Spoiled Yankees fans over-reacting: "This is what happens when you don't re-sign your own players before their contract years, or during your exclusive negotiating window. George has always played with fire, and now he'll get burned. Our rotation is now what? Mussina, Vazquez, Contreras, Wells and Lieber? Hello, .500!" Funny isn't it?
I think Redding should get a spot also. He is exactly what you would want out of a 4th and/or 5th starter, in that, last year he gave the team a chance to win almost every time he pitched. Robertson?? Bleh. He is a puss thrower and his 15 wins are a flukey. His pitching style has long relief written all over it. I think the fact that Duckworth is the most prominant player we have to show for the Wagner deal, will put a lil pressure on Jimy to start him. I agree that if all goes well, then Hernandez rebounds and at some point in time grabs ahold of the 5th spot. Oswalt Pettite Miller Hernandez Redding Bullpen: Long relief - Robertson Long relief - Duckworth Left specialist - Gallo Setup - Miceli Setup - Lidge Closer - Dotel I like it!
You neglected to mention Miceli who was resigned a few weeks ago and will probably slide into the 7th inning slot with Lidge as the setup guy for Dotel.
I forgot Stone. Hmmmm. If Hernandez is healthy, then someone is going to be the odd man out. Unless we go with a 12 man staff. Makes me wonder if the Astros might consider trading Redding for some offensive help???
If this Pettitte deal does finally go thru, and during the season the Astros suffer from the similiar offensive malaise that threatened them last year, I think this is the FIRST move that will be made near the trading deadline. You can't fault the Astros for how they've handled Redding anymore. They gave him a full blown shot at a major-league career, and if he goes on to do big things elsewhere, you take that risk. This wouldn't be like Boston trading a Bagwell, or even Houston trading Schilling... Redding's had just as many chances as Oswalt and Miller had to succeed. I expect Tim to be good this year... better than last year (when he had a respectable 3+ ERA)... and if he makes a quantum leap forward, you keep him. But, if he muddles around with his confidence again, having great starts followed by awful ones... then you trade him while he still has some value. You can't wait forever for this guy... he could be a star, but more than likely, he's an above average pitcher who has the "mystique" of being a young prospect still.
We traded Billy Wagner for Duckworth...I'm pretty sure he'll be in the rotation (at least to start the season), seeing as how he is supposed to be a starter. Then Redding, Robertson, and Hernandez will battle for the final spot.
bobrek- I did forget Miceli. I thought I was forgetting someone. With him and Gallo, our 12 man staff may be set, just a matter of figuring out who's gonna be 4/5 and who'll be in the pen. If we were to get Clemens...Redding would pretty certainly be gone IMO. Re: Duckworth because we got him for Wagner- I thought the stud of the Wagner deal was Buchholz? I get the feeling we'll be pretty stable the rest of the offseason. Our pitching staff is basically set, our offensive starters are determined, it's just a matter of figuring out a few of the utility players.
Isn't it funny how "99% certainty of retirement" sounds like so much less than "100% sure"? I'm comforted by the fact that even Yankees fans find reason to expect failure. We're not so different.
Interesting comments from Hunsicker today: http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASAp...nt_id=615086&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou
here's the way Chris Wragge from Channel 2 is reporting it...this carries a bit more detail, including the most important point -- the decision has been made. Yankees' Pettitte May Sign With Astros Deal Expected Friday POSTED: 4:51 PM CST December 10, 2003 UPDATED: 6:13 PM CST December 10, 2003 HOUSTON -- The Astros are close to a deal that would bring New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte to Houston, News2Houston reported Wednesday. Major League Baseball sources told News2Houston sports director Chris Wragge that the two sides have agreed on a three-year deal. The contract is not expected to be signed until Friday when all the details can be worked out. The Astros were said to be extremely surprised when Pettitte agreed to the deal in principle. The Yankee's disinterest in making Pettitte their off-season priority was one of the keys to him leaving the organization, Wragge reported. Also, Pettitte's family wants to remain in Houston so the children can attend school here. The Yankees' Derek Jeter reached out to Pettitte to help convince him to change his mind but it was apparently futile. The Yankees could still offer a blockbuster offer to Pettitte to reverse his decision, but sources told Wragge that the decision has been made and he will sign with the Astros. Pettitte is a Deer Park native.
If so....then AWESOME!!! Sounds like the Astros have locked up Pettitte. That is sweet! Welcome home Pettitte....that is as long as the Yanks don't do something rash. Go Astros!
NIKE, Nick, codell... The reason I didn't include Redding is that he seems like a second coming of Dotel. He has amazing stuff, and his fastball can reach 97-98 easy, but his biggest liability seems to be his inability to finish games. I know about Williams and his tendency to yank starters quickly, but Redding reminds me A LOT of Dotel when he was a starter: great movement and velocity, but marginal stamina/mental toughness. These are the qualities of a reliever, not a starter. With Petitte, Oswalt, and Miller, the top three are set, leaving two spots. JRobertson deserves a spot based on last season, and the fact he is lefthanded and a soft-tosser (meaning he won't work as a late-inning reliever). That leaves the fifth spot for Hernandez, Duckworth, and Redding. Assuming all three are healthy and effective in spring training, Redding would obviously be the most-deserving based on last year. But that is only half of the equation; the other half is who would be most effective coming out of the bullpen. Since none are established relievers, I see no clear-cut answer. On one hand, having Hernandez as a lefty out of the pen seems most attractive. With Andy and Jerome already starting, it doesn't make sense to have a third lefty in the rotation. On the other hand, I honestly believe he would be the least effective as a reliever. He doesn't throw very hard (about 93-94), and he is coming off shoulder surgery, meaning letting him cut loose every other day would be terrible for that shoulder. So that brings me to the other two. Duckworth has already failed as a starter, while Redding has had marginal success. I know he could have won 15 last year, but at 5 innings per start, those 15 wins would put a significant strain on a bullpen without BWagner. In the end, it will probably come down to the performance of each in spring training as to who gets the final spot, but I feel longterm, Redding will make one hell of a reliever, so why not slide him in behind Dotel and Lidge, while giving the other two a shot at starting.
Someone just told me that on ESPN they just said Petite will give the Yanks one more day to make him an offer before he goes to Houston. That is not good news........
I've never seen his fastball reach 97 let alone "easy". Reports from the minors said he had a mid-high 90s fastball, but all Redding has shown in the majors is a low 90s, topping out at about 93. I agree with his mental makeup being similar to Dotel's, but I recall Redding getting shelled in a couple of bullpen appearances the last couple years. 93-94 is pretty hard, especially for a lefty. I'm most interested in Carlos' breaking stuff- Hernandez had the best pitch movement on the staff when he was healthy.
ESPN's Peter Gammons is reporting that Pettitte will give the Yanks one last chance to sign him. I hope that he was not just using us to get more from NY.
well, that sounds bad (and did when i heard it on SC). for some reason i think we're gonna get screwed. even though i've hated clemens the past few years, a switch to a stros uniform could change that pretty quickly. but that ain't happening.
i thought the Stros results had just as much to do with the consistently inconsistently all or none approach by the Stros' batters
from Rotoworld.com... Carlos Hernandez allowed one hit in five scoreless innings for Magallanes of the Venezuelan WInter League yesterday. Hernandez's recovery from shoulder surgery seems to be going well, He has a 4.75 ERA in Venezuela, but his other numbers are impressive: 25 hits, 12 walks and 35 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. If the Astros are able to lock up Andy Pettitte, then Hernandez will have to compete with Jeriome Robertson and Brandon Duckworth for just one rotation spot.
