Astros Talking About Miguel Tejada

MLBTradeRumors has learned that the Astros are in talks with Baltimore for Miguel Tejada.  I don't have much more detail than that, but it comes from a trusted source.  Houston has been reluctant to offer up outfielder Hunter Pence, who currently has 22 home runs in Double A.  It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out.  The Astros previously expressed interest back in January.

A couple more tasty Tejada nuggets: The Reds kicked the tires on the superstar shortstop, but a deal couldn't be completed without including stud pitcher Homer Bailey.  In my opinion, if the Reds are really going for the gold this year, they should've pulled the trigger.  Also, the reason the Angels are resisting a Tejada deal: Mike Scioscia.  Scioscia doesn't want Tejada bringing his...influence...into the clubhouse.

Comments

[registereduser]

Tejada could really help a contender. Especially if he brings a box of serenges full of amped up B-12 for all the guys to shoot up into their ass cheeks.

The Astros and Roger Clemens would be a good fit for that. The cubs should have traded Prior for him and then Nefi Perez could have been a 25 HR guys with Tejada's "influence"

[OPERATIONSHUTDOWN]

Tejada is a deal that makes absolutely no sense for the Astros. Hey, lets put out an infield of Huff, Tejada, Biggio, and Lamb. That way we can raise our BAA by 30 points and never turn a double play.

This is the Astros problem, they've got guys that are totally plus hitters and minus defenders for where they play (Burke-CF, Huff-3b, Lamb-1b, Berkman-rf, Biggio-2b) or minus hitters and plus defenders (Everett, Ausmus). The last thing the team needs to do is add a 5'9", 220 lb. SS on the wrong side of 30... unless they want to play him in left.

Pence is exactly the type of player the Astros need to build around, BTW... they need to get younger and better. If the Astros make the playoffs, it will be because everybody got their act together, not because they added Tejada.

[OPERATIONSHUTDOWN]

Rotoman, is Hirsh AND Pence the offer... or is it some big leaguers and Pence... because I'll burn my Astros gear if they trade their two top prospects and potential 2007 rookies for Tejada.

[RotoAuthority]

Don't know the offer or if there even has been one...just that the teams are talking and the Astros have been reluctant about dealing Pence. I think the offer you mention would get the deal done quickly.

[OPERATIONSHUTDOWN]

Well, I sure as heckfire hope Pence is a major sticking point. You're probably right about the Hirsh/Pence package getting snapped up quickly.

This team is just so flawed, I'd hate to see a short term solution that would cause a long term problem. This team just needs to let the season play out and build towards 2007, if they catch lightning in a bottle, then great. But they can't keep sinking money and prospects into this team.

The Stros balked at Everett, Lidge, Lane, in the winter. The price is likely now, Everett, Lidge, Buccholz/Nieve and/or Pence.

[Brian]

Listen, as an avid Astros fan I can assure you that this deal will not happen. The Astros do this all the time. They "talk" to teams about star players, then leak it to the media to make us Astros fans think they are going to do something huge, then they dont do it. This deal will not happen, nor should it. If the O's are asking for Lidge,Everett,Nieve and Pence, then we should walk away. No way I include Lidge and Nieve in the same package.

[Brian]

To follow up my earlier comment, if the Astros are serious about this trade, which I doubt, they should start by seeing if they can include any or all of the following in this package... Wandy Rodriguez, Willy Taveras, Mike Lamb, Jason Lane and Chad Qualls. Wandy can give them a 10 game winner and left handed starter. Taveras could be their CF of the future. Lamb is perfect for the AL, as he could play both 1B and DH. Qualls has closer-type stuff and could be their closer.

[Darin]

I can't see any of this happening.

1st from what I've read the 'Stros have 3 untouchable minor leaguers - Pence, Hirsh and Troy Patton. Everyone else is up for grabs.

2nd the Astros have traded off a few headaches(B. Abreu, C. Schilling, ect) like Tejada and rarely bring any in, unless it's a discount (J. Kent). Tejada doesn't seem like the player the Astros would want to bring in.

3rd, no matter what the package is, the O's would have to pay at least half of this year's remaining salary and probably a quarter of the rest of his contract before the 'Stros would take on that rediculous contract. The Astros are alread at $105mil+, taking on that much more would be impossible.

[Darin]

Brian, that package (Lane, Wandy, Tavaras, Lamb, and Qualls) wouldn't net the Astros Kelly Leak from the Bad News Bears.

Wandy is going to end up a lefty specialist if he's lucky to even stay in the majors.

Tavaras isn't a future CF for anyone. He can't hit, get on base or even steal bases. The O's already have a CF that can't hit in Patterson, but at least he doesn't look like he's swinging a wiffle ball bat, and can steal bases.

Jason Lane is awful. Once a top prospect and now he's underachieved so much, he will probably never start for anyone on a regular basis again.

Mike Lamb is a perfect fit for the AL, and is the most valuable part of your package, but not enough to offset the others.

Chad Qualls is a good reliever, but closer? No way, he can't strike anyone out, and he's a head case. He's better than Lidge at this point, but who isn't?

