Burke's first RR at bat

[JaneDoe]

Single up the middle.  I hope he excels.

[Limey]

Single up the middle.  I hope he excels.

If he's a bona fide major leaguer, like he claims, he will.  If he doesn't...

[Lefty]

If he's a bona fide major leaguer, like he claims, he will.  If he doesn't...

Go down there & kick ass & you'll be back in the majors soon, for somebody.

[Alkie]

I'm not aiming this at anyone in particular, and certainly not JaneDoe, but who gives a shit about Chris Burke?  This guy isn't the future of anything at any position.  If Biggio was retired, we'd all be sitting around bitching about how Burke is the most useless fucking player on the team and should be traded/cut/shot/whatever.

He's a way below average baseball player.  Always has been.  No reason to believe otherwise. 

Let him go.  This guy is never going to be more than average-at-best.  Move along.

Every other GM has figured this out.  If that wasn't the case, Burke would be playing 2B for someone else right now.

[Jacksonian]

Every other GM has figured this out.  If that wasn't the case, Burke would be playing 2B for someone else right now.

How do you know?  Burke didn't have to pass through waivers to be sent down.  For all any of us know Purp asked for way more than Burke's worth if he did indeed look for a trading partner.  Purp was/is under no obligation or pressure to just get rid of Burke.

My current interest in Burke is on what he might fetch in or as part of a trade.  Hence my interest in him being in left rather than center or second.  I'm beginning to think his Astros career is over.  So, I won't be moving along.  But, I won't be posting anything I don't believe is relevant just to post about him.

[Mr. Happy]

How do you know?  Burke didn't have to pass through waivers to be sent down.  For all any of us know Purp asked for way more than Burke's worth if he did indeed look for a trading partner.  Purp was/is under no obligation or pressure to just get rid of Burke.

My current interest in Burke is on what he might fetch in or as part of a trade.  Hence my interest in him being in left rather than center or second.  I'm beginning to think his Astros career is over.  So, I won't be moving along.  But, I won't be posting anything I don't believe is relevant just to post about him.

I agree with Alkie. IMO, Burke is of very limited value. Loretta should be the 2B in 2008 and for the remainder of 2007 once Biggio gets this personal record that is driving the lineup decisions behind him. Loretta is hands-down a better ballplayer at this point. I believe that if Burke had any real trading value, he'd already be gone. The Astros gave him a shot at CF, which is more than they did for either of Biggio's past heirs-apparent, Ginter and Johnson, neither of whom were good enough to displace even a declining Biggio (his decline has lasted for several years now). Burke sucked in CF. If Burke was a phenom, they'd have figured out a way a few years ago to move Biggio before the march to 3,000 took on two-eyed focus. But Burke has never been a phenom, and he never will be. If you can get anything for him, then go for it.

[homer]

If you can get anything for him, then go for it.

This is retarded. As Jacksonian pointed out, Purpura is not under any pressure to trade him. Lets hope he actually makes a trade worth a shit.

[Andyzipp]

I agree with Alkie. IMO, Burke is of very limited value. Loretta should be the 2B in 2008 and for the remainder of 2007 once Biggio gets this personal record that is driving the lineup decisions behind him. Loretta is hands-down a better ballplayer at this point. I believe that if Burke had any real trading value, he'd already be gone. The Astros gave him a shot at CF, which is more than they did for either of Biggio's past heirs-apparent, Ginter and Johnson, neither of whom were good enough to displace even a declining Biggio (his decline has lasted for several years now). Burke sucked in CF. If Burke was a phenom, they'd have figured out a way a few years ago to move Biggio before the march to 3,000 took on two-eyed focus. But Burke has never been a phenom, and he never will be. If you can get anything for him, then go for it.

Neither Ginter nor Johnson on their best day as Biggio is in the midst of his decline.  Ginter was a sterioded joke and Russ Johnson was on the Astros during 3 seasons that are considered the peak of Biggio's career (1997, 1998, 1999), so I'm not sure how anyone thinks the Astros kept stringing along ol Russ. 

[Outlawscotty]

Biggio gets this personal record that is driving the lineup decisions behind him.

Excuse me but, HOF.  Give the man his due and quit replacing him with anyone but a HOF.  Burke aint gonna be and should not be at 2B next year in my opinion.  Alkie is dead on, as you said.

[Mr. Happy]

This is retarded. As Jacksonian pointed out, Purpura is not under any pressure to trade him. Lets hope he actually makes a trade worth a shit.

Ahem. It was not retarded. Sure, I hope that we get something for Burke (where is Cam Bonifay when you need him?), but I'm less than sanguine about the prospect for that. However, the mere fact that Purp is not under any pressure to trade Burke does not ipso facto mean that Burke has trade value. Burke may have some trade value, but I don't see it. I sincerely hope that I am wrong.

