Lane out, Burke up?

[gwat]

Since my piss-poor local station in San Antonio does not always carry Astros broadcasts, I was forced to tune in to KTRH post-game.
Through the white noise, I thought I heard them say that Lane was out and Burke was back up. Did I hear this correctly, any confirmation? Was it a 4th dimension broadcast I was receiving?

[Alkie]

This BETTER not be the "big move" Milo referenced Purpura discussing before the game today.

[gwat]

'Tis confirmed. Lane down, Burke up.
No waiver claim.

[Alkie]

No waiver claim.

...nooooooooooooo.

[Alkie]

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070603&content_id=2003417&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou

Burke will assume Lane's role, platooning with Luke Scott in right field. He'll also make spot starts at second and will be considered at shortstop as well.

Hahahhahahahahaa.  Oh man.  Ok.  Seriously, if this is what Purpura thought would help the club today, put me down as ready to see a change at GM.  I'm really glad Lane is gone.  I'm really not glad to see Burke back up.  I'm really really not glad to hear about RF and SS.  That's laughably stupid.  I don't care if he played it in college.

[Fredia]

...nooooooooooooo.

that is like not making a call up its like trading mary kay for ashly olsen

[Amy]

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070603&content_id=2003417&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou

Burke will assume Lane's role, platooning with Luke Scott in right field. He'll also make spot starts at second and will be considered at shortstop as well.

Hahahhahahahahaa.  Oh man.  Ok.  Seriously, if this is what Purpura thought would help the club today, put me down as ready to see a change at GM.  I'm really glad Lane is gone.  I'm really not glad to see Burke back up.  I'm really really not glad to hear about RF and SS.  That's laughably stupid.  I don't care if he played it in college.

I'd rather see Bruntlett.  His defense is probably as good as Burke at 2B and better than Burke at probably every other position.  Plus it sounds like he's been hitting well and Burke has not.  It seems like Purp is rewarding Burke's pissy attitude by calling him up.  Bonus baby wins again.

[remy]

What the hell, purpula.  This is like sending down Lane to call up Lane.

Get a fucking clue.

[Phil_in_CS]

everyone watching in RR says he's sucked as badly there as he did with the big team. This makes no sense.

[ybbodeus]

Burke must have bought Purp a better lunch recently.  

[Alkie]

This is like sending down Lane to call up Lane.

No, Lane can actually play defense in the OF.

[Alkie]

It seems like Purp is rewarding Burke's pissy attitude by calling him up. 

You know, I went to dinner and figured I'd sit on this for a little while and come around on the whole thing.

No.

After an hour or so, I've come to this.

Our organization is now making decisions based on what the fans/press wants.  It makes decisions based on whining and bitching. 

They got lucky (thank god) with Pence tearing up the fucking league.

This move today as a "shake up" is as fucking useless as releasing Moehler.   Good job, Tim, reward a player for not only complaining to the press after being sent down, but for not even hitting at an Oswaltian clip while down there. 

This move, to me, is a non-move.  Honestly, if I hadn't heard during the game that Tim had finally decided to make a move based on his disappointment, I wouldn't have thought much of it.

I guess what I've learned is...Tim Purpura is more interested in being able to say his group of hangers-on "made it" than anything else.  He wasn't so much disappointed in the Houston Astros as he was in Jason Lane. 

Completely throw out the Jennings trade (I'm serious).  He signed a Carlos Lee that made it clear he wanted to play here and probably would have signed for any reasonable offer.  He signed a Mark Loretta (which I still give him credit for taking a flier on) who had already been turned down by all other 29 teams.  And now he just continues to recycle the same band of 5-7 mediocre players that he must consider friends or little brothers or something.  I honestly don't get it.  I have no idea what the focus of this club is at this point in time.

[Andyzipp]

Like Beltran, Kent, Clemens and Pettitte, McLane negotiated Lee's deal.

And I'm positive that for whatever reason, Purpura has banked his livelihood on Ensberg, Lane and especially Burke.  He is going to give them every opportunity to get him fired.

There is some pretty strong smoke around Ensberg/Lane to Anaheim and Burke to Colorado being real possibilities...if Houston was interested in dealing them.  So far Purpura has given the rest of baseball no indication that he's interested in moving anyone.

[otterjb]

Count Purp appears to be a puppet with the instincts of Morgan Ensberg, post '05. During his intro press conference he appeared to lose several pounds in sweat.

Why did Hunsicker leave again?

[MusicMan]

There is some pretty strong smoke around Ensberg/Lane to Anaheim and Burke to Colorado being real possibilities...if Houston was interested in dealing them.  So far Purpura has given the rest of baseball no indication that he's interested in moving anyone.

If those two teams are offering anything more than pennies on the dollar, and Purp is turning them down, then I'm fine with him losing his job.

[Alkie]

If those two teams are offering anything more than pennies on the dollar, and Purp is turning them down, then I'm fine with him losing his job.

