Astros off-season

[ATRAIN]

Report: Matsui agrees to terms
Second baseman played key role for NL champions last season
By Jim Molony / MLB.com

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Kazuo Matsui batted .288 in 2007 for the Rockies. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
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HOUSTON -- The Astros have reportedly agreed to terms with free agent second baseman Kaz Matsui on a three-year, $15 million contract.

The Daily Herald of Chicago reported the agreement on the publication's Web site late Thursday night.

Astros GM Ed Wade's policy is not to comment on negotiations. Calls to Matsui's agent Arn Tellem were not returned.

The Astros had made an offer to Matsui last week and Wade had previously confirmed the team was interested in the 32-year-old switch-hitter, who played for the National League-champion Colorado Rockies this year.

Matsui, who will succeed the retired Craig Biggio as Houston's starting second baseman, hit .288 with four home runs and a .342 on-base percentage.

Jim Molony is a reporter for MLB.com. This report was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[Extra Stout]

I'm not sure Matsui is even an upgrade over Chris Burke.

[ATRAIN]

I'm not sure Matsui is even an upgrade over Chris Burke.


He hit .288 last season, so yes he is an upgrade!

[TheProfessor]

He hit .288 last season, so yes he is an upgrade!
At Coors. Check his Home/Away splits.

[Extra Stout]

He hit .288 last season, so yes he is an upgrade!
Matsui has zero power, and is not that great a fielder.

The Astros just got themselves an average player for $5 million a year.

:td

[Kermit]

He hit .288 last season, so yes he is an upgrade!

Horrid signing. That .288 is disguised by the fact that he hit .330 in Coors Field and .249 away from it. His average at the Juice Box? .222 with a .263 OBP. Awesome!!! Burke was on the cheap and while he's probably not the answer, I would've like to have seen him get one more chance playing his natural position.

[DOMINATOR]

take away Matsui's Dodger stadium mess... and he is .272 on the road. he will only play 3 games there with the astros.

i dont really like the signing though because he isn't that much better than Burke... his defense is better and with everett the astros have the best middle infield defense in the league which will help the pitching staff. maybe matsui turned a corner last season and will go back to his numbers before coming to MLB. who knows. his baserunning is much better than anyone on the stros and better than burkes.
matsui hits alot of ground balls and gets on with speed which is what a #2 hitter does burke hit more like a 6-7 alot of fly balls try to hit it out of the park stuff.

[K-State Spur]

batting average is a bad stat to judge a player by.

that said, matsui is probably better than burke, but not by much.

there are players at AAA (and not top prospects) who would perform better than both of them.

[K-State Spur]

matsui hits alot of ground balls and gets on...

with a career .325 OBP, he doesn't really get on. even with the great home stats last year, he still had a below average OBP overall.

[DOMINATOR]

with a career .325 OBP, he doesn't really get on. even with the great home stats last year, he still had a below average OBP overall.
i meant thats how he gets on base... putting the ball in play opposed to striking out/fly outs.

[K-State Spur]

It really doesn't matter how he gets on base when he doesn't do it often, well below the league average for a player.

I think the Stros did upgrade at the position, but it would be tough to find guys who aren't an upgrade over Burke.

[leemajors]

i'm just happy we have a GM who's not sitting on his hands.

[leemajors]

from justice's blog:


Ed Wade continues to stockpile good players by taking advantage of the mistakes of others. His latest shrewd move came Thursday morning when he stole 22-year-old LHP Wesley Wright from the Dodgers in the Rule 5 draft for $50,000. The Astros must keep Wright on their 25-man roster or offer him back to the Dodgers. He was dominant at Double-A but struggled at Triple-A last season. Give Dewey Robinson a spring with this kid, and he'll be fine.

anyone know anything about him?

[Extra Stout]

anyone know anything about him?
Worth taking a flyer on, I guess.

I see Justice is still gumballing the Astros as much as ever.

[ATRAIN]

Damn the Astros have really changed things up and would like to know what you would grade thier off season so far with the newest additons, Miguel Tejada and Jose Valverde.

[kyleo]

Damn the Astros have really changed things up and would like to know what you would grade thier off season so far with the newest additons, Miguel Tejada and Jose Valverde.
To me, this season is all about jettisoning what was the Astros, and starting over. So there are lots of trade-offs - more offensive potency, mediocre to poor starting pitching; traded many prospects and assets to get low volume returns, but got the best player in every deal, and many of the players traded away either consistently underperformed or helped make up an already lacking farm system. It seems to me Wade is simultaneously blowing up the organization and attempting to win big now in a weak division, which is bold to say the least. Will it work? I'd say this will be a two-year band-aid of just over .500 ball (which could win the division), followed by a couple of wretched seasons, then a resurgence of young talent Wade drafts. Just a guess though.

[T Park]

The Astros, if the starting pitching is there, will challenge the Cubs for the divison.

Tejada, Berkman, Lee is a pretty sick 1,2,3 punch.

Good luck this year.

[DOMINATOR]

The Astros, if the starting pitching is there, will challenge the Cubs for the divison.

