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Quick Hits: Astros, Phillies, Bautista, Starling

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Links for Friday on the 25th anniversary of Roger Clemens' first 20 strikeout game…

  • MLB officials say Jim Crane is still on track to buy the Astros from Drayton McLane, according to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle. Justice argues that Crane should bring Lance Berkman, Andy Pettitte and former GM Gerry Hunsicker back to Houston if he does take over.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports argues that manager Charlie Manuel needs to be cautious with his rotation, because it’s “by far the Phillies' biggest strength.”
  • Former Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi told Tom Verducci of SI.com that he liked Jose Bautista enough to trade for him, but wasn’t expecting historic production from the former utility player. “If you told me he would hit 20 home runs, I would have believed it because you could see the power,” Ricciardi said. “But no way could you see 50.”
  • D'Backs GM Kevin Towers was on hand to watch high schooler Bubba Starling play yesterday, according to ESPN.com's Keith Law (on Twitter). A two sport athlete, Starling is arguably the top high school position player in the 2011 draft.

Astros Designate Joe Inglett For Assignment

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The Astros designated Joe Inglett for assignment to create roster space for Clint Barmes, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. Barmes was hit by a pitch in Spring Training and has now recovered from a fractured hand.

Inglett hit .208/.208/.250 in 24 plate appearances for the Astros, who acquired him from the Rays this spring. The 32-year-old appeared in 102 games for the Brewers last year, hitting .254/.331/.401 and playing second base, left field and right field. He has also played shortstop, third base and center field over the course of his six-year MLB career. The left-handed hitter has a .286/.345/.397 line in the majors.

Barmes has not appeared in a big league game for the Astros since they acquired him for Felipe Paulino last November. He hit .235/.305/.351 in 432 plate appearances for Colorado last year, playing short, second and third.

Astros Release Nieve To Play In Korea

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The Astros released right-hander Fernando Nieve to allow him to sign with a Korean team, according to Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The Pirates signed Nieve in December and released him in March, when he didn't make the Opening Day roster. Two days later, Nieve signed with the Astros.

Nieve, 28, pitched 42 innings for the Mets in 2010, posting a 6.00 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 4.7 BB/9, 2.1 HR/9 and a 37% ground ball rate before he was Mets granted him free agency. No pitcher who completed 40 innings or more matched Nieve's 18.5% HR/FB rate last year.

The Venezuela native has started three games for the Astros' Triple-A affiliate this year, posting a 7.63 ERA with 10.0 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 15 1/3 innings.

Quick Hits: Bautista, Jeter, Clevlen, Astros

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Ten years ago today, the Rockies signed an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic named Ubaldo Jimenez. Now the 27-year-old ace boasts a 3.59 career ERA and 669 strikeouts in 744 innings. Today's links:

  • Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays is in the mix as the best hitter in the American League, writes Dave Cameron of FanGraphs. If that's true, his five-year, $65MM contract will turn out to be a significant bargain.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman to Derek Jeter in a November 30th meeting: "You said all you wanted was what was fair. How much higher do we have to be than the highest offer for it to be fair?" That's from Ian O'Connor's source; the ESPNNewYork.com writer has a new book out next month on Jeter.
  • The Wichita Wingnuts signed former big league outfielder Brent Clevlen, announced the team. The independent league club is partially owned by a former teammate of Clevlen's, Nate Robertson.
  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart looks at the potential roster moves the Astros could make when Clint Barmes is activated off the disabled list, possibly as soon as this coming weekend.

Stark On Mauer, Indians, Myers

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The latest from ESPN's Jayson Stark…

  • Stark tackles the topic of whether Joe Mauer can and should pursue his goal of staying at catcher for the life of his eight-year contract.  Manager Ron Gardenhire was realistic about it, admitting that a position change is worth thinking about if Mauer continues to have leg and knee issues.
  • Indians GM Chris Antonetti explained that if the team remains a contender at the trade deadline, "we'll be looking to acquire guys," rather than trade players like Grady Sizemore.
  • Rooting for the Yankees to acquire Brett Myers this summer?  One NL scout told Stark, "If he's in the AL East, he's a fifth starter." For more on the Astros' trade chips, check out my post from this morning.

