I think they are willing to make a move under the right circumstances to them. I believe "the right circumstances" in their point of view look a little different from yours or mine. I don't know who's right, either, except that I'm probably wrong.
let us welcome back a couple of killer B's backe and byrdak. astro killers. actually byrdak was decent with all things considered
Byrdak was very helpful last year in some key situations. Backe's deal is a low risk deal. Let's see how he rebounds another year removed from Tommy John surgery.
Well, will they accept less then zero dollars to play for the Astros? Because that is what it will take for either of them to come here. Drayton will make them pay for their own plane tickets and everything....
Drayton has shown time and again that if he feels that a signing will bring in dollars, he will expand the budget to get it done. Greg Swindell Doug Drabek Jeff Kent Roger Clemens Andy Pettitte Carlos Lee If Ben Sheets is attainable for $6M or so, Drayton may jump into the fray. Time will tell.
hey, after he sucks again this year, can you imagine how cheaply we can sign him for next year??? gotta find out how he performs 2 years removed from tommy john surgery.
Backe got TJ srugery on Sept. 7, 2006. It'll be more than 2.5 years by the start of this coming season.
hey, he was terrible last year and got a raise is it flawed logic to think he'd get another raise next year?
He came back earlier than is recommended from Tommy John surgery. I think it is pretty obvious that he lacked arm strength and command over his pitches last season. Perhaps with the offseason to recover and gain arm strength, he will be better. Maybe not....but the jury is still out.
I'm not trying to defend Backe, but the 1.5 mil they signed him to isn't exactly breaking the bank. If nothing else, at least Backe gave them 166 innings last season, 2nd on the club. Given the age of Moehler and Hampton (and Ortiz, if he's got anything left) and the fragility of Wandy, along with the non-tender for Wolf, there's going to be alot of innings and starts to account for with the Astros this season. The farm system is very weak right now all around, and there aren't many viable options for promotion to big league service this season. And in the absence of a youngster capable of taking a spot in the rotation, I'm fine with giving Backe another shot. He's pitched effectively in the past, and he's only 30. Not that it matters, but he's also one of the only links (along with Roy, Wandy, and Berkman) to the World Series club of a few years ago.
brad ausmus signed with the dodgers, hopefully we won't get bitten like we did with geoff blum when ausmus smacks the bomba to beat us in the nlcs
So much for retiring... I wish him well but just a bit smelly to me, like Favre, I'm done, no wait, I want to play again...
Ausmus never said he was retiring. He said it was his last year with the Astros and that "IF" he played again it would be closer to home - which is San Diego or Los Angeles. He even mentioned yesterday when he signed with LA that he specifically never said he was retiring because he didn't wanna be one of those guys who retires then comes back.
Precisely. May he hit .400 against the AL, .390 against the East and West, .550 against everyone in the central but us, and .050 against us!
That's the point, either you retire or not... there's no, well I'll "play" close to home (unless you have the Roger treatment, you play half your games on the road...) in other words, I don't want to play here.
why not? There's nothing wishy washy about it. He'll play for certain teams, otherwise he'll retire. It's not "maybe, maybe not.. I'm not sure.. it depends.. yeah I dunno.." THAT was annoying with Favre. Ausmus was clear.
