Today was the Final Day of Craig Biggio's long career with the Astros.  As Biggio finally took of his cap to salute the fans, who gave him one last show of love and support for the man that has virtually symoblized Astros baseball for the last two decades, I recalled the day I saw Nolan Ryan step out of the dugout one last time, back in Old Arlington Stadium, to recieve his final curtain call in his final game as a Ranger.

As I saw Biggio's eyes well up in tears of  joy and emotion, I had only one real thing to say about it.

This, truely, is how a baseball career should end.

Not with a suspension.

Not due to injury.

Not because you were asked to leave or were cut or indicted in the court of public opioning because you may have used performance enhancing drugs.

But like this.

Surrounded by the fans who showed up during the good times, the dark times, who cheered for you and gave you their love and support for all that you did for their team.

Cheered for the sacrifice you gave, year in and year out, as you pushed your body beyond it's limits and took hits and pitches, bruising body and mind at times, but the force of will wouldn't allow you to ask out of the lineup.

Applauded by the men whom you called brother for various stretches of time, with whom you have spent almost as much time with as your own flesh and blood.

And applauded by the entire baseball world, who respects and wishes there were far more men like you who played the game and left it for the better, as you have.

Congrats to a hell of a career Mr. Biggio.

And enjoy the ride into the sunset.

Both Teams in the state of Texas thank you for honoring our Ballparks with your presence.

Craig Biggio #7

1988-2007

Hall Of Fame - 2012

The Future Of The Catching Joe Mauer, The White Sox Selling Low After Buying High, and Melvin Mora Potentially On The Move

Moving Mauer

Recently, I read in a article by Jim Souhan advocating a move of Joe Mauer to third base.

I’m not going to post the article, it’s available there if you want to find it, but the gist of it stated that Mauer needs to be moved to third in order to keep his bat in the lineup, plus that he is too injury prone to remain behind the bag.

While Mauer clearly could be the best young catcher in the American League, he hasn't been able to stay on the field.  A four year vet, Mauer has only one complete season under his belt.  His other three, including this one, Mauer has missed time with one ailment or another and has suffered a hit in the clubhouse, where numerous veterens such as Justin Morneau, Mike Redmond, and Torii Hunter have played through one ailment or another.

Compounding all of this is Mauer's size.  Now 6-5, tall for a catcher, Mauer likely won't be able to stand up to the everyday wear and tear of being a catcher. 

This year has made it painfully evident that Mauer's bat is an integral part of the offense, as the entire Twins lineup was much more lackluster without it.  The departure of Mauer (as well as the decision to keep Matt Garza and company down in the minors while keeping Sidney Ponson and other retreads simply to keep the cost down in the future for the rookies) can be held directly responsible for the collapse of the Twins.

Twins lineups have become rather punchless in recent years, both a product of management's reluctance to splurge on a average bat in terms of trade or free agency as it is a testament to the failure of the Twins' farm system to develop any sort of power hitting prospect.  Morneau and Mauer aside, the Twins have been lacking in any sort of power presence and, while they have some pitching prospects to spare, they aren't interested in using some of their blocked prospects to trade for blocked positional players on other teams in hopes of possibly upgrading spots on their roster that scream for help (such as third base, where the Nick Punto experience has become a nightmare.)

Mauer would provide an excellent upgrade at third base, assuming he can play the position (which I think he can) and can split time at first base with Justin Morneau, who could use some time off at DH.  In fact, both players could use time at DH, where the Twins are even more enemic in terms of production.

Rumor has it that Mauer could be seeing time at all four positions coming into the year, where he would be able to catch, play first, third, and DH in order to allow the Twins to not only keep his bat in the lineup, but to preserve his health. 

This may turn out the best for Mauer, who is a fan favorite and more importantly, one of the parts that make the Twins go.

And if you need a example to see how moving from behind the plate can extend a career, consider the case of Craig Biggio, a former catcher who was also deemed to be unable to last through the rigors of catching.

Since the move, Biggio is now looking at a future at Cooperstown.

All in all, I'd say that this type of decision can pay off.

