I've never heard Bagwell's name come up in the steroid issue. Anyways, just because Biggio has played longer than Bagwell doesn't make his HOF case any stronger. Other than the obvious power numbers advantage, Bagwell smokes Biggio in average, OBP, and SO/BB ratio, which is stuff that Biggio is supposed to specialize in. The only thing Biggio has going for his HOF candidacy is limping slowly towards 3000 hits. His other career numbers are 2nd or 3rd ballot HOF worthy, at best.
Who's spending that much money? Ensberg is already under club control... HE ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE, unless the club finds a trading partner, which is again unlikely. Lamb plays on a series of 1 year contracts...and would likely come back for another one. Keep it around $2 million, with major incentives. He's still not an everyday player, nor should he have to be if Ensberg can hit above .250. Huff won't break the bank... and can play 1B, 3B, and RF. Sure, we can go all farm system, have an OF of Scott, Willy, Pence... have an infield of Ensberg, Everett, Burke, Berkman... have House behind the plate... but then everybody will be whining about Drayton's cheapness, and TImmy's fatness.
Nice to get a sweep... even if it may be too little too late.. (hoping the Cards somehow lose the rest of theri games and we keep winning )
Yep, as much as this season has TOTALLY pained me, I'm really proud of the fact that they are ending this season on a up-note. This was nice. It probably is too late, but stranger things have happened, I guess.
let me see if i'm reading this right..... we have one of the worst offenses in baseball, we lose 2 of our top 3 starters, and weaken our bullpen and your plan for the offseason is to do nothing and just hope for the best??? what????
You have to find a way to deal with Pence. He will be 24 years old when next season starts. Either keep him as Astros or find a way to trade him. BTW,last time I heard Padres is looking for some help on 3B.
I believe if we get within 1/2 a game of the Cardinals they have to make up a game at San Francisco. DD
Bagwell's name hasn't been mentioned specifically but the whole steroid issue seems to loom over any power hitters from that era. Hell how many Astros fans made comments (jokingly or not) of his supposed slimmer frame when he reported to training camp this past season. Personally I don't think he ever did but he and all other clean power hitters from that era will undeservadly have a cloud of suspicion over them because of the few bad seeds. And I think logevity does count for something. Biggio is still producing while Bagwell's career was cut short because of those shoulder problems. And the 3,000 hits is a big thing, but is definitely not the only thing warranting him a place in the hall, and a 1st ballot at that. It just seems, from things I've read and hear, the more time progresses, the more you Biggio being mentioned as a 1st ballot than Bagwell.
Lamb is not an option as an everyday fielder; and no way do you put Berkman in the outfield and risk injury. Ensberg may be due for a good season, but I wouln't bank on it by letting Huff go. How do we win it all this year when we are barely hanging to a slim chance of making the postseason? Oswalt and a bunch of rookies and never-beens (Wandy and I cannot believe you mentioned Astacio) will NOT get it done for a major league staff. You need some proven veteran pitchers in there. Jimerson is a strikeout machine and is not an option anywhere. So subtract personnel from a .500 ballclub and they miraculously become a contender? That's a pretty big stretch.
Ensberg is going to make more than the 3.8mil he made this season. We likely aren't going to find a trading partner for him. We either sign him for ~5 mil or not offer him arbitration. Huff is going to require an even bigger commitment. He made 6.75 mil this season and is likely looking at a multi year contract for around that amount. Like I said unless you're going to put Huff in RF that is too much to pay for a platoon combo. We aren't the Yankees you can't blow ~12 mil on 2 platoon players. Here's what I'd do. Re-sign Ensberg for 1 year and let Huff walk. Then target a solid outfielder in the free agent market. I'd prefer Hunter.
Just got back from the game and ill tell you what when the crowd starting chanting Roger, Roger!! to get him to come back out, it was prolly the coolest thing i have seen and heard at a sporting event.... and i have been to some good ones in the past couple years including: t-mac 13 in 35, Stros clinch wild card in 04, Kent's walk off HR in the NLCS in 04, the game when Roger came back against the Twins... I was amazing, i got the chills
Here's what I do. I sign the better hitter, which is Aubrey Huff. He should get about 3 yr/15-18 mil total. He also is from the dallas area, which doesn't hurt in contract negotiations. Morgan Ensberg is done as an Astro to me. The guy goes to the plate hoping to walk every time up. Sorry, but he is a case of OPS not showing the real worth of a player. Plus, Huff is lefthanded, morgan isn't. As for your assertion nobody wants Morgan via trade, San Diego was more than interested in July and with Todd Walker at the position, they should still be interested.
Ensberg was going to be re-signed for 1 year anyways (as all arbitration deals are 1 year)... the club has invested too much in him over 5 years to let him go for nothing after a year where he played injured, but still hit 20+ HR's and was top 10 in walks. Huff would be the full-time RF, and would go to 3B if Ensberg faltered. The club could easily get him for a 3 year deal, $23 million guaranteed, another $3 million in incentives. That's not breaking the bank for a guy who gets 20+HR's, and 80+ RBI's routinely. I assume you meant Torii Hunter? The oft-injured 31 year old outfielder, who just made $11 million dollars for the Twins, and just said a couple of weeks ago that he will not be taking a pay-cut? That also assumes that Willy Taveras is no longer the everyday CF... not a huge dillema, given is still weak-hitting despite the hitting streak, but he was still showing improvement. IMO, the club has to keep it simple... sign players who are re-signable (Huff), keep valuable guys like Lamb available in case the unprovens (Scott) start to falter, or Ensberg comes up lame... and try like hell to sign Carlos Lee.
To me you resign Huff, go after Lee or Soriano to play LF or RF, and Scott/Pence will probably battle it out for the other corner outfield spot(with scott getting the opening nod based on this season). I would trade Ensberg for pitching if anyone was interested. If Lee or Soriano balk, Hunter is an upgrade on Taveras, a complete package at CF.
Just got back from the game. Once again it was quite embarrassing with the classless fans booing Preston Wilson in the 9th. Complete idiots. Wilson and Viz gave it their all when they were here. They didn't want to leave. What are they supposed to do when the Stros cut them loose? Just sit at home and not play again? The people booing them are idiots and it once again shows that the Astros fans have a long way to go to get a reputation as intelligent baseball fans.
If I read this right, fans don't have the right to boo players like Wilson who K'ed every time up at the plate? Nice to see you still lack any baseball knowledge Aces.
