Monday, October 27, 2003 By Jerry Crasnick ESPN Insider Billy Wagner was speaking for a lot of Houston players in late September when he took some shots at Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. over the team's failure to acquire a frontline pitcher for the stretch run. "This team is based on competing," Wagner told reporters, "not winning." Uh-oh. On baseball's owner-player animosity meter, that's equivalent to plopping down across from George Steinbrenner and saying, "I know you're The Boss, but don't you think you look a little jowly in those Visa commercials? And how about Northwestern's football team? Are they lame this year, or what?" It's clear that Wagner, one of baseball's most engaging players, talked his way onto the organizational "B" list with his candor. Before the winter is through, we'll find out if he talked his way out of town After another disappointing finish, the Astros will spend the winter re-assessing the makeup of their roster. General Manager Gerry Hunsicker, whose flirtation with the Mets job ended when he signed a one-year contract extension with Houston, is hamstrung by long-term commitments to six players: Jeff Bagwell, Jeff Kent, Lance Berkman, Richard Hidalgo, Wagner and Craig Biggio. Combined they will earn $51 million in 2004. With Roy Oswalt, Wade Miller and Octavio Dotel also due big raises in salary arbitration, Hunsicker might have to suit up a clubby as his No. 5 starter. "We've tried to hold onto our star players to accommodate the fans, in an effort to create an identity for this team," Hunsicker told Baseball Insider. "This is a dangerous situation for any club. You can't have 70 percent of your payroll tied up in five guys. That creates an inflexibility and ties our hands." Hunsicker's sentiments might resonate with you, me and lots of major-league owners who signed players to gargantuan deals at the height of the economic boom, but his comments have generated some resentment among players who aren't exactly payroll bandits. Bagwell hit 39 homers and drove in 100 runs this year despite a summer-long regimen of cortisone shots in his shoulder. Biggio scored 102 runs while switching positions at age 37. Hidalgo rebounded from two off-years to win the Houston baseball writers' team MVP award. Kent played through tendinitis in his wrist to hit .297 with 93 RBI, and although Berkman underachieved by his standards, his .288-25-93 season was hardly a washout of, say, Pat Burrell proportions. That leaves Wagner, who converted 44 of 47 save opportunities, struck out 105 batters in 86 innings and held opponents to a .169 batting average. His biggest sin, other than giving up two homers in a pivotal loss to the Giants in the season's final week, was signing a three-year, $27 million contract last January. Some Astros have grown tired of Hunsicker lamenting the state of baseball's economic system on behalf of McLane, who says he's losing millions even with a new ballpark. Bagwell's $15 million salary for next year and Hidalgo's $12 million might look exorbitant now, but that was the price of doing business when they signed. "It's the same issue faced by every club in baseball, except maybe the Yankees," said agent Barry Axelrod, who represents Bagwell and Biggio. "Everybody is crying poorhouse. But teams have to look at their budgets on an annual basis or a five-year window. The Astros were the ones who made the decision to pay these players, so they don't have the standing to complain. It's not as if they inherited these contracts." The chances of the Astros trading Bagwell, Biggio, Berkman or Kent are remote. They'd love to move Hidalgo to make room for Triple-A outfielder Jason Lane, but they'll have to pick up somebody else's contract baggage in return. Trading Wagner makes some sense, considering Dotel looks ready to assume the closer role, but the Astros' timing is sure lousy. Keith Foulke, Eddie Guardado, Armando Benitez, Tom Gordon, Ugueth Urbina, LaTroy Hawkins and Rod Beck are among the relievers on the free-agent market this winter. The surplus of established or would-be closers will make it less essential for a team to invest $8 million in a Billy Wagner. He's the third best closer in baseball behind Eric Gagne and John Smoltz, but unless he's the missing piece to put your team over the top, he might not be $3-4 million better. Wagner's agent, Bean Stringfellow, still sounds optimistic about things working out in Houston. "Billy wants to remain an Astro," Stringfellow said. "He wants to play for a winner there." They all do. Now it's up to Hunsicker to gauge the market, sort out the economics and keep McLane happy in the face of criticism, which is always a full-time job. As one Astros-watcher put it, "Drayton knows just enough baseball to be dangerous." At least Hunsicker knows that things could be worse. He could have taken the Mets job.
how 'bout Barry Axlerod!!! that's classic...he drives the price up for every player and then has the nerve to say, "well...they should budget better!" that's just classic. anyone else in the world can say that legitimately..but not barry.
