You can have your opinions just like others can have the opinion that it's stupid to whine about a completely insignificant signing of someone who probably won't even make the team.
Baseball America Top Prospects list came out today for this year for the Astros. They currently rank the Astros' farm system as #22. I don't have a subscription anymore so I can't read the detailed comments, but here's some of what they have for free: Baseball America Astros Prospects Top Ten Prospects Hunter Pence, of Troy Patton, lhp Matt Albers, rhp Jimmy Barthmaier, rhp Juan Gutierrez, rhp J.R. Towles, c Paul Estrada, rhp Felipe Paulino, rhp Max Sapp, c Chad Reineke, rhp Best Tools Best Hitter for Average Hunter Pence Best Power Hitter Hunter Pence Best Strike-Zone Discipline Mike Rodriguez Fastest Baserunner Josh Flores Best Athlete Charlton Jimerson Best Fastball Felipe Paulino Best Curveball Paul Estrada Best Slider Chad Reinke Best Changeup Chance Douglass Best Control Chris Sampson Best Defensive Catcher J.R. Towles Best Defensive Infielder Tommy Manzella Best Infield Arm Tommy Manzella Best Defensive Outfielder Charlton Jimerson Best Outfield Arm Charlton Jimerson
That can't be too suprising considering how much has been taken from the minor league affiliates via promotion or trade the past few years...in an effort to get better.
The Astros are 22nd because: A) they don't have 1B prospects which they won't need for at least 3 years barring injury. B) they don't have 2B prospects which they won't need for at least 3 years barring injury. C) they don't have SS prospects which they may or may not need for at least 3 years barring injury depending on who is talking. D) they don't have 3B prospects (outside of Clemens who isn't rated highly anyway at this point) which they may or may not need for at least 3 years barring injury depending on who is talking. E) they don't have RF/LF prospects which they do not need for at least 3 years barring injury depending on who is talking. I'm most worried about pitching prospects and catchers which they have some. I want to see Patton and Estrada this year in RR. Estrada is a closer prospect. The Astros do need to get some position prospects in the pipeline soon, but the minors should not be hurting the major league club outside of not having trade bait.
There certainly is a good and bad way of looking at it. On one hand, you get a little worried that there isn't the top notch prospects the Astros used have at every level. On the other hand, it's because those positions are filled for the most part at the major league level by young players. I think we have some good under the radar guys that will help the club in the coming years. Other than Biggio and Ausmus, there really isn't a position that is in great need to be filled in the next 3 years. When Biggio retires, Burke moves to 2nd and Pence takes over in CF. If Luke Scott doesn't pan out, there might be a hole that would have to be filled with a free agent. Then again, Mike Rodriguez is still an option at some point, moving Pence to RF. Who knows, maybe Charlton Jimerson gets it figured out at some point. If he can just get the k's down and the bb's up, he might become a good major league player.
If the Astros really want him, they can probably wait a month into the season and acquire him for the minimum after he gets shelled by the AL and waived subsequently.
We really need another SP. A back of the rotation guy who can eat some innings. Trachsel would have fit this role. We had better have a really good offense this year, because we simply do not have enough starting pitching.
Yep, and another added benefit is that we won't have to put up with his "Human Rain Delay" routine on the mound.
Anybody can eat up innings, but we need someone that can throw some quality starts. I'm not sure if Trachsel fits that role at all. There will be plenty of SP rejects after rosters get finalized. I'm sure the Astros can pick some people up just to eat some innings.
Yeah, I just read somewhere that the Cards have lost the most starting pitchers of a World Series winner since the 1997 Marlins.
well that has a lot to do with the fact that Kris Benson announced the same morning that he is having surgery and is done.
Maybe I overstated it, but I feel that I can find a better pitcher either in free agency or in our system than Trachsel after teams finalize their rosters.
Trachsel is declining by the year and posted a 4.97 ERA last season. It's perfectly reasonable, and according to all statistical projections I've seen, likely for Nieve and Sampson to both outperform that mark.
