It’s with a great amount of amusement that I’ve been monitoring the meltdowns in the TalkZone and other boards since the Astros played their way out of the postseason over the weekend, much to the glee talking heads and politicians across the land…heck, Hillary Clinton might dust off her Cubs hat again. For the second consecutive playoff-less season in a row, much handwringing and consternation has occurred in response to the plight of the Houston nine. This, of course, is completely different than the handwringing and consternation that happens when the Astros make the playoffs and different still from the handwringing and consternation that occurs five days later when the the NLDS is over.
Since I grandfathered over here to OWA with a vanity column, I figured I’d throw in my two cents on some of the topics flying about all willy-nilly. I’ve seen Bull Durham more than 80 times sober, so I’m trying to keep in mind a couple of things that a lot of “fans” seem to have forgot: a) Between candlesticks, cursed gloves and beheaded chickens, “We’re dealing with a lot of shit here,” or at least your friendly neighborhood baseball team is. Most of us either conveinently ignore or are woefully ignorant of all the reasons for the decisions made about and around a baseball team, much less the Astros…even the Popes, and b) the vast majority of baseball seasons, for every team at every level end in disappointment. It’s one of the universal truths of the game that it’s easy to forget when your team is dropping 2 of 4 to the Brewers.
Having said all of that, a few thoughts…
Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell – Neither of them are going anywhere, so get over it. Forget tilting, you can full on dry-hump windmills until your foreskin looks like Mark McGwire’s face, and it’s not going to change that. Whatever your opinion, these guys are the face of the Astros. They both had good, not great, seasons in 2003. Both are 10/5 players. And both are headed towards lofty atmosphere in baseball history, no matter what stats you pull out to the contrary.
Most of the fans and followers bitching about Biggio and Bagwell today were also bitching a couple of years ago about how horrible the Astros are because Drayton will never resign them. Selective memory is a funny thing.
So while, you may really believe that Craig Biggio is a huge liability in center and single handedly cost the Astros 60 games this season, or that Jeff Bagwell’s shoulder is responsible for the economy, they’ll both be Astros until 2005 and 2007, respectively.
Billy Wagner – “The Kid” is about as sharp as something not-at-all sharp but mentioned for a comedic contrast…let’s say Play-doh. It is painfully obvious to me that his rants about the evils of capitalism and his right to choose happen usually within 5 days of him blowing some game. So Drayton McLane and the fans in Houston are all Nazis because Wagner grooved a fastball to Pete Happy, and generally pitched assholishly to the Giants in a crucial series.
I’m sure it’s the guilt he feels from collecting a million dollars for pitching 10 innings. And now about that bridge.
Wagner does have a pretty good point, albeit not the one he intended to make. The Astros may be one player away from the playoffs again, but with Brad Lidge and Octavio Dotel on the roster, Wagner is a luxury. The “one player” Houston is missing obviously isn’t Billy, but his exit will probably allow us to afford him.
How he could hope to be comfortable in Houston now that he’s pissed off Milo Hamilton is inconceivable anyhow.
Drayton McLane and His Budget – While I hate this topic with a passion, the budget is what it is. Payroll is going to be in the range of $68-73 million. Sure, it’s as artifical as the entire menu of your local McDonald’s, but that’s not really the point.
The point is the team has stayed in Houston and has stayed competitive. While I don’t want to be a Unca Draytie apologist, when the opportunity has presented itself, the Astros have acquired talent with the idea of winning big. Jeff Kent, Moises Alou, Ken Caminiti, Randy Johnson and Pedro Astacio seem to be forgotten when the bitching about payroll starts.
Morgan Ensberg, Geoff Blum (and Jason Lane) – I like to see both sides of an argument from time to time. While I can understand the need to see Ensberg play more (read: everyday, no matter what) I can also understand the need to break up the anti-trust violation-level of right handed hitters in the lineup as well as have some power on the bench every now and again. And that was fine in 2003.
Next season, Ensberg will play everyday. Partly because he’s earned it, partly because Blum can play other positions, namely the Jose Vizciano positions, and partly because Jason Lane provides a right handed power threat off the bench.
Free Agents – You might as well Free Willy, because it’ll take the mother of all hometown discounts to get the “obvious” improvement-type players in Houston. Vlad Guerrero, Carlos Beltran, Pudge Rodriguez, and Kevin Millwood would all look great in the Mud ‘n Blood. But none of that is going to happen.
Trading 15-Game Winner Jeriome Robertson and/or Billy Wagner and Chris Burke could net us a solid to spectacular starting pitcher, and is likely the tact that the Astros will take.
The Future – So by no means is the future all doom and gloom for Houston. The future is bright, if uncertain. I think Lance Berkman, Bagwell, Kent, Ensberg, Adam Everett, Roy Oswalt, Tim Redding, (yes Redding, although I haven’t seen so many flagellations directed towards a public figure since Bill Clinton was relieving himself on the latest Gap fashions) Brad Lidge and Octavio Dotel are as solid a group as you’re going to find in baseball.
Gerry Hunsicker has his work cut out for him, and the measure of his success is going to be how/if he acquires a veteran starting pitcher, comes up with a workable solution at catcher (I still think Ausmus gets resigned) and probably more importantly for Jimy-Ball the necessary bench help to contribute to wins over the long haul.
And no matter what, Astros fans be here to witness it all, and to bitch about all the things that are going wrong, like who the 12 man in the bullpen is and how expensive beer is at Minute Maid. Also no matter what, OWA will be here to chronicle our vanity and your reactions to all the lunacy.
And begrudging congrats to the Cubs for outlasting the Houston nine. Try not to get rolled too quickly.