No, that’s not sarcastic.
The only player we got in his trades to the Phils who is/was any good is Michael Bourn – and Geoff Geary, who was good for a year before he got hurt. Roy-O got us J Happ (who is crappy) and Brett Wallace (who doesn’t look as if his swing is gonna hit ML pitching) and Jonathan Vilar, who can’t hit minor league pitching – don’t ask me why he’s “the second baseman/SS of the future. Pence PLUS money went for Jarred Cosart (age 21 – lowish hits, low K, middling walks for a starter), Jonathan Singleton (a 20 yo 1B in A ball with an .850 OPS – higher at Lancaster, but everyone but Jiovanni Mier hits there) and Josh Zeid (crappy 24 year old reliever at AA).
I’ve been looking at Dan Szymborski’s 2012 ZIPS projections for the Astros and it is beyond bad. The only 2 players he predicts to have an OPS+ over 100 are Clank and JD Martinez. The only 2 starts he predicts to be over league average are Wandy and Bud Norris and Wandy is gonna be gone – the line of teams who want him include everyone except the Rays and Braves, who are pitching heavy, and the cheapos – I mean, “rebuilders.”
We know that to start the year, we’ll have Mary Jane Schafer in CF, JD Martinez in left, Jed Lowrie at SS, Clank at 1B (unless Luhnow can dump him), Jose Altuve at 2B and Jimmy Paredes at 3B – unless he gets hurt – CJ is toast, unless he kills the ball in ST and Paredes doesn’t hit at all.
We’ll have some sort of platoon in right and center with Jack Shuck, Brian Bogusevic and Jason Bourgeois.
Jason Castro is hurt again – he’s having a bone taken out of his foot – his right foot – the same leg which has the bad knee. It’s the same operation Jeff Keppinger had last year. So we have Quintero – who, with his 1 mill/year salary, is the 6th highest paid person on the team. And then Craig Tatum and Robinson Cancel, who are so bad that they make poor ol Towlsie-poo look like Piazza. Chris Wallace is having trouble hitting AA pitching. Of course, the fact that he outhit Castro at that level doesn’t mean a thing because Castro is still, far as I can tell, Mr. Golden Boy.
Only 3 good things I can think of are
1 – John Sickels, who is a tough guy to impress, thinks that Altuve is GOOD, and that he’s the real deal. 2 of my internet pals, who are very knowledgeable about the minors, agree.
2 – several of my internet pals, who have seen a lot of ballplayers come and go, all think that JD Martinez looks good.
3 – Bogu just may get a good opportunity to start and yeah, it IS a late start, but I sure would like to see SOMEone who was an Original Astros pick succeed besides Bud Norris.
I wonder if this year’s team is even gonna get 40 wins. I said that last year, but this year, I have a feeling it is gonna be close.
Tags: Houston Astros
Ed Wade never left the Phillies. I can’t BELIEVE the bad trades he made with them. How much was it, Roy Oswalt PLUS $10-12 million?? The only trade we ended up getting the better deal was for Bourn. Thank God he’s gone, and that goes for that leech Tal Smith too. Luhnow says all the “right” things, but I’m leery of him too. Becky:(
No matter. I’m still rooting for the 2012 Astros – at least until they depart for the AL.
I just hope that the MMP crowds have some nasty signage for Bud the Dud Selig although “crowd” might be a tad bit generous considering how bad the Astros project to be in 2012.
Yep it’s the Mayan apocalypse in baseball – for the Astros.
Eric
eric,
the people who will be coming to the ballpark are “casual” fans who don’t know how many players are supposed to be on the field, let alone who bud selig IS
it’s why our team got picked for the slaughter. that and nolan ryan’s thirst for revenge…
Merry Christmas Lisa! With “little” ones in your house this is going to be a busy, busy day! All I want for Christmas, is a good last year for the 2012 Astros!
Thanks for keeping us up to date on this blog! This is a place where we can vent, and not get thrown off! Thanks again. Becky:)
Merry Christmas Lisa!
For the record, Wade didn’t get Wallace from the Phillies, he got Anthony Gose (who is really good), and then immediately gave him away for Wallace. That transaction is going to look far worse than the Bourn-Braves deal in 10 years.
In 10 years who is even going to care, I know i’m not.
In ten years, maybe the Astro’s will be back in the NL.
..or more likely, the National Conference.
terence,
yeh, i know. i just left out the middleman
i’ll wait to see how good gose is as a major leaguer before i cry over him.
sceptor,
youneverknow – crane and buddy boy could get hit by a bus and the team ends up not dying…
bruce,
yeh – the national conference is coming. the astros getting garbage canned is just the first step in finally NFLizing the majors
Lisa,
Will you continue to blog after the Astros depart for the *choke..gasp..cough* AL ? Whether or not it’s about another NL team (perhaps the Philles or even *GASP* the Cards now that Tony “Dark Glasses” LaRussa is gone ? )
I’ve always enjoyed your blogging – and it’s a pity I didn’t catch this one alot sooner. The stories are always a blast to read !
Eric
Rockets looked pretty good last night.
[...] of the right path, Ed Wade has certainly found his by returning to the Phillies where he will attempt to improve them without working as a covert agent, parading as another [...]
HAPPY NEW YEAR, Lisa!!! PLEASE don’t go away!! We love this blog! Becky:)
Rocket looked good?
gee, i didn’t know he was still pitching. those were the days.
happy new year becky and eric!!!
i don’t know what i’m gonna do at the end of the season, haven’t made up my mind whether or not to keep blogging. it won’t be about the astros, but i may find myself still wanting to write. Time is getting tighter as my kidz are getting older…