I don't disagree with Wagner or Hunsicker, but to say that Wagner is one of "baseball's most engaging players" has to be taken literally or not at all. Wagner is, to put it bluntly, a redneck. Some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth is totally ridiculous and almost insulting to those of us who are somewhat educated and live in the real world. I predict he's gone next year, and hopefully Dotel can fill his shoes. Otherwise, the Astros should find a way to keep Ausmus becasue he's the reason these young guys we have do well- master pitch calling. Aside from that, let's rebuild the farm system. AAA Round Rock and AA Corpus courtesy of Reid and Nolan Ryan should help.
I would not mind Wags being gone...closers are the most overated people in baseball. Wags is one of the best, but I am sure there are others that could get into the same success ratio for far less mulah. DD
That's what the article claims (and other post in this section, BTW) Keith Foulke, Eddie Guardado, Armando Benitez, Tom Gordon, Ugueth Urbina, LaTroy Hawkins and Rod Beck are among the relievers on the free-agent market this winter. The surplus of established or would-be closers will make it less essential for a team to invest $8 million in a Billy Wagner. He's the third best closer in baseball behind Eric Gagne and John Smoltz, but unless he's the missing piece to put your team over the top, he might not be $3-4 million better. Fact of the matter is that Wags is a close #3 to the top 2 and better, by far, than the others on the list. It's nice to have top tier players. The 'stros are short of them.
It means that all a closer has to do is record 3 outs before the other team scores 1-3 runs, usually. I don't think it's overrated. Having someone like Wagner, Gagne, or Smoltz makes a nine inning game an eight inning game.
Wags is worth his weight in gold. He was easily the team MVP this past season. If you want to trade an overpaid player to cut payroll or so you can sign a pitcher, start with Biggio and Bagwell.
Agreed. Biggio especially. I thought signing Biggio to that stupid contract was like the Rockets signing Olajuwon for a couple more seasons. That money is much better spent on other needs. I think Bags has several more years of worth left. If you can ditch Biggio's contract for a descent pitcher, we can be in a much better position. Stick Jason Lane in the outfield and we are good to go. I wouldnt mind seeing Pudge in an Astros jersey either. I wouldnt care what it took to get him either. Takes care of Ausmus, who I cant stand, and gives us a good clutch hitting bat. A few minor tweeks through free agency and we have a good team next year. I am just so damn tired of watching the bats fall asleep when it counts.
Bagwell's a fine player, but not worth half the 15 mil his contract provides for. There are players out there in free agency who could fill that void for much, much less. Biggio's a lower-rung starting outfielder at best.
This "nucleus" should have been broken up three or four years ago, instead management stuck with their "coddling" Biggio and Bagwell stances and we will pay for it by finishing no better than third until those players and their contracts are gone.
I agree with the article...I don't think Dalgy or Wags will be here next year...They need a starting pitcher, but won't pay the market...So in other words, we're screwed...
A redneck? Because he has a southern accent? You realize that most Astros fans, are in fact, from Houston. I'm much happier with southern players on my team like Wagner and Oswalt rather than people like Shawn Green or Sosa or Giambi. He's my favorite Astro, and probably the biggest individual reason I go to Astros games. So to me, he is the most engaging Astro.
Giambi is gonna be a fulltime DH next year, no defensive skills Shawn Green had a terrible year Sammy Sosa, i wouldn't mind him, he seems to thrive at Minute Maid Wagner is a very valuable assset to the astros but Dotel and Lidge are waiting in the wings. I feel we can afford to trade him for some good prospects.
