The End Of An Era In Houston, The Heir To Joe Torre Is Becoming Clearer, More Trouble For A Marlins Prospect and Free Agent Rumblings & Grumblings.

End Of An Era In Houston

His statue is outside of Minute Maid Park

His trade is regarded as one of the biggest mistakes ever made by an organization.

And this week, the era of Jeff Bagwell ended not with a ####, but a whisper, when the Astros were declined his $18 million option for 2007, giving him a $7 million buyout as a parting gift.   Luckily for the Astros, Bagwell, a constant team guy and one of the best ballplayers to grace the franchise, understood the business side of baseball, and had no hard feelings.

Since 1991, Bagwell and close friend and teammate Craig Biggio have worked in tandem to establish a professional tone in the Houston clubhouse, grinding from spring training to the end of the season, disdaining excuses and showing teammates the meaning of the word "accountable."   The two have always been synonymous with the Astros and for the first time in over a decade, the Astros are now facing the fact that the faces of the franchise will be gone.  Bagwell will likely retire and Biggio is entering what is likely his final season.

The Astros are at a crossroads, as they are developing a different roster and attempting to create a club with the chance of leapfrogging the Cardinals for the division.  However, you can’t help but feel that a part of the soul of that clubhouse has just left with Bagwell.

Maybe the Astros can find a new set of constants in Lance Berkman and Chris Burke? 

Or maybe Bagwell and Biggio are a case of once in a generation teammates, and there’s no duplicating what they have done for the Astros.

But one thing is for sure.

It’s a brave new world for the Astros.

Mattingly Promoted To Bench Coach

In another sign that Joe Girardi won’t get the Yankees job, Don Mattingly was promoted to bench coach by the New York Yankees on Wednesday, in a move made to make him the definite successor to Joe Torre after the 2007 season.  Mattingly, who spent the last three years as the Yankees' hitting coach, succeeds Lee Mazzilli, whose contract was not renewed.  Mattingly is reportedly favored by General Manager Brian Cashman to succeed Torre, and is a key reason why Lou Pinella was not wanted by the Yankees GM.

Jeff Allison Is In Trouble Again

Jeff Allison, the 2003 First Round Pick of the Florida Marlins’ trobuled prospect, is in trouble again.  He faces three felony charges, one count for heroin possession and two for possession of stolen vehicles, stemming from separate incidents last week in North Carolina.  Allison has also has been charged with possession of drugparaphernalia and resisting a public officer, both misdemeanors, in connection with an Oct. 25 incident.  Police said Allison was spotted driving a 2002 Dodge Ram truck that had been reported stolen when he was pulled over.  Allison also faces a Dec. 4 court date in neighboring High Point, N.C., on a separate charge of felony possession of a stolen vehicle. That alleged incident took place a day earlier, police said, and involved a 2001 Chevrolet Astro van reported stolen from the parking lot of a lighting company.Under North Carolina law, Allison could serve more than four years in jail if convicted on all charges. However, his lack of a prior felony conviction makes him eligible to enter a court-ordered drug-treatment program; if he completes it the charges could be dismissed.   The pitcher suffered a near-fatal heroin overdose in July 2004 and reportedly was found unconscious by Medford, Mass., police in August.  Allison, a former high school star in the Boston area, has failed at least one drug test for marijuana and has sought treatment for OxyContin dependency.   He has not pitched professionally since August 2005, and was recently placed on the restricted list by the Marlins. Allison has made just 20 starts over the past four years. He spent the 2005 season at Class A Greensboro, going 5-4, 4.18.

This is just another twist in the sad story of Jeff Allison, who was thought to be the next Josh Beckett for the Marlins, as he was easily the best high school pitcher in 2003.  However, his problems has destroyed his future in Major League Baseball and, if he’s remains free, he’ll likely have to spend years in the indy leagues to even get another shot.  The Marlisn retain his rights, but the organization is extremely doubtful on whether or not he’ll ever pitch for them again.  When ased if the Marlins have given up hope on him, they had only this to say:

"You could probably say that."

Free Agency Rumblings And Grumblings

·          Daisuke Matsuzaka is going to have a lot less teams chasing after him.  The Mariners, as reported, are dropping out of the running and both Los Angeles clubs are going to bail as well.  That just leaves the Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Cubs, and possibly the Red Sox to make a pitch for the young talent.  If I had to make a predication, I would say the Rangers, not out of bias, but because Rangers owner Tom Hicks is crazy enough to go over the top in terms of a bid (Alex Rodriguez anyone?)

·          Look for the White Sox to be active this winter.  The Sox want to move one of their five starters to allow Brandon McCarthy to enter the rotation, with Freddy Garcia or Javier Vasquez being the likely victims, as Jon Garland was their ace down the stretch last year.  Garcia has said he wouldn’t mind going to New York and the Mets could offer Aaron Heilman in return to help bridge the gap to Bobby Jenks.  One problem:  Heilman wants to start and dislikes coming out of the bullpen.

·          The White Sox could also deal McCarthy as well.  Left field (and centerfield for that matter) were offensive wastelands for the White Sox.  Kenny Williams loves Devil Rays slugger Carl Crawford, one of the most desirable players in baseball, thanks to his extremely club friendly contract.  Offering McCarthy in return for Crawford would be just the thing to pry the talented young slugger from the D-Rays.