[Brian]

No, I agree with you Darin. I was just saying that we should include some of them in a package for him. I think I worded that whole paragraph wrong. I agree with you on all your points. Taveras is a nothing, Lane is terrible and Qualls cannot be a closer. But in Houston, people are saying that if we were to trade Lidge, Qualls could be our closer and that is almost as scary as seeing David Weather or Dan Miceli in an Astros uniform again. I just dont see this deal happening. (By the way Darin, this is playboi24 from the Chronicle forum)

[Darin]

Oh ok. Then I guess you've heard the "Kelly Leak" joke before.

[Brian]

lol, Yea a few times. I'd like to know where these guys heard this rumors from. RotoAuthority, can you fill us in on where you heard this from and if its a legit rumor?

[Professor I]

I don't get you Astros' fans. Your team can't score friggin' runs for Oswalt and Clemens and you scoff at a deal that would bring in a bat like Tejada's? Are you nuts? You'd think after Jason Lane you'd be glad to deal away an OF prospect like Pence (who's by no means a sure thing, there are plenty who question his ability to succeed at the major league level) for a legit middle of the order bat. Your window is slowly closing, I'd want my team to go for it instead of deciding to rebuild around a guy who could end up being the next Jason Lane.

[OPERATIONSHUTDOWN]

Professor, runs scored=runs prevented. Olney, Rosenthal, and Neyer have all said they think Tejada's defense is getting worse by the minute and it's really bad now. Maybe it's posturing, but Stoneman won't trade for him to play SS.

In a park like MMP where the HR can bite you if you don't turn two or get to all possible ground balls, Everett is very valuable. If I had to win a game tomorrow at MMP, I might take Everett over Tejada. You can't get a good enough appreciation for Adam Everett by watching him... he's not flashy, doesn't wow you like Scott Rolen. But the numbers bear out that he's in a league of his own defensively.

[TheRealErik]

"but a deal couldn't be completed without including stud pitcher Homer Bailey"

I don't think Bailey will do as well as you think, especially in that park. If the Reds can get a stud in exchange, they should trade him.

[RotoAuthority]

Can't give up my source, but it is quite legit.

[mikebornemann]

"The Astros do this all the time. They "talk" to teams about star players, then leak it to the media to make us Astros fans think they are going to do something huge, then they dont do it."

You mean like signing Petitte? Or Clemens? Or Clemens again?

Every fan outside of the Bronx feels that way, because no team gets everyone they go after. The Stros have ponied up when they needed to.

[RotoAuthority]

Don't forget the Beltran and Randy Johnson trades.

[Brian]

Clemens and Pettitte signed here because they wanted to play closer to home and bring a championship to Houston. Its not like our owner/GM got into a bidding war with the Yankees for their services and won, they chose to be here. When I said that, I meant it in a way of when we acquire a player, they are hear for longer than half the season. We trades for rentals but never trade for long term solutions. Beltran, Randy Johnson and it looks like Huff are all rentals, then signed elsewhere once free agency hit.

[kylejo]

out of curiousity, how many years does tejada have left on his contract after this one

[Brian]

He has 3 years remaining.

[Brian]

OPEARTIONSHUTDOWN

I tink once Ensberg comes back, he goes to 3B and Huff to RF. If we got Tejada, we would have a lineup of

Biggio - 2B
Burke - CF
Tejada - SS
Berkman - 1B
Huff - RF
Ensberg - 3B
Wilson - LF
Ausmus - C

That sounds like a good 1-6 to me.

[OPERATIONSHUTDOWN]

Sounds neat but you're creating a new problem.

You're now awful up the middle cuz Ausmus can't throw people out, Burke's a 2b, Tejada's bad, and Biggio has diminished range. Your payroll just took on an annual 20 million dollar hit, cuz you gotta pay Tejada and somebody to start in Pence's place for 2007-2008, and you've gotta replace the arms you dealt.

Even then, what, you have a 10% chance to win the WS this year.

[astrosfan]

The Astros need to just finish the season and cut bait.

I have no delusions of the punchless team I saw lose to the Cubs yesterday actually making the playoffs much less a World Series.

There's no way the Astros need someone like Tejada. Aubrey Huff is a nice addition, but the rest of the team is too flawed to contend. Tejada can't fix that by himself.

After the season when they ditch the dead weight of Clemens, Pettite, Backe, Wilson, Lane, Lamb and Bagwell's mammoth contract then trade Oswalt (see ya, Mr. Test-Free-Agency) they'll see what kind of deals they can make on trades and FAs that can help the team in 2007.

[Darin]

I don't know for sure, but Bag's contract might be on the books for a while. I know he's going to get $8mil next year, and some of the other money might be deferred (I've read as much as $29mil).

[bigfatdrunk]

*First* of all, operation shutdown? Great.
Freakin. Handle. The thrills I received from taunting that scrub make me tingly to this day.

There are good arguments for offense and for defense. However,after wathing the stros this year, I'd be more than happy to plug in Engleberg for Ausmus and Stein for Everett (I know, wrong position). The Stros are nauseatingly bad offensively. It's not just the raw numbers, either. They cannot hit in situations, they cannot hit in "the clutch," and they cannot hit their way out of a paper bag. This is a horrendous offensive team, and something needs to be done.

