Tagged: julio lugo

It’s Time For The Astros To Rebuild

As we head into the All-Star break, the Houston Astros are, as usual, 4 or 5 games back.  They have long held a reputation of a team that refuses to trade top players for prospects, hanging on to the aging talent that has kept them competitive, keeping near the top of their division, but not into the playoffs.  This over-sentimental practice is the idea of owner Drayton McLane, who knows how to run goods distribution centers and does not know baseball, but still runs the team, with GM Ed Wade as a puppet.  The time has come for the ‘Stros to rebuild now, it may already be too late.

The average age for an Astro starter is 32.  Their desirable hitting stars, such as Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada, and Carlos Lee, are all on the wrong side of 30, ages 33, 35, and 33 respectively.  The average age for a Astros pitcher is 31.6.  They don’t have many pitchers who would draw interest on the trade market, but ace Roy Oswalt, 31, could return a huge haul.
One attractive trade possibility:
Miguel Tejada (under contract through 2009, $6 million left on contract, age 35), traded to Red Sox for a pitcher, one of Justin Masterson, Michael Bowden, Manny Delcarmen.
The Red Sox need a shortstop badly, their combo of Nick Green/Julio Lugo doesn’t field well at all, and doesn’t hit well.  While Tejada wouldn’t necessarily be a defensive improvement, he would certainly be a offensive improvement.  To make this deal work, the ‘Stros could also pick up some of Tejada’s salary.
The fact of the matter is that the Astros need to trade off their aging veterans before it is too late.  But knowing Drayton McLane, Houston will miss its opportunity to cash in.  They can’t ride 2005 forever.
Note: I will be out of town for a week and unable to post

Glavine The Complainer, And A Marathon

  • When Will The Tom Glavine Drama End?

Tom Glavine is moaning that the Braves released him for purely financial reasons, and is demanding an apology.  Sure there was some financial motivation, minor league salary over 5 million dollars.  But who would you rather have, a 43-year old pitcher who’s averaging 82 mph on his fastball, or a 22-year old with a blazing fastball, and one of the top pitching prospects ever.  The Braves have tried to cling to the past for too long, it’s time for Atlanta to move on.

  • D-backs 9   Padres 6

A win is a win, or so it is said.  A comfortable 5 run, traditional 9 inning win; is different from a 18 inning marathon, where you can’t score until you’re opponent has to bring in an infielder to pitch.  Arizona better hope that their starter goes the distance tomorrow, or they’re in trouble.

  • MLB Draft Notes
  1. Stephen Strasburg will break the bonus slot system
  2. The Padres are fools if they take Donovan Tate at number 3
  3. Redrafts Aaron Crow, and Tanner Scheppers will be top 10 selections

This Day In Baseball History

1927-Tony Lazzeri becomes the first Yankee to hit three home runs in one game, including a ninth inning blast that ties the game. The four-bagger closes a five-run deficit, and New York goes on to beat the White Sox in the 11th inning at the Stadium, 12-11.

1961-Becoming the first major league team to accomplish the feat, Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock and Frank Thomas hit four consecutive home runs for the Braves in the seventh inning off Reds’ pitchers Jim Maloney (2) and Marshall Bridges (2) at Crosley Field. Despite the home run barrage which also included another by Mathews and one by Warren Spahn, Cincinnati still manages to win the game, 10-8.

1965-In the first major league free-agent draft of students and sandlot players, the A’s select Arizona star Rick Monday making him the first player ever to be drafted.

1968-Don Drysdale’s scoreless streak ends at a record 58 2/3 consecutive innings as Phillies’ Tony Taylor is driven in by Howie Bedell’s sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. It will be Bedell’s only RBI for the season.

1979-Future NFL stars, Dan Marino (4th) and John Elway (17th), are selected by the Kansas City Royals during the free-agent baseball draft.

1989-After the Pirates take a 10-0 lead in Philadelphia by sending 16 batters to the plate in the first inning, Pirates’ broadcaster Jim Rooker announces if the Bucs lose the game he’ll walk back to Pittsburgh. True to his word, the radio by-by-play man organizes a charity walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh after the season as a result of the Phillies comeback win over the Pirates, 15-11.

2001-Damion Easley becomes the ninth player in Tiger history to hit for the cycle, and the first Detroit player since 1993 when Travis Fryman accomplished the feat. The New York City native’s eighth inning right-field triple completes the deed in the 9-4 victory over the Brewers.

2007-In the third inning of a 10-3 loss to Boston at Chase Field, a surprised Alberto Callaspo is tagged by Julio Lugo as he dusts off his uniform taking a lead from second after Chris Snyder’s base hit. The Diamondbacks’ third baseman is the victim of the hidden ball trick as he doesn’t realize the Red Sox shortstop had never returned the ball to the pitcher.