Selling Low On A Trio Of Sox

One year after making a series of deals that Kenny Williams said would keep the White Sox competitive and protect them from the inflating price of starting pitching, Williams is now looking on dumping three of the players he once held up as a sign of the future.

Right handers Nick Masset, David Aardsma and lefty Andy Sisco have all disappointed in some capacity or another and are a big reason for the bullpen's decline.  Only Aardsma has had any sort of success, mostly in April  and none of them merited September callups.  The reason for the trades is because of the fact that both Aardsma and Masset are out of options, so the Sox will lose them if they fail to earn spots with the big club next spring and Sisco has become such a disappointment that he likely won't even be kept as a situational lefty.  Masset and Sisco have since returned to starting, but neither has been stellar.

Of the three, Aardsma is likely the most attractive candidate, as he has closer's stuff and if placed in the right environment, he could flourish.  Masset was largely regarded in his time in Texas as a underachiever who has good stuff but can't put it together.  As for Sisco, a big part of his problem is that his command is so off, possibly because he was rushed by the Royals.  

Kenny Williams is hoping to get two relievers, one of them proven, in exchange for a pair of the trio.  I'd imagine that a system with an excess of relievers and a solid pitching coach could do well.  San Diego could be a decent fit to Masset, as would St. Louis.  Were I Washington or Florida, teams that could need a closer this off-season, I would also give a call for Aardsma.  Sisco is harder to nail down, as it's hard to nail down a fit.  Maybe a trade to the Pirates to convert him to starting could help, possibly in exchange for Jack Wilson's contract?

Mora May Be Pushed Out Of Baltimore

The acquistion of Steve Traschel may not only have given the Orioles someone to keep the rotation somewhat respectable, but also to maybe begin the process of Melvin Mora leaving the Orioles.

Moore is a slugging third baseman/left fielder that could provide roughly Mora's production at a fraction of the price.  Mora, despite still being productive, is an expensive player that will be entering his decline phase soon.  He is a luxery the Orioles really don't need.

The question is, would they deal him?

Mora, I think, could bring in a couple of prospects to potentially build around, hopefully outfielders or other positional players.  As long as Baltimore swallowed some money, people could inquire.  Philadelphia may be interested, as Mora would be a upgrade over their current situation and the Yankees, should they lose Alex Rodriguez, may be interested in a short term fix should they feel Wilson Betemit isn't the long term answer.  The Dodgers and Angels, two teams that also may want to upgrade their third base over the winter and have prospects to do so.

Actually, I should probably rephrase that.  The real question is, would Peter Angelos let it happen.

Angelos famously killed a deal for Miguel Tejada that would have netted him Erick Aybar and Ervin Santana and may have been responsible for killing a deal that may have sent Astros Ace Roy Oswalt to the Texas Rangers (and if he was, I hate Peter Angelos even more than I already do.)

Really, I think that the Traschel Deal should serve as a potentially rebuilding stage of the Orioles that could net cheap talent that could, long term, help the Orioles not only get more cost efficient and flexible, but potentially become a winning team and could return them to being a crown jewel of baseball once more.

That's all for now.  Let's hope the week goes well...

Jason Jennings is done for the year, according to the Astros' offical website.  Jennings has sustained damange to his pitching elbow and will undergo surgery in order to repair the damage.  He hopes to return sometime next year.

This was a bad trade from the get go and one that the Astros surely regret now.

It's also exposed two things about the Astros, which should have been taken in mind:

1. The Misguided Concept Of Being In Contention.  The Astros fogired  that they would be able to contend again this year, after seeing the losses sustained by St. Louis.  They did, however, ignore the improvements of both Milwaukee and Chicago and maybe were counting on one last little bit of magic to make the run at the end of the year.  They also felt a bit too much faith in their current club, which had holes as of last semester and many of them went untouched in the Astros' attempt to rebuild themselves.
2. The Misakes In Evaluating Talent And Improvements.  The Astros also failed to properly assess their own in house supply of talent.  The Astros didn't have the confidence in Andy Pettitte's elbow to hold up and they also didn't value Hirsh highly enough to actually give him a shot in the rotation.  They also pinned a great deal of hopes and dreams on Jason Lane and Morgan Ensberg regaining their All-Star forms of 2005, which is rapidly looking to be an anomoly instead of a breakout.

