Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com.
Until further notice, Zipper Flap will be at half-mast due to the Carl Everett/Adam Everett trade. We here at the Flap hope this in no way had anything to do with C4 being named Zipper Flap Astro of the Year. Just to make sure, however, the Astro of the Year for 2000 is none other than Chris Holt!!!
Dwight Gooden, although much has changed since 1984, the name conjures up certain memories. For instance, he’ll always be the skinny 19-year-old satin-jacket-wearing punk with the Jeri-curl and gold chains. To be honest I have very mixed emotions about the signing.
On the pro-side: Doc already has a nickname, so they’ll be no need for speculation on the TalkZone about what it should be. Doc is coming on the cheap and as a non-roster invitee invokes virtually zero in the risk arena. Doc has actually won a playoff game before, which makes him somewhat of a rarity among the Astros staff. And if he makes the team, he’ll help the local economy, which, frankly, is ebbing with the hit the strip clubs are feeling with Charles Barkley’s retirement.
On the con side: He played for the Mets. In 1986. He played for the freakin’ Yankees after that, for chrissakes. More tangibly, his fastball was one of the few things that wasn’t “Y2Heywasn’tthissupposedtobeacrisis?” compliant. Heck, it wasn’t even 1997 compliant. If his curveball was still working, likely he’d be in Cleveland, rather than Houston. He does have a spotty past both on the field and off. Milo will most surely try to call him “Goody” at least once.
The unfortunate reality of the situation is that Dwight Gooden is both financially and situationally what the Astros can afford right now. Financially, it’s been well reported and much lamented how the Astros have suddenly reduced their payroll by nearly 10 million for the 2000 season. While we here at the Flap understand many of the realities of the Mike Hampton deal, we’re still not sure why Carl “The Truth” Everett had to be dealt if there was a taker for Derek “The Falsity” Bell. And with the Moises Alou rumors swirling, it sure seems at least one team he’d want to go to would want him. With Jose Lima’s extension, and Jeff Bagwell’s new 5-7 year deal (at about 12-13 per, it’ll happen kiddos – neither side wants to be without the other) looming, money was and is being earmarked for that.
Situationally, because Wade Miller and Wilfredo Rodriguez (among others) should be very close by 2001 (and surely by 2002) to making large contributions to the big club, the Astros have to be none-too-keen on signing any of the large steaming pile of crap that was sitting out there this off-season wanting more than 7 million per for at least 3 years. Would anyone besides the pitchers themselves be happy with Steve Traschel, Aaron Sele, Chuck Finley, Andy Benes, Darryl Kile or Pat Hentgen suiting up in the Astros’ Millennium “Bloody Scab” specials??? How much more happy would you be in 2001 or 2002 when the same scrap heap of a pitcher was earning his money and keeping Miller or Rodriguez off the roster?
Sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward. It’s not rebuilding. Rebuilding teams do not resign Craig Biggio or Lima. They don’t opening talk about making a 31 year old first baseman’s $13 million per year contract the next priority. But the Astros are reloading. They do believe that Daryle Ward, Lance Berkman, Mitch Meluskey, Richard Hidalgo, Adam Everett, Roger Cedeno, Scott Elarton, Billy Wagner, Octavio Dotel and Lima, not to mention the ass-load of promising arms scheduled to be in Kissimmee and Round Rock this year, are going to be top caliber players for the next decade.
Doc Gooden is a symptom of the growing pains. He’s the K-mart brand shoes that your parents buy you when you’re 10 because why buy Nikes when you’ll outgrow them by next week – we’re trying to squeeze about 2 months of solid (not spectacular) “magic” out of his arm. If it works, great. If not, no harm no foul. It costs us nothing, and in the grand scheme, can only help the team.
Looking To The Future
Realistically, the odds are poor that every player is going to work out, but it’s very comforting to this long-suffering fan that the Astros organization is moving into a more certain financial footing, in a stadium so shiny-new and state-of-the-art you might want to wear shades, and most importantly into the future with confidence in nearly every position on the field.
In a totally pie-in-the-sky sort of way, the Stros are set at catcher (Meluskey, Paul Bako), first, (Bagwell, Ward), short (Everett), left (Berkman) center (Cedeno) and right (Hidalgo). The rotation and bullpen could soon feature the names Eric Ireland, Rodriquez, W. Miller, Tony McKnight and Mike Nannini to go along with Jose Cabrera, Wagner, Elarton, Dotel and Lima.
A little creative work at third (Alou to the Yankees for Soriano???) and some developments behind Biggio, and this is could very well be one of the best times to be an Astros die hard.
Astro of the Holiday Season: I absolutely love this guy, and I’m not afraid to let anyone know, but I am
abso-freakin-lutely psyched that Jose Lima was given an extension. He works hard, he’s a total nut-job and he (however naive I’m being) loves being an Astro. The guy rocks, and this Shiner is for you. May La Fuga play at least 22 times in the clubhouse this year!!!
DisAstro of the Offseason: Does anyone else get the feeling that you?d have to try to break your spine falling off a 2-foot high deer stand. Like you have to attempt it multiple times before a fracture would actually occur??? Here’s hoping that someone explained gravity to you while you were laid up, but so far, Ken Caminiti, you are the Trojan-enz Boner of the Offseason ERRR…Zipper Flap DisAstro of the off season. Here’s hoping that you got those School-House Rock videos for Christmas.