There is some wisdom in what the Astros did during the off-season, in the trades that brought them Miguel Tejada, Jose Valverde, and Michael Bourn. While Ken Rosenthal can rail against the deals all he wants, there is one thing you need to keep in mind.
None of the players traded was really a superstar. In fact, many weren't really all that good.
Yes, I know, Chad Qualls and Brad Lidge are plenty badass. But Lidge was likely gone in a year and Qualls, while solid, isn't a lights out reliever.
And of the prospects, the only one of real note was Troy Patton, who was sent to the Orioles. Everyone else that was dealt was either a disappointment or wasn't a world beater.
Overall, the Astros likely looked at their system, didn't like what they saw, and decided to spent what little collateral they had to improve their team. So long as they draft the best player available from now on, there is every reason that the Astros can replensih the farm in a short period of time.
That's IF they spend money and IF they draft the best player available, not just who will sign.
Koby Clemens Moving To Catcher
After another year of disappointment, the Astros are moving Koby Clemens back to catcher.
Originally drafted as a catcher, the Astros moved Clemens to third base, feeling that he would his stocky frame would allow him to take the abuse of catching, and his arm would be more than adequate from behind the plate. His bat, which has been disappointing thus far, would also look a lot better from behind the bag as well.
It's clear that there was some pressure on the Astros to draft Koby due to his dad, who was on the staff, but really, the Astros would have been better off spending the six figure bonus on someone else. Anyhow, Clemens could really provide some value from behind the plate if he's able to be a adequate catcher. Catching prospects are currently lacking in the majors and if Clemens can turn into at the very least a Gregg Zaun type of player, he's got a lot of value.
Astros Need To Re-Establish International Presence
Okay, one more, because quite frankly, I've had enough.
The Astros need to figure out why their pipeline to Latin America has dried up.
In the past, the Astros were kings of the Venezuelan Talent Market, with them signing player after player that was a serious talent. Some of the former talent mined from Venezuela: Bobby Abreu, Richard HIdalgo and Freddy Garcia, all of whom have enjoyed solid big league careers.
The talent has dried up.
Part of it has been Drayton McLane's tightening of the purse strings and refusing to pay up for big money talent in the draft or abroad. But the other part is that the Astros didn't evolve They weren't able to adjust for the times and as a result, several other teams now dominate the Venezuelan market and the Domincan, areas where the Astros did relatively well.
Whatever the case, it's time for Houston to re-establish their presence on the International Market.
Because all of the patch jobs, no matter the price, won't keep the franchise stable for much longer.
The Rangers have acquired Chris Shelton from the Tigers, in exchange for Fast Freddy Guzman.
Shelton likely will figure into the first base/dh equation, though I think he'll more than likely be the Opening Day first baseman. It makes no sense to sign Sean Casey for $3 million when you can instead pay Shelton more or less the major league minimum for better production.
All in all, it's a solid pickup, and Shelton will be much more useful than whatever Guzman would have provided.
Rule 5 Shennanigans
I'm a little disappointed that Texas didn't participate in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 draft, especially considering that Brian Barton was there to be had. On the bright side, the Rangers didn't lose anyone, so there's some good news. Texas was active in the minor league phases of the draft, nabbing several pitchers
Overall, here's who Texas acquired:
Levi Romero (RHP) - Not a damn thing can be found right now.
Dustin Majewski (OF) - A former Longhorn and I believe one of Oakland's moneyball draft guys, Majewski likely is just organizational filler at this point.
Clayton Hamilton (RHP) - Hamilton has good size and could be a solid bullpen arm in the future. A lot of his stats from this past year must be taken with a grain of salt, as he was pitching for most of the year with a broken rib, thanks to a misdiagnosis from the Pirates.
Jaime Trejo (3B) - Potential backup.
Francisco Cordova.(RHP) - Ick. Next...
Quick Hits
Kevin Mench is likely going to be non-tendered by the Brewers. If the Rangers are interested, they could try and bring back him back. Mench still has fans here and for the most part would be happy to come back, but salary concerns may get in the way. Another thing, who would he replace on the 40?
Texas actually was in on the Andruw Jones deal, but was thwarted when Scott Boras gave Texas the runaround. Specifically, he told Texas that it would take a longer term deal, seeing as how Jones would be switching leagues and all. You remember, that kind of ####
Texas has a one year contract offer with a club option out to LaTroy Hawkins, who is still looking for a two year deal from the Rockies. Hopefully, something can get resolved soon, though I would prefer to go itnernal on the pen. Usually, that ends up being a lot more cost effective and allows you to protect yourself in terms of being screwed over in terms of long term deals.
