Fire the GM!!!

[subiworld]

I am disappointed at the early off season and we still haven't done anything yet. Most the big name free agents are sign and what did the Astros get Russ Springer. The Tim P need to get on the phone and contact the Marlins to work out something because D Willis and Migual is on the market. A Mike Pizzia signing would sound good. They sound very attrated to just have some rumors that they could be heading to Houston for Brad Lidge or something. He don't seem like he want to offer the Rocket arbitration. Why can he just offer that and at least have a chance to get him back next year. If we don't offer him the arbitration we won't be able to sign him till May 06.

[moebarguy]

Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera are the only two Marlins from last year's team that are not available, so I'm not too sure what you're talking about. Also, where would the Astros put Piazza? Believe me, you don't want him catching. At this point in his career, he's a DH in the AL...As for Roger Clemens, he's not giving the Astros a very helpful answer, so it's very hard to decide what to do with him, or how to plan your off-season when your ace pitcher is iffy about returning to baseball. If you were the GM, what would you like the 2006 Astros to look like?

[subiworld]

If I were a GM I would at least offer the Rocket arbitration. The attendances actually paid for it if his salary is around the 15-18 millions range. When Roger is pitching the attendance at the park is higher. As for DW and MC for the Marlins, I read and articles a couple days ago on the msn.foxsports.com that they will listen to offer because they will also be arbitration eligible for the first time next year and they could get good trade baits with one year left on their contract. It will work like a rent a player deal, like how the astros rented Randy Johnson and Carlos Baltran for a couple of months. And as for Mike Piazza I would only bring him in if the Rocket were to return because that way you could draw more attendance and fans will want to see Piazza catching for Roger. Their little rivalry actually it's good for attendances and espn will sure have a big coverage over that if it did happen and it will become a more national thing. If more people around the country notice it than you have advertise your product to the nation just by having Piazza and Roger together. Didn't you remember the kind of coverage they got during the All-Star game 2 years ago in Houston?

[moebarguy]

So you want to sign players just for the coverage...how about the fact that Piazza isn't good anymore?

[subiworld]

If you look at it from the GM point of view ticket sales is more important. but as a fan, i think Piazza still have a year or two left or if bagwell can't go we could at least move piazza to first. plus we don't know if we will get brad ausmus back and i think piazza is not as offensively challenge as ausmus at the plate. addition to that we don't have any kind of offense at the catcher position anyways so having piazza won't hard at all.

[tadlock11]

Hey guys, this is my first post over here. Being in the Houston area, thought I'd chime in.
I agree that the Rocket has been elusive with his responding as to whether or not he will return and making it difficult for the GM to do anything further. A while back I heard that he had a 5yr or so personal services contract with the Astros. Don't know if that is valid but someone here may. Secondly, I would much rather Ausmus return than have Piazza come in. What's the deal with Ausmus, anyone know?
Lastly, what would the chances be of shipping Bagwell back to Boston to let him finish his career at home as a DH? I thought he did well throughout his career here and I'm not trying to be vicous, but I think his defensive days are numbered, if not over. Not sure what is on the market, but why not keep Lamb at 1B? or even move Biggio over there and play Burke at 2B.

[subiworld]

Bagwell won't go anywhere, he is too expensive with 2 year left on the contract so he'll be a really expensive ph or his shoulder is good enough to get back to first base. While Ausmus is deciding with his family because his family wants him in the west cost so he isn't sure about resigning with the astros.

[moebarguy]

Originally Posted by tadlock11

Hey guys, this is my first post over here. Being in the Houston area, thought I'd chime in.
I agree that the Rocket has been elusive with his responding as to whether or not he will return and making it difficult for the GM to do anything further. A while back I heard that he had a 5yr or so personal services contract with the Astros. Don't know if that is valid but someone here may. Secondly, I would much rather Ausmus return than have Piazza come in. What's the deal with Ausmus, anyone know?
Lastly, what would the chances be of shipping Bagwell back to Boston to let him finish his career at home as a DH? I thought he did well throughout his career here and I'm not trying to be vicous, but I think his defensive days are numbered, if not over. Not sure what is on the market, but why not keep Lamb at 1B? or even move Biggio over there and play Burke at 2B.

The Red Sox have a guy named David Ortiz slated at DH...

[moebarguy]

Originally Posted by subiworld

If you look at it from the GM point of view ticket sales is more important. but as a fan, i think Piazza still have a year or two left or if bagwell can't go we could at least move piazza to first. plus we don't know if we will get brad ausmus back and i think piazza is not as offensively challenge as ausmus at the plate. addition to that we don't have any kind of offense at the catcher position anyways so having piazza won't hard at all.

