Houston Astros

[ProHouston]

The signing of Carlos Lee and Woody Williams is a bonanza for the Astros! It shows that great players want to be Astros and that the Astros can attract great players. This news can only help convince Pettitte to come back, can you imagine the Astros next year? They can't help but improve.

If by chance the Rocket came back, even for a short period, we could have Woody Williams (from Houston), Andy Pettitte (from Deer Park), Roger Clemens (from Houston), and Brandon Backe (from Galveston) all starting. Talk about home cooking!

Edited November 26, 2006 by ProHouston

[dalparadise]

The signing of Carlos Lee and Woody Williams is a bonanza for the Astros! It shows that great players want to be Astros and that the Astros can attract great players. This news can only help convince Pettitte to come back, can you imagine the Astros next year? They can't help but improve.

If by chance the Rocket came back, even for a short period, we could have Woody Williams (from Houston), Andy Pettitte (from Deer Park), Roger Clemens (from Houston), and Brandon Backe (from Galveston) all starting. Talk about home cooking!

I share in your excitement and do consider Lee and Williams huge additions to our team. Some reality is in order, though --

Backe may not be healthy for the upcoming season. The kid has heart, though. Trainers will most likely have to physically restrain him to keep him on the DL. He'll need to pace himself.

Pettitte may not be himself, either. I think the signing of Lee is a clear indication that the Astros want Clemens for another season and are willing to pay for some run support. Woody's signing may be an indication that Pettitte might not be 100%. Is Woody our #2?

The biggest benefactor will be Berkman, batting in front of Lee. Look for Puma to crack 50 HRs and some ungodly RBI number this season. He will see lots of pitches to hit. I think about a .330-.340 BA should be in order, too. That is awesome.

Bottom line -- I think the Astros are overpaying for Lee and getting Woody a couple of years too late, but they really didn't have a choice. Both are huge. To go out and write big checks like the Astros did at this point, says, "we're serious, fans." It says, "we'd like Roger back for one more," too. Which, of course, says, "we're serious, fans." It also says, "we'd like to make Puma a legitimate superstar." Which, of course, says, "we're serious, fans."

I think they're serious. I like it.

[texastrill]

Looks like you guys will make another run.Congrats!

We folks up here that have the Rangers to cheer on,are still waiting for that day.

And that is why I will see more FWCats games this year.

[DJ V Lawrence]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4385643.html

Why on earth would the Astros claim to want to improve their offense and improve their team, then want to trade a future star like Willy Taveras? He's the fastest player on their team. It's like they're going 2 steps forward, 3 steps back...

[hokieone]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4385643.html

Why on earth would the Astros claim to want to improve their offense and improve their team, then want to trade a future star like Willy Taveras? He's the fastest player on their team. It's like they're going 2 steps forward, 3 steps back...

That speed though required him to get on base. Willy has the potential to be a great leadoff man, but he still was striking out too much and didn't walk enough. great contact/ slap player, but his lack of ability to hit for any kind of power consistently is his biggest downfall. if anything, i think his defense is what will be missed most. his hitting streak last year was great, but he also had worked himself out the lineup at one point. i think he will be good over the years, but i don't mind this deal if it means chris burke has a spot everyday in the lineup now.

[DJ V Lawrence]

That speed though required him to get on base. Willy has the potential to be a great leadoff man, but he still was striking out too much and didn't walk enough. great contact/ slap player, but his lack of ability to hit for any kind of power consistently is his biggest downfall. if anything, i think his defense is what will be missed most. his hitting streak last year was great, but he also had worked himself out the lineup at one point. i think he will be good over the years, but i don't mind this deal if it means chris burke has a spot everyday in the lineup now.

Willy was second place as Rookie of the Year, and yea, had that 30-game hitting streak going on. He had a little slump at the end, but his hitting skills are unquestionable. When on base (which I think he'll do well next year), he could almost be a guaranteed run with Berkman and Lee at 3 and 4.

I also don't like the fact that trading Tavaras for Garland may result in us not being able to sign Pettitte, Clements, or Huff next year. It's almost like we're giving up four stars instead of one.

[ProHouston]

Willy was second place as Rookie of the Year, and yea, had that 30-game hitting streak going on. He had a little slump at the end, but his hitting skills are unquestionable. When on base (which I think he'll do well next year), he could almost be a guaranteed run with Berkman and Lee at 3 and 4.

I also don't like the fact that trading Tavaras for Garland may result in us not being able to sign Pettitte, Clements, or Huff next year. It's almost like we're giving up four stars instead of one.

