The Astros are next in our arbitration eligibles series.
- First time: J.A. Happ, Alberto Arias
- Second time: None
- Third time: None
- Fourth time: Humberto Quintero
Having traded Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn, and Jeff Keppinger in July, the Astros are left with few arbitration concerns. Arias has missed the last two seasons due to shoulder issues, and is likely to be cut loose.
Happ will be tendered a contract, and should land around $2.3MM. Quintero has at least been a consistent backup catcher, and it'd cost $1.2MM to retain him.
Add $3.5MM for Happ and Quintero to the team's $47.25MM in 2012 commitments, and the Astros are around $51MM before accounting for minimum salary players. They entered this season with a $77MM payroll, so there's room to tinker on the free agent market and perhaps add some veteran placeholders.
Inglett hasn’t been on the roster since May!
“Batting third for the Astros, first baseman Albert Pujols!!!”
Well, not really.
I don’t know how much room. Much of the rumors have them looking to have their payroll more in the $60-65 million range as they rebuild. Which is why I still believe we will see Wandy Rodriguez dealt.
I have even heard some around 50 to 55 million. If that’s the case why would you waste more than league minimum on JA Happ?
because he is at least ~1 WAR next year and didn’t he have a lot of potential, which is why he came over for oswalt? Def a player worth more than league min. 2.3 Mill is fine at the going rate of 4 per win
Easiest arbitration article Tim Dierkes will have to write.
At the trade deadline, the rumored payroll target was $60 mil but that fell to $50 mil later on. At that level, you can’t afford Wandy, Myers and Lee then have any room for Barmes, Happ or anyone who costs more than $500k.
What is sad is that the Astros payroll in 2005 was around $75M, the team went to the world series, with attendance around 3 million. This year, payroll was higher than in 2005 (although not inflation adjusted), the team had the worst record in baseball, with attendance down to 2 million. Shows how spending is not the key to success. It’s how you spend the dollars. Although the Astros finished 50 games under, the team they fielded since the All-star break consisted mostly of rookies (youngest team in the NL) and they finished only 10 games under after the break. So, the best hope is that somehow those 10 games can be made up with experience, and more talent infusion from the minor leagues. But, it’s going to be a few lean years……hopefully will work out the best for the long term. It’s hard to be positive as an Astros fan right now, but I’m sure Tigers, Rays and Rangers fans felt the same way just a few years ago.