No, the GM is supposed to make a winning team...I'm not sure if you remember, but the Mets tried to use Piazza at first base a few years ago, and it was a disaster...

[subiworld]

If Piazza could throw that would be fine, that was the problem we have at first because Bagwell can't throw because of the injury, now they are saying they are not sure will he be able to be effective at 1st so i guess we just have to wait and see from that part. Plus please remember we are an offensively challenge team that went to the world series. we only have Morgan, Lance, and Lane and some time biggio as power hitters on the team. other positions are only good defensively and offensively challenge. Adam not a power hitter and some time not even a contact hitter, Willy not a power hitter and strike out too much, Chris not a power hitter, and some time a contact hitter, Brad not a power hitter and not a contact hitter, Lamb only fit for pitch hitting, Bagwell not a power hitter anymore. We have all these offensively challenge hitter and we luckily we made it to the world series so we won't be hurting much if he is on the team (at least he is better than Rual, not a contact nor a power hitter) If we are resigning an over price Orlando Palmeiro (over price 36 year old ph) for 1.9 millions why not just go with the rumor trading Chad and Brandon for Bobby Abreu (former astros farm player) from the phillies. if that went through and we resign brad than piazza won't join us.

[subiworld]

I know Mike Lamb and Brad Ausmus is important pieces to our World Series Run but don't your think resigning them for that price is over spending? Lamb for 1.7 million for a year deal and Ausmus for 7.5 millions + incentive for two years? How much are they going to spend for the remaining 5 (closer Brad Lidge, third baseman Morgan Ensberg, shortstop Adam Everett, reliever Dan Wheeler and backup catcher Raul Chavez) if we don't have to resign Chavez, so another 10 millions for Lidge, 8 millions on Ensberg, 7.5 for Everett, 5 million for Wheeler? Than how are we able to sign anyone else if we will have to spend market values on our arbitration-eligible players?

[tadlock11]

Local news (sports) said that the Astros are showing interest in Nomar Garciapara.
If he could stay healthy

[subiworld]

But Nomar want to play for NewYork, and also if we do get Nomar what are we going to do with Adam Everett or Jason Lane. If he were to play either SS or LF. I don't want them to sit Lane because I think Lane will have a break through year with at least 40 bombs if he is a full time starter this coming season.

[subiworld]

Fire the GM!!!! He couldn't sign anyone and there must be something wrong with his nego. tactics. All he could do is resign Raul C. I am so disappointed at the Astros off season because the GM we have don't know what he is doing.

[Astro]

Originally Posted by subiworld

Fire the GM!!!! He couldn't sign anyone and there must be something wrong with his nego. tactics. All he could do is resign Raul C. I am so disappointed at the Astros off season because the GM we have don't know what he is doing.

Houston doesnt have much money to spend, and they would like to keep some incase Roger decides to wait till May and sign with Houston again... Using the WBC as his spring training...

[Evangelion]

Fire the GM!!!! He couldn't sign anyone and there must be something wrong with his nego. tactics. All he could do is resign Raul C. I am so disappointed at the Astros off season because the GM we have don't know what he is doing.

Yeah, sure...

You obviously don't know how team work or how a GM operates. Astro cover the fact that this team doesn't have the money to throw around as you assume they do and would like to bring Clemens back during May, so they would like to have the money to do it. The GM can only do so much with what he has and what's out there. It's quite easy to speculate that you know what a GM does when you really have no idea what a GM is allowed to do and what he can do and what he's limited to do.

Astros offense is still weak, but if you look at this year FA pool, there was not much to work with to begin with. No need to go throw a fit about it. Look at the Red Sox management compare to Astros management. Sometimes making little to no moves is the best option at times. Just bring back FA players from your team is the best option, too.

Remember, this team was in the World Series last year if you forgot.

The core is of that team remain intact. Remember, you got the dominating pitching of Andy and Roy along with one of the best bullpen in the entire MLB. The Astros will be contending again next year. They'll contend for the league, unless the Cardinals decide to dominate the regular season again.

[Astros4Life]

to the person who wants to fire Tim Purpura...ill admit i was upset that hunsicker resigned in 2004 and ill admit i questioned purp in the early goings...but without him do u think the astros would have won the wildcard, and nlcs last year...not likely...and the astros arent like the yankees or red sox...we dont have billions of dollars or whatever to spend...we still have a upper-middle range payroll and for a city like houston the astros (this year at least) are the big thing in town