Agreed. You dont make moves JUST to make moves. You do them to improve your ballclub. Right now we need a 4th Starting pitcher and a serviceable outfielder. Its not like the market has been cherry picked to oblivion. There are still plenty of viable options out there. Also a big name does not necessarily yeild big results.
Please tell me in detail exactly what you would have done different. Would you give Nomar, coming off injury, a guaranteed $8 million a year? What about the oft-injured Burnett? Would you have dedicated 5 years for $11 million? How do you propose we add Konerko, Thome or Delgado to this team not knowing what's going to happen with Bagwell? Do you advocate pushing a Houston icon out the door when he clearly believes that he can comeback next season?
It's how it is both ways Rocketman95, we both should know this by now. People speculate about how TP is not doing anything. If he's not doing a thing, he would've been fired by now. So everyone but Oswalt has been acquired? Even so, do you actually believe that 85% of these offers aren't laughable? GMs negotiate: how do you know negotiations are NOT taking place? Finally, I always have trouble figuring our Roger Clemens and the revenue that he brings in. Everyone always mention that the money he brings in is more than the 20 million that he would've warranted. Well, if it's just the seats he brings in, let's assume he makes 31 starts and it brought in 40k fans with ticket prices averaging about 20 bucks a ticket. That's about 24 million. Promotions and the amount of seats that would've been sold anyways if our $5 pitcher's on there... will probably make it around 12 mil or so. Of course, you're talking about team exposure and product sales, but I'm just not that convinced. Then, you're talking about Roger's decision. There's no way that Roger was going to take arbitration when he made it loud and clear that he's not ready to make a decision anytime soon. Roger's home for a reason, and I doubt he'll choose anywhere else to play, but since there's no evidence, I'll stop with that theory. The main concern is his health, and Roger's probably not looking for another 20 million dollars. He asked the Astros to look into getting more bats. Personally, I think he asked the Astros to do what they did. Am I suprised? Yes. But this isn't the time to bash management. All in all, NO ONE here knows what's going on because the Astros are good at keeping this information secretive, which is a great factor if anyone here knows much about a business. Regardless of the sports theme or not, this is STILL a business. In that sense, everything is done right. If a move is to be made, they'll have to look at it in the "winning" sense and as a "business" sense. Otherwise, no matter HOW MUCH money you have, it'll never be enough. We do NOT have the exposure of a NYY or BOS team. We don't have the stadium history or the media coverage. Drayton wants to win. Purpura's job is to win, but money is and always will be a factor. Everyone that keeps complaining whether the Astros do or don't just reminded me of disgruntled workers in a business. Paying Bagwell makes them stupid. Not getting Nomar makes them stupid. Not paying Clemens 20 million makes it unacceptable. Not signing Beltran makes Purpura a failure. Not knowing what Beltran thought and sign Finley makes them knuckleheads. Have you seen how some of the biggest FAs of last year performed? WOULD YOU spend that kind of money on them? Personal guess is that Roger would bring about an extra 15k ticket sales per game that he started. If you have that kind of money that Drayton alledgedly has with an ounce of financial responsibility, would you make those moves without taking your time and figuring it out if it works? There are reasons why the Mets were the Mets and the Dodgers are the Dodgers. There are reasons why the Atlanta Braves were successful and the Cardinals still have Albert Pujols, etc. They spend their money wisely and evaluate their talent that works for cheap. Just let them do their job and know that the Astros have been successful for so many years. They are doing their jobs.
Do you seriously want Jim Thome? These are overpaid players. Stupidity on offers starting from Burnett. These people want lots of years, lots of zeros. Besides, with a smaller market team, 6 million for, let's say, the Dodgers, is different from 6 million for the Astros. You have salary arbitration cases coming up and the inflation going on in MLB salaries is a joke. We failed to add a bat last year, but WHO could've been added? You make it sound like everyone will trade their .300 hitter for a prospect. There just weren't many options available. There are about 30 teams out there, not every deal would involve the Astros. The Astros fine-tuned their art of making the most out of smaller trades. They have to run it within their capabilities. All in all, it's their money to spend, we're buying the products. They'll provide what they feel is right and if the product sells, there's not too much that anyone can do about it. But the Astros have spent money left and right in the past, which is why the situation is what it is now. In business, you're lucky if you can make a big mistake once, but to go down that road again is laughable. Bagwell is owed major money. Do you really think they would freely spend 50 million on Burnett without thinking much? Remember, he practically missed a whole year a couple years back. If we trade for some of the Marlin players, it'll be short term. Once they are FAs, you lose out on some home grown talent that has the loyalty that would help save some money.
