Astros get crumbs for Lidge

In article <85d5j3d87rugvt51gpig30lv8ljjlq6tbo RemoveThis @4ax.com>, Ron
<ron.clifford RemoveThis @peoplepc.com> wrote:

>
> http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AiuAE8HxQCyExrlIsx2LUoSpu7YF?slug=ap-phi
> llies-astrostrade&prov=ap&type=lgns
>
>
> Wonderful, we get an outfielder with 1 (One) Home Run in 2007 in
> exchange, and a pitcher with a 4.41 ERA in echange and a Double AA
> player also.
>
> We gave up Lidge and Bruntlett.

This is trade that moves Lidge for a starter and for a center fielder
that allows Pence to go to right.

Bourn is a fast center fielder that had a 726 OPS last year. He is not
a HR hitter, but he's hit better thn Taveras, for example, whose OPS in
Houston was 670ish. Good insurance if we are unsuccessful getting a
big name FA center fielder. The Astros tried to draft him out of
Nimitz HS, but he went to UH instead.

In 2006, Geary went 7-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 91.1 innings. The Phillies
didn't need him this year until injuries hit them.

Bruntlett is a toss in. He was not going to be anything. He got his
shot to play regularly and didn't develop a stick. Another of Tim's
favorite boys who can't hit consistently. Burke is next out the door
is we sign Luis Castillo (whose numbers look weaker than Bourn, BTW...
though Bourn's are a small sample)

Costanzo is a toss in as well. We don't have a decent prospect at 3rd.
Ty Wigginton is just a stopgap because Lamb and Loretta were going to
declare FA. Costanzo is a decent prospect at 3rd. Better than
anything we've got in the minors already.

Say what you want about Lidge, but the Astros had lost confidence.
 >> Stay informed about: Astros get crumbs for Lidge 

In article <1194512859.505243.238350 DeleteThis @z9g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,
<"copeab@yahoo.com"> wrote:

> On Nov 8, 1:05 am, Ron <ron.cliff... DeleteThis @peoplepc.com> wrote:
> > http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AiuAE8HxQCyExrlIsx2LUoSpu7YF?sl...
> >
> > Wonderful, we get an outfielder with 1 (One) Home Run in 2007 in
> > exchange, and a pitcher with a 4.41 ERA in echange and a Double AA
> > player also.
> >
> > We gave up Lidge and Bruntlett.
>
> Bourn could be the regular CF in 2008.

And he's under salary control for a while, which will help them as they
try to get out of the Timmy shadow. Now they can spend at 2nd, 3rd or
short.

Maybe Geary replaces Qualls in the bully when Qualls shifts to closer?
Or as a minimum, he joins the crowd of inexperienced arms competing for
a starting slot.

> I'm still not sure why the Astros hate Luke Scott.

I'd like to see him be more consistent at the plate. I mean, his
slugging is fine 'cause he gets a high proportion of extra base hits...
when he hits. But if you need a hit THIS AB, he has a relatively low
chance. Can he play center? I think the Astros really want to get
Pence out of center to get the wear and tear off him due to Minute
Maid's big yard there. And Pence versus Scott in right is a no
brainer.

Wish he could play second... We still have a huge hitting gap at 2nd,
short and 3rd. Having made the decision to go for defense at center,
we really need power at three infield slots. We've got to get away
from a Little League batting order where the opposing pitcher fights
off the top 4 or 5 guys and then coasts through the next inning with
the bottom half. We need to be able to mount a some semblance of a
credible attack regardless of where we lead off an inning.

> Brandon

So how will Philly Phan reacto to Lidge? I hope his knee is healed and
his mind is right, or this could get ugly. Lidge has always been open,
candid and accessible. Philiadelphia is a place where that might not
be a good idea, regardless of how noble it is.

Revenge for Mitch Williams?
 >> Stay informed about: Astros get crumbs for Lidge 

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:27:25 -0600, Steve Cutchen
<maxfaq.DeleteThis@earthlink.net> wrote:


>
>So how will Philly Phan reacto to Lidge? I hope his knee is healed and
>his mind is right, or this could get ugly. Lidge has always been open,
>candid and accessible. Philiadelphia is a place where that might not
>be a good idea, regardless of how noble it is.
>
>Revenge for Mitch Williams?


