Horry For 3!
12-07-2005, 07:23 PM
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051207&content_id=1278369&vkey=hotstove2005&fext=.jsp
Astros unable to re-sign veterans before May 1
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com
DALLAS -- If Roger Clemens pitches for the Houston Astros next year, it won't be on Opening Day. Faced with an 11 p.m. CT deadline, general manager Tim Purpura on Wednesday announced that the club will not offer arbitration to Clemens or Jose Vizcaino, which means the club cannot re-sign either player until May 1.
That effectively ends Vizcaino's tenure with Houston, as the utility infielder will likely sign with another club this winter. In Clemens' case, however, the window is still open for a Rocket return to the Astros after the first month of the season.
The Astros were faced with a tough decision -- offer Clemens arbitration and wait up to two more months for the seven-time Cy Young winner to decide if he wanted to pitch, at which time he could ask for more than $20 million, or not offer The Rocket arbitration and move on with building the 2006 roster without their Hall of Fame pitcher.
"It's one of these things that you regret to have to do," Purpura said. "But you also realize that if you're in our role and trying to build a club, we need to move forward and we don't know what Roger's status will be for next year. [Agent] Randy [Hendricks] said a little while ago, 'I still don't know when or if he'll make a decison.'"
The Astros have not made a decision as to whether they will offer arbitration to catcher Brad Ausmus or outfielder Orlando Palmeiro. Contract negotiations are on-going, and Purpura expects the talks will continue throughout the evening.
Astros unable to re-sign veterans before May 1
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com
DALLAS -- If Roger Clemens pitches for the Houston Astros next year, it won't be on Opening Day. Faced with an 11 p.m. CT deadline, general manager Tim Purpura on Wednesday announced that the club will not offer arbitration to Clemens or Jose Vizcaino, which means the club cannot re-sign either player until May 1.
That effectively ends Vizcaino's tenure with Houston, as the utility infielder will likely sign with another club this winter. In Clemens' case, however, the window is still open for a Rocket return to the Astros after the first month of the season.
The Astros were faced with a tough decision -- offer Clemens arbitration and wait up to two more months for the seven-time Cy Young winner to decide if he wanted to pitch, at which time he could ask for more than $20 million, or not offer The Rocket arbitration and move on with building the 2006 roster without their Hall of Fame pitcher.
"It's one of these things that you regret to have to do," Purpura said. "But you also realize that if you're in our role and trying to build a club, we need to move forward and we don't know what Roger's status will be for next year. [Agent] Randy [Hendricks] said a little while ago, 'I still don't know when or if he'll make a decison.'"
The Astros have not made a decision as to whether they will offer arbitration to catcher Brad Ausmus or outfielder Orlando Palmeiro. Contract negotiations are on-going, and Purpura expects the talks will continue throughout the evening.