Pudge to Astros

[WisconsinSportsRule]

It's the breaking news on sportscenter. 1 year deal for Pudge.

[bball123h]

http://kenhoytstyle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/champagne-pop.jpg

 

 

[joepepsi]

How can this be? You mean FUTURE HALL OF FAMER BRAD AUSMUS is no longer on the team?

[hawing]

So, bball, does that mean there's hope in Stroville now?

[TooLiveBrew]

Obviously the Astros will now add Jake Peavy out of ST, & Adam Dunn after the deadline, thus securing yet another pennant & WS title.

 

Game, set, match, Ed Wade.

 

 

(honestly though, not a bad pickup at all for HOU as long as the money's about right)

[bball123h]

He's looked a lot better in the WBC, so hopefully some of that carries over to the regular season. It's definitely a solid acquire. He won't carry the team, but it's definitely an upgrade.

[RU Rah Rah]

How can this be? You mean FUTURE HALL OF FAMER BRAD AUSMUS is no longer on the team?

He's probably not even in the Dartmouth College hall of fame, if there is such a thing.

[brewerguy71]

Yeah, good pick up for them, nothing spectacular though. Hes a definite upgrade over Towles/Quintero and it maybe allows Towles to mature more, become the guy they needed him to be last year. I would be shocked if he caught more than 120 games for them.

 

On Ausmus though, he is regarded as one of the smartest people in the game along with Greg Maddux. He will probably replace Cooper at some point soon as the manager of that team. He would have been a great guy to pick up for the Brewers last year, if only for that same purpose.

[brewers82]

How does this play out now for Captain Lou? My guess is they'll drop him from the 40 man. If so is he offered back to Balt. or Milwaukee? If it's Milwaukee do they take him back?

[pete]

I think Palmisano goes back on waivers, so other teams could pick him up but would also be required to keep him on the 25 for the year. After that he goes back to the Brewers.

[trwi7]

They'd be better off just letting Towles play.

[Ennder]

They'd be better off just letting Towles play.

You obviously haven't seen Towles try to hit major league pitching. This is a big upgrade for them and to be honest would have been an upgrade for us if we had signed him.

 

Having said that the Astros still have 1.5 viable starters so I don't see them going anywhere without a lot of luck.

[Tisko]

This results most likely in the return of Palmisano, correct?

[RyDogg66]

Replacing Towles and Ausmus would be about the only situation that Pudge would be an upgrade at this point in his tired, steroided career.

[JohnBriggs12]

This results most likely in the return of Palmisano, correct?

 

Not likely. The Brewers are pretty well set with catchers at AA and AAA between Salome, Lucroy, Corporan, Maldonado and that's not even counting Rottino.

[Tisko]

This results most likely in the return of Palmisano, correct?

 

Not likely. The Brewers are pretty well set with catchers at AA and AAA between Salome, Lucroy, Corporan, Maldonado and that's not even counting Rottino.

I thought the rules were that he would have to be returned if he didn't make the 25 man roster, like Crabbe last year?

[trwi7]

I don't think the team has to take him back if they don't want to. The team that took him just has to offer him back for half the price.

[Ennder]

Astros are talking to Pedro, now if they sign him they have a glimmer of hope at the wild card.

[Tisko]

I wouldn't count them out. They were in the hunt for the playoffs until September last year. I am mildly surprised that Pedro has yet to sign a deal especially considering Smoltz's deal.

 

Probably a good thing for the Astros that Puerto Rico was knocked out last night to give Pudge and the Astros pitchers a little more time to get to know each other.

[Ennder]

I wouldn't count them out. They were in the hunt for the playoffs until September last year

 

They had a one month hot streak that almost pushed them into the playoffs, that can happen with almost any team in baseball. They still do not have any pitching. From August 7th to Sept 11th they were 26-8.

 

A large part of the hot streak was how insane Wigginton was during that stretch. 102 AB, .333/.364/.716/1.080. The Astros are most likely the 5th best team in the NL Central unless they sign some real pitching. Moehler, Hampton, Capellan, Backe and Ortiz are not going to cut it filling out the 3-5 spots.

[Invader3K]

Frankly, I would guess that if they are not in serious contention at the All Star break, they will be a prime candidate to start dropping pay roll via trades.