The Astros Report - Offseason Edition

Because I had to settle a bet.

Some Wisdom in Trading Away The Farm

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.