Eric Gagné is still out there and apparently wouldn't mind coming back to Texas. I'd do it, as he was a lot of fun to watch and he has his fans here. He would also be flipped again at the deadline for more prospects, which is always nice. Knowing the Rangers' luck, Boras will push for a full no-trade clause this time.
The acqustion of Andruw Jones means that Andre Ethier and potentially Juan Pierre are available. Ethier I'm all about, as I think he'd be an above average option in left field. Pierre is interesting, but the Dodgers would have to eat a lot of the salary for me to consider it. Pierre isn't a great outfielder and is one of the most overrated players in the sport.
Apparently, the Rangers are hot and heavy after...Mark Prior? Okay, I know that when Prior is healthy, he can easily be one of the best pitchers in baseball. The problem is, when was the last time we could say that?
There are some other trade options I'd be looking at, with the Astros being one of the teams I'd look at. The Rangers need a legitiamate utilityman and Chris Burke is there for the taking. He's a better option that Ramon Vasquez and can play any position except for catcher. I'd ask if they'd be interested in a straight up swap for Scott Feldman.
And, on a side note, the Rangers are debating about moving Chris Davis to right field, where his bat would not only be a good fit, but he has a strong enough arm to handle the change. My only question about that is whether or not Davis is athletic enough to handle right field.
I was spot on as far as the rotation is concerned and thus far it looks more or less solid, provided that Spring Training stats are taken with a grain of salt. I'm still not sure about Wright as the fifth starter, as Kameron Loe and Bruce Chen had better performances and should have gotten some looks, but all in all, it's not a bad rotation. I do think that Wright will wind up being traded or released at some point this season.
Bullpen
Eric Gagne [Currently On Disabled List]
Akinori Otsuka
Joaquin Benoit
Bruce Chen
Scott Feldman
Kameron Loe
Ron Mahay
C.J. Wilson
Mike Wood
I was totally off on the pen. Chen wound up making the team as a reliever, but I expect him to get traded soon. Benoit was dominant and wound up making the roster after all. Wes Littleton and Frank Fransisco, two locks seemingly destined for the bullpen, pitched themselves out of jobs. Wood earned his job this season and Feldman isn't a bad choice, especially since he is a groundball demon. Gagne is on the DL, but thankfully, it's not due to injury (I hope), but because he needs more time. Otsuka, therefore, is the closer at the moment. Two of these pitchers will not be on the roster in the next week, as space must be made for Gagne and Wright.
Lineup
Kenny Lofton (CF)
Frank Catalanotto (LF)
Michael Young (SS)
Mark Teixeira (1B)
Sammy Sosa (DH)
Hank Blalock (3B)
Ian Kinsler (2B)
Gerald Laird (C)
Nelson Cruz (RF)
I was more or less right on the lineup, just shift the left field.
Bench
Chris Stewart (C)
Matt Kata (UTIL)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (UTIL)
Brad Wilkerson (OF)
I whiffed on the backup, as I expected Quiroz to make the team. As for Kata, I hade Jason Botts making the squad, but apparently the Rangers felt that it would be best to give Kata the shot.
Bunts About The Rangers Around The League
If Bruce Chen is dropped, it will be relatively expensive. Chen's deal called for a $1.1 million salary if he made the club, and if he is released even just a week into the season, the Rangers would owe him 45 days' worth of his salary, or about $275,000. Interestingly, Chen has reportedly agreed to accept an outright assignment to Oklahoma if he is exposed to waivers and clears.
With Zeke Astacio now in the fold, here’s an interesting nugget to share with you all. Astacio and current Astros centerfielder Chris Burke was apparently a packaged offered to Texas by Houston for former Rangers second baseman Alfonso Soriano. The Astros tried several times over the years to try and obtain Soriano, one package reportedly involved Brandon Backe. Unfortunately, the two teams were never able to swing a deal. Pity. Hurt or not, I would have loved to have had Backe.
Former Rangers pitcher Ugueth Urbina was sentenced to 14 years in prison last week for the attempted murder of five workers on his family's ranch. Urbina, who spent part of the 2003 season in Texas, was also found guilty of illegal deprivation of liberty and violating a prohibition against taking justice into his own hands during a dispute over a gun on Oct. 16, 2005. It’s a tragic tale and to be honest, it kind of stinks of a setup.
The Rangers released RHP Rick Bauer on Wednesday, and paid $180,000 of his $730,000 base salary. Bauer seemed to have pitched himself into the bullpen after his strong showing last season, but he also pitched himself out of a job as well.
