This team is just awful. It's time for a change. You can't fire the players. Phil Garner is history. Any ideas as to who will be the next manager? My pick is Tony Pena.
I don't even think we need a manager the way we play. Our players are pretty good at managing to lose almost every game.
I don't think there is much Garner can do with this bunch. I don't see games being loss due to mis-management. I see games being lost because of an enemic offense, comprised of a couple of not quite ready for prime time youngsters (Tavares/Lane), a couple of punch-n-judy hitters (Ausmus and Everett) and a couple of a past their prime veterans (Bidge and Bags). Face it. Berkman, even when 100%, won't be able to salvage this offense.
I agree 100%, but there has to be a change. The team is flat. I see the same team as last year before Garner took over. There is no life. The hitters are just going through the motions. Could you imagine this team under Steinbrenner? Houston is too laid back on their sports teams. Someone has to be held accountable and Garner is that person.
Under Steinbrenner I imagine we would have signed some people in the offseason. I just don't see any point in firing Garner, either way the team is going to suck.
I wouldn't fire Garner just yet. This is the same guy who was one game from the World Series. They need to reload on offense this winter and if they struggle like this next season then give him the boot.
Well lets look at the money situation: Roger Clemens - $18 million Andy Pettitte- $10 million Jeff Kent - $5 million (deferred) Jeff Bagwell - $17.5 million Craig Biggio - $9 million Brad Ausmus- $2 million (its not a lot but I think he's worthless) Thats $61.5 million on just six players, one of which now plays in L.A., it just wasn't smart making some of the moves they made. Clemens was going to get his money after pitching last year at a bargain for a pitcher of his caliber. Pettitte took a "hometown discount", Bagwell is an albatross plain and simple, deferring money wasn't that bright an idea but it was done for specific reasons, Biggio could have been brought back at a cheaper, no a much cheaper rate and Ausmus brings absolutely nothing to the table with his sub-par hitting and he no longer has the defense to make up for his anemic offense. Not to mention that Oswalt has an accelerator in his contract next season where he'll make $11 million next season, Lance Berkman's new deal kicks in at $14 million per season and Lidge is up for arbitration and you know he is due for a large raise. It comes down riding the wave, we enjoyed a great season and playoff run last year and now we're paying the piper for it now. This is not a problem that the manager can fix, there is a mix of expensive veterans and "still too green" cheap rookies and unfortunately the expensive veterans who are usually counted on for offense are not coming through and the young cheap rookies are not ready for the big show (IMO Lane is too old to be considered a rookie). The best we can hope for is that these young players learn all they can from the veterans and we can look forward to watching these young guys play. I will not bad-mouth Drayton and cal him cheap cause he ponied up the money last year and allowed Hunsicker to make the moves necessary to go for it all, this offseason he did not spend the money wisely and waiting for Beltran and Clemens killed any chance of acquiring new players. Its going to be a long summer and I really hope that Garner is not used as the scape goat in all this, but the manager is usually the first to go.
Damn Drayton! I got so excited for this season after we almost made it to the WS, and then he got that FAT deal from FSSW! I thought he would have the money for it all.
Where are you getting 9 mil for Biggio? All I see is 3 mil guaranteed and 1.5 mil in incentives. In fact Biggio has been very underpaid the last two seasons given his performance. I'll say that again because people seem to have an idea in their heads that Biggio has been overpaid the last two seasons. Biggio is one of the few people on this team performing above their contract. Biggio is underpaid.
Garner can't catch a break. Seems like everywhere he goes he has 1 good season the 2nd bottom falls out.
IIRC, Biggio had a $9 million dollar option that was picked up by Drayton, which was one of the sticking points that Hunsicker had with Drayton. I could be wrong about that dollar amount, but I'm pretty sure that it is correct.
Nope. http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?lname=B&player=492 http://www.mlbcontracts.com/Teams/Astros/biggio_craig.htm http://kffl.com/player/5279/mlb
This team needs a new owner and general manager more than it needs a new field manager. My votes go to Tillman Fertitta for new owner and Billy Beane for new general manager.
Garner is doing as good as you can with the product that he has to work with. I don't think Garner is the problem this year. I think he is just as shell-shocked as we are after last years playoff run.
