2006-2007 Astros Off-Season Thread

[Astros33Resurrected]

Didn't see one of these.

[Astros33Resurrected]

Biggio Re-Ups for 1yr $5.15mill

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp...=.jsp&c_id=hou

[Astros33Resurrected]

Dave Wallace announced as new pitching coach.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp...=.jsp&c_id=hou

[Astros33Resurrected]

Stros going strong after Lee and Soriano


Free Agent Offers

[nate7891]

their not getting Soriano for sure and Im actually starting to doubt them getting Lee

[Astros33Resurrected]

yea soriano is gone and looks like we won't land Lee. Maybe JD Drew perhaps??

[Aordolin]

They have already said their not interested in Drew. Plus he is a Boras client and the astros management just isnt going to deal with that scumbag ever agian. I still think they will end up getting Lee unless someone insane (like the Orioles) just throw crazy money at him.

[darkenigma510]

A colleague in Houston mentioned that Pettite might retire....any word on that?

[Astros33Resurrected]

Originally Posted by darkenigma510

A colleague in Houston mentioned that Pettite might retire....any word on that?

I heard on the radio that he is considering it.Its still up in the air. Hopefully he comes back.

[Aordolin]

Astros sign Carlos Lee 6 yr 100mil according to ESPN. Overpaid IMO but the Srtos needed something in the middle of that lineup besides Berkman.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2674398

I expect Woody Williams will be signed soon. I dont think Pettitte is retiring and I fully expect he will be back with Houston in 07.

[Aordolin]

Woody Williams signed sooner than I thought, 2 years 12 million club option for 3rd year.

[Astros33Resurrected]

Originally Posted by Aordolin

Woody Williams signed sooner than I thought, 2 years 12 million club option for 3rd year.

Nice deal. This means one out of Pettite and Clemens won't be back for sure.

[DanIver]

Originally Posted by Astros33Resurrected

Nice deal. This means one out of Pettite and Clemens won't be back for sure.

Woody can't be the #4 starter?

[Astros33Resurrected]

Originally Posted by DanIver

Woody can't be the #4 starter?

Doubtful. With the money spent on Lee and Williams, there isn't much left for anything else.

[Aordolin]

I disagree. If Pettitte and Clemens arent back with the Astros in 07 it will not be because of the payroll. Astros payroll is in the low 80s without them. I am pretty sure it will be in the 100-110 range this year. Unless Pettitte is asking for an absurd about of money I think he will be back. I think if Clemens pitches for anyone he will be back in Houston. I do think the Astros need to force them to make up their minds one way or the other. Especially with Pettitte. Williams is not a #2 starter and they need a decision and not this i dont know crap hes been pulling this offseason. I think if they dont get a decision by mid decemeber they will just try to make a trade or go after another pitcher. Looks like Schmidt is going to get insane money so that rules him out. And if Schmidt is getting that you know Zito is going to get alot more. Though the chances of the Astros even talking to Scott Boras about Zito are slim and none.

My dream for the rest of the offseason would be for them to get Benji Molina for the catching spot and resign pettitte. If Clemens decides he wants to pitch in May or June agian like last year thats just bonus.

[Astros33Resurrected]

Originally Posted by Aordolin

I disagree. If Pettitte and Clemens arent back with the Astros in 07 it will not be because of the payroll. Astros payroll is in the low 80s without them. I am pretty sure it will be in the 100-110 range this year. Unless Pettitte is asking for an absurd about of money I think he will be back. I think if Clemens pitches for anyone he will be back in Houston. I do think the Astros need to force them to make up their minds one way or the other. Especially with Pettitte. Williams is not a #2 starter and they need a decision and not this i dont know crap hes been pulling this offseason. I think if they dont get a decision by mid decemeber they will just try to make a trade or go after another pitcher. Looks like Schmidt is going to get insane money so that rules him out. And if Schmidt is getting that you know Zito is going to get alot more. Though the chances of the Astros even talking to Scott Boras about Zito are slim and none.

My dream for the rest of the offseason would be for them to get Benji Molina for the catching spot and resign pettitte. If Clemens decides he wants to pitch in May or June agian like last year thats just bonus.

I like Ausmus more than molina.

[Aordolin]

Molina can hit though. .284/19/57 last year, hes been a gold glove catcher.