Got news for you then.....

[MusicMan]

I'm just saying, the word was that the Red Sox were "asking" about Lidge earlier, and they were offering Julian Fucking Tavarez.

I'm not in favor of just swapping garbage.

[Alkie]

Like Beltran, Kent, Clemens and Pettitte, McLane negotiated Lee's deal.

So then...Purpura got us a totally unwanted Mark Loretta and......that's about it? 

Maybe we should just give him his old job back.  He seemed to be ok at that.

[Alkie]

I'm just saying, the word was that the Red Sox were "asking" about Lidge earlier, and they were offering Julian Fucking Tavarez.

I'm not in favor of just swapping garbage.

Neither am I.  And what I'm saying is I have it from multiple credible sources that more than pennies on the dollar were offered.

[Alkie]

Why did Hunsicker leave again?

He got fucking sick of Drayton making all the deals for the high dollar players, getting in his fucking way, and insisting on keeping Craig Biggio way past his prime.   Guess what...Hun was right again.

[MusicMan]

He probably also tired of Pinwheel putting words in his mouth.

[Limey]

Completely throw out the Jennings trade (I'm serious).  He signed a Carlos Lee that made it clear he wanted to play here and probably would have signed for any reasonable offer.  He signed a Mark Loretta (which I still give him credit for taking a flier on) who had already been turned down by all other 29 teams.  And now he just continues to recycle the same band of 5-7 mediocre players that he must consider friends or little brothers or something.  I honestly don't get it.  I have no idea what the focus of this club is at this point in time.

I'm starting to worry seriously that Purpura doesn't have the necessary sack to make tough personnel decisions.

[Noe]

He got fucking sick of Drayton making all the deals for the high dollar players, getting in his fucking way, and insisting on keeping Craig Biggio way past his prime.   Guess what...Hun was right again.

Hunsicker pretty much isolated himself for the last two years of his tenure here.  He was a loose cannon, almost daring McLane to fire him.  As such, he was a major asshole to almost everyone in the Houston organization.  No one in the organization shed a tear when he left.  Many of the behind the scenes people finally got recognition for their work after he left.  Guys like Dewey Robinson were finally rid of the guy taking the credit for their work all those years.

[Alkie]

No one in the organization shed a tear when he left. 

I get the direction of your statement, but this is not true that NO one shed a tear.  I'm not disagreeing with the point you're trying to make, but to say that NO one was sad to see him go is incorrect.

[Noe]

I get the direction of your statement, but this is not true that NO one shed a tear.  I'm not disagreeing with the point you're trying to make, but to say that NO one was sad to see him go is incorrect.

No one on the business side for sure.  Some on the baseball side, not all.

[JimR]

Hunsicker pretty much isolated himself for the last two years of his tenure here.  He was a loose cannon, almost daring McLane to fire him.  As such, he was a major asshole to almost everyone in the Houston organization.  No one in the organization shed a tear when he left.  Many of the behind the scenes people finally got recognition for their work after he left.  Guys like Dewey Robinson were finally rid of the guy taking the credit for their work all those years.

this is absolutely correct. that some here are now making him a martyr to further their own agends is hilarious.

[Dobro]

Tim Purpura isn't so much as a hair on Gerry Hunsicker's lily-white ass.  And he never will be.  Hunsicker was the best GM that Houston ever had and likely one of the top 5 in MLB.  To suggest anything else is hilarious.

[JimR]

Tim Purpura isn't so much as a hair on Gerry Hunsicker's lily-white ass.  And he never will be.  Hunsicker was the best GM that Houston ever had and likely one of the top 5 in MLB.  To suggest anything else is hilarious.

he was a great GM, and McLane's involvement chafed him at times. he had other very major non-baseball ssues in the workplace, though, that led in large part to his leaving.

[Noe]

Tim Purpura isn't so much as a hair on Gerry Hunsicker's lily-white ass.  And he never will be.  Hunsicker was the best GM that Houston ever had and likely one of the top 5 in MLB.  To suggest anything else is hilarious.

Who said anything about GM ability?  I mentioned Hunsicker had pretty much wanted to leave because he tried to be a petulent little child and take his ball and go home.  He was a major asshole his last two years with the organization.  And before anyone blames McLane, it was all on Hunsicker on that one.  If you think Roger Clemens has an ego, Hunsicker has one to match.  So in essence it's funny to read all these "Hunsicker come home!" pleas from Pinwheel and some stuff in here about Hunsicker's tenure here as well.

His act wore real thin the last two years he was here, and although my hyperbole about no one shedding a tear is just that, it is pretty darn close to the truth that a collective huge release of joy went out from the home office of the Houston Astros when he decided to leave.  Purpura may not have the experience to run a club like Hunsicker, but he's been a much more decent human being towards those who work for the team organizationally.  Especially bridging a gap that was huge between the business side of things with the baseball side of things.  Many of the folks who work for the business end never met people like Dewey Robinson before and vice versa.  That is because Hunsicker wouldn't allow them to meet.