Adam Fox, who was added to the 40 man roster in order to designate Bauer for assignment, was designated for assignment himself and ceared waivers. However, Fox still gets all the benefits of being a major leaguer and has all the benefits that go along with it) as a reward for his service to the organization.
Texas acquired 23-year-old righthander Bear Bay from Cleveland for a player to be named later. Originally a draft-and-follow signed by the Cubs out of Angelina Junior College in Lufkin, Bay had two strong seasons in the Chicago system before being shipped to the Indians at the end of camp two years ago in exchange for journeyman righthander Cliff Bartosh. Bay’s got some upside, as he’s got a nifty fastball-slider combo and has displayed excellent control at all of his stops as well. Should be interesting to see if he can evolve into a nifty setup man, though god knows the system has enough of those already.
The White Sox decided Sunday afternoon that there will be no more contract talks, meaning that Jermaine Dye, who has expressed interest in playing for Ron Washington, will be available for the Rangers to try and obtain. Dye is going to be 34 heading into the season, any deal would be for three years. I think any bid for Dye from the Rangers would be dependant on the progress of Nelson Cruz and John Mayberry Jr., two power hitting prospects that project much like Dye.
The Mets optioned former Ranger Chan #### Park to AAA, but want to trade him. Texas is reportedly not interested.
Well, we'll see how the season shakes out. Until then, I'm out to enjoy the game tonight, provided Fox Sports Net doesn't decide to show the Astros game instead. Have a good day all.
Sorry about not posting yesterday. i got a phone call about my sister fainting at school. I went to pick her up and, well, to put it lightly, after I took her to the Doctor's office to get her checked out, I found out I'm going to be an uncle.
I'm going to have a long talk with my soon to be brother in law...
My take on Michael Young's contract extension, as well as Gary Matthews Jr.'s steroid allegations will be talked about on Monday's Rangers Report.
In the meantime, let’s see where we go as the division previews roll on….
The Hat says, to loosely quote Davy Crockett, "The Red Sox can go to hell, we’re going to Texas!"
Houston Astros
The Astros again tried to turn it on at the end of the season to make the playoffs. They almost made it. However, Houston suffered some huge losses in the off-season. Though they bolstered the offense with the addition of Carlos Lee, the loss of Andy Pettitte, who genuinely wanted to stay with the Astros, as well as that of Roger Clemens leaves the staff decimated. Houston has taken measures to try and ensure the rotation will stay together, but a lot of it depends on the youngsters stepping up.
Starting Rotation
Roy Oswalt (RHP) – Oswalt is now the oldest member of the rotation and by far the most successful and most experienced. Though questions about his durability will always abound, Oswalt has been solid the last few years and has been nothing short of dominant. Oswalt will likely post solid numbers again and contend for a Cy Young, but he no longer has that dominant lineup behind him, as the talent level drops off severely after him.
Jason Jennings (RHP) – Jennings was obtained for a high price, with the Rockies obtaining pitchers Jason Hirsh and Taylor Buchholz and centerfielder Willy Taveras in exchange. Jennings is in his walk year and has a career line of 58-56, with a 4.74 ERA. He also had a losing record last year, but that should change with a more pitcher friendly park. Is he as good as the man he’s replacing, Andy Pettitte? No. But can he be a solid innings eater. Yes.
Woody Williams (RHP) – Not sure why the Astros spent money on Williams instead of spending it on Pettitte. Williams has lost a lot of his edge as far as his stuff goes and his ERA was largely a product of Petco instead of performance. He should be a fifth starter, but unfortunately he’ll be the third guy in Houston.
Wandy Rodriguez (LHP) – People are going to wonder why Rodriguez is the fourth starter and not some of the other options. For starters, Rodriguez isn’t as bad as people think, as his stuff is tolerable and he’ll keep the team in the game provided he gets run support (something he didn’t get much of last season. And second of all, Rodriguez is the only lefty and the most experienced of the young Astros. Hence, sticking him here is a no brainer.
Chris Sampson (RHP) – Sampson was good as a reliever, but even better as a starter. With Nieve better suited to relief, where it’s thought that he’ll eventually become a closer, Sampson is my favorite to win the fifth starters job.
Bullpen
Brad Lidge (Closer) – Lidge has had a rough time since Albert Pujols’ moon shot during the 2005 playoffs. Lidge has since been hammered hard and has even lost the closer’s role for a time during his struggles. Lidge enters the season on the hot seat, as the slightest hint of trouble will cause fans and management alike to demand Dan Wheeler to take over.
