The hobgoblin of small minds
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 21, 2008 7:13 PM CDT
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PrintHopefully, Draton McLane understands this by now. The amount of his spending isn't an issue. It's his priorities. He wants an immediate return, and it simply doesn't work that way.
So he'll throw $100 million at Carlos Lee, but veto the signing of a $900,000 draft pick to save money. Last summer, the Astros signed all but one of their high draft picks. If they made good decisions, they're on their way to replinishing the farm system.
But they have to stack one good class on top of another. This World Series a reminder of why it's important.
Richard Justice, four days ago:
Imagine a rotation anchored by Roy Oswalt and Jake Peavy for the next four years. They could be the cornerstone of a championship team, and that's why Ed Wade surely is exploring the possibility. I'm guessing Drayton McLane would approve such a deal in a heartbeat even if it meant bumping the payroll to the $100 million range.
Oswalt is signed for four more years at $18.5 million a year. Peavy is under contract for five more seasons at an average of $15.6 million.
Only three National League teams got fewer innings from their starters than the Astros in 2008. That number would change dramatically with a healthy Peavy.
The Astros are on the list of teams he'd accept a trade to, in part, because he and Oswalt and close friends.
Now about making that trade happen. That's the tough one. The Padres will want young talent, and the Astros have perhaps the worst farm system in baseball.
It comes down to what Padres GM Kevin Towers thinks of the talent at Corpus Christi. The Astros sent eight players to the Arizona Fall League, so the Padres could get a close look at some of the organization's best: OF Brian Bogusevic, 2B Drew Sutton, 1B Mark Ori, 3B Chris Johnson, LHP Chris Blazek and RHPs Bud Norris, Sergio Perez and Brad James.
Minor league player evaluations are subjective, so it's impossible to know what chance Ed Wade has of making the deal happen.
Some of you will argue that the Astros shouldn't gut the farm system for a veteran. I say go for it.
* * *
Fans don't buy into two- or three-year plans. Owners don't buy in either. Look at the Marlins and Twins. Both got rid of big-money talent and kept winning. Peavy represents a chance to win, and with revenues approaching $200 million, the Astros have the money to take on another big contract.
So, yeah...you two let me know when you decide which way to go...
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Uh...
Fans don’t buy into two- or three-year plans. Owners don’t buy in either.
Isn’t this what we’re doing?
of fish and barrels
That was too easy. Funny, though!
"You’re the only here who contributes schtick only." - brettgardner
"The organization's best"
Holy crap does that list of names suck. What “system” is there left to gut?
Pence and Wandy would definitely be involved.
If the Braves are seriously in this thing, I don’t think the Astros have much of a chance. Especially if the package involving Escobar and Hanson is true.
Amen
The stros system is a joke. If San Diego were willing to take an offer that didn’t involve Pence and Wandy Houston would be dumb to not jump all over it. A package of Paulino, Norris, Einerston, Bogusevic and Castro as a PTBNL is about the best they could do and I don’t think that is near enough to get it done.
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
Castro
For Castro to be a PTBNL the deal would have to wait until after the new year. That gives alot of time to other teams to step in and top the offer. The Astros have about a 2% chance of landing Peavy
Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.
Castro
You can’t trade a draft pick until a full year has elapsed since their signing. That rules out any deal this offseason.
My post was sarcastic in nature.
The deal could be completed now but Castro obviously couldn’t be sent until a year after he signed his first contract. I was more throwing that out there as a best case prospect package that Houston could even conceivably offer.
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
Only way the Astros get Peavy
is a Peavy for a PTBNL and then send Peavy right back. And even then I’m asking for Pence if I’m SD.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
Richard Justice is an idiot
Drayton McLane is an idiot too.
There’s no way on earth we get Peavy.
If Drayton wants the Astros to be successful, he’s going to have to shell out another $20-30 million at the big league level and at least another $10 million for prospects — otherwise our franchise will go the way of yours.
The Crawfishboxes
A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
That's not very nice.
