It wasn't that big of a mistake, if at all. You re-sign Wagner, that leaves less money and less of a chance to sign Pettitte, then Clemens. I think the fact that we have been to the World Series and he got run off of another team says that we made the right move. His attitude and public comments negate him from the "classiest of all Astros." He was popular, but his continued talk against the Astros nearly 3 years removed tends to move him well out of being still on of the most popular. I liked him while he was here. Now, I just think he's a bitter pr***.
What???? Classy??? I see your argument in favor of Billy. I don't agree, but I at least see where you're coming from. A lot of very positive things can be said about Billy, seriously: competitive, hard-working, overcame a lot, not a quitter, lots of good stuff. But more classy than Biggio? More classy than Bagwell? More classy than Shane Reynolds? On several occasions, Billy displayed much less than true "class". He's a likeable guy and one of the best talents in Astros history, but "classy" he ain't.
That was totally sweet. I had to watch it again...but I still LOVE the walk-off homer by Kent in the 2004 NLCS game 5. That was amazing! Burke's homer against the Braves was great also. Too bad nothing like that is going to happen in October this season!!!
Well I am not sure why we needed to trade him for money to sign Pettitte since there is no salery cap in that sport. Second you are right he was out of line but what he said was true and why I wish he would of said it behind closed doors maybe that exposed Uncle Drayton and got him to start spending. To say we were better off in 2004 without Billy is crazy, first off if we had a healthy Pettitte we win the series with the Cards second even without Andy if we had a guy like Billy in the Pen instead of that loser Dan Micelli than we are also in the Series that year.
You mean spending like the contract he gave Billy Wagner? Or Richard Hidalgo? Or Craig Biggio? Or Jeff Bagwell? Or do you mean making deadline deals like the ones he made for Randy Johnson, Pedro Astacio and Mike Williams? Billy Wagner is a cockgobbler. Instead of taking the responsibility for failing as a team down the stretch that year, he took the unclassy way out by calling out management (again, the same management that gave him a very generous contract). He's near the top of my "hate" list of all professional athletes, not just ex-Astros ("hate" because I don't know the guy personally and really try not to hate anyone).
most hated Astro while being an Astro: Derek Bell. most hated Astros since leaving the Astros: Carlos Beltran with Mike Hampton being a close second.
Free Agent Spending like the one more starting pitcher to push you over the top. Fans like you just don't get it, I am a Astro fan as much as anyone but when your team is playing poor or your front office (in this case) which starts with the owner does not do everything that needs to be done they should be responsable. We are now reeping the benifits of our TAX PAYER FUNDED STADIUM which if ya'll remember drove up ticket prices, food and beer. The first few years at MMP Uncle Drayton lowered payroll and it did not come up to the current levels untill the Clemens and Pettitte signings. Yes Drayton signed Swindell and Drebeck and got burned but it was not untill Jeff Kent and then Clemens and Pettitte did he go out in the offseason and bring players here. That is bull**** considering he is racking it in thanks to the good citizens of Harris County.
Of course, in the 3 years after MMP was approved but before it opened, Drayton doubled the payroll with no real revenue increase. So the payroll increase already happened by the time MMP was opened.
Also, please explain how this is "lowering payroll" 2000: $51,999,461 2001: $60,382,667 2002: $65,412,960 2003: $70,489,840 2004: $74,666,303 In 1996, payroll was $26,894,000.
I ****ing mispoke, He lowered payroll moving into a brand new tax payer built stadium. That's bull**** period. He then brought it back to where it was and then started spending what he should of been spending all along with a high revenue new ballpark and a nice new fat tv deal. You people don't get it, He lost some money every year till 97 and that's when he started making money on this team since moving into MMP he is not only making money hands over fist and the team has more than tripled in value. I am of the opinion that we have been only one or two players away from being a world series team and to me MOST NOT ALL BUT MOST YEARS this owner's top priority is bottom line and not doing whatever it takes to win.
Of course, he doubled the payroll in the 3 previous years in a crappy ballpark - basically spending his future revenues. But of course, he gets no credit for this. Since he dropped the payroll by $500,000 one year in a decade, he must be terrible. Blah blah blah. Who's your ideal owner?
We will agree to disagree but my ideal owner is someone who will go after a key free agent who is not from Houston (hometown discount) when the team clearly needs help. Yes he got Kent a few years back but we needed a big bat to go along with Berkman and we did not do squat. Revenues have been in the 150mil range the last three years (2004-2005 and projected this year) I think that one player to get us a World Series is worth it don't you.
I will always hate Julio Lugo. I went to see the Astros in the 01 playoffs (I think that was it), where he botched a couple MAJOR plays that could've been the difference between winning the series and losing it. BTW, on the Drayton McLane issue, I used to think he was a cheap b*stard until I really thought about it, and realized that he's been a great owner for a long while. I don't understand how anyone can say he doesn't go after key free agents -- the Astros may not throw money around like the Yankees or Red Sox, but the Astros have a high payroll, and Drayton has long been willing to pursue the right players for the Astros. Drayton isn't stupid with money, and so we may not always get really expensive players who would be nice to have, but the Astros have done a good job keeping their home-grown talent, and bringing in good complimentary pieces.