I'm not so much concerned about Willy as I am that we're letting Buckholz go and may not be able to sign Pettitte. Unless the Astros know something about Pettitte that we don't, I don't know why we would take this guy over him. I sure hope we can still get Pettitte. With Pettitte added to the lineup with Garland, Oswalt, Backe, and a young gun, we'll be looking real good come spring training.

I also think Willy is expendable. He is a poor hitter; he can't be counted on to get on base. He's a great defensive player but if he's not on the field because of poor hitting then he's not playing defense either. Buckholz on the other hand still has a huge upside.

[hokieone]

Willy was second place as Rookie of the Year, and yea, had that 30-game hitting streak going on. He had a little slump at the end, but his hitting skills are unquestionable. When on base (which I think he'll do well next year), he could almost be a guaranteed run with Berkman and Lee at 3 and 4.

I also don't like the fact that trading Tavaras for Garland may result in us not being able to sign Pettitte, Clements, or Huff next year. It's almost like we're giving up four stars instead of one.

The 2nd place in the ROY means about nothing. His hitting skills are questionable - there is potential - but he has yet to put it all together. His OBP is .329 lifetime, way too low for a lead off guy. His strikeouts to walks ratio was over 2.5 to 1. He's a career .284 hitter - last season he had a grand total of 1 HR and 25 extra base hits. I'm not saying I don't think he has the tools to be a great Ichiro-ish player. But Ichiro learned how to get one base consistently and turn the speed into more than bunt singles.

In a lineup that lacks power aside from the 3 and 4 spots, its hard to have just a "speed" guy. You have to realize that right now the Astros have power only in the 3 and 4 spots - the rest of the lineup is completely unknown. Lee will help, but the 7 and 8 spots are black holes and even if one does get on base, Taveras can't get them home. You can't count on just bunt singling in runs when there are two outs. Burke starting should bring a little more power if he takes over the CF spot. He has some of the same flaws as Taveras in terms of plate discipline, but his power is substantially better.

As for Garland, he doesn't "prevent" the Astros from resigning Pettite - its up to Drayton whether he wants to make that payment or not. A rotation of Oswalt, Pettite, Garland, and Williams would be among the best in baseball - its up to McLane whether he wants to pay for it.

[ProHouston]

I guess we'll see what happens :

Sox deny Garland trade report

[DJ V Lawrence]

The 2nd place in the ROY means about nothing. His hitting skills are questionable - there is potential - but he has yet to put it all together. His OBP is .329 lifetime, way too low for a lead off guy. His strikeouts to walks ratio was over 2.5 to 1. He's a career .284 hitter - last season he had a grand total of 1 HR and 25 extra base hits. I'm not saying I don't think he has the tools to be a great Ichiro-ish player. But Ichiro learned how to get one base consistently and turn the speed into more than bunt singles.

In a lineup that lacks power aside from the 3 and 4 spots, its hard to have just a "speed" guy. You have to realize that right now the Astros have power only in the 3 and 4 spots - the rest of the lineup is completely unknown. Lee will help, but the 7 and 8 spots are black holes and even if one does get on base, Taveras can't get them home. You can't count on just bunt singling in runs when there are two outs. Burke starting should bring a little more power if he takes over the CF spot. He has some of the same flaws as Taveras in terms of plate discipline, but his power is substantially better.

As for Garland, he doesn't "prevent" the Astros from resigning Pettite - its up to Drayton whether he wants to make that payment or not. A rotation of Oswalt, Pettite, Garland, and Williams would be among the best in baseball - its up to McLane whether he wants to pay for it.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Taveras, who turns 25 on Dec. 25, is one of the fastest players in baseball. He stole 33 bases, had a 30-game hitting streak and batted .278 last season.

The kid has potential. Like I said before, his 30-game hitting streak shows that. All he needs is more coaching and hitting practice so he could be consistant throughout next season. I don't think we've had a player as fast as him since Kenny Lofton. Biggest thing we could use from him is his speed. Can't think of any other Astro who has his speed to steal bases.

I also heard a rumor that we were pursuing Peavy from the San Diego Padres. Is the Astros top priority resigning Pettitte/Clements, finding another starting pitcher, or improving the Astros' offense?

[DJ V Lawrence]

ESPN has just announced breaking news that Andy Pettitte has just signed with the New York Yankees

[hokieone]

This always turns into a "he said this, he said that" scenario, but if what pettite's agent said is true, the astros dropped the ball on this one. $14 mil for one year with andy is a deal in the current market - overpaid, but that's the going rate this year. way to go mclane and purpura, now its on to plan D.