If The Astros Become Sellers

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Today is April 19th and the Astros are four games out in the NL Central.  It seems rash to count them out entirely, but Baseball Prospectus' Playoff Odds Report gives the team a 0.0% chance of making the playoffs.  Let's see who they could offer in trades a few months from now.  The remaining salary figure is calculated as one-third of this year's salary plus any additional salaries and buyouts, so we're assuming players would be dealt around the July 31st trade deadline.

  • Carlos Lee, LF/1B: $24.7MM owed through 2012.  Since September of 2009, Lee is hitting .248/.290/.415 in 839 plate appearances.  He seems more likely to be released than traded.  Contenders might view Lee as nothing more than a bench bat, a role with which he could be unhappy.
  • Wandy Rodriguez, SP: Up to $38.3MM owed through 2014.  Since Wandy is paid only $7MM this year, he'd fit into most contenders' 2011 budgets.  His '13 club option becomes a player option with a trade, the salary of which is reflected in the $38.3MM figure.  If the 32-year-old is in the midst of a disappointing but not terrible season, the Astros could have a way of getting out of the contract.  If he's pitching well, the Astros could get solid players in return.
  • Brett Myers, SP: $16.3MM owed through 2012; could become $23.3MM through 2013 if option vests.  Like Rodriguez, Myers is earning only $7MM this year.  At the least he's an innings eater, and the Astros could extract a decent bounty from a desperate team at the trade deadline.  GM Ed Wade holds a couple of excellent trade chips in Rodriguez and Myers, though it remains to be seen if they'll become available.
  • Hunter Pence, OF: $2.3MM owed through 2011; arbitration eligible for 2012 and '13.  Moving Pence would be unpopular and could decimate an already-questionable offense.  Still, after winning his arbitration case in February, Pence is in line for $10MM+ in '12 and even more in '13.  If the Astros don't see him as part of their long-term plans, the best time to move him is this summer.
  • Brandon Lyon, RP: $7.25MM through 2012.  The Astros would have an inexperienced bullpen without Lyon, but Wade has to be willing to make short-term sacrifices.  If Lyon is pitching decently in July the Astros have a chance to get out of a contract that makes little sense for them.
  • Michael Bourn, CF: $1.5MM through 2011; arbitration eligible for '12.  Credible center fielders are hard to come by, and as a Scott Boras client Bourn probably won't be signing an extension with the Astros.  The Nationals could be a match.
  • Clint Barmes, SS: $1.3MM through 2011.  Barmes would like an extension, and considers himself an everyday player.  He'd need to play well for a few months to establish trade value.
  • Bill Hall, 2B: $1.25MM through 2011.  Hall is only through about a tenth of his season, but he'll need to pick it up to prove he should be a regular.  An acquiring team might want him back in a super-utility role.
  • Jeff Keppinger, IF: $778K through 2011; arbitration eligible for 2012.  Keppinger had foot surgery in January and may make his season debut in May.  He's probably the Astro most likely to be traded this summer.

Barmes Hopes To Remain With Astros Beyond 2011

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The Astros remade their middle infield this offseason, but they have yet to see new shortstop Clint Barmes play an official game in their uniform. He's currently recovering from a fractured hand suffered in Spring Training, but he's already thinking beyond his rehab and to the future, telling Stephen Goff of Examiner.com that he hopes to remain in Houston beyond this season.

Barmes, 32, will earn $3.925MM this season, his final one as an arbitration-eligible player. He is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, when he would be one of the few legitimate everday middle infielders available on the market. Although he hit just .235/.305/.351 with the Rockies last season, Barmes hit a respectable .264/.306/.452 with 34 homers and 25 steals from 2008-2009. Aside from a hiccup in 2007 and 2008, UZR has liked his defense at short.

