http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3289354 Sources: Astros' attempt to deal for pitcher rejected By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle RESOURCES ASTROS 2005 According to a high-level baseball official, Seattle Mariners veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer employed his rights under the collective bargaining agreement to block a trade to the Astros. As a policy, Astros general manager Tim Purpura does not comment publicly on any trade discussions he has with other teams. But it was no secret among the scouts at Minute Maid Park that the Astros made a run and were rejected by Moyer. Purpura would only confirm that the Astros were close to a deal for a pitcher who could have helped as a starter and reliever. "I would say we are at a point where we could have had a deal done," said Purpura, who hasn't given up all hope of making a deal before the non-waiver trade deadline Sunday at 3 p.m. Moyer, a pitcher who has succeeded because of his superb command of the strike zone, is 9-3 with a 4.33 ERA over 21 starts. He would have bolstered the Astros' already vaunted rotation while also serving as an option for the bullpen. As a player with more than 10 years in the majors and five in a row with the same team, Moyer had the right to block the trade based on rights that are referred to simply as the 10/5 right. Since reaching the majors in 1986 with the Cubs, Moyer is 201-148 with a 4.16 career ERA. Purpura has been busy working the phones all week, putting his odds of making a trade at 50-50 Friday evening. By late Friday night, he admitted thinking his odds of making a significant trade were at 80 percent. By Saturday afternoon, he dropped his odds of making a significant trade to about 20 percent. "There could still be some minor or lesser situations that could clear," he said.
Well, i guess some people just want to go home earlier than others. He would have been a good option pitching out of the #4 spot.
I guess we would move him or Wandy to the pen if it would have happened seeing as he is a starter and we need a lefty reliever? His W/L ratio is pretty good, but his ERA of 4.33 and 6 innings a start leaves a lot to be desired... Obviously he's probably a better pitcher then Wandy is this season, but who wants to give up nice prospects for him. If we had to give up Wandy or Backe for him I'd rather keep the young guys.
Looks like we might have been offering Burke... <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=378 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#0c2c56>Jamie Moyer - S - SEA</TD><TD width=40 background=/images/dia_wt_2_trans_tr.gif bgColor=#0c2c56><SPACER width="30" type="block" height="16"> </TD><TD align=right></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR height=1><TD bgColor=#0c2c56 height=1><SPACER width="1" type="block" height="1"> </TD></TR><TR><TD>According to the Houston Chronicle, Jamie Moyer vetoed a trade that would have sent him from the Mariners to the Astros. No word on what the Astros would have given up. Chris Burke has been mentioned in some possibilities with Houston. Moyer has a 6.79 ERA outside of Safeco this season, but he's still capable of helping a contender. Jul. 30 - 8:50 pm et Source: Houston Chronicle </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Moyer would have been pretty damn good here (with Ausmus catching his stuff). I know his ERA is 4.33, but that has to be adjusted for playing in the AL, and having to face significantly better lineups with the DH (especially this year). Moyer has always been able to shut down big hitting teams (like the Yankees), and he probably would have been picked up SOLELY to be our 4th starter against St. Louis (which is notoroious for struggling against soft-tossing lefties). I do also understand that he probably didn't want to leave his family all the way up in Seattle.... he'd have probably accepted a trade to LA/SD before here (even though they're in worse shape).
Giving up Burke wouldn't have been the end of the world, but not one of our pitchers. Moyer's ERA is a bit misleading because he plays half of his games in Seattle's big black hole of a ball field. His ERA at home is 2.64 in 10 starts but his ERA is 6.79 in 11 away starts. I don't think he'd do too well in Minute Made with those kinda numbers. The Home/Away ]SPLITS[/B] on him are pretty crazy.
DO NOT give up Burke....he is going to be a good player.. Moyer is not a difference maker...that would have screwed the chemistry up for a bit. Just ride the players we have.......and if you HAVE to make a trade, bring in a bat...not a pitcher. SHEESH !! DD
I agree with just about everything you said, we still need a quality lefty out of the pen... but who doesn't in the NL?
If they are intent on trading Burke for a left hander, they would do better going after Romero of the Twins.
I had heard on the radio they were. That was yesterday, could of fell apart by now, or thinking positivley, being put together right now. But Romero is a darn good set up man. But i thought the Twins wanted a bat.
Ah, but that's countered by the fact that Safeco Field is one of the best pitcher park in baseball. Take all things into consideration, I think his ERA as an Astro might just be in the mid 4s. I really want to know what we're prepared to give up. I just can't believe it could possibly be Burke. It would go against all the stuff the management has said about not morgaging the future for this season. Moyer is the definition of a rental player. Burke was our best prospect at the beginning of the season. Pupura must be REALLY down on him to trade him for someone like Moyer.
Nieve, not Burke. The Mariners also completed a deal with Houston that would have moved Jamie Moyer for two prospects, one of which was starter Fernando Nieve. Moyer invoked his 10-and-5 rights and the deal was scotched. Houston does not expect to make another deal, but the Mariners have talked with Moyer about teams to which he would accept a deal. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=4274 I don't want to jump the gun because we still have 15 hours left, but this deadline is incredibly frustrating. We have such amazing pitching and we're one bat away from being a legit threat to win it all... and it seems like the front office is doing nothing about that. All sorts of outfielders have been dealt the last two days, and we need one of them... just one! The Astros have pulled off some shockers in the past, but with Purpura now saying the odds of a deal are around 20 percent, it's starting to get depressing. Let's get something done Tim... time is running out.
^^^^ Agree, one bat and we will be able to battle with the Cards. I found it interesting in that article about a Marquis for B. Giles, he would fit perfectly in our lineup and has always hit well in MMP; but its a pipe dream.