That said, I'd rather call up Pence, warts and all, and dump Hirsh for Wandy (and, heck, maybe even Pettitte), than I would trade those guys for Tejada. I'd also be willing to swallow Tejada's salary and give up nothing, though it's not my money.

Finally, I have a feeling the Stros will do something big, but I don't know if this is it.

[OPERATIONSHUTDOWN]

BFD, quiet man... nobody else gets the handle... they must think I'm militant or something. Names i prefer to Tejada; Betemit, Baldelli (might he be available), Khalil Greene (ditto).

I can live with Everett, he's the Ben Wallace of baseball. He's a 6', 170 lb Dennis Rodman in cleats.

[OMGitsthelaststors]

All you Tejada haters, I agree with not getting Tejada. What I want to know is when the hell are the Astros going to dump the entire bullpen (besides for Lidge) and get some real relief pitchers in here. I would also like to know when DMcLane is going to can Pupura and get a real freakin GM. I want to know when DMclane is going to pony up some money and get hitting and pitching together in the same year. I am 36 years old and I am tired of waiting on the Astros to win a WS. We, as fans, are long over due a WS victory. I am sick and tired of watching and not getting. DMcLane threatened to leave town if the taxpayers did not pony up the money to build his ball park, now it is time for him to quit sitting around and letting every other team get all the players. I don't care how much it cost him to get a WS ring, I just want to see it before I die. I am not asking for much really. I haven't complained not one time since the Rockets won two championships. I am a loyal Houston Astros fan, but I am tired of seeing the same things every year with the Astros. I see teams working deals all winter and the Astros sit back and let deals slide. The future is now, not five years from now when you have lost all hope in the prospects. Maybe this season is lost, but make a deal. Hell, do something to stop the bleeding. One more thing....I happen to believe that it is sad that when you look at the Astros pitching that you have to call a 43 year old Roger Clemens the ace of the pitching. I am not knocking Roger because I love Roger and what he brings to the Astros, but he should not be shouldering that title. It is ridiculous. Get real and make some deals for God's sake. Yes, I am pissed off at Mclane, Pupura and whoever else is responsible. I would also like to say that firing Gaiete (spelling bad) was freaking stupid as hell. You cannot help someone hit who has no skills. I say McLane leave town if you don't want to win a WS and sell the team to an owner who wants to win one. I don't care about how many division titles the Astros have either, so don't go there whoever repsonds to this.
Later

[bigfatdrunk]

Errr, I hope you know that was a small (huge) typo in my original post. Dump Wandy for Hirsh. For Hirsh. Phew.

I guess we disagree about Everett, OpSD. I'd rather see Ausmus or Wilbur Howard or Roger Metzger at bat than Everett. But I definitely like your suggestions.

To OMG: I'm 36 as well. I followed some of the worst teams in professional sports in the 70s and 80s, including the Oilers. Winning a championship, however, is no easy feat. I would rather be like the A's and be good, rather than the d-backs and get lucky. Being good always pays off. Though, I *am* starting to wish the luck part would go our way one year.

(PS: I bawled when we lost to the Phils in 80. I got drunker than drunk in 86. It's gotta happen sometime.)

[OMGitsthelaststors]

Well, I agree to an extent bigfatdrunk, but I am still tired of the bs that DMcLane pulls all winter. And what is that you might ask....NOTHING. He does absolutely nothing except sign people like Hidalgo to long term contracts. Then, those players end up being a bomb. Look at this biggest bomb of all time in Astros history... Glen no hit Davis. Yeah, he might have hit 40 hr's a year, but most of his hr's came when there were no men on base and the Astros were already losing so bad it didn't matter. I say the whole Astros management and ownership team needs to get real with the fans and the players who have played here for a long time. Players like Biggio. McLane wants to know why big name players like The Unit doesn't want to play here, I can tell him why. First of all, The Unit didn't want to be the only pitcher on the staff with no hitting. Second, McLane doesn't want to pay players. Yeah, I know that we have the 4th highest salary in the MLB, but we are overpaying some players. Get rid of the non-performing players and get some in here that can hit. There are plenty of players who would love to play here if DMcLane would un-ass some money. Heck, he could have enticed Adam Dunn from the Reds with some money. I know for a fact he wants to play here. McLane could have had Josh Beckett if he would have tried. What a great young pithcer to have here to help Oswalt. I don't blame the players who leave here because it is managements fault. McLane, if you read this get real and get some players in here. Stop teasing us with division wins. We are sick and tired of that. We want the WS and to win it not just going there. Going there is not good enough. Win it or sell the team to somebody who wants to win it.

[cman88844]

No way do the Reds even consider giving up Bailey. Ever Cincinnati fan knows that he is the future star of that franchise and they would really go beserk if he were traded. I have seen the kid pitch and he is going to be the real deal. His fastball is electric and just explodes out of a nice, easy motion. Yes, the GABP is a hitter's dream but this kid will be able to take the bat out of a lot of guy's hands. He stays.