Rosenthal to Ringolsby to Justice

[pravata]

After Pinwheel picked up the daisy chain and "officially" announced his Opening Day lineup (version 1.0) as a Lamb/Loretta platoon, fanning the imminent Ensberg to be traded rumor, I nudged Chip Bailey for a source. (Useless to ask Pinwheel, Polly Prissy Pants is his go to source)  Here's Bailey's response in his blog at the Chron,

"I've dug a little deeper and I've been told that the Ensberg rumors are based on an effort to deal Ensberg or to gauge his trade value in November.  While the Astros may not be actively shopping him now, they are willing to listen." The Link

Fresh as a ham sandwich in a vending machine

[Fredia]

but at this point is any other mlb team going to activally seek moberg..one hilight or lowlight of the at bats he had last year might tend to discourage. of course if he is traded or goes to another team he will probably bat 400 as per standard of former astros

[pravata]

Quote:
but at this point is any other mlb team going to activally seek moberg..one hilight or lowlight of the at bats he had last year might tend to discourage. of course if he is traded or goes to another team he will probably bat 400 as per standard of former astros

At this point? No. If the Astros couldnt find an interested partner when they had Huff as an option, are they going to take more of a chance on Loretta/Lamb?  After Purpura made his decision to let Huff go, he obviously decided, Ensberg at third.  By most accounts, the most complicated decision of the off season.   The good fortune of landing Mark Loretta is going to change his mind?

[Taras Bulba]

Quote:
After Pinwheel picked up the daisy chain and "officially" announced his Opening Day lineup (version 1.0) as a Lamb/Loretta platoon, fanning the imminent Ensberg to be traded rumor, I nudged Chip Bailey for a source. (Useless to ask Pinwheel, Polly Prissy Pants is his go to source)  Here's Bailey's response in his blog at the Chron,

"I've dug a little deeper and I've been told that the Ensberg rumors are based on an effort to deal Ensberg or to gauge his trade value in November.  While the Astros may not be actively shopping him now, they are willing to listen." The Link

Fresh as a ham sandwich in a vending machine

Well done, pravata.  Justice hasn't been wearing clothes for some time now, but you've now outed him as having a tiny pee-pee.

[homer]

Quote:

Quote:
but at this point is any other mlb team going to activally seek moberg..one hilight or lowlight of the at bats he had last year might tend to discourage. of course if he is traded or goes to another team he will probably bat 400 as per standard of former astros

At this point? No. If the Astros couldnt find an interested partner when they had Huff as an option, are they going to take more of a chance on Loretta/Lamb?  After Purpura made his decision to let Huff go, he obviously decided, Ensberg at third.  By most accounts, the most complicated decision of the off season.   The good fortune of landing Mark Loretta is going to change his mind?

Purpura didn't expect to land Loretta, so it couldn't figure into his decision making on 3rd. Now, he has Loretta unexpectedly. That would seem to allow him new and different options that weren't available so it seems to give the possibility of changing his mind...

[pravata]

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:
but at this point is any other mlb team going to activally seek moberg..one hilight or lowlight of the at bats he had last year might tend to discourage. of course if he is traded or goes to another team he will probably bat 400 as per standard of former astros

At this point? No. If the Astros couldnt find an interested partner when they had Huff as an option, are they going to take more of a chance on Loretta/Lamb?  After Purpura made his decision to let Huff go, he obviously decided, Ensberg at third.  By most accounts, the most complicated decision of the off season.   The good fortune of landing Mark Loretta is going to change his mind?

Purpura didn't expect to land Loretta, so it couldn't figure into his decision making on 3rd. Now, he has Loretta unexpectedly. That would seem to allow him new and different options that weren't available so it seems to give the possibility of changing his mind...

But, don't you think he gave this considerable thought?  The chance acquisition of Loretta, who, to use Purpura's framing, does not have the resume of a major league 3b, is going to discount all of that careful consideration?  If he chose Ensberg over Huff/Lamb, he's going to go with Ensberg over Loretta/Lamb, to start the season at least.

[Arky Vaughan]

Quote:
Purpura didn't expect to land Loretta, so it couldn't figure into his decision making on 3rd. Now, he has Loretta unexpectedly. That would seem to allow him new and different options that weren't available so it seems to give the possibility of changing his mind...

The good fortune is that Loretta makes a great super-utility man. You screw that up if you put Lamb and Loretta into a platoon. I think both these players are best used in spot starts and off the bench. Using them to replace Ensberg is an "In case of emergency, break glass" scenario.

