Lightning usually doesnt strike in the same place twice. If so, there will be no one happier than me. I just do not feel that it will be the case.
Who is to say that we won't find our 4th and 5th starter within the pool of 3-4 good young prospects that we have? Maybe Luke Scott or Chris Burke is more than capable in handling the LF position next year if Berkman has to play 1B. I just don't know how big those holes are unless I see some good scouting reports on the young players.
But sport teams need chemistry, it's not lightning... ok sorry, but I couldn't resist. Regardless, personally, I feel the same way you do at times, especially during the Marlin's "fire sell." I think the Marlins are not looking for major leaguers in return, but a farm system, but we're under contract with so many players and we really don't have a place for Castillo, Delgado, etc. Pierre would be great, but it depends on what the Marlins want. I don't exactly ooze over everything TP does, and maybe he's a little gun-shy, but I would still expect him to be the best jugdment of what's best for the team. We actually rebuilt some of the farm system that Hunsicker spent away. You have to understand that we really don't have any minor leaguers to trade away when Hunsicker left. Those deals that he pulled resulted in our depleted minor leagues. They are finally starting to rebuild now, so it's a possibility that they're looking to reload for the future while holding on now. Trading some of our farm pitchers for "Jim Thome" or anyone else might not be in our best interest.
Well, I'm frustrated with the lack of deals made by Purpura as well. However, as has been mentioned, the only guys we really missed out on were Giles and Nomar IMO. I think Giles would have been a perfect fit. I'm no expert, but I do know that an Astros' club w/o Clemens and with last year's line-up + Bagwell and a Rondell White/Juan Encarnacion will be mediocre. We're talking about an Astros team that was shut out almost more times last year than any in franchise history. Of course, we had awesome pitching. My concern is that, given Pettite's history of injuries and Roy O's occasional injury, this team is not strong enough offensively to carry the team. I think Willy T should continue to get better OBP% and Biggio could provide a nice spark. But you're asking Berkman and Ensberg to carry the team. I'd REALLY like to see us in the mix for Aubrey Huff of the D-Rays. The guy is very unheralded, but he's the kind of middle of the order hitter we need. I can see him in LF and he's not an old man with injury history (Rondell White/Juan Encarnacion). Again, I'm no expert, but my solution to the Astros woes is Huff.
I will let the results speak for themselves once the off season is over, but we have got to get some pop in the line up. I would have liked to seen Juan Pierre join the team and moved him to left or right field, but there really isnt anyone else I wanted that wouldnt be over priced. Pitching got us to the WS last year so I hope TP has something up his sleeve to replace the Rocket if does not come back.
Aubrey Huff is a pretty good player, but he had a major drop off in performance last year. He slugged only .428 and only had an OPS of .749. I'm not sure what led to that drop. However, he has posted strong numbers in the past and maybe he needs a change in environment. He is eligible for arbitration and I'm sure Tampa is pretty actively shopping him. It all depends on who they ask for. I'd like the Astros to hang on to their young pitchers because they need two additional starters, but if they are willing to take a young arm who doesn't have a place with the Astros long term, I'm all for it.
When did Pierre ever add pop to a lineup? He's not a bad leadoff guy, but if you put him in LF or RF and you are losing one potential RBI guy in the lineup.
Actually, I have to disagree here. Huff would be a tremondous addition with a team like the Astros, but that's my own opinion. I feel that he'll provide an offensive spark in MMP and on the road with SOMe protection around him. He can also play multiple positions (same ones as Berkman)
Um, there is absolutely no doubt that he would have accepted arbitration. Accepting arbitration doesn't affect his deciding whether or not to play at all. Even if it went to an arbitration board, you can't force someone to play if they choose to retire. He still would have taken his couple of months and then decided whether or not he wished to continue playing. The Astros screwed the pooch big time in declining him arbitration. The most likely scenarios for him are that he will either be retired next May or playing for another team. And for what? What did the Astros gain by declining him arbitration? None of you can answer that. After they sign a mediocre mid-level outfielder and maybe another scrub for the rotation, they will have saved in the range of 13-14 million or so. I hope it was worth it.
