I'm happier to get the 2 picks for Valverde, but it is amazing that he only cost $2 million/year more then Lyon.
yeah i mean you gotta say it cost $2 million more per year PLUS a 1st round pick. Cause that's how detroit viewed it. Whereas Houston viewed it as saving $2 mil per year plus likely gaining 2 high picks. I think it's not always recognized how a player's status (Type A vs Type B vs neither) can really impact his salary in some cases. Not to say you don't recognize it juicy...just overall, general public
OMG. This couldn't have worked out better. If a team in the top 15 or something would of sign him we would of not gotten a first round pick. We got a pick in the middle of the first round. Again, couldn't have worked out better. Now they have to pick a good player.
off topic, but can somebody explain what happened with aroldis chapman? i guess he didn't show enough in his workouts or something (although it sounded like he did)? 5 yrs $30MM sounds like the bargain of the century.
interesting offseason so far. even though i'm not in love with all the moves, i like the activity. picking up these 2 picks swings it to the successful side for me, and drayton selling would be icing on the cake. we likely overpaid for the 2 relievers, but hopefully at least 1 turns out to be nails. i don't hate the feliz signing, but i think since he's only likely a marginal upgrade over blum, i'd have rather seen the money spent upgrading a bigger need, like hudson at 2nd (like another poster alluded to), or a SS. i still think tejada is in play for us. i don't think there is any way that they are committing to starting tommy manzella for 162 games. we haven't even really heard that from them anyway, it seems more like speculation. trying to solidify our team and seemingly attempt to contend, yet throwing a mediocre (at best), light-hitting SS with almost no ML experience into the mix doesn't add up to me. i don't think our offseason is over quite yet.
Astros chose not to pursue him.(Money wise they werent interested? I dont exactly remember their reasoning). I believe there was something about it some pages back.
Its a big contract for someone with little to go on. He might be a great value, but he might be a complete bust. He may be Randy Johnson, but he might be Felipe Paulino. He posted a 5.68ERA in the WBC and walked 4 batters in 6.1 innings.
They said they would rather use that same amount of money to sign 10-15 guys then invest all that money in one guy that may never be anything. I have to agree with them.
i didn't mean from the astros end, just overall MLB. figured at least the sox or yankees would be willing to pay the hell out of him. or at least kill 5 yr/6mm.
I had read his attitude wasn't the best or his work ethic which turned off the big boys like the Yanks, Sox and Angels from making such a big investment on a true gamble.
I thought it was because they knew he was pregnant. Aside from the wig gag, Valverde had a serious potbelly going. I know there are other fat closers but it seemed like Valverde's gut was bigger each time he took the mound.
Oops. I failed. Valverde did have a beast of a gut though. It was weird because, unlike other fat relievers, he didn't look fat anywhere other than his gut. It was almost like he had something stuffed under his shirt.
I'm still a bit confused why the club feels so strongly against resigning Tejada. I understand if he's asking for to much then they should pass on him, but I honestly feel that he will sign a deal similar to what we gave Pedro Feliz. 5 million dollars for a 1 year deal for Miggy does not sound bad at all. Some tidbits of why I think he should be resigned are as followed. -Best offensive shortstop we've ever had ? -Only Astro to go to the All-Star game consecutively in the past 2 years. -We traded a large portion of our young talent for him, and now we won't pay for him....? -He played hard every game for us in his 2 years, and was as durable as ever. -He himself said he wanted to play for the Astros again, and I'm sure would sign for a reasonable price. -Would still slot in nice with our lineup, and is light years better offensively than an unproven Manzealla even if he does lack a bit on the defensive side.
He has become an absurdly bad defensive shortstop. The only people with a worse "zone rating" were Yuniesky Betancourt and Orlando Cabrera. And apparently from what I've read, that doesn't even tell the full tale of how bad he was, especially in the second half last year. We could move Carlos Lee to shortstop and he'd be the best offensive shortstop in the history of the Astros - better than Tejada by a mile. That doesn't mean I want him playing short. And apparently nobody else wants Tejada to play short, either given the way that he has been overwhelmed with offers. As far as I'm aware, everybody who has spoken with him wants him to play 3rd.
I just don't see the harm in resigning him to a cheap one year deal if he would be content with it. I think it would at least make us somewhat more competitive this year and continue to bridge the gap between our minor and major league players.
Hes probably asking for alot, if we're not even considering bringing him back. I'm guessing the 8-9 million range per year? I could be totally wrong but if Feliz got 5 mil then...
Shortstop is the most important defensive position on the field. If you don't "see the harm" in having arguably the worst defensive player at that position in the league at the most important defensive position in the game, it does not mean that the harm is not there.
Remember that continuation game against the Nats? It took about a minute to finish. I liked Tejada but his defense is declining and his offense isn't what it used to be. I wish him well wherever he ends up.