[DJ V Lawrence]

This always turns into a "he said this, he said that" scenario, but if what pettite's agent said is true, the astros dropped the ball on this one. $14 mil for one year with andy is a deal in the current market - overpaid, but that's the going rate this year. way to go mclane and purpura, now its on to plan D.

I agree.

Also, if this news is true, expect a major trade by the Astros for another star pitcher...which means giving up valuable talent. What other free agent star pitchers are left on the market?

And when will the Astros start looking at Japan's star pitchers? That's where we really need to go.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4389076.html

Here's the Chronicle article. Listen to what Pettitte's agent said...

[hokieone]

As much as I think Purpura is incompetent, this is a McLane move. A classic one at that. Sticking to a $12 million offer when you know it takes $14 to get it done. Instead he cheap skates his way again and loses a bonefide top line pitcher and has a huge hole to fill now. Idiotic. Now Piece of Purpura has to go out and wheel and deal for an inferior pitcher that will cost as much, plus give up talent. Real smart McLane, real smart.

[DJ V Lawrence]

As much as I think Purpura is incompetent, this is a McLane move. A classic one at that. Sticking to a $12 million offer when you know it takes $14 to get it done. Instead he cheap skates his way again and loses a bonefide top line pitcher and has a huge hole to fill now. Idiotic. Now Piece of Purpura has to go out and wheel and deal for an inferior pitcher that will cost as much, plus give up talent. Real smart McLane, real smart.

I disagree. Purpura's to blame. I bet U if Hutsinger were still GM, Pettite would have signed with the 'Stros for $14 million. They seem to have a negotiation problem. All these big stars during the offseason say the same thing: Houston is an attractive place to play because of the fans, salary offers, and the stadium is hitter-friendly, but never seem to get it done when it comes to offering options and no-trade clauses. I'm sure McLane had no problem offering $14 Million for Petitte, especially knowing that the chances for resigning Clements was higher.

Purura's problem is that when there's a good deal accepted, he tries to make it an even better deal and get more out of it for the 'Stros, and as a result, the good deals pass him by.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Que sera, sera. I like Andy and am disappointed by the news, but it's also kind of exciting. Now it's time to suck it up, move on and see what to do next.

[hokieone]

I disagree. Purpura's to blame. I bet U if Hutsinger were still GM, Pettite would have signed with the 'Stros for $14 million. They seem to have a negotiation problem. All these big stars during the offseason say the same thing: Houston is an attractive place to play because of the fans, salary offers, and the stadium is hitter-friendly, but never seem to get it done when it comes to offering options and no-trade clauses. I'm sure McLane had no problem offering $14 Million for Petitte, especially knowing that the chances for resigning Clements was higher.

Purura's problem is that when there's a good deal accepted, he tries to make it an even better deal and get more out of it for the 'Stros, and as a result, the good deals pass him by.

what's your example of this, that purpura has blown big deals? first of all, the only major negotiations purpura has been involved with is carlos beltran and roger clemens last year. that's it - a few trade talks during last years deadline aside. the beltran situations was blown by everyone in power during that time. mclane has always been a meddler, which is why gerry h left in the first place. he never had the power in the end, it was always about having to get things past mclane. i am no purpura lover, he is a middle of the road GM at best - doesn't know how to orchestrate a trade. however, when it comes to signing a player for X amount of $'s, that's a McLane call.

All these big stars? Name another one who is lining up based on what you mention? Lee is here because we paid the $'s - the fact he owns a ranch nearby is secondary. We lost Jeff Kent because of $'s. Beltran played the Astros perfectly. And Pettite is gone because someone in the organization thought they could get him for 12 and not 14. I'm blame the Garland mess on Purpura - he just is useless on trades. Pettite is based on McLane. As much as I sometimes disagree with Richard Justice from the Chronicle, read his articles as a somewhat insider. These decisions where $2 MM is the separation comes down to the owner.

[DJ V Lawrence]

what's your example of this, that purpura has blown big deals?

My example is the lack of big deals. With the exception of resignings, since Purpura has been GM, we've signed four supposed big ones...Aubrey Huff (From Tampa Bay: now on free agency and waiting to be resigned), Preston Wilson (let go by the Astros and helped our arch-rival Cardinals win the World Series), and Carlos Lee/Woody Williams (we don't know how they'll do with the Astros yet so I won't judge). So prior to this offseason, he's made one good sign, and he may leave the Astros after his first season here?

