The last couple years I looked at the Astros as more of a "win now" type team. With aging veterans playing key roles on the team, such as Bags, Bidge, Kent, Pettitte, Ausmus & Clemens...I kind of felt like the Astros, for the last two/three seasons, was a team that I could justify trading away prime talent from our farm system on a player(s) that might put the team over the hump.
Bags, Kent, Pettitte and Clemens (in all likihood) are now gone. Bidge and Ausmus will be taking on part time roles this year. Hell, even Springer has moved on.
Anyhow, to the point...
Is this really the time to trade a prospect like Hirsh for a one year rental? Hey, I wanna win on an annual basis like everyone else, but at what point does Pup decide that Jennings or Vasquez or Beurhle or Garland just isn't worth trading way two of our best young players in Hirsh and say WillyT? I mean, how far fetched is it to think that Hirsh could put up similar numbers to the above mentioned names in '06...and if not in '06, what about '07?
I'd rather see us go after a difference maker in Willis or Peavy, etc. And if a pitcher of similar stature can't be had, then I say work with what we got...take our chances in '06...and ultimately look to '07 as the year we go for it all again.
Last thing...this doesn't mean I don't think we can win this year...I mean, I'll support whatever moves Pup makes. I just don't want to see us piss away some of the better farm players in our system for a couple players that aren't going to make a difference.