Dan Wheeler (Setup Man) – Wheeler is a solid setup man that could close on many teams. Unfortunately for Brad Lidge, that team might be the Astros if he’s not careful.
Chad Qualls (RHP) – There was talk of Qualls moving in the rotation to serve as the fifth starter, but that talk has since ended, leaving this solid setup man as the Astros’ 7th inning option.
Trever Miller (LHP) – Miller did wonders in his first year in the NL. Now, he’s going to have the pressure of being the pen’s only lefty reliever.
Fernando Nieve (RHP) – Many scouts like Nieve’s ability, but see him more as a reliever in the future. With Sampson likely going to get the nod to starter, Nieve will have a whole season to adjust himself to relief duty. It’s hoped that once Lidge moves on (which I eventually believe he will), Nieve will be the team’s closer. For now, he’s the team’s Longman.
Dave Borkowski (RHP) – This Rule V Pick has great arm strength. I have him in the pen, because usually you don’t spend the cash on a Rule V pick unless you plan on keeping him.
Starting Lineup
Chris Burke (CF) – With Willy Taveras now in Colorado, Burke will finally be in the lineup everyday. Burke is a solid offensive player that is a better fit at second than in center, but with Craig Biggio still in Houston and Hunter Pence not ready, Burke has to make the transition as smooth as possible until Biggio reaches 3000 and until Pence shows he’s set for the majors. Burke should be a superb upgrade offensively, as he’s got more power than Taveras, while maintaining the same contact rates.
Craig Biggio (2B) – The last of the original Killer B’s, Biggio will play everyday until he gets hit Number 3000, after which he’ll likely begin to sit down to allow Burke some reps at second. BIggio showed his age last season, but I think he’s got at least one decent season left to wring out from him.
Lance Berkman (1B) – Berkman had to step into the role long occupied by Jeff Bagwell and did so admirably, putting up a MVP caliber season in which Berkman drove in 136 runs, while hitting .315 with 45 home runs, all while taking talks and getting on base, though a lot of that was intentionally walking, thanks to little protection behind him in the lineup. With Carlos Lee now in Houston, Berkman should have a lot more RBI chances.
Carlos Lee (LF) – Now that he’s finally in Houston, Lee should provide more than adequate protection to Berkman and should take advantage of the short left field porch at Minute Maid. Lee continues to improve as a hitter and has loads of thunder in his bat, but his range in Left last season with Texas should be troubling. Lee has been said to have been working on his conditioning this off-season, so it should be interesting to see how he shows up to Spring Training this year.
Luke Scott (RF) – Scott provided an extra power bat for the Astros after being called up and will now be part of the Astros’ heart of the order. With Lee and Berkman hitting in front of him, Scott will see a big chance to get some RBI chances, particularly if this next guy rebounds to his old form.
Morgan Ensberg (3B) – Ensberg was awful last season, losing the starting job to Aubrey Huff, but Ensberg was also hurt last year and that may have altered his hitting motion, resulting in his collapse. The signs are good that Ensberg has at least one more quality season left on him before he begins to enter his decline phase.
Adam Everett (SS) – This light hitting shortstop makes up for his offensive troubles by flashing the leather at short. He should have won the Gold Glove instead of Omar Visquel, but Gold Gloves tend to be won more on reputation than anything else.
Brad Ausmus (C) – Ausmus is the worst regular catcher in baseball. Despite a solid defensive glove and with him being one of the most respected players on the team, Ausmus doesn’t hit enough to justifying him being a starter. Thankfully, this is the final year of his contract, but Houston needs to start looking for a temporary solution to catcher, as the kids aren’t ready yet.
Bench
Mark Loretta (IF) – Loretta figures that he’ll get some playing time spelling Morgan Ensberg and Craig Biggio, which is why he picked the Astros’ offer of being their utility man over that of the Rangers. Loretta still has some good pop in his bat, but he’s not going to hit for much power. I do think that he’s valuable in terms of doubles power and as far as fielding, he hasn’t lost enough on his glove to make him a liability.
Mike Lamb (1B/3B) – Once a highly touted Rangers’ prospect that flamed out, has found a hope in Houston, where he’s been able to hit for contact, if not much power. He plays a solid hand at the infield corners and should get plenty of playing time with Ensberg’s status in doubt and Berkman needing a day off every now and then.
Jason Lane (OF) – Kinda hard to see why the Astros are giving up on Jason Lane one year after posting a .267, 26 HR, 79 RBI campaign. But with Lee now in left and Scott now the next big thing in right, Lane’s left with bench duty.
