Author Topic: I Been Thinkin' (Read 7555 times)

Alkie · « **on:** October 16, 2006, 10:57:32 pm »

Forget Lee. Forget Soriano.

Spend the cash on Schmidt and Zito and do the rest with trades (not for world beaters on offense). Re-sign Huff to play 3B. Re-sign Andy.

The Tigers are about to be the second team in a row to prove that you win championships with a great pitching staff and a team of great role players. You need one big time slugger and someone behind him who can be expected to drive in some of the runs that the slugger doesn't deliver. You need an above average leadoff guy and someone who can move him over.

I'll take my chances with Willy, <2 guy>, Lance, Huff, Luke, Biggio, Adam, Brad, Pitcher and a staff of Roy, Zito, Andy, Schmidt, anyone (me?). We'd need a RF, but not a Lee-type offensive player.

You'd be spending Clemens' money on Zito and Bagwell's money on Schmidt with some left over for the raises due.

Wheeler closer. Trade Lidge, Ensberg, and Lane for decent, "cheap" role players.

Pitching. Not hitting.

drew corleone · « **Reply #1 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:01:17 pm »

Hmmm... I'm intrigued by the idea, but then again I vastly prefer pitching duels to slugfests.

Alkie · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:02:58 pm »

Yes, this is what separates us from the animals.

Outlawscotty · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:04:10 pm »

Quote:

and a staff of Roy, Zito, Andy, Schmidt, anyone (me?).

Sure but who does that leave the Yankmees??

Alkie · « **Reply #4 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:08:05 pm »

Fuck the Yankees. Let the Yankees load up on trades and over-rated B-level and C-level pitchers as usual.

Zito and Schmidt can be had.

homer · « **Reply #6 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:12:44 pm »

That RF could be Lane if he were to somehow find his 2005 self again. Or it could be Ensberg if he could stay healthy, with Huff in RF.

Why not shoot for the moon and do Schmidt, Zito and Lee? Then all the problems are 'solved'.

Alkie · « **Reply #7 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:14:45 pm »

Costs too much, not realistic.

Plus, like I said. We don't need Lee. He ain't the missing piece.

Pitching babe.

If Backe hadn't been hurt all year, and I feel confident saying this, you'd still be watching the Astros right now. Well, TOMORROW, but you know what I mean.

homer · « **Reply #9 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:18:48 pm »

I say bullshit to that. The Astros didn't lack pitching when the Royals took 2 of 3 at MMP or the fucking shitbag Cubs swept them at MMP. There wasn't a lack of pitching when the fucking Braves took 2 of 3 to end the season.

Alkie · « **Reply #11 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:41:00 pm »

That's right. 2 singles.

But more importantly, you're telling me (not pravata) that you think a team is better with Lee and Soriano than a rotation of Oswalt, Zito, Pettitte, Schmidt?

You're high.

JimR · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2006, 11:55:04 pm »

if you say bullshit to that, you demonstrate that you don't know baseball. pitching always wins.

Alkie · « **Reply #13 on:** October 17, 2006, 12:06:11 am »

Pitching, babe. Not hitting.

Sign Huff, you have your middle of the order.

Pitching. Forget Lee. Forget Soriano. They are not the answer.

Alkie · « **Reply #15 on:** October 17, 2006, 12:50:48 am »

Ok, but you're wrong, man.

Look, any number of things could have meant an extra 2 wins this season, but to say that Backe instead of Wandy isn't one of them is just silly man, and you know it.

Bench · « **Reply #21 on:** October 17, 2006, 11:33:03 am »

Schmidt, I'm on board with. But Zito and his left-handed curveballin' self wouldn't be as good in MMPUS than other ballparks. I think Zito would be sorely overpaid for his production here.

That being said, he's pretty much already committed himself to either SoCal or NYC.

xxx · « **Reply #23 on:** October 17, 2006, 12:23:14 pm »

plus don't forget the devil (Scott Boras) is Zito's agent. So I am pretty sure that Drayton hasn't even given it a second thought.