That's not my job, that's Purpura's job. And he's not getting it done. You can't continue to hide behind this poor argument, RM95. Obviously, these deals are done in private, so no one can answer 'in detail exactly' how things should be done differently. The fact of the matter is that Purpura has watched our team atrophy over the last two offseasons, while competitors have improved their teams. It is his job to improve our team. Has this been done? Despite huge revenue increases for the team, we haven't been able to add the needs that the entire world thinks we need. Why not? At what point will you hold someone responsible? Last offseason? Last year's trade deadline? After this offseason? Next? You can't keep apologizing for him forever. At least you can't continue to do it while maintaining any shred of credibility.
I think some of the frustration has to do with the fact that we did make the world series, but we also almost missed the playoffs.. you can put a little run together in the playoffs no matter if you are wild card or division winner, but you have to make the playoffs first... That's why I think a lot of us want to see improvement. When you barely make the playoffs, getting worse scares people. Last year we didn't have Lance at beginning of season, but this year we know we wont' have Roger for at least the beginning of the year... Losing a man with an ERA under 2 hurts... so we at least need some offense to help us. Granted anything can happen and we may win without adding more.. no one expected us to make world series last year. but more offense would make me more comfortable
Could you at least address the arguments I had against obtaining some of the players so far? You referenced the fact that we couldn't get in on the Marlins firesale, yet you have yet to say who we should've obtained from them. You bring up 1B, yet we have two 1B already. You brought up Jim Thome and you accuse me of not having credibility? Hilarious. Why can't you answer the question? Who would you have brought in? Why do you and the other Chicken Littles constantly b**** without offering real solutions?
btw, I just sent a message to an orioles minor leaguer I know.. telling him to have them trade tejada to us
You don't think Purpura had any input on how to build the team? Giving the young guys a chance to play was the best thing to do last year. If it was up to you, you'd probably spend 10 mil last year on CF and RF positions and those players wouldn't put up the numbers that Taverez and Lane did. Believe it or not, having our player development director as our GM last year saved the team both money and got us wins.
And I have no idea who exactly we could bring in, but he gets the big bucks.. he can figure out someone
I am not a Drayton hater or basher. I think he is good for the Astros AND for MLB. We need more fiscally conscience owners. That being said and I asked it earlier. How are we supposed to offer solutions when we know only a fraction of what goes on behind closed doors? We only see the results and right now not making any moves is clearly not the right move? Wouldnt you agree that if we stand pat that the likelihood of the Astros repeating is slim? Wouldnt you also agree, as T_J said, that as the offseason moves on our chances of making solid changes reduce? Every player has been asked about or considered in trades except Oswalt. That means something is going on but we arent doing anything. I understand sometimes the right move is no move but sometimes no move isn't any better. I don't typically b**** and I support the Stros regardless if they make a move or not. If losing Clemens is the only thing we do this offseason, I am going to be very disappointed. It seems as if our options are dwindling. I seriously hope I am wrong.
How are you supposed to b**** when you know only a fraction of what goes on behind closed doors. That has been my point all along. There are a select few of us on here who judge a season by what happens on the field, not what happens in December. OK, who out of those who have been moved should we have obtained?
Well, given it's Tim's job and has an entire scouting department at his disposal I would expect him to be able to find some type of diamond in the rough players that could help this team. Hunsicker was always able to. Given my limited knowledge I would prefer to see the Astros land either Tejada or Abreu, but since Drayton is unwilling to spend that much I would like to see them add a reasonably priced outfield bat with some power in case Bagwell can't make it back. Someone like Reggie Sanders or Preston Wilson. If Bagwell can play next season then they can platoon with Taveras and Lane because they can play multiple outfield positions.
We b**** by the results we see. So far, zero results. I know the natural comeback will be, "Hey, we just went to the World Series." Thats great but this is a new season and I do not think that with the current roster that we will repeat. Who out of the trades would you not have traded for? You dont know and neither do I. Eventually you have to start to wonder why we have no movement in our organization. For a while you could give Timmy an incomplete due to not having anything to grade him on. There comes a point in time where you have to begin grading on the lack of non movement.
