The Houston Astros announced today the club has acquired outfielder Willy Tavares and minor league outfielder Luke Scott in exchange for left-handed pitcher Jeriome Robertson. The announcement was made by general manager Gerry Hunsicker. Taveras, 22, was selected by the Astros from Cleveland in the Major League Rule V draft on Dec. 15, 2003. Taveras cleared outright waivers earlier today and was offered back to the Indians in accordance with Rule V. However, the clubs this afternoon completed the trade that allows the Astros to keep Taveras and acquire Scott in exchange for Robertson. In 113 games for Class A Kinston in 2003, he hit .282 (112x397) with two home runs and 35 RBI and 57 stolen bases. In five minor league seasons from 1999-2003, Taveras has hit .286 (450x1572) with 13 home runs, 154 RBI, and 202 stolen bases. In 18 games for Houston this Spring, he hit .160 (4x25) with one RBI and three stolen bases. Robertson, 27, went 15-9 with a 5.10 ERA (91ER/160.2IP) in 32 games (31 starts) for Houston in 2003. He allowed 180 hits and walked 64 while striking out 99. Robertson led all Major League rookies and the Astros in wins last year, and in 43 career big league appearances (32 starts), Robertson is 15-11 with a 5.18 ERA (98ER/170.1IP). The 25-year-old Scott led the Indians organization last season with 20 home runs and 81 RBI between Class A Kinston and Class AA Akron in 2003. In 214 career minor league games from 2002-2003, the Oklahoma State product and ninth-round draft choice in 2001 has hit .264 (200x758) with 35 home runs and 143 RBI. Sounds like we got an outfielder w/ speed and another one who can swing the bat. Great trade for the Astros.
Eh, I dunno. A 25-year-old player in A ball doesn't usually make much of an impact at the big-league level. Taveras has a future, though. But, then again, Robertson isn't an ace, either.
I dunno, Tavares has been in the minors for five years and is still playing A ball? Plus he did not have a good spring with us this year. Scott is anoither guy who puts up DECENT stats in A ball and AA ball, I would have prefered a little bit more of a sure thing for a rookie 15 game winnere regardless of his stats.
Has he really?? I thought he was only 22??? Regardless, you have to figure the 'Stros knew what they were getting, since they've had Tavares in their camp the entire spring (rule 5 pick), and they've played the Indians like a bajillion times, thus they've had constant conversation. IMO, whenever you get to keep your rule 5 pick (somebody who you basically covet, but can't always have), its always a good deal... especially when we only gave up a pitcher who's already 27, has mediocre stuff, and who's faltered in the only big game of his career (I know he's only pitched in one of these games... against Milwaukee in the final week... but that pitiful performance was enough to make me go sour on Jeriome).
I think he was talking about Scott being 25. Taveras is 22 and will probably be the centerfielder in two years even if he is the next Gerald Young.
Gerry & Jimy decided before ST to work with Taveras on becoming a switch hitter (insert joke here). ST statistics are meaningless.
Yep, I remember a guy we lost a few years ago.(Johan Santana) We have to be pretty high on Tavares. And, our weakness is definitely outfielders in the minor leagues. Why not trade from our strength? Also, I doubt if Robertson becomes anything other than a journeyman reliever.
The article says it was Tavares who spent five years in the minors, all at A ball. Doesn't look like the Injuns were too high on him or they were waiting for something to happen that never did. I wish we could have gotten Crisp or Bradley even if we had to throw in another prospect along with Jeriome.
Tavares is only 22 and he gets better every year. He'll be a plus outfielder for us but he reminds me more of a Juan Pierre type. Plus, you can't teach speed.
Is Wilfredo Rodriquez the one who gave up the 70th HR to Bonds?? BTW, good trade for the Stros. One thing this organization is lacking is speed, in the majors and minors. Maybe hell be ready in a year or so to start in center. He reminds me a lil of Castillo from Florida. Anyone else suprised that Jerry pulled this deal, just a day or so after saying that he wasn't in the business of trading starting pitching depth?? Perhaps it became apparent, after Jerome's comments, that he might become a mal-content in the minors????
It's nice when a 15 game winning lefty becomes like your 8th best starting option. Taveras must have really impressed...speed kills, but we do have a couple of other speedy outfielders in the wings (Mike Rodriguez and Charlton Jimerson). Not quite in the same world as Taveras, but good nonetheless. The other guy seems like the potential power lefty bat off the bench that we're looking for this year. He spent some time in AA last year- I wonder if he starts there or moves up to AAA, potentially a midseason call-up if our bench lefties (Lamb, Palmeiro) falter? SSG- We lost him to Rule V a few years ago...
That's the one. He was also considered the top prospect in the Astro's system a few years ago because he was a lefty who threw hard. Unfortunately, that was all he did - throw hard. He was one of the most erratic pitchers I've ever seen. One inning, he'd look like a lefty Pedro Martinez - spotting his heater on the black and a wicked curve. The very next inning - he gives up four walks, two wild pitches and a couple doubles. Just nuts.
Ehhh I don't really like this deal. I think Robertson had potential to become a really decent starter. Scott is 25 and still in AA???? Theres got to be something wrong there (I know he did have TJ surgery, but stlil...) We could have gotten some speed in the outfield with out trading Robertson. Why not Saarloos and an good prospect for Milton Bradley? Oh well...
I'm not too high on Robertson, but I don't like it. We only had to send him to the minors this year because we added Pettite and Clemens. Unfortunately, Roger will be gone after this year and then what? We'll have C-Los ready to come up, but it'd be nice to have those two compete against each other and what about injuries. With Roy's and Wade's injury history and just the nature of baseball, it'd be nice to have a guy with majors experience somewhere in the system.
rockets-#1, Don't forget Burkholz. Hes looking like he may be a stud in a year or so. Also, Duckworth is a legit ML starter. In the minors, we have a few guys that could contend for a starting spot once Roger retires: Fernando Nieve Chad Qualls Rodrigo Rosario (looked good last year against Texas before he was injured) New Orleans is still going to have a heck of a rotation, even without Robertson: Bucholz Qualls Rosario Nieve might end up at AAA by the end of the year.