That changed over night with Purpura.

[Dobro]

Who said anything about GM ability?  I mentioned Hunsicker had pretty much wanted to leave because he tried to be a petulent little child and take his ball and go home.  He was a major asshole his last two years with the organization.  And before anyone blames McLane, it was all on Hunsicker on that one.  If you think Roger Clemens has an ego, Hunsicker has one to match.  So in essence it's funny to read all these "Hunsicker come home!" pleas from Pinwheel and some stuff in here about Hunsicker's tenure here as well.

His act wore real thin the last two years he was here, and although my hyperbole about no one shedding a tear is just that, it is pretty darn close to the truth that a collective huge release of joy went out from the home office of the Houston Astros when he decided to leave.  Purpura may not have the experience to run a club like Hunsicker, but he's been a much more decent human being towards those who work for the team organizationally.  Especially bridging a gap that was huge between the business side of things with the baseball side of things.  Many of the folks who work for the business end never met people like Dewey Robinson before and vice versa.  That is because Hunsicker wouldn't allow them to meet.

That changed over night with Purpura.

Noe, seriously, why should you, I, or any other fan care about any of this?  I didn't work under Hunsicker.  I could not care less if someone got their feathers ruffled in the Astros' office.  The man got things done and assembled good teams. 

Purpura may have Fred Rogers' disposition, but he sucks at putting a good team on the field.  And not just a little bit. 

I don't give a flying fuck that they're all singing Kumbaya in the front office.

[MusicMan]

Noe, seriously, why should you, I, or any other fan care about any of this? 

Because they are trying to explain to you why Hunsicker is no longer GM of the Astros.

[Dobro]

Because they are trying to explain to you why Hunsicker is no longer GM of the Astros.

Not to me.  I fully understand why he left. 

[JimR]

Not to me.  I fully understand why he left. 

no, you do not.

[Dobro]

no, you do not.

Yes, I do too.

[MusicMan]

Yes, I do too.

So you understand, but you don't care?

[Noe]

Noe, seriously, why should you, I, or any other fan care about any of this?

Because he's not coming back here... ever!  So maybe some can quit pinning for him?  Read Pinwheel's pleas for his return and you'll find it laughable given what I just shared.  Got it?

I didn't work under Hunsicker.  I could not care less if someone got their feathers ruffled in the Astros' office.  The man got things done and assembled good teams.

But no man should think they are so damn good they can ride roughshod over an entire organization.  Go it?  They won't last very long doing that.

Purpura may have Fred Rogers' disposition, but he sucks at putting a good team on the field.  And not just a little bit. 

I don't give a flying fuck that they're all singing Kumbaya in the front office.

Because you don't have a fucking clue how an organization is run, correct?

[Dobro]

So you understand, but you don't care?

I'm not debating why Hunsicker left. 

Astros fans like Hunsicker because he was damn good at his job.  Astros fans don't, nor should they, care about front office relationships.  Noe acts like we should.

 

[MusicMan]

I'm not debating why Hunsicker left. 

Astros fans like Hunsicker because he was damn good at his job.  Astros fans don't, nor should they, care about front office relationships.  Noe acts like we should.

He was damn good at his job.  He also had qualities that made him no longer able to continue doing that job.

I don't care if Purpura is banging the secretary, or if Tal Smith likes goats.  I do care if those things affect whether they will continue running the team I follow.

[Dobro]

Because you don't have a fucking clue how an organization is run, correct?

That's right, Noe.  Only OWA Popes know anything about what goes on behind the scenes in baseball.

[Noe]

I'm not debating why Hunsicker left. 

Astros fans like Hunsicker because he was damn good at his job.  Astros fans don't, nor should they, care about front office relationships.  Noe acts like we should.

 

Oh gosh, how stupid can you get.  He is an employee at a business.  He does one thing well, but his job is to do so much more well... like play nice with others.  I've seen excellent performing sales people fired for being huge pricks who border on doing thing illegally.  They were great at doing thier sales quotas and beyond.  Why should the boss care said sales man might get himself involved in shaddy dealings or treat others badly?  Hunsicker basically was asking to be let go, but decided in the end he just needed to leave.

[Noe]

That's right, Noe.  Only OWA Popes know anything about what goes on behind the scenes in baseball.

No.  You do too, but you are the one who chooses to be ignorant.

[Andyzipp]

This is kind of like the crap I have to deal with daily.

An employee who is great at their work duties but who can't get along with his co-workers is not a great employee.  The job is to do it all well.

Hunsicker was great at the personnel aspects of his job, but his refusal to foster relationships and work towards common goals (those being what the owner of the team wanted to accomplish) made him expendable to the Astros.

That Purpura isn't the answer has nothing to do with whether or not Hunsicker was outstanding at all aspects of his job.

And nothing Purpura has done or hasn't done changes the fact that Hunsicker left with one year remaining on a contract that was not going to be extended.