If we had the same team we had last season, resigned all our free-agents, and only signed Lee and Williams, that alone could be a rotation offensive and defensively more powerful than any team in MLB. Obviously that won't happen now with Petitte leaving.

Here's the bright side though: All is not lost for Purpura this offseason. Clements, Jeff Suppan, Barry Zito, and Jeff Weaver are starting pitcher free-agents available without a trade. Signing any of them would show that Purpura and McClain are serious about wanting a strong pitching rotation. Also, decide the third base thing quick. I think Huff will be a solid offensive man in the coming years. Ensberg has shown promise and is a former All-Star. Whatever you do, if you decided to trade Ensberg, it better be for another All-Star caliber dude, and DON'T to it before signing Huff.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Are there certain days that the Astros make announcements about trades and such or do they just make them when they have news?

With Pettite gone and I consider Clemens gone anyway, especially now, I'm anxious to see what happens next.

[Firebird65]

Are there certain days that the Astros make announcements about trades and such or do they just make them when they have news?

With Pettite gone and I consider Clemens gone anyway, especially now, I'm anxious to see what happens next.

They make announcements whenever they have news.

Yes, I would consider Clemens gone, as well. Probably just as good for both Roger and the team. Our guys could never score for him anyway. 13-8 and 7-6 the last two years with the fantastic ERA he put up? That's got to be frustrating. If it was frustrating for me as a fan, imagine how hard it was for Roger.

I'll miss both Roger and Andy's heart - they brought us to the World Series just like they said they would. But their constant games - are they coming back or not - wears thin after awhile. That I won't miss.

[texastrill]

Could someone tell me why Clemens and Pettite consider Houston their hometown?I thought Clemens was born in Ohio,and Pettite in Louisiana.I heard Clemens lives in Katy,and Pettite in Deer Park.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Could someone tell me why Clemens and Pettite consider Houston their hometown?I thought Clemens was born in Ohio,and Pettite in Louisiana.I heard Clemens lives in Katy,and Pettite in Deer Park.

Clements lives in the Memorial area here in Houston. His restaurant's right down the street. He raised his kids here in Houston, too. Both him and Pettite probably call Houston home because, well it's home. If the Dallas Cowboys can call Dallas home while playing in the suburbs, then Andy Pettite can call Houston home while growing up in the Houston area (Deer Park).

[texastrill]

If the Dallas Cowboys can call Dallas home while playing in the suburbs, then Andy Pettite can call Houston home while growing up in the Houston area (Deer Park).

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Pumapayam]

Clements lives in the Memorial area here in Houston.

I bet he has a sweet garage sale.

With his age and the cost of keeping him on the rooster, I believe that he will not return, but he will still be an H.E.B. spokesperson I am sure.

Why David Carr was in one of those ads, I still wonder.

[brijonmang]

Wow an official Astros thread four months before the season begins...thats a new record. Is this because we are more excited about the upcoming season or more skeptical with all the latest news? Either way, by the time April rolls around I'm always ready for the Astros to start it up again.

[Firebird65]

Is this because we are more excited about the upcoming season or more skeptical with all the latest news?

Probably a little of both. Excited about Lee and glad we finally got Williams (who's wanted to play here for ages)... but wondering if Garner is going to grab someone out of the stands to pitch behind Oswalt.

[Mark F. Barnes]

With his age and the cost of keeping him on the rooster,

I thought Roger was a Steak and Potatoes kinda guy, in fact I thought I read where he's allergic to chicken!

[KimberlySayWhat]

Mark F. Barnes:

I thought Roger was a Steak and Potatoes kinda guy, in fact I thought I read where he's allergic to chicken!

LOL!!

So I heard the thing with the Garland guy is dead. Now what?

[hokieone]

well purpura pulls off a trade but gives up too much for a guy who has had one good season. jason jennings for taveras, hirsch, and bucholz. i didn't mind seeing any of those guys get traded, but for the right player (when it was garland, I was ok with it). I guess after pettite, purpura was desparate, and now we have a guy that has only 1 year left on his contract.

[DJ V Lawrence]

well purpura pulls off a trade but gives up too much for a guy who has had one good season. jason jennings for taveras, hirsch, and bucholz. i didn't mind seeing any of those guys get traded, but for the right player (when it was garland, I was ok with it). I guess after pettite, purpura was desparate, and now we have a guy that has only 1 year left on his contract.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4397260.html

Taveras alone was worth both Jennings and Miguel Ascencio.