Can you feel it?
Pitchers and catchers report in less than a month. The World Baseball Classic is upon us.
Can you feel it?
Many of the mega contracts have been finalized, while a handful of others are still in the works.
Can you feel it?
Owners are scrambling to find Black Friday prices on that last-minute piece of the championship puzzle.
Can you feel it?
The air is brisk. The fantasy blogs are buzzing. And I ask you again.
Can you feel it?
It must be baseball time. “Play ball” time. “Cold beer” time. And while the anticipation level in Houston is not as high as it is in Boston or New York, the natives are restless and hoping for a deadline deal from Uncle Drayton. Although a big-time signing is unlikely, there are still some notable free agents available that could fill some holes for Houston if the price is right.
The name that jumps out at me immediately is Andruw Jones. I don’t know what kind of price he is commanding, but at 31 and coming off back-to-back lousy seasons, you may be able to get him for a fair price. His star power would sell tickets and his glove would look good in center. If he resurrects himself at the plate, the potential for a 30-40 homer season in the middle of the lineup would really fatten up the offense. This would put Bourn in a better-suited role as a reserve outfielder and speed guy off the bench and slide Erstad over to backup Lee in left and Berkman at first. Outfield problem solved.
Next, is the wealth of starting pitching available for a team with such questions about its rotation. Braden Looper, Livan Hernandez, Chuck James, Freddy Garcia, Mark Mulder and Odalis Perez are all guys that Houston could slot as a potential #2 starter behind The Wizard. The Tigers don’t want Garcia, but the White Sox might. He was willing to sign a minor-league deal last summer, so the price might be feasible. The Dodgers have shown interest in Looper, but they would rather sign lefty Randy Wolf if they have the choice. No real news on Hernandez. He made $5 million last season but also pitched poorly in Minnesota and Colorado. He is durable and may be willing to sign for cheap for the chance to prove himself again. Three to four million for any of these guys is a no-brainer.
James, Mulder and Perez are more questionable commodities. James had two nice seasons and then blew up with injuries last season. He and Perez are left-handed options that could come here for a million or less. Mulder is the biggest question. He has the biggest upside of any name mentioned here, but also the most uncertainty. There is no way to tell what kind of money it would take to bring him in. Starting pitching solved.
As far as Joe Crede is concerned, I don’t know why we took a flyer on Aaron Boone instead of a younger and more productive Crede. He will earn a little more than Boone, but less than they were willing to pay Wigginton. He will probably be as productive as Wigginton was, assuming he is healthy. HGTV fans know how “Design on a Dime” always makes those room makeovers look so easy. Why is it so hard for Uncle Drayton to figure out his payroll? Ah, baseball is here Astro fans. Can you feel it?
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