This only adds the icing to the cake of the disaster that is the 2007 Astros season.

The team has virtually self destructed.  The bullpen, once a strength, is now visably weakened, despite the re-emergence of Brad Lidge.  The lineup, despite the additions of Lee and Pence, hasn't produced much, with Chris Burke's, Brad Ausmus', Adam Everett's and Craig Biggio's amenic bats contributing to a low of the problem.

Hirsh was developed into what Jennings once was, Taveras has established himself as the Rockies' everyday centerfielder and is having a breakout year.  Buchholz has been serviceable as a swingman and will likely succeed in that role.

In exchange, the Astros have not only lost a set of valuable players in exchange for a bill of false goods, they've also lost their draft picks thanks to the Lee and Williams signings and weren't even able to sign their top two draft picks.  This doesn't supply any talent to an already taxed farm system that is devoid of almost any impact talent whatsoever.

I though that Tim Purpura was a smart man and was willing to give him a shot.  Maybe the GM of the team knew more about his own players than I did and he was selling high on a set of questioanble group.

Nearly six months later, this trade stacks up against time.

Enjoy your money, Jennings.

H Town will be happy to see you pack.

The End Of Morgan Ensberg, Dan Johnson Going To New York, Elijah Dukes' Child Support, Ian Snell Wants Out Of The Steel City, Taking On Keith Law, A Fitting End To Biggio's Career In Houston, and the end of Jeff Allison's comeback...again.

The End Of Ensberg

The career of Morgan Ensberg in Houston is over.

With the acquistion of Ty Wigginton (a great aquisition, more on that tomorrow), the Astros have made it clear it's time to cut bait and designated Ensberg for assignment.  It's a sad end to a player that had promise during Houston's title run in 2005, but a torn ligiment in his shoulder during an accident in 2006 sapped the life out of Ensberg's swing and left him powerless, resulting in the Astros' inevitable collapse in 2006 and a big reason why they were so awful this year.

Will Morgan get another shot?  Probably.  There are teams looking for third base help and the Astros could get some decent roster filler if they can accomodate them, but it's still a #### end to a career for a person who looked like he would be the first stable third baseman for the Astros since Ken Caminetti.

Dan Johnson – Potential Yankee?

Dan Johnson is rumored to be headed to the Yankees at some point before the trade deadline is over.

Of course, this was mentioned by ESPN’s resident Yankee fan, Buster Olney, but I did read an article that the Athletics inquired about Brett Gardner, a outfielder in the Yankees' system, only to be rebuffed by saying he was not available.  Why?  Gardner looks like he's a fourth outfielder and won't be anything special.  He's the return of Bubba Crosby from what I've read and seen of him.

Moving on, why would the Athletics be interested in moving Johnson, a player that has legitimate power, a decent glove, and plays hard?

Aside from the injury history, which is substantial, Johnson is a bit streaky, which is how he went from hitting over .300 to hitting below .250 in a month's time. 

But there's another reason.

One is that Johnson can't be sent down because of the fact that he's out of option and would be lost on waivers.

The other is that Oakland is trying to make room for Daric Barton, a solid young first baseman that brings up memories of John Olerud.  Though Johnson has more power, Barton has a solid bat and does a lot of things well.  Plus, with this season looking lost, Oakland is looking to give their kids a shot and see where they can go from here.\

It's the usual Oakland policy, but should work out well for them.

Personally, I'd move Nick Swisher back for first base myself.

But that's just me.

Dukes May Be In Contempt Of Court

Things don’t seem to be getting easier for Elijah Dukes, who may be held in contempt of court.  Dukes was ordered to pay the first of his court ordered payments for child support from his wife:  $3,300 for his wife's alimony and $2,800 in child support for the three children they had together.  He hasn’t paid a cent yet, though his attorney has said he’d pay by Monday.

