Indeed some can't. Like how difficult it is to put that type of dominance together in the free agent era and the expansion era, where players move about almost at will and talent is watered down. Yet, without spending like the Yankees, some want to measure the McLane era Astros against the "great franchises in the history of sports" or the "great runs", presumably in the history of sports. Indeed, some can't see the forest for the trees.
This is so dismissive of what's actually happened. You act as if this team merely trotted out Bagwell and Biggio and road their coattails to playoff success. That's just not true. You don't make it to the playoffs in baseball solely off the strength of 2 guys. Baseball America doesn't honor you as the best organization in MLB because they're fond of your first and second basemen. He's brought in very good talent. He's brought in Moises Alou...Randy Johnson...Carlos Beltran...Roger Clemens...Andy Pettitte...Carlos Lee. That's nothing to sneeze at. He's been the best owner in this city's history of any of the teams, in my mind. And again...I'm not sure it's even close...particularly in terms of what this franchise is NOW compared to what it was when he inherited it.
Didn't they expand the number of divisions and add the wildcard basically right after he took over? Isn't that close to when all the success started? Not sure that's a fair comparison.
yes, he's gotten good talent on the cheap (who do you give that credit to), and hasn't always been able to keep it. so again, mclane gets too much credit, when its hunsicker putting these deals together that get us beltran, johnson, alou, carl everett, etc. but the only two who've remained due to a commitment from mclane are bagwell and biggio
carlos lee is cheap? roger clemens was cheap? bagwell and biggio are an anomaly. MOST players don't spend their entire careers with one organization. wait...he gets no credit for hiring hunsicker? ok...because i thought he wasn't supposed to be meddlesome. he should have been making these deals out there on his own without a GM, huh? i'm certain that's what most owners do. this argument is a moving target. you're right...he's average. les rocks.
Every deal Hunsicker made had to be approved by McLane. So credit goes to both. No way McLane could orchestrate any of those deals--but he financed them. Moises Alou was making 5 million dollars a year in 1998 when they traded for him. In 1998, that was not "on the cheap". RJ was not making an "on the cheap" salary when he was traded for, either. They offered Carlos Beltran $107 million dollars. It's laughable how you continually insist on dropping the word "cheap" into your increasingly lame arguments when there are ZERO facts to support it. The sky is green. The sky is green. Hey, look at that greenish sky. Well, the grass only *looks* greener on the other side because of the green sky. The rain this summer hasn't helped our grasses and trees as much as you think; we have an unfair grass advantage because we've been able to have a green sky. (greengreengreen greengreengreengreen greengreengreen)
and how many years of not even making the playoffs??? in a league where more teams make it than don't!!! that's a joke.
Reminds me of this: <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NKG3UMPKVe4"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NKG3UMPKVe4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
But he's just not as meddlesome as Drayton though. Therefore, he's tons better. And before someone mentions championships again, wasn't Hakeem on the team long before Les bought it? Yeah, he was.
roger pays for himself so he doesn't get blame for him leaving here you go again with this crap, threads move, sure you have enough posts to realize that
the NL central has been home to 2 of the 4 best teams, record-wise, in the NL over mclane's 14-year tenure. yes, the bottom of the division is (and has been for awhile now) horrible and yes, it's been a bad division these past two years (i still can't believe we're *only* 10 games back - unreal)... but you realize the yankees and red sox have been feeding on the d-rays, orioles and (most years) blue jays for years now? right? that the indians, white sox and twins have taken their turns on detroit and kansas city.
Explain to me how Les Alexander brought in Hakeem Olajuwon a decade before he owned the team. Thanks.
so you truly believe that les alexander has been better for the rockets than drayton mclane has been for the astros. given where those two organizatons were at the time ownership was assumed by each...what they've been through since...and where they are today....you think les comes out on top in that discussion?
