Can’t you just hear the conversation between Scott Boras and Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez right before the World Baseball Classic?
Boras: Hey Pudge, do you think you have anything left?
Rodriguez: Maybe
Boras: I need you go from maybe to yes because if you have a great WBC, I can get some stupid team to give you a contract
Rodriguez: That’s all I needed to hear. I will have a great WBC
Boras: Perfect
So after that conversation, Rodriguez listened to his agent and is having himself one hell of a WBC. So good that he has fooled the Houston Astros into giving him a 1 year $1.5MM contract. I don’t get this move by the Astros.
Pudge signs with the Astros
In my opinion the Astros will finish anywhere from 3rd to 5th in the NL Central. They are in the Brewers and Reds group that will finish somewhere in the middle of the division. Besides Oswalt their pitching staff consists of Mike Hampton, Brian Moehler and Russ Ortiz. Does anyone really need me to comment on that staff? Signing Rodriguez, who looked washed up when he was with the Yankees (.219/2/3 in 33 games) makes them what? An 80 win team instead of a 78 win team?
The Astros need to get younger not older. I understand that J.R. Towles hit only .137/4/16 in 54 games last season and he has looked terrible this spring hitting .153/1/1 in 13 AB’s. However, he was ranked the Astros #1 best prospect by Baseball Prospectus in 2008 and he is only 25 years old. According to Baseball Prospectus Towles “should hit .280-.300 annually with 10-15 home runs.”
Why not give Towles a shot to play everyday? If he fails, the Astros know they will need to address the catcher situation in 2010. If he succeeds, the Astros will have their catcher of the future. Now if Pudge hits his .260/7/58 like he probably will, then the Astros are in the same place at the end of the season that they were yesterday. It just doesn’t make sense.
Prospects are like lottery tickets. Either they are going to hit the jack pot or just be another 1 of a million losing tickets. The Astros decided not to even play the lottery in 2009. Rodriguez fooled the Astros into thinking he could help them in 2009 when the fact is he really can’t.
Tags: Houston Astros, Ivan Rodriguez, J.R. Towles
The Ghost of Moonlight Graham 
March 20, 2009 at 3:19 pm |
Towles the catcher of the future? Do you know anything about the Houston Astros? Jason Castro!!!!!! hello????????
March 20, 2009 at 3:53 pm |
While Jason Castro was the Astros 1st round pick last year, many feel they reached for him at #10 and according to Keith Law “There’s not much star potential here.” Castro won’t be in the majors for at least another 2-3 years. so insteading of using the word “future” I should have used 2-3 years.
March 20, 2009 at 4:29 pm |
actually recently Keith law and Jayson Stark amd BBC ratred Jason Castro the Astros #1 prospect. He was the MVP of his League last year. Hoit over .360 in winter ball and Ken Rosenthal predicted he will be the starter for them in 2010. You were correct at the time they all felt the yoverreached for the pick. But most people have changed their minds recently.
March 20, 2009 at 4:47 pm |
With all due respect, I don’t think you backed up your case very well. I admit, I have no idea how Pudge will perform this season. I was against his signing anyway. I don’t believe our team should have any more ‘roiders on the roster than absolutely necessary. But that is obviously neither here nor there.
Aren’t you being a bit cynical assuming that’s the kind of conversation Boras and Rodriguez had? Perhaps Rodriguez truly does feel he has plenty of gas left in the tank. Also, you quote Rodriguez’s stats with the Yankees “.219/2/3 in 33 games”. While I don’t know the exact number off the top of my head, I do remember Lance Berkman having a horrible stretch back in 2007 in the first half of the season where I’m sure he put up similar numbers. He was absolutely horrible. I believe he only had a handful of extra-base hits going into June. But the man finished with a very respectable .278/34/102.
I don’t know how Rodriguez will perform this season with us here in Houston. He may have nothing left, as you say. All I’m saying is don’t judge a man just because he had a poor performance in 33 games for a new team. Especially when he was just wrapping up a .295 first half with Detroit.
As far as Towles goes, other than his September call-up back in 2007, he has done nothing but show he is not ready for the big leagues. The man has hardly no experience in triple-A. When he shows he can hit at AAA, then maybe we can call him up. But until he can hit minor leaguers on a regular basis, he should stay down. Perhaps when Ivan leaves after the season Towles will be ready to step up for a year or two until Castro is ready.
Have a great afternoon.
March 20, 2009 at 7:05 pm |
.219/2/3 in 33 games
How did he do in the other 82 games he played? If the Astros judged players by how they did in 33 game samples, Berkman would be DFA’ed about twice a season.
March 20, 2009 at 7:07 pm |
Being ranked the #1 Astros prospect in 2008 is kind of like being ranked the AIG executive who most deserved his bonus.
This is a good, low-risk signing.