Ausmus .230/2/39 won a gold glove but that has to be on reputation. he is no where near being one of the best catchers in the league defensively anymore.

The problem is the Astros just cant continue getting a zero from the bottom of the lineup anymore and they need more proven hitters. Someone has to go either Everett or Ausmus, or possibly Tavaras if a better bat can be found for CF. Like a Carl Crawford. but i just dont see the devil rays trading him or the astros having or willing to give up what they would ask for. Ausmus is old and Molina is a better replacement option than any of the available players for CF or SS.

[Terpripken]

Originally Posted by Aordolin

Molina can hit though. .284/19/57 last year, hes been a gold glove catcher.

Ausmus .230/2/39 won a gold glove but that has to be on reputation. he is no where near being one of the best catchers in the league defensively anymore.

The problem is the Astros just cant continue getting a zero from the bottom of the lineup anymore and they need more proven hitters. Someone has to go either Everett or Ausmus, or possibly Tavaras if a better bat can be found for CF. Like a Carl Crawford. but i just dont see the devil rays trading him or the astros having or willing to give up what they would ask for. Ausmus is old and Molina is a better replacement option than any of the available players for CF or SS.

Carl Crawford would require half the astros team!

[Astros33Resurrected]

I'm gonna be old school for a sec....

Ausmus does call a great game and handles pitchers very well. It's a fact. That is something important IMO.

[Aordolin]

Originally Posted by Astros33Resurrected

I'm gonna be old school for a sec....

Ausmus does call a great game and handles pitchers very well. It's a fact. That is something important IMO.

I like ausmus. I am just saying that they need to upgrade one of those positions and catcher makes the most sense. Because Ausmus' skills are clearly declining. I think the whole calls a great game is overrated though. Thats just an excuse used when you cant say anything else positive about a player. Lets look at what the Astros possibly have as a rotation in 07:

Oswalt
Pettitte
Clemens
Williams
Hirsch

How much handling do the top 4 need? I would say almost none. Those guys know how to pitch already and I doubt recieve that much benifet from having Ausmus as a battery mate. Now lets say Clemens and Petitte arent back and you have a bunch of young guys in the rotation then maybe I can see your point. But even if they did get Molina you still have Ausmus. Molina only played 110 games last year so Ausmus still has plenty of playing time IMO.

Agian I dont think their lineup even with the addition of Lee is strong enough to suffer Ausmus' bat. Even more so if we dont get Clemens and Pettitte back. If we had 7 legitimate major league bats in the lineup and Ausmus was batting 8th it would be different. Lets look at the probably lineup:

Tavaras CF .278 .329 OBP .340 SLG 34 BB (Thats not good for a leadoff)
Biggio 2B .246 .306 OBP .422 SLG (batted like .130 on the road)
Berkman 1B .315 .420 OBP .621 SLG
Lee LF .300 .355 OBP .540 SLG
Ensberg 3B .235 .396 OBP .463 SLG (He should be better this year)
Scott RF .336 .426 OBP .621 SLG (2 months action - is he this good?)
Ausmus C .230 .308 OBP .285 SLG (Petitte had a higher SLG than him)
Everett SS .239 .290 OBP .352 SLG

Half their lineup hit under .250 last year. Besides Berkman and Lee I would wager that none of their other starters would start for any other team with World Series aspirations. And that is what the Astros have isnt it? Burke will probably end up replacing Biggio at 2B or even Tavaras at CF at some point this year. So I guess that could be considered an upgrade. If Luke Scott plays like he did last year and Ensberg plays like he did in 05 then this doesnt look so bad but I dot think they can afford to take that chance.

I like Tavaras improvement on defense but he should really be batting 7th or 8th in the lineup. He doesnt have the OBP to be a leadoff hitter. Though he might get better.

Everett does one thing really well. Play defense and I think he is the best defensive shortstop in the game. Because of that I am willing to suffer his poor bat. Though unlike Tavaras and Ausmus he does have some pop. He is also still fairly young.

Ausmus is 38. Slow with no power. Even if he is on a roll hitting he is only hitting singles (usually with nobody on base because nobody else gets on either). His arm strength is not what it used to be so he gets stolen on pretty regularly. He does still field the position well (saves Lidge alot of WP on his sliders).