·          Alfonso Soriano apparently wants Carlos Beltran money, $119 million over 7 years.  However, it doesn’t look like it will be with any of the New York Teams, as the Yankees have a surplus of outfielders and the Mets need starting pitching.  The White Sox could get involved, as Soriano can function as a leadoff man and play a solid left field.  The Cubs are strongly considering pursing Soriano to play centerfield, while the Orioles, desperate to make a splash, are reportedly using Miguel Tejada to try and get Soriano’s ear.  Soriano will get his money, it just depends where.

·          As mentioned in The Rangers Report, Gary Matthews Jr. is rapidly beginning to price himself out of the Texas Rangers’ reach, as he’s attracting interest from the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants, and the Chicago Cubs, to name a few.

·          As expected, Aramis Ramirez opted out of his contract and, despite news that the Cubs are close to re-singing the talented third baseman, all three teams in Southern California, the Dodgers, Angels and Padres, are reportedly in pursuit as well.  Ramirez is reportedly the Angels’ number one off-season priority.

Friday Morning Closer

Here is my three pitch outing for the day:

Russ Ortiz Is Available

But only if you really want him.

One of the more inexplicable crashes in baseball, Ortiz, who was 103-60 with an ERA around 4.02, became awful, going 5-16 with a ERA around 7.41.  Even worse, his strikeout totals have plummeted while his walk totals have risen.  While the Diamondbacks would loved to have gotten SOMETHING for Ortiz, hell even a box of napkins for the concession would be considered fair value, the monster contract he signed scared away any possible takers. 

The Arizona Diamondbacks decided Tuesday they would rather eat the remaining $22 million of Russ Ortiz' contract than keep him on their roster, a good move, considering that Ortiz did more harm than good for the D-acks.

For the Snakes, it means that they get a chance to move on.  The cash was spent, that much is known, so this way, Arizona frees up a roster space that a rookie could easily fill and possibly do better in.

For Ortiz, there will be opportunities.  There will be many who will take a look at him and decide that his meltdown was the result of playing in a hitter's park.  Some team in a spacious park, the Padres or the Mets, may give him a small contract.  He doesn't need any more bank, not with the $20 million that's coming his way, and he may resurrect his career.

Or he may be done and the Diamondbacks will be more careful where they spend their money.

All I can say is that this is a good lesson in fiscal responsibility for all.

An Era Coming To An End

Kerry Wood is back on the disabled list.  And for the Cubs, it may be the last time.

Wood is going on the disabled list for the 10^th time in his career, retroactive to June 7.  When asked if Wood may need the remainder of the year to heal his stiff shoulder, manager Dusty Baker said it was “possible.”

If so, than it’s unlikely Wood will be with the team next year. 

Wood’s current contract is in the final year of his contract, with a $13 million option for next year.  This was Wood’s final chance to prove that he could be a healthy, productive player for a major league team.  Based on Wood’s production, which was far from outstanding, he’s done nothing to justify the Cubs to pick up his option.

Unless Wood massively renegotiates his deal with lots of incentive clause’s, he’s likely gone. 

Wood has some options.  He could go to a pitcher’s ballpark where he wouldn’t have the weight of being the Cubs’ savior on his shoulders.  Such options are San Diego, possibly Seattle, maybe even the Devil Rays if they can get him crazy cheap.  But beyond that, the only other way I could see Wood having a career is as a setup man or as a closer.  And both of those are serious questions at this point, because clubs are no longer sure if he can stay healthy.

All in all, it’s sad to see how far Wood has fallen, from the self appointed heir of Nolan Ryan to modern day version of Dwight Gooden: a gifted pitcher with talent whose career took a turn for the worst and never recovered.  If it’s any consolation to Wood, he, unlike Gooden, never had control of his own fate.

A Sorry Situation From Wednesday’s Game

This should probably be in the Rangers Report, but because of the outcry it caused, I’m going to comment on it here.  During the White Sox's 8-0 loss to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, after watching catcher A.J. Pierzynski get beaned by Rangers starter Vicente Padilla in the second and fourth innings, rookie reliever Sean Tracey was brought into the game in the seventh to face Hank Blalock.

Tracey also entered the game with specific instructions.  And that was to bean Blalock.  Tracey did throw one inside pitch to Blalock, but then he simply pitched to the third baseman and got him out.  Ozzie Guillen, angered, went to the mound and sent Tracey to the dugout.  After screaming at Tracey, in which he was visibly upset and looked almost on the brink of tears, Guillen sent him back down to Class AAA Charlotte.

This incident has been brewing for a long time, as Ranger Manager Buck Showalter and Guilen have a immense dislike for the other, which finally blew over on Wednesday.   And while beaning a batter is a part of baseball, I'm going to take Guillen to task that he should not have made Tracey the headhunter in this case.   The responsbility should have gone to Javier Vasquez, the starter, who should have retaliated after the first beaning of Pierzynski.  Vasquez should have sent the message loud and clear, but instead placed the responsbility on a rookie that wanted to please his manager, but wasn't able to handle the task.

Now Tracey is back in the minors, and probably won't return for a long long time.

Nice.