Tejada, Berkman, Lee is a pretty sick 1,2,3 punch.

Good luck this year.
you mean... tejada, berkman, Lee, Pence

[T Park]

Pardon me I forgot the true rookie of the year.

Yeah the Astros are pretty loaded.

Wiggington isn't nothing to shake a stick at either, hes turned into a solid 3B man.

I think the Astros, like I said, rotation willing, will return to greatness.

They will definately have easy wins against the Cardinals, Reds, and Pirates this year.

[Mister Sinister]

The Astros, if the starting pitching is there, will challenge the Cubs for the divison.

Tejada, Berkman, Lee is a pretty sick 1,2,3 punch.

Good luck this year.
I hope we rise to that challenge. It'd be satisfying, to say the least, since I'm in the NW suburbs of Chi-town. I gotta say, it was *really* galling to have Cub fans giving me shit in '05, and it'd be nice to have some payback other than the usual Cub futility.

[K-State Spur]

I don't know, I'm not overly high on the Stros. I think they would have been better off blowing it up instead of going for Miggy.

Their line-up is solid, but I don't think it's as good as the Brewers, and probably not even the Cubs.

Oswalt's a legit ace, and Valverde will close the door, but there are a lot of question marks on everybody else in between.

[K-State Spur]

from justice's blog:



anyone know anything about him?


Wright was ranked just outside the top 20 in the Dodgers' prospects. In most organizations, that wouldn't be overly impressive. But the Dodgers' system is loaded beyond the point of sickness.

[ATRAIN]

What do you guys think, should the astros pursue Mark Prior for the second half of the season?

[leemajors]

no way.

[Mister Sinister]

What do you guys think, should the astros pursue Mark Prior for the second half of the season?
If I could, I'd go upside your head with a dictionary for that. NO! Heeeell no! Bad ATRAIN!

[ATRAIN]

If I could, I'd go upside your head with a dictionary for that. NO! Heeeell no! Bad ATRAIN!


LOL just seeing what others thought, hey anything is better than Jennings!!

[Mister Sinister]

LOL just seeing what others thought, hey anything is better than Jennings!!
Normally, yes. But you gotta remember, Prior would bring with him the thing that my pops and I refer to as the "Ex-Cub Factor." You gotta take that into account.

[ATRAIN]

Normally, yes. But you gotta remember, Prior would bring with him the thing that my pops and I refer to as the "Ex-Cub Factor." You gotta take that into account.


What is the Excub factor?

[midgetonadonkey]

I like that they are making moves and not just standing still, but I hate the Tejada trade.

[ATRAIN]

I like that they are making moves and not just standing still, but I hate the Tejada trade.


I'm the same way, I like them being active, I for one a reserving Judgement on that trade till the season starts.

[Mister Sinister]

What is the Excub factor?
The Ex-Cub Factor means that a player who was recently on the Cubs will bring little more than suck and fail to his new team.

[Spurminator]

Report: Astros extend offer to free agent Prior
ESPN.com news services

Updated: December 17, 2007, 8:39 PM ET

It looks like Mark Prior won't be on the market for very long.

Cut loose by the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, Prior received an offer from the Houston Astros on Monday, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"We've got an offer out to him at this point and time," Houston general manager Ed Wade told the newspaper. "I got a sense that we're in the relatively early stages. Yeah, we got on board with that one."

According to the newspaper, Wade won't discuss the specifics of offers the Astros make. Scouts around baseball, however, think Prior will ink an incentive-laced, one-year deal before testing free agency again after the season.

Drafted second overall in the 2001 draft, the Cubs declined to offer Prior a 2008 contract after he missed the 2007 season while recovering from arthrosopic surgery on his right shoulder. He made $3,575,000 last season.

Prior, who finished third in NL Cy Young voting in 2003, is 42-29 with a 3.51 ERA lifetime. In 2006, Prior went 1-6 in just nine appearances.

Other teams have shown interest in Prior, including the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3158954

[ATRAIN]

Report: Astros extend offer to free agent Prior
ESPN.com news services

Updated: December 17, 2007, 8:39 PM ET

It looks like Mark Prior won't be on the market for very long.

Cut loose by the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, Prior received an offer from the Houston Astros on Monday, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"We've got an offer out to him at this point and time," Houston general manager Ed Wade told the newspaper. "I got a sense that we're in the relatively early stages. Yeah, we got on board with that one."

According to the newspaper, Wade won't discuss the specifics of offers the Astros make. Scouts around baseball, however, think Prior will ink an incentive-laced, one-year deal before testing free agency again after the season.

Drafted second overall in the 2001 draft, the Cubs declined to offer Prior a 2008 contract after he missed the 2007 season while recovering from arthrosopic surgery on his right shoulder. He made $3,575,000 last season.

Prior, who finished third in NL Cy Young voting in 2003, is 42-29 with a 3.51 ERA lifetime. In 2006, Prior went 1-6 in just nine appearances.

Other teams have shown interest in Prior, including the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3158954

Wow I didn't know they were interested, I just assumed they might be.