Quick Hits: Feliciano, Twins, Rendon, Oswalt

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 Links for Wednesday, after a walk-off win for Brandon Inge and the Tigers…

  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi says Pedro Feliciano has a "damaged shoulder" according to Ben Shpigel of the New York Times (on Twitter). It sounds like surgery is a possibility for the Yankees' $8MM investment.
  • Tsuyoshi Nishioka’s leg injury weakened the Twins' middle infield, which means they may look for infield help, rather than relievers in potential deals, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Trade candidate Kevin Slowey hasn’t pitched in a game since April 4th because of bursitis in his right shoulder, but he could become available again this season.
  • Anthony Rendon nudged out Gerrit Cole for top spot on Baseball America’s updated list of top draft eligible players.
  • The Yankees were frustrated that the Astros never made them fully aware that Roy Oswalt was available last summer, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Credit Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. for acquiring Oswalt quietly and later denying the Yankees their primary offseason target, Cliff Lee.

Blue Jays Expect To Trade Purcey; Astros Interested

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10:10pm: The Astros are interested in Purcey, according to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun (on Twitter). Houston is one of the potentially interested teams I speculated on earlier tonight.

6:36pm: Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told Barry Davis of Sportsnet that he expects to deal recently designated reliever David Purcey within the next ten days instead of allowing another team to claim the left-hander on waivers (Twitter link). The Blue Jays designated Purcey for assignment earlier today, which means they have ten days to trade him, release him or, if he clears waivers, assign him to the minor leagues.

It seems likely that Purcey will draw interest, since he posted a 3.71 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 34 innings last year. The former first rounder has a 92 mph fastball and is still just 28. Left-hander Garrett Olson, another first round selection, was snapped up off of waivers last month, after the Mariners made him available.

However, Purcey has an 11.57 ERA with three strikeouts and four walks in 2 1/3 innings over the course of five appearances so far this year. Worst of all, he allowed two hits and a walk to the four batters he faced in Seattle last night, allowing the Mariners to start an unlikely comeback.

Offseason In Review: Houston Astros

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The Astros are next in our Offseason In Review series.

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

Trades and Claims

Notable Losses

Summary

It was a quiet offseason for Astros GM Ed Wade, who added some middle infield pop, extended Wandy Rodriguez, and acquired a few arms via trades and claims.

For about $7MM, Wade revamped his middle infield with Hall and Barmes.  Not many teams considered these players middle infield regulars, which might be a red flag.  Wade is taking an offensive-minded approach to second base and shortstop, and both players have 20 home run ability.  Of course, they both have .300 OBP ability too, so I'm not sure that the lineup will benefit much.  Once again, this appears to be an Astros lineup littered with easy outs.  Barmes, who broke a bone in his hand in March, is in line for a late April debut.

Barmes

I can't complain too much about the Hall and Barmes pickups, as they're not blocking anyone.  Still, the Rockies got the better end of the Barmes-Paulino swap.  Why would the Astros rid themselves of a 27-year-old with a 96 mile per hour fastball and 8.1 career K/9?  Barmes (pictured) was a non-tender candidate for Colorado.

The Astros' barren offense is a shame, because their rotation has the potential to be solid (early returns aside).  Myers and Rodriguez form a strong one-two punch, J.A. Happ and Bud Norris have flashed 4.00 ERA skills, and Jordan Lyles is one of the 50 best prospects in baseball.

Extending Rodriguez was a win for Wade, as Wandy would have been one of the better free agent starters available after the season.  The price was reasonable, though I'm not sure what conditions cause his $13MM option for 2014 to vest.  In the cases of Rodriguez and Brett Myers, the extensions could improve their trade value for certain suitors should Wade look to improve his farm system this summer.

The Astros have a consensus bottom-five farm system, which must be improved if the team is to return to prominence.  Grabbing a couple of arms to try in the Rule 5 draft made sense.  Lindstrom was traded for prospects, though his salary might have been the Astros' motivation in trading him.  I don't mind a non-contender having an unproven bullpen, but I hope Lindstrom's potential $3MM salary didn't force Wade to settle for less in trade. 

The Astros finally committed to a rebuild last summer, trading two of their best-known players in Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman (though neither had much trade value).  This summer Wade will face tougher decisions on whether to move Rodriguez, Myers, Hunter Pence, and Michael Bourn, making the team even worse in the short term for the greater good.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

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