astros trade Kirk Saarloos

Astros deal Saarloos to A's for hard-throwing Harville
By BRIAN McTAGGART
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

The Astros made a move they hope will bolster their bullpen by acquiring
righthander Chad Harville from the Oakland Athletics for righthander Kirk
Saarloos late Friday.

The trade, announced after the Astros beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 at
Minute Maid Park, gives the club another power arm to add to the bullpen.
Harville will join the major-league club and will be in uniform for
tonight's game against the Brewers.

The Astros will have to make room for Harville on the 25-man roster, and
general manager Gerry Hunsicker said a move would be announced today.

"He is somebody that hasn't pitched a lot at the major-league level,"
Hunsicker said of Harville. "He's been a closer at the minor-league level.
Certainly, he has closer's stuff. He throws 94, 96 mph with a low to mid-80s
slider. He's got Brad Lidge kind of stuff.

"It's just that he has not had the opportunity at the major-league level to
demonstrate what he can do."

Harville, 27, was 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA in three relief appearances for
Oakland this season but was designated for assignment Thursday. He was out
of options and said he wouldn't accept his minor-league assignment, which
prompted Oakland to trade him.

Saarloos, 24, made his big-league debut in just his professional season but
struggled. He failed to make the team out of spring training and was 0-2
with a 15.43 ERA in two starts at Class AAA New Orleans.

Harville has a 1-2 record in the majors with a 5.62 ERA in 42 games in parts
of four seasons.

Someone check Billy Beane's car for a crack pipe. I would've traded Kirk for
a warm 6-pack.


"Michael Balarama" <mbalar.RemoveThis@ev1.net> wrote in message
news:1082dobgi638l32@corp.supernews.com...
> Astros deal Saarloos to A's for hard-throwing Harville
> By BRIAN McTAGGART
> Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
>
> The Astros made a move they hope will bolster their bullpen by acquiring
> righthander Chad Harville from the Oakland Athletics for righthander Kirk
> Saarloos late Friday.
>
> The trade, announced after the Astros beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 at
> Minute Maid Park, gives the club another power arm to add to the bullpen.
> Harville will join the major-league club and will be in uniform for
> tonight's game against the Brewers.
>
> The Astros will have to make room for Harville on the 25-man roster, and
> general manager Gerry Hunsicker said a move would be announced today.
>
> "He is somebody that hasn't pitched a lot at the major-league level,"
> Hunsicker said of Harville. "He's been a closer at the minor-league level.
> Certainly, he has closer's stuff. He throws 94, 96 mph with a low to
mid-80s
> slider. He's got Brad Lidge kind of stuff.
>
> "It's just that he has not had the opportunity at the major-league level
to
> demonstrate what he can do."
>
> Harville, 27, was 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA in three relief appearances for
> Oakland this season but was designated for assignment Thursday. He was out
> of options and said he wouldn't accept his minor-league assignment, which
> prompted Oakland to trade him.
>
> Saarloos, 24, made his big-league debut in just his professional season
but
> struggled. He failed to make the team out of spring training and was 0-2
> with a 15.43 ERA in two starts at Class AAA New Orleans.
>
> Harville has a 1-2 record in the majors with a 5.62 ERA in 42 games in
parts
> of four seasons.
>
>