[ATRAIN]

Wow its like a whole new team now!! Here is another addition.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20071217&content_id=2328732&vkey=pr_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou



HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros announced today that the club has signed right-handed pitcher Jack Cassel to a one-year contract with a Major League value of $400,000. The announcement was made by General Manager Ed Wade.

Cassel, 27, was 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA (10ER/22.2IP) in six games (four starts) for San Diego in 2007, which marked his first Major League season. He also made 27 appearances for Triple A Portland this year (including 24 starts) and finished 7-14 with a 3.91 ERA (68ER/156.2IP), including three complete games. Originally selected in the 25th round of the June 2000 Draft, Cassel earned his first Major League victory with six shutout innings on Sept. 17 vs. Pittsburgh.

Cassel was not tendered a contract by San Diego by the Dec. 12 deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent.

"Our scouts have liked Jack over the past couple of years," said Wade. "He pounds the strike zone with his sinker and competes well. The Padres gave him a Major League opportunity in 2007, and he did pretty well. We'll throw him into our starting pitching mix in Spring Training and allow him to compete."

With the addition of Cassel, the Astros 40-man roster currently stands at 34 players.

[ATRAIN]

HOUSTON -- The Astros added another bullpen arm to the mix on Tuesday, signing right-hander Chad Paronto to a one-year contract worth $500,000 plus incentives.

Paronto, 32, was 3-1 with a 3.57 ERA and one save over 41 appearances for Atlanta in 2007. A veteran of five big league seasons with Baltimore (2001), Cleveland (2002-03) and the Braves (2006-07), he has a career record of 6-11 with a 4.00 ERA over 165 outings.

He also appeared in 65 games for Atlanta in '06, finishing with a 2-3 record and 3.18 ERA.

"Chad provides us with another experienced bullpen arm to put into our mix," said general manager Ed Wade. "We believe that the offseason additions combined with the returning relievers give us a solid relief corps, something winning teams need. Chad did a good job for the Braves, and we think he fits in well with us."

The Astros 40-man roster now stands at 35 players.

[midgetonadonkey]

Fuck Prior. Bastard will probably just be injured for the extent of his contract.

[ATRAIN]

Fuck Prior. Bastard will probably just be injured for the extent of his contract.


Unless we give him a Clemens contract lol.

[midgetonadonkey]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3168825

Padres add Prior to pitching mix

By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine
(Archive)


Mark Prior, cut loose by the Cubs earlier this month, has agreed to terms with the San Diego Padres.

Prior Problems

In 2003, Mark Prior went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA, was selected to the All-Star Game and finished third in the Cy Young voting. He has won just 18 games in 57 starts since.
2003 Since*
W-L 18-6 18-17
ERA 2.43 4.27
Opp. BA .231 .241
Starts 30 57
*Did not pitch in 2007

Prior receives a one-year major league deal with a $1 million base salary. The contract, which doesn't include an option, contains incentive clauses that could take the total value of the deal to over $3 million.

"Mark Prior is a competitor and is working hard to regain the form that made him one of the great young pitchers in the game," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. "We are confident he is going to help us in our rotation this season. It's exciting that Mark is coming home to San Diego to pitch for the Padres."

Prior, 27, last pitched in the big leagues in 2006, and had shoulder surgery in April of 2007.

The second overall pick in the 2001 draft, Prior went 18-6 for the Cubs in 2003 before experiencing a series of physical problems. He was born in San Diego and lives in San Diego County, and the Padres' hope is that he is able to join a rotation that already includes Jake Peavy, Chris Young, Greg Maddux and Randy Wolf.

He has been throwing on flat ground, and to date, has been free of pain since his surgery.

Prior's lifetime record in the big leagues is 42-29, with a 3.51 ERA.

In 2003, Prior nearly pitched the Cubs to their first World Series appearance since 1945. He took a 3-0 lead into the eighth inning against Florida in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series before the Marlins rallied for eight runs and an 8-3 victory at Wrigley Field.

Florida also won Game 7 in Chicago and went on to beat the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Buster Olney is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[midgetonadonkey]

Thank God he won't be an Astro.

[Mister Sinister]

'Stros signed Erstad today. 1y deal.

[violentkitten]

'Stros signed Erstad today. 1y deal.


left handed bat for the bench i guess.

[violentkitten]

ok, how about pitching?

[T Park]

Erstad will give you a solid bat off the bench for about 50 games.

[AFBlue]

Erstad will give you a solid bat off the bench for about 50 games.

Erstad was "solid" a few years ago....now he's trash. Let's hope the Astros didn't pay too much for him.

The Rays were looking at this guy (LA connection with Maddon) and I was happy when they opted for Floyd instead as a lefty bat.

[Mister Sinister]

Erstad was "solid" a few years ago....now he's trash. Let's hope the Astros didn't pay too much for him.

The Rays were looking at this guy (LA connection with Maddon) and I was happy when they opted for Floyd instead as a lefty bat.
1 year, 1 mil+incentives.

[AFBlue]

1 year, 1 mil+incentives.

Well that's not bad at all....

Solid clubhouse guy, but I'm not sure he gives you much on the field.