It sahould be noted that other teams wanted Wigginton. According to Fox Sports, a Boston Globe report said that the Red Sox, among other teams were inquiring about Wigginton. He's batting 50 points higher than Ensberg with some power. It's an upgrade for sure. You aren't going to get an All-Star calibur player for Wheels. This seems like a pretty good deal. We seem to have filled one of the lineup holes today. Now we have 2 others to fill (C and RF).
What could the plan for Ty possibly be? He is 29 and OK. Whoop di. If the club were contending Wig might be a good asset, but they're not. And I don't see him as a building block for a brighter tomorrow. Presumably this portends the ta ta to Loretta and/or Lamb and I hope he/they bring back at least as much, or more, than was sent out for TW.
And I don't see Wheeler bringing back a for-sure building block. Sure, Pupurra could have asked for a young, but not all that accomplished, prospect... and then people here start complaining "was that the best we could get... couldn't they have gotten somebody who was top 100, etc.?" In the end, we got somebody who's at least proven he can be in the major leagues... and plays the infield (an area of weakness). Loretta is more of a "luxury item" than Wiggington (who is still under contract)... this gives the Astros some flexibility to not be forced to replace/resign Loretta this off-season (or be allowed to trade him), while addressing the pitching/bullpen. In the end, what makes you think Wheeler should be able to fetch something more than what we got? He himself is 29, would never be a closer on a good/contending team, and is currently looking below average in a year where we need to be sellers.
wiggy's power #'s are mediocre for a 3b, and there's not much exciting about having him as our 3b of the future, but it would be a helluva move in my opinion to make wiggy the 2b of the future, and cut our losses with burke already, and find a suitor for him before the deadline.
Imagine you're Tim Purpura. 1. The Astros are struggling 2. Your boss is demanding to have a competitive team. 3. You don't have a GM track record that would allow you to get hired somewhere else. You think Purpura is going to trade for a prospect who may or may not be in around in 5 years? He'll be fired way before that. Purpura is trying to save his fat ass so any trade he makes will be for the immediate future.
He's had an 800+ OPS ONCE in his career. Essentially, he is a Mike Lamb that doesn't hit for as much average, but hits for more power. According to a fan I know from Pittsburgh, he's a butcher at third. That makes him Mike Lamb. I'm not impressed by this deal, but I guess if you want an experienced hand that will be cheaper than Lamb, then it's passable, but still not awe inspiring.
his fielding % is a crappy .938 he's in the bottom half in range factor, and in the lowest quarter in zone rating.
Yeah, not a very good deal. Not a significant upgrade (if any) over Lamb. Not a prospect that could potentially improve in the future. It makes little sense unless we have plans to move Lamb or move Burke and Loretta and play him at 2nd. Not that I think thought that we'd get a lot for Wheeler, but I fail to see how this is going to improve the team whether it be now or later.
What if this move moves Lamb to first and Berkman to right on a regular basis. Is that really a bad thing if Luke Scott isn't going to start hitting?? I think the trade could be good...
He didn't. I assume the values of Lamb and Loretta to be pretty good to a contending team. Morgan's trade value can't be much higher than mine. This deal is ho-humb and either a little dumb - or the pipeline out for the others is going to make the net flow positive.
The Devil Rays must be having a fire sale right now. They made two other trades today. If Wigginton plays anything like Huff last year then the Astros made a good move. He doesn't have to be spectacular, just a good solid player. Once Lidge got back his closer's role, that was a sign that Wheeler was a goner. Lamb and Ensberg are pretty much out the door after the season with this trade.
I don't know about you guys, but id rather have an average pitcher than an average infielder. This move makes no sense. This GM of ours can't even trade away assets properly. You're supposed to get prospects. Any kind of prospect.
I would have loved to see the Astros get prospects in return for Wheeler, but if you look at what Purpura has said, the Astros are trying to reload, they acquired Wigginton since Ensberg has been ineffective and Lamb will be gone after the season. If the thinking is that we're not rebuilding, then I guess we should expect the Astros to be active in free agency. I really don't see them going after A-Rod, Lowell, Hunter, or Zambrano (I would really love to get this guy). This is probably a presursor to another trade in the works, because Loretta is very coveted and we obviously have way too many infielders.
Purpura was true to his word. He wanted people that could "help us" in 2007 and beyond. I suppose under that limited criteria it worked out. I'm not really sure where all of this is coming from. The three prospects the Padres got back were good pitching prospects. Linebrink was also slumping, but will be a free agent. Wheeler has one more year of club control, so he should have had at least equal value. I think Drayton may have made a decree that anyone coming in must at least be a help in 2008. Realistically, you have to go AA and AAA to do that when most teams will only offer good A and AA prospects. I'm just guessing on the whole Drayton angle. It could have just as easily been a Purpura desperation move. However, I agree in general that multiple GOOD prospects is worth more in the long run. Wigginton just isn't that special.
I think it's a good move. Wheeler has been awful and you get a guy that is under contract for a couple more years. I think it's obvious they don't want to overpay in resigning Lamb. You would think he would be the 3Bman of the future. Ty isn't that much worse than Lamb. From that perspective, it seems like good economic sense. Remember when Morgan had 36 homeruns, 101 RBIs, and a .945 OPS...those were the days.