[Mr. Happy]

Excuse me but, HOF.  Give the man his due and quit replacing him with anyone but a HOF.  Burke aint gonna be and should not be at 2B next year in my opinion.  Alkie is dead on, as you said.

I don't know how old you are, but my lasting memory of Willie Mays to this day remains him falling down running the bases between 2B and 3B at the bitter end of his career when he was a Met. It was sad. Biggio used to be one hellluva player, but he has very limited range at 2B (and has had little for a few years now), no arm and he's a fastball-only mistake hitter. Any righthander with a snake doesn't even have to throw Biggio a strike.

You don't simply play a future HOF'er simply because he still wants to play. IMO, if Biggio was only at 2,500 hits right now instead of knocking on the door of 3,000, he wouldn't even be on the club today-Loretta would be at 2B.

[Mr. Happy]

Neither Ginter nor Johnson on their best day as Biggio is in the midst of his decline.  Ginter was a sterioded joke and Russ Johnson was on the Astros during 3 seasons that are considered the peak of Biggio's career (1997, 1998, 1999), so I'm not sure how anyone thinks the Astros kept stringing along ol Russ. 

Agree with your take. Gator was in the wrong place at the wrong time if he wanted to play in the big leagues.

[Outlawscotty]

I'm old enough to know that Willie Mays is in the Hall of Fame and Biggio sure as HELL aint goin to the steM.  You see a declining Biggio playing 2B; I see a HOF player playing 2B for a team that has no better option in Burke.

[Jacksonian]

Ahem. It was not retarded. Sure, I hope that we get something for Burke (where is Cam Bonifay when you need him?), but I'm less than sanguine about the prospect for that. However, the mere fact that Purp is not under any pressure to trade Burke does not ipso facto mean that Burke has trade value. Burke may have some trade value, but I don't see it. I sincerely hope that I am wrong.

My "pressure" statement was aimed at Alkie's assertion that Burke would be somewhere else now, not his actual or perceived value.  We can't know what other teams are willing to give up for him, if anything, since a)he hasn't been dealt and b)he didn't have to clear waivers to be demoted.

I expect him to be dealt sometime this year.  For what or who, who knows? But I'll be interested in which positions he plays and how he performs until then as those may be an indication of what he'll fetch or if he's being auditioned.  (Daniels the GM of the Rangers has been auditioning to be the next Cam.) I just won't be posting every little detail.

[Curly]

Go down there & kick ass & you'll be back in the majors soon, for somebody.

That's too harsh.  I just hope he goes out there and has fun.  :-)

[dirty steve]

at least he stayed in the division:
from wikipedia:
Bonifay has signed on with the St. Louis Cardinals as a pro scout for two years starting in the 2007 season.

[JSAstrosFan]

He had a good night... or did he?

He went 2-4, 1 BB, 1 RBI and a stolen base

The RBI was of the bases loaded, no out GIDP variety. At least he made contact.

[Mr. Happy]

That's too harsh.  I just hope he goes out there and has fun.  :-)

LMAO. Curly, you slay me, big boy.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

IMO, if Biggio was only at 2,500 hits right now instead of knocking on the door of 3,000, he wouldn't even be on the club today-Loretta would be at 2B.

Oohhh can I play that game too?!?!?

IMO, if Biggio had 3,500 hits right now instead of knocking on the door of 3,000, he wouldn't even be on the club today-Conrad would be at 2B... and you might be my grandpa and my dog might be in CF.

[JimR]

Single up the middle.  I hope he excels.

i was there. he did not.

[Randy Watson]

Agree with your take. Gator was in the wrong place at the wrong time if he wanted to play in the big leagues.

Gator is Russ Johnson, right?  I did not know he had that nickname here.  I was on a hunting trip with several Astros years ago and Shane Reynolds told me Johnson's nickname was Gator because he had gator arms when the restaurant tab came around.

Was that also a public story?  I had never read it.

[Limey]

Gator is Russ Johnson, right?  I did not know he had that nickname here.  I was on a hunting trip with several Astros years ago and Shane Reynolds told me Johnson's nickname was Gator because he had gator arms when the restaurant tab came around.

Was that also a public story?  I had never read it.

I think Gator is from is college roots.  You can check the Funk and Wagner Glossary for the explanation of such things (although "Gator" isn't in there which means it wasn't one of this board's creations).

[Mr. Happy]

Gator is Russ Johnson, right?  I did not know he had that nickname here.  I was on a hunting trip with several Astros years ago and Shane Reynolds told me Johnson's nickname was Gator because he had gator arms when the restaurant tab came around.

Was that also a public story?  I had never read it.

I seem to recall him having that nickname at LSU (but its been a long time-we had another guy before Russ, Ben McDonald, who allegedly wrestled alligators), but I don't know the origin of it. Gator's still plugging away in OB with the Indianapolis Indians. He's 34 now.