[homer]

Quote:

Quote:
Purpura didn't expect to land Loretta, so it couldn't figure into his decision making on 3rd. Now, he has Loretta unexpectedly. That would seem to allow him new and different options that weren't available so it seems to give the possibility of changing his mind...

The good fortune is that Loretta makes a great super-utility man. You screw that up if you put Lamb and Loretta into a platoon. I think both these players are best used in spot starts and off the bench. Using them to replace Ensberg is an "In case of emergency, break glass" scenario.

The question was 'why would he change his mind now'? I was just presenting logic that supports why he would. I am not advocating that he should.

I think Ensberg is the best option at 3rd and I hope he returns to his 2005 self and hits 40 homeruns.

[jaklewein]

Quote:

Quote:
Purpura didn't expect to land Loretta, so it couldn't figure into his decision making on 3rd. Now, he has Loretta unexpectedly. That would seem to allow him new and different options that weren't available so it seems to give the possibility of changing his mind...

The good fortune is that Loretta makes a great super-utility man. You screw that up if you put Lamb and Loretta into a platoon. I think both these players are best used in spot starts and off the bench. Using them to replace Ensberg is an "In case of emergency, break glass" scenario.

I couldn't agree with you more.  In fact, the signing of Loretta actually solidifies the idea in my mind of starting the season with Ensberg at 3rd base.  Regardless of Ensberg's past, the "upside card" can certainly still be played when discussing how he might play in '07.  With Loretta on board...you've got a pretty good insurance policy for Morgan, and it won't come at the expense of the bench with Lamb either (at least not in general terms).

[pravata]

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:
Purpura didn't expect to land Loretta, so it couldn't figure into his decision making on 3rd. Now, he has Loretta unexpectedly. That would seem to allow him new and different options that weren't available so it seems to give the possibility of changing his mind...

The good fortune is that Loretta makes a great super-utility man. You screw that up if you put Lamb and Loretta into a platoon. I think both these players are best used in spot starts and off the bench. Using them to replace Ensberg is an "In case of emergency, break glass" scenario.

The question was 'why would he change his mind now'? I was just presenting logic that supports why he would. I am not advocating that he should.

I think Ensberg is the best option at 3rd and I hope he returns to his 2005 self and hits 40 homeruns.

Especially when Purpura makes public statements like this, "..when you look at third base as a power position, which we certainly do...." Loretta doesn't sound like that guy.  Lamb, yes.

[Foghorn]

Loretta at 3B means more of Biggio at 2B.  I want to see Biggio play about 100-110 games at 2B this season.  Loretta's roles on the team needs to be (in order):

(1)  part time 2B
(2)  RH pinch hitter
(3)  3B/1B/SS sub as needed (though in all cases he isn't the primary sub at those positions--Lamb is the main sub at 1B and 3B and Bruntlett at SS)


I'd love to see Ensberg adopt a bit of the Moises Alou, swing at the first pitch mentality.  Especially early in the season since I have to believe the "book" on him is that he want to try to work the count and is a bit passive in the early part of the at-bat.  He'll get a lot of first pitch fastballs, and he needs to start crushing them.

[TheWizard]

Quote:
Loretta at 3B means more of Biggio at 2B.  I want to see Biggio play about 100-110 games at 2B this season.  Loretta's roles on the team needs to be (in order):

(1)  part time 2B
(2)  RH pinch hitter
(3)  3B/1B/SS sub as needed (though in all cases he isn't the primary sub at those positions--Lamb is the main sub at 1B and 3B and Bruntlett at SS)


I'd love to see Ensberg adopt a bit of the Moises Alou, swing at the first pitch mentality.  Especially early in the season since I have to believe the "book" on him is that he want to try to work the count and is a bit passive in the early part of the at-bat.  He'll get a lot of first pitch fastballs, and he needs to start crushing them.

Right on, Ensberg is definately a guy that could benefit from swinging earlier in the count.

I also hope that he regains his previous form and shows some power.  We need him to be a run producer, and we all know how much he likes to work the count to stay in his comfort zone.  Loretta is a nice pickup.. a very nice bat off the bench who'd I'd like to see get several starts at 2B, but like others have touched on, 3B is a power position.  Ensberg should be given a few weeks to demonstrate whether he is going to step up his game or not, then, they should consider using this Lamb/Loretta platoon.  Lamb is a great guy off the bench, but I wouldn't like the idea of him starting that much.