If Dukes doesn’t pay by Monday, he could be forced to pay immediately, or possibly face jail time.

I used to wonder if Dukes was maybe, criminally disturbed and needed help to overcome his demons.  I honestly wondered if he was just truly a soul that needed help.

Now I’m wondering if he’s just a ####.

One of your duties as a man is to ensure that your children are cared for.  To not do so makes you a coward in my book.

Ian Snell Wants Out Of Pittsburgh

Ian Snell wants out of Pittsburgh in a bad way, calling out teammates, management, yelling several times that he hates losing and even acting like a spaze when he supposedly trembled his hand and said  "I'm starting to break. I'm getting stressed out. I don't know about these other guys, but I just want to win. I don't want to be called a loser. Man, even my family calls our team losers, and I don't want anyone to say that about our team."

Ooookay.

Snell has a lot of value.  He’s a young pitcher that isn’t eligible for arbitration until next season and he plays well, can dominate, and shows the potential to be a middle of the rotation horse.

He’s just acting like a horse’s ####.

Is it true the Pirates have one of the worst management offices in baseball?  Yes.  Is it true that they’ve been #### in almost every deal they’ve made?  Oh yes.  Is it fair for him to call out teammates?  No.  Like it or not, they’re in the same boat with you and like or not, you have to see them the next day after they read about your antics in the paper.

Snell has been on the block for a while and was most recently offered to the Braves in exchange for Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  In reality, the Pirates have so many other needs, but young pitchers typically can bring oodles back in exchange.

Should the Pirates do a trade, perhaps with the Devil Rays, they could get some quality outfield talent in the process, get Snell out of the National League where he wouldn't come back to hurt them, and be rid of a headache in the process.

It's a mutually beneficial trade, but the con is that the Pirates would be down a starter and the farm system isn't exactly deeply stocked enough where  they could accomodate such a trade.

It's a real catch 22 for them.

Disagreeing With Keith Law…Sort Of…On Brandon Morrow

I usually agree with most of Keith Law’s post.  He’s also the only person on that staff (aside from maybe Tim Krukjin) that knows what he’s talking about.

But I disagree with him as far as the Mariners’ use of Brandon Morrow. 

Should Morrow be in the majors at the moment?  No.  But that doesn’t mean he’s irrepariably damaged.  Allowing Morrow to build innings and stamina works out well for him and it allows him to adjust to major league competition.  Plus, he can be optioned back to the minors next year to allow himself to build starter’s innings and eventually allow him to join the Mariners’ rotation in 2009 or so.

But that assessment is ONLY if the Mariners are smart enough to send Morrow down to allow him to develop his breaking stuff, as he’s relying on his fastball too much and his control needs work.

If they continue to see him as a reliever, however, and treat him as such, then yes, I would probably have to change my opinion to Law’s, that the decision to draft Morrow over Tim Lincecum is one of the worst draft decisions in ages.

Biggio To Finish Career As He Begun

Craig Biggio has one more special moment coming up.

Astros ace Roy Oswalt has asked Biggio to be his catcher for a few innings during his final start of the season, likely during the Sept. 28-30 final home series against the Atlanta Braves.  Biggio has agreed provided that the Braves are not in a fierce fight for a playoff spot.

I love the fact that Biggio will finish his career the way he ended it, the same way I remember him when I used to collect his cards during the early 90’s, mostly Donruss and Fleer.

As a catcher.

Biggio will be coming full circle.  And I can’t find a more beautiful and fitting way to end the career of one of my favorite players ever to play the game.

That Jeff Allison Comeback…Never Mind

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the potential comeback for Marlins prospect Jeff Allison, who has been had his share of legal issues, due to drugs, criminal behavior, and addiction.

The comeback is over for now.

Allison has been placed back on the major league restricted list because of a legal issue that has come up, likely because of that stolen car charge nearly a year ago.  The Marlins have said that he’s welcome to come back once all legal issues have been resolved. 

Damn.

This has been a hard fall for a kid who was once seen to be the potential ace of a major league staff.

Now all that is gone.

