Preston Wilson Projection
Wondering how new Astro Preston Wilson will perform in 2006? Check out the latest RotoAuthority projection.
Miguel Tejada backed off on his trade demand. Translation: the Orioles didn’t find an offer they liked.
Read about the Diamondbacks’ new philosophy towards team defense under Josh Byrnes over at Baseball Prospectus.
Some lesser known breakout prospects over at Baseball Analysts.
Latest Astros Buzz
Today we’ve got some Astros info for you to digest.
According to an emailer, Richard Justice recently spoke with Astros GM Tim Purpura on Sports Radio 610. Here’s what came out of the discussion:
The Astros aren’t expecting much from Jeff Bagwell, surprise surprise. The main concern is, of course, his inability to throw. In Brian McTaggart’s article in the Houston Chronicle today, he mentions that Bagwell "will have his shoulder analyzed next week by respected orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham." Expect Bags to be relegated to pinch-hitting duties given the Preston Wilson signing. I don’t have anything new on the Astros’ interest in White Sox righthander Jose Contreras, but Willy Taveras could be expendable given Wilson’s ability to play center field.
Purpura spoke to Roger Clemens two days ago at Minute Maid. Clemens has not cleaned out his locker in at the ballpark. I still believe that Clemens will return to the Astros in mid-June.
Today in the Baltimore Sun, Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly mention that "The Red Sox, Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs appear to be the leaders in the Tejada sweepstakes." Adam Everett and Brandon Backe are certainly available on the Astros, but it’ll obviously require a lot more than that to get Miguel Tejada. Brad Lidge won’t be involved in any deal for the shortstop.
I’ll see if I can dig up any additional info on these topics.
Astros Discussing Jose Contreras
First off, my apologies for the confusion in my last post. Let’s set the record straight about this Astros/White Sox thing.
My source wasn’t referring to the Astros’ interest in Miguel Tejada, but rather Jose Contreras. Baltimore likes the righthander, but Houston covets him as well. The Sox are talking to the Astros currently, but have no interest in Brad Lidge. Their reasoning: they believe in the young, cheap Bobby Jenks. The Sox also have concerns about Lidge’s future health after piling on the innings as well as his impending large salary. That all makes sense; the Sox have no reason to acquire another closer.
Another clarification: the player the Sox are considering for Contreras is Willy Taveras. The additional prospects are unknown. Given the massive salary gap between Jose Contreras and Taveras, this deal would free up cash to be used for reinforcements at the trading deadline. As mentioned before, the White Sox are willing to go up to a $105MM payroll.
Some more quality tidbits on the White Sox’s interest in Miguel Tejada:
Chicago’s offers are non-negotiable. If Tejada is traded, the deal will be completed within the next two weeks. Other interested clubs are still submitting and refining their proposals.
Miguel Tejada Trade: Update
Some more quality details on the possible Miguel Tejada trade:
First issue: White Sox payroll. My source is saying that adding Tejada would not be a problem – the team’s board of directors are willing to take the payroll up to $105 million. Should the Orioles accept one of their offers, they’ll still have flexibility for more additions at the July trading deadline as needed.
UPDATE: There was a miscommunication between my source and I about this deal. He was not telling me that the Astros were in on Tejada, but rather Jose Contreras. I’ll go into more detail on this in a separate post. Sorry for the confusion.
Astros Update: Garland, Garciaparra
Good stuff today from my main Astros guy.
First off, the Astros are talking to the White Sox about what it would take to acquire Jon Garland. It’s well known that Garland is on the market, and the Astros do have some interesting young arms that are sure to come up in the discussion. Southpaw Troy Patton had a nice run in high Class A this year, and righty Jason Hirsh righted the ship at Double A Corpus Christi. Both pitchers are very highly regarded by Baseball America. Assuming a well-rested Roger Clemens rejoins the Astros in June, the team could once again rest its playoff hopes on starting pitching.
My source also mentioned that Nomar Garciaparra has narrowed his suitors down to the Dodgers and Astros. I admit, the Astros didn’t cross my mind back in September as a possible destination for the game’s current best available free agent (Clemens excluded). I still think a two-year deal is in order.
Willy Taveras Projection
Something for you fantasy baseball types to consider: can Willy Taveras match Juan Pierre in 2006? My projection is up at RotoAuthority.
Astros Or Retirement For Clemens
Plenty of buzz going around about Roger Clemens entertaining new teams such as the Red Sox, Yankees, or Rangers for the 2006 season. According to my Astros source, however, Clemens is again choosing between the Astros and retirement.
Houston Chronicle writer Brian McTaggart has confirmed that Brad Ausmus is very close to signing a two-year pact with the Astros. It’s well known that Clemens does not want to pitch for any other catcher, and the Red Sox tried in vain to lure Ausmus out East. Boston was never really an option for Ausmus, who wants to be a starter and considered only San Diego as an alternative.
According to my Astros source, look for Clemens to return to Houston and start taking advantage of some of his previously negotiated perks. In 2006, Clemens would skip more road trips to stay with his family. Look for Roger to pull a few strings and try to get the Astros to promote his son Koby to the Corpus Christi Hooks (Double A club located in Texas). Third baseman Koby has played just nine games at Class A with the Tri City ValleyCats in New York. In addition, Roger has a ten-year agreement to work for the Astros after retirement to work with the club’s young players.
After pitching in the World Baseball Classic, expect Clemens to take a few months off and return to the Astros around mid-June. His salary will certainly be less than $18MM, and the team will hopefully have acquired the improved offensive players Clemens desires.