But whos got the silver boot? Burn
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
I would say that the Rangers will make the World Series
before the Astros make it again, but I forgot the Astros play in the NL……
Probably
The Crawfishboxes
A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
by Stephen Higdon on Oct 21, 2008 10:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Heh.
Except we’re set up for a nice long run of success and y’all are a joke below Berkman and Oswalt.
But nice try at a burn.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Oct 21, 2008 10:13 PM CDT up reply actions
It wasn't intended as a burn
It was me just stating that we’re making the same mistakes you guys did for awhile. I agree, you’re set up for a nice little run for many years to come.
The Crawfishboxes
A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
by Stephen Higdon on Oct 21, 2008 10:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Gotcha.
I understand.
Sorry for the counter burn.
My first instinct when encountering an Astros fan is to assume mutual hatred and immediately respond with a burn ;)
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Oct 22, 2008 1:17 AM CDT up reply actions
Mutual hatred
is reserved for GABE GROSS.
Meaning of life? The aggregate collection of moments that you allow to enter into your consciousness, imo, fwiw, etc. (etc.)
by inactive lsb user on Oct 22, 2008 9:22 AM CDT up reply actions
I hope your right about the nice run of success.
If we can keep JD from trading away the better prospects for magical beans.
"Oh well, McCain is pretty communist anyway,... we can be 70% communist with McCain,"-Sharky
If you were to name the Triumvirate of bad sportswriters...
I think it’s Plashcke flanked by the two Richards, Justice and Griffin. Everything they write is complete bile.
plashcke isnt that bad
better than randy galloway.
heh on second thought thats not saying very much
"I don’t know of a single thing Obama’s done except talk and write." - Newt Gingrich
"I'm more happy to be a Dallas Cowboy than when I got my first bike" - Roy Williams (WR)
by knockoutking on Oct 22, 2008 7:52 AM CDT up reply actions
No list would be complete without the Fraleymeister
And, of course, Stephen “fairly unique yet a dime a dozen” Smith.
Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither.
by Brian Thomas on Oct 22, 2008 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions
It's like they summed up my entire world view in one photo.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
by thedirkatron on Oct 22, 2008 1:18 AM CDT up reply actions
Dickie Justice
is the biggest flip-flopper of opinions that I have ever seen; Adam should know since he lives in Houston. I take everything he says with a grain of salt, and so should everyone else (this is coming from a diehard Astros and Texans fan, btw, though I still enjoy the Rangers as I live in Dallas). Hope this helps.
Oh, it helped.
Meaning of life? The aggregate collection of moments that you allow to enter into your consciousness, imo, fwiw, etc. (etc.)
by inactive lsb user on Oct 21, 2008 10:36 PM CDT up reply actions
I buzzed...
the hell out of this entry.
by ghostofErikThompson on Oct 21, 2008 10:23 PM CDT reply actions
We need a sports power roundtable
…of Sports Justice, Galloway, Greggo, and Grubes.
by Joey Matschulat on Oct 21, 2008 11:35 PM CDT reply actions
Amusing
Houston had ONE player above short-season ball ranked in BA’s league prospect rankings: 3B Chris Johnson, ranked 20th in the Texas League. (Not a precise comparison, but imagine if Jose Vallejo was Texas’s best prospect — pitcher or hitter — above Spokane.) If no quality MLB players are involved, there is no package Houston could put together to land Peavy, unless the Pads want to roll the dice on some much younger players. Why would they?
Justice named all eight of Houston’s AFL contingent as part of “the organization’s best.”. Guess what? They’ll all be 24 or older by next spring.
What the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh, it's got to be about job creation, too. Shoring up our economy, and getting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade. -- Sarah Palin
Heh
I was thinking the same thing.
Meaning of life? The aggregate collection of moments that you allow to enter into your consciousness, imo, fwiw, etc. (etc.)
by inactive lsb user on Oct 22, 2008 9:23 AM CDT up reply actions
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