over Ausmus, but let's not act like he's Johnny Bench.

 

Last year's free agents that got grotesquely overpaid:

JD Drew
Steve Finley
Jason Varitek
Derek Lowe
Adrian Beltre
Carl Pavano

 

Carlos Beltran

 

Update from Delotti....the Astros have a few trades they're working on with nothing imminent.....Palmiero has been signed to a 2 yr deal.

 

For $9M a year, we better get something more than Molina. If people are concerned with $13M for Abreu, I don't see how $9M for Molina is even close to reasonable. This is a guy who had, by far, a career year last year with an OPS of .784. Ausmus' career OPS is 0.680; Molina's is 0.703.

No way I pay $9M/yr for a guy who might be a bit better (but also plays 10-15 fewer games per year). I'd rather have Ausmus and put that money elsewhere.

 

Though it sounded like it, I didn't mean to demean your baseball knowledge. What I said (and most of what I always say) was based on stuff I've read and heard from folks who, unlike myself, are established authorities on this game. I would agree with you that what I don't know could fill all 5 oceans. That's why I rely on others for my information.

And, *others* have said that Everett is *great*, not good, with the glove. Better than Bogar. *Others* have said that up-the-middle defense is critical to success. *Others* traded for Adam Everett with a very good offensive CF. Purpura and Hunsicker have both said that they don't think Bruntlett is an every day player. Maybe they're wrong, but since they know more than me and have oceans more experience, I tend to form my opinions based on information such as this.

Well, this tidbit has been argued and re-argued 100 times on every board I've been on, be it over Ausmus, Everett, or Matheny, or others. The Astros seem to value up-the-middle defense, based on their decision making to this point. Let's see what they do this offseason.

 

According to ESPN, Ramon Hernandez signed with Baltimore. Where does that leave Javy Lopez? Now that could be an upgrade, especially if his down year last year was a result of his injury.

 

Unfortunately, signing a "big-name FA" is the "cool thing to do" every off-season, and the whole hoopla of the winter meetings exacerbates GM's into a spending frenzy.

This year, the "it" guys were BJ Ryan, Burnett and Molina... just like last year, it was Beltre, Drew, Finley, Beltran. All of those types of big-hype guys are going to get big deals... whether they ultimately deserve it/play up to it or not.

 

Baltimore can always play one of them at DH.... stupid AL.

 

Tejada wants out. Mclane and Pupura should go after this one big time.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2252946