Humberto Quintero (C) – The Astros’ backup catcher is unproven at the moment, but if Quintero could offer any offensive upgrade over Ausmus, the Astros should give him a shot.
Eric Bruntlett (SS) – Brunlett was passable as a backup shortstop. He’ll see some time at short, second, and possibly center.
Disabled List
Brandon Backe (RHP) – Backe is a solid young pitcher who was once mentioned in a possible trade to the Texas Rangers for Alfonso Soriano. However, Backe had to undergo Tommy John surgery toward the middle of the season and won’t be an option until the end of the season. If Backe can come back to at least 70% of what he once was, the Astros will take it.
Can't Make Up His Damn Mind
Roger Clemens (RHP) - Clemens is again trying to decide what the hell he's going to do with his career, if he's going to retire or play another season. At this point, many of the Astros teammates have quietly made it know that they really would rather do without the soon to be hall of famer. It strikes me more of a case that the rest of the Astros tolerate him, but have some resentment over the fact that he doesn't play the whole season, nor does he show up to the park every day. We'll see what happens, but if Clemens again decides to return to Houston, he'll have a huge impact.
Down On The Farm…
The Astros farm system is in one of it’s down periods, as the Astros have now begun aggressively trying to win now, surrendering draft picks to sign free agents. The Astros are without a first rounder this year, having surrendered their pick to Texas for the Carlos Lee signing. The system has also surrendered a lot of talent via trades, as Hirsh, Buchholz, Mitch Tablot, Ben Zobrist and others, thinning it further. The Astros have also lost ground in Venezuela, a arena they once dominated, resulting in further losses. The system does have some intriguing arms, but there is a lack of prospects that can hit, aside from Hunter Pence.
Hunter Pence (OF) – Pence, the organization’s best (and only) position prospect, is a powerful righthanded hitter, from Arlington, who has done nothing but hit since he came into the minors. Pence’s athleticism allows him to play all of the outfield positions, as well as giving him great speed on the bases. His power in his bat is incredible, but there are some doubts as to whether or not he’ll hit for average In the majors. There’s also the question of his judgement, as he was caught for DUI this past fall as well. The Astros hope the embarrassment from the bust will keep him in line now and he may get called up as soon as Craig Biggio gets 3000 hits, allowing the Astros to begin playing Chris Burke at second a bit more, opening center for Pence.
Troy Patton (LHP) – Patton is a hard-throwing lefthander that is now the Astros’ best pitching prospect now that Hirsh is a Rocky. Patton has excellent stuff for a lefthander, with a very nice 89-92 mph fastball that touches 94 and has good movement. He compliments it with a hard curveball, and he’s got the makings of a decent changeup. He held his own at Double-A before his 21st birthday. Patton also has a history of arm trouble, as he’s pitched through arm soreness and various points in his career. Patton will likely return to Double A in 2007, but he could be a factor in the rotation at some point this year.
Matt Albers (RHP) – A 2001 Draft and Follow, Albers was impressive in the lower minors, beginning the season in Double A and finishing it in the majors. Albers has excellent command and control of low 90s fastball and a slider that becomes a plus pitch at times. Good feel for a changeup. The only real problem I have with Albers is like all short pitchers, his pitches have less of a plane to move on, resulting in little movement. He also issues a bit too many walks for my taste, but at the very least, he’ll be a solid fourth or fifth starter if he can cut down on them. Albers could be an option for the rotation at some point this season.
Juan Gutierrez (RHP) – Gutierrez is often overshadowed by Patton, but that doesn’t mean he’s not talented. He’s a pitcher with a power arsenal, as his fastball sits in the mid 90’s and he’s got a hard curve to compliment it. He’s changeup is still a work in progress, but he does have the tools to succeed if he can get it going well. He’s ready to help out in the bullpen now, but look for him to remain in Triple A for the moment.
In Conclusion
This is a weak division, to be sure. But in the case of Houston, they’ve got just enough youth and experience that they’ll win the crown and return to the playoffs again, Rocket or no Rocket.
Final Standing: National League Central Division WInner
I'm a long time Texas Rangers fan who has come to love baseball as a whole. I recently began this blog as a way for me to showcase my opinions, provide some analysis, and hopefully entertain those who happen to stumble upon my little soapbox online. I'll toss in an NFL, College, or NBA nugget every now and then. Enjoy the posts everyone, and yes, getting a little love in a Deadspin post was probably the highlight of the year, blogwise.
Do You Have Comment You Don't Want All To See? Just Want To Talk Baseball? Email Me at morisatos_blo g AT yahoo.com. Email's edited to keep away the Spam.