Froback · « **Reply #24 on:** October 17, 2006, 12:46:49 pm »

I just ran some salary numbers.

Depending on how much you think Zito and Schmidt might command (and keep in mind will the Astros pay either more than Roy?)

I ran numbers on everyone under contract and guessed at raises and stuff like that. (I assumed no FA adds, other than re-signing Pettitte for $9 Mil. And I added in Bagwell's payout and Backe's salary even though he will likely be on the DL all year.

I came up with 2 starting pitcher spots and one OF spot (Taveras and Scott manning the other 2). That would allow the team to sign both Zito and Schmidt and re-sign Huff to play the other OF spot (Ensberg still under arbitration club control).

But with those 3 spots un-accounted for in the team salary, I came up with a Salary just under $75 Mil.

So would Drayton be willing to pay approximately $110 Mil next year (with possible increases in the future) to get both Zito, Schmidt and re-sign Huff?

I am assuming you are going to have to offer $13-$15 mil per for each of Zito and Schmidt and ~$7Mil for Huff.

CarolinaStro · « **Reply #25 on:** October 17, 2006, 01:48:55 pm »

The Tigers & Sox definitely have/had a fantasic rotation during their championship seasons but I think you are underestimating their offensive production. Both teams could score with anyone outside of the Yankees/RedSox. If we lose Andy & Rajah then I am think it wise to add experienced SPs like Zito & Schmidt, otherwise we need some freakin bats. Maybe not "stars" like Soriano or Lee, but capable run producers.

Think about the 04 Stros with Beltran, Kent, & Bags. If Andy doesn't go down, that team wins it all most likely. The problem with all pitching and no hitting is what happened to the 05 Stros in the WS.

Houston · « **Reply #32 on:** October 17, 2006, 03:26:40 pm »

If we have to choose between one of two players we already have, I'd definitely pick Morgan Ensberg over Jason Lane. Ensberg's batting average was terrible this year, but he did have high OBP (.396 -- the highest of his career). He got on base. Bat him in another spot in the lineup.

Good pitching and timely hitting are the keys. Only a handful of singles last year and the Astros could have swept the Series from the Sox - or at least extended it. (Go back and look at the runners we left on base and the scores of the games.)

It's my opinion that Carlos Lee weakens the outfield defense. I haven't seen him that much, but with satellite, I have seen him quite a few times and he gets terrible jumps on line drives. He doesn't help a pitching staff.

toddthebod · « **Reply #35 on:** October 17, 2006, 04:07:05 pm »

The fact that Carlos Lee changed his agent from Scott Boras is strongly supports the idea that the Astros won't deal with Boras.

S.P. Rodriguez · « **Reply #38 on:** October 17, 2006, 05:29:12 pm »

You know what I been thinkin'? I been thinkin' that maybe, just maybe, Ausmus is going to be the pitching coach next year.

Anyway, assuming that won't actually happen, I suspect Ausmus plays much less next year. The guy will be 38 next year and probably won't play beyond his current contract thru next year, meaning the Astros need to find a replacement within their system or look for an FA or trade.

The in-house option, and my compliments to Noe for pointing this out (it was either Noe or Andy), is Gimenez. If he can come in and establish himself, somewhat, a platoon of Gimenez against right handers and Ausmus against lefties wouldn't be awful. Ausmus, historically, has some success against lhp. Gimenez, a switch hitter, actually does very well against rhp, at least in the minors.

Outlawscotty · « **Reply #46 on:** October 18, 2006, 03:01:38 pm »

I'm not questioning your generalization, but posing another question altogether. How do you get the upper hand on an agent, much less an agent such as Boras? I'm not defending him by any means, I'm just curious about who they have to answer to in their mortal lives.

Outlawscotty · « **Reply #48 on:** October 18, 2006, 03:28:32 pm »

But every deal appears favorable to him--he gets his cut no matter what. Based on a percentage or even a flat-rate, how can he lose? Upper hand would have to be pictures or something.