Brad Lidge Could Be Available
I first heard the Astros might consider trading Brad Lidge a few days ago, when Dayn Perry tossed it out there. Perry mentioned that Lidge could go to Atlanta, and here’s what I said:
"Could the Braves somehow emerge with the best closer on the market? One who no one even knew was on the market? I wouldn’t put it past Schuerholz. I can’t see Houston doing the deal for anything less than catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia or shortstop Elvis Andrus."
I still feel that the Braves are the frontrunner. Lidge doesn’t become a free agent until after the 2008 season, so it’s not like the Astros would make this deal to snag whatever they could get before Lidge departs for the big bucks. Whatever team gets Lidge gets him for three solid years and will pay a below-market salary for it.
Given that, it makes sense that the Astros would look to improve their team now and not in two years. So Saltalamacchia and Andrus might not be the right kind of players for this deal. Major League ready lefty starter Chuck James might be a start in a Lidge deal. Anthony Lerew would also fit the bill. The dealbreaker, though, might be Marcus Giles. Giles will be a free agent after 2007, and the Astros can’t expect to run Craig Biggio out there forever.
John Lopez wrote about trading Lidge in an article for the Houston Chronicle yesterday. Lopez’s logic against the Orioles and Reds makes sense. Those teams are not a top-flight closer away from competing. But Lopez also dimisses the Boston Red Sox simply because Manny wouldn’t fit with Houston.
I think the Red Sox could become major players for Lidge, but Ramirez doesn’t have to be involved. Even outside of Andy Marte, the club has enough young talent to at least get a meeting with Astros GM Tim Purpura. Pitchers Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, and Craig Hansen can be contributers in 2006 and beyond, and Boston would love a rock-solid alternative to Keith Foulke.
Lopez goes on to write that the Phillies look like the only legitimate possibility for a deal. Obviously I disagree with that. It doesn’t make sense for the Phils to leave a gaping hole in their offense in order to craft a Yankee-like bullpen.
What other teams have a strong need at closer and the talent to swing a deal for Lidge?
Scanning the Closer Watch, I don’t see any. The Orioles and Reds remain dark horses, but the Red Sox and Braves seem to be the best fits.
What do you think?
Willy Taveras, Jarrod Washburn Mentioned For Cubs
Chicago Sun-Times writer Chris De Luca has a few names he thinks would work for the Cubs. Said De Luca today:
"It’s too bad Wood’s future is so murky. The Houston Astros, in need of pitching and always in the market for homegrown stars such as Wood, are listening to offers for center fielder Willy Taveras, the runner-up in National League Rookie of the Year voting. With the Astros showing more trust in Chris Burke during the postseason, Taveras has become a hot name on the trade market."
While one Juan Pierre in the lineup has a chance of working, two of them certainly would not. You can’t get four home runs between two outfield spots.
De Luca also mentions that Jarrod Washburn and his 3.20 ERA "should have been an option, but Hendry has shown little interest in the left-hander." De Luca first mentioned the Cubs as a possible suitor back on November 18th.
I can’t agree here either. If you compare Washburn’s indicators (baserunners and HR allowed, strikeout rate) you’ll notice that Washburn posted a 4.64 ERA in 2004 with indicators very similar to this year. In other words, a huge chunk of that 3.20 that’s going to earn Washburn an extra $10MM can be attributed to luck.
Miguel Tejada Wants Out
I had received a few tips from readers about Miguel Tejada possibly being traded. I didn’t print anything because I couldn’t substantiate them. Turns out those readers were on target; today Tejada said, "I think the best thing will be a change of scenery." You can bet Tejada’s proclamation will get the hot stove buzzing once again.
It’s a strange thing for Tejada to say, given that the Orioles have several months left to improve their team. He said that the Orioles "have not made any signings to strengthen the club." If I were Ramon Hernandez, I’d be slightly offended by that remark. And to think the two were teammates for so many years.
Anyway, let’s begin with Tejada’s contract. He’ll make $10MM in ’06, $12MM in ’07, $13MM in ’08, and $13MM in ’09. That’s $48MM over four years. He’d certainly snag more than that on the open market. Tejada isn’t even 30 yet, and you know all about his offensive accolades and durability. One mild sign of a possible decline is that Tejada slugged only .416 after the All-Star break in ’05, hitting seven home runs. Still, that’s only 300 ABs and he may have felt uninspired.
Here’s what we’re all wondering: where might Tejada end up?
Boston Red Sox. Of course, they have a huge need for a shortstop and plenty of cash. There’s even an article circulating saying that Tejada might want to play for the Red Sox. The Sox could offer up Jon Lester and Dustin Pedroia for starters. The one little problem is that the Orioles still consider themselves competitive, and would probably be reluctant to trade within the division. Back when the Red Sox dealt Curt Schilling and Brady Anderson to the Orioles for Mike Boddicker, the O’s were completely out of the race.
Chicago Cubs. I’m thinking that if Jim Hendry removes Felix Pie from the "untouchables" list, the Orioles would seriously consider shipping Tejada their way. If the Cubs included Ronny Cedeno to take Tejada’s vacant spot, a deal could get done quickly. (This is all speculation, of course).
New York Mets. The Mets seem willing to give Jose Reyes all the time he needs to develop into a leadoff threat at shortstop. But Omar’s been mortgaging the future this winter like it’s going out of style, so you think he’d at least inquire. The Orioles’ response would probably include the words "Lastings" and "Milledge."
Toronto Blue Jays. If the Orioles do decide to deal within the AL East, the Blue Jays could get involved. Russ Adams is OK, but Ricciardi might have interest anyway.
Houston Astros. If ownership doesn’t mind the commitment, the ‘Stros might try to allocate some of that now-available Clemens cash for a marquee shortstop. Not sure if they’ve got the prospects to cut it, though.
What do you think? Any teams I’ve left out? What players would it take to get a deal done?
Thanks to Tom and Dennis