He'd be a great add if the price is right. It'd be hard to give up more than a good pitching prospect for Huff after his showing last year. I'd be ecstatic if they can swing that deal.
Well, during the trophy ceremony after the NLCS Purpura said organizations win championships. Maybe he will be playing centerfield for us next year.
While we certainly learned last season that you can't judge future success/failure by the calibur of offseason you have, one thing is for sure...Purpura hasn't done anything to show that he is a good GM. If you are telling me that every player on our roster aside from Oswalt is available....yet we can't make a deal to improve our team, then its hard for me to think that he is good at what he does. The Beltran disaster aside (regardless of who was at fault), we have not filled one glaring need in the past year. I'm as happy as anyone that we made it to the World Series...and maybe we don't get any farther than we did even if we HAD Beltran...but the balance of power can shift very quickly in sports. We lost the best pitcher in the NL to a possible retirement and we are going after Rondell White? Yes we offered AJ Burnett a deal...and who's to say if he is worth all that money....but I just don't see how, if we are offering guys of Lidge's calibur in trades, why we can't get a deal done to improve our offense. Maybe we will.....maybe we will swing a monster deal that will blow the roof off of MMP....and maybe we won't. I was the first one to admit that I was proved wrong beyond all human belief after last yrs offseason...but the one thing that reamins unchanged is that Purp hasn't done anything but lose out on free agents and not make deals...thats for certain. If that equates into another WS run, wonderful! Either way, it doesn't make him a good GM.
Does anyone disagree that we were lucky to win the NL last season with the offense we had? This is the question that RM95 and friends seem to not be accounting for. Answer it and you will begin to actually see what the problems are with this team. Edit: one more thing as to the point about the team astrophying. Would anyone disagree that coming out of spring training the team in 2004 was better than the team coming out of 2005? I'm talking about from a strictly talent perspective. This is assuming Pettitte could have been healthy the whole year. I'll be back tomorrow for my takes on some moves that would have been interesting. Hope ya'll weren't too attached to Ensberg.
I think luck has a lot to do with anyone making a run....hell, the White Sox were a game or 2 from not even making the playoffs. I think we got where we did because of pitching. I dont blame the pitching for the losses....there is only so much you can ask out of your staff.....and we basically were in playoff games from Aug 1 through the last game of the WS. To answer your question, I was surprised to see us get as far as we did with our offense.
My question is that I want to know what exactly you people think we should've done to make our team better. What would make the vast majority of you stop whining? There are two seasons for every calendar year in baseball. While I wish we could land another bat or that we didn't have to wait on Roger to make a decision or that we didn't have to wait and see what Bagwell's shoulder was going to allow him to do, I'm not going to b****, moan and throw out accusations that people aren't doing their jobs because nothing's been done. None of us have any ****ing clue what's going on behind the scenes. We are not privy to the discussions that have been had with other teams or with free agents. I tend to give the owners/management of my team the benefit of the doubt instead of being doom and gloom all the time. Especially after the most successful season this franchise has ever seen. Especially after most of you decided the 2005 season was over before it began.
He meant, ummm, like 5 years ago... and he still blames Tim. Really guys, really... we just made a WS appearance... albeit a short lived one, it was a franchise first. Sometimes the best moves are to leave well enough alone, and wait for the RIGHT DEAL to come along. I'm gald the 'Stros are not signing up majorly injurred, has been, jumped the shark, peaked, on the downward side of the slippery slope, etc. players. Good job, Tim. Way to watch, way to watch... atta boy, make 'em pitch!
Umm, they made the absolute right decision. If they offer him arbitration, he'd essentially be able to force them to pay him $20M+ next year. In abitration, he simply says the Astros paid him $18MM last year, and he outperformed their expectations. Clearly, he's worth more than that. Next thing you know, he wins a $20M salary in arbitration. That would have been as stupid a move as the Astros could make, as it would preclude them from making ANY other move to bolster the offense as long as there was the possibility of getting stuck with a ridiculous contract.
it sounds like you're saying the only way to be a good GM is if you make trades. that's simply not so, NJRocket. sometimes, not making a trade is the best move. i'm damn glad we didn't give up something to get matt lawton last season, for example. i'm sure he could have been had. but i wouldn't give up anyone to get him.