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

1. 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.
2. 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. 
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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

The Next Mr. 3000

Because we as baseball fans are all wild about milestones, here is a list of one of the hardest milestones to achieve in baseball, 3000 hits.  Looking at the field and the list of the current hit leaders in baseball, here are the likeliest candidates of players that have a shot at the milestone.

Craig Biggio

Current Number: 2867

The leader of the pack, Biggio will likely play one more year with the Astros, and should reach this milestone by next year, unless he has a tremendous year.

Chances:  He’s A Lock.

Barry Bonds

Current Number: 2780

Barry would love to make the 500/3000 club as he’s a stat junkie.  Bonds won’t hit 3000 hits this year, but if he decides to return next year as a Designated Hitter, Bonds should be able to make the club unless his body finally gives out.

Chances:  Excellent, if he returns next year.

Derek Jeter

Current Number:  2022

Jeter has years ahead of him and has reached the milestone near the age of 32.  Provided that Jeter doesn’t suffer any lasting injury and maintains a relatively good production number, he should hit number 3000 by age 39.

Chances:  Excellent

Alex Rodriguez

Current Number:  1973

A-Rod will crack the 2000 mark at a younger age than Jeter.  Rodriguez remains one of the most productive players in history and provided that he doesn’t break down or goes through a Chuck Knoblauch-like meltdown, he should crack 3000 hits around the same time as Jeter.  He’s also going to be the next member of the elite 500/3000 club.

Chances:  Excellent

Edgar Renteria

Current Number:  1672

Renteria is in his early thirties and still has a few good years left ahead of him.  If Renteria continues to tear it up and continues to stay healthy, he’ll hit this milestone.  He’ll still need to eventually make a position change.  On a side note, Renteria at the moment is a borderline hall of famer and will probably need to join the 3000 club to get in.

Chances:  Good

Ivan Rodriguez

Current Number:  2266

Pudge still can hit, as he’s proving, but he’s losing power.  Still, Rodriguez can be a very good player for a few more years if he switches from catching to DH.  If he’s able to move, he’s got a shot.

Chances:  Good

Vlad Guerrero

Current Number:  1666

Vlad just turned 30, so he’s going to be around for several more years.  If he manages to stay healthy and keep a steady stream of production, I don’t doubt that we’ll see Vlad reaching this milestone by the time he hits 42 or so.

Chances:  Good

Manny Ramirez

Current Number: 1987

Manny is 34, but he’s getting close to achieving career hit 2000 this year.  Manny usually averages around 160 hits per season and has always been a constant force at the plate.  Though he’s likely to begin breaking down this year because of age, Manny could go to another AL club to serve as a DH.  Manny will come close and depending on how his body holds up, he could reach it.  My diagnosis:  he just misses it.

Chances:  Fair

Ken Griffey Jr.

Current Number: 2350

Junior still needs to keep off the disabled list, though this time he actually returned from it.  However, Griffey still has a few good years ahead of him if he signs as a Designated Hitter whenever his contract with the Reds ends. 

Chances:  Fair

Julio Franco

Current Number: 2537

Franco is a physical marvel at his age.  He certainly could play everyday for some team if he got the shot, but because he’s now a bench player, Franco will likely never get to 3000.  Still, he’s got good enough numbers and was a solid enough player both stateside, in Mexico, and in Japan, that he’s going to be in the Hall of Fame someday. 

Chances:  Slim

Miguel Tejada

Current Number: 163

Tejada just turned 30 this year and thus far continues to tear things up at the plate.  But while Tejada remains a constant force at the plate, I’m wondering how the injuries that he’s fought through to keep up his consecutive game streak will affect his body as he ages.  I’m not sure that Tejada will hit the milestone unless he eventually begins to DH. 

Chances:  Slim

Johnny Damon

Current Number: 1870

Damon is a special case.  He’s 32 and has always managed near 180 hits for his career.  However, Damon’s hard nosed, sel####estructive type of play in centerfield is likely going to cost this milestone, and possibly, a Hall of Fame ending to his career.

Chances:  Won’t Make It