Depends on their pitching coach. Apparently Lidge telepgraphs his
pitches so folks know whether its a fast ball or slider coming, and
then when Lidge starts worrying, his fast ball flattens out and is
easier to hit.
 >> Stay informed about: Astros get crumbs for Lidge 

"Steve Cutchen" <maxfaq DeleteThis @earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:081120071227258674%maxfaq@earthlink.net...
> In article <1194512859.505243.238350 DeleteThis @z9g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,
> <"copeab@yahoo.com"> wrote:
>
>> On Nov 8, 1:05 am, Ron <ron.cliff... DeleteThis @peoplepc.com> wrote:
>> > http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AiuAE8HxQCyExrlIsx2LUoSpu7YF?sl...
>> >
>> > Wonderful, we get an outfielder with 1 (One) Home Run in 2007 in
>> > exchange, and a pitcher with a 4.41 ERA in echange and a Double AA
>> > player also.
>> >
>> > We gave up Lidge and Bruntlett.
>>
>> Bourn could be the regular CF in 2008.
>
> And he's under salary control for a while, which will help them as they
> try to get out of the Timmy shadow. Now they can spend at 2nd, 3rd or
> short.
>
> Maybe Geary replaces Qualls in the bully when Qualls shifts to closer?
> Or as a minimum, he joins the crowd of inexperienced arms competing for
> a starting slot.
>
>> I'm still not sure why the Astros hate Luke Scott.
>
> I'd like to see him be more consistent at the plate. I mean, his
> slugging is fine 'cause he gets a high proportion of extra base hits...
> when he hits. But if you need a hit THIS AB, he has a relatively low
> chance. Can he play center? I think the Astros really want to get
> Pence out of center to get the wear and tear off him due to Minute
> Maid's big yard there. And Pence versus Scott in right is a no
> brainer.

Agreed. CF is a career-altering position at MMP. It will be good for Pence
to get into RF. As for Scott, the inconsistency has caught up with him for
now, at least. He'll still get his ABs, and expect to see him get regular
time when he's swinging the bat well.

> So how will Philly Phan reacto to Lidge? I hope his knee is healed and
> his mind is right, or this could get ugly. Lidge has always been open,
> candid and accessible. Philiadelphia is a place where that might not
> be a good idea, regardless of how noble it is.
>
> Revenge for Mitch Williams?

I say "good for Brad". I've maintained for the last year and a half that
the best thing for him would be a change of scenery. I wish him the best.

Rod



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 >> Stay informed about: Astros get crumbs for Lidge 

"Ron" <ron.clifford.DeleteThis@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
news:43p6j39dgcn82kivk94uerqlu5oasr6800@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:27:25 -0600, Steve Cutchen
> <maxfaq.DeleteThis@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>So how will Philly Phan reacto to Lidge? I hope his knee is healed and
>>his mind is right, or this could get ugly. Lidge has always been open,
>>candid and accessible. Philiadelphia is a place where that might not
>>be a good idea, regardless of how noble it is.
>>
>>Revenge for Mitch Williams?
>
>
> Depends on their pitching coach. Apparently Lidge telepgraphs his
> pitches so folks know whether its a fast ball or slider coming, and
> then when Lidge starts worrying, his fast ball flattens out and is
> easier to hit.

Funny, because it's been his slider that has been his downfall. It's not
that his FB has flattened out, as it never had a lot of movement anyway. It
was that he could not "spot" the slider, so hitters could sit on the FB. A
major league hitter can hit any fast ball if they know it's coming.

Rod



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 >> Stay informed about: Astros get crumbs for Lidge 

"Ron" <ron.clifford RemoveThis @peoplepc.com> wrote in message
news:85d5j3d87rugvt51gpig30lv8ljjlq6tbo@4ax.com...
>
>
> http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AiuAE8HxQCyExrlIsx2LUoSpu7YF?slu...p-phill
>
>
> Wonderful, we get an outfielder with 1 (One) Home Run in 2007 in
> exchange, and a pitcher with a 4.41 ERA in echange and a Double AA
> player also.

Not sure what you're complaining about. The Astros picked up a leadoff
hitter, with the speed to play CF in MMP. More importantly, this trade gets
Pence out of CF and saves his knees from the wear and tear.. He'll be much
more durable in right.

As for the pitcher, the Astros lost confidence in Brad Lidge. Qualls will
get first shot at the closer's role, and there are a lot of folks who think
he's gonna be fine there (myself included). Geary has a shot at being in
the rotation.

> We gave up Lidge and Bruntlett.

This was a win-win-win deal. The Astros got better with this deal, as did
the Phillies, and did the players involved.

Rod



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 >> Stay informed about: Astros get crumbs for Lidge