Houston Astros Baseball

Tejada's Declining Range ?

Written by Baqqs on 1:39 PM

With the recent Tejada trade I have heard many Astro fans as well as baseball personalities talking about Tejada's defense emphasizing his "poor range". There were discussions about moving him to 3B because of his poor range. I have always been a huge supporter of Everett with regards to his phenomenal defense and was worried that Tejada would give up more runs than he would create. So I went to work, this is what I found.

2007 MLB Zone Rating (In Order)

Vizquel....897
Tulo........866
Reyes......863
Greene....855
Furcal......851
Tejada.....843
Cabrera....833
Rollins.....824
Eckstein...812
Renteria...800
Jeter........765

*Everett 2006....905

Tejada rates 6th out of ALL 24 major league SS in zone rating. (min. # of innings required)

2007 MLB RZR (revised zone rating)

Vizquel.....886
Reyes.......871
Gonzales...862
Tulo..........861
Greene......848
Pena.........848
Tejada......830
Furcal.......823
Wilson......816
Renteria...815
Young.......809
Rollins......808
Cabrera.....807
Hardy........807
Jeter.........777 (Haha)

*Everett 2006....891

-Tejada placed 7th out of 25 major league SS.

-The difference between ZR and RZR is that RZR separates plays that were made out of zone into a different category[ooz].

Tejada ZR

2001.......848
2002.......830
2003.......817
2004.......861
2005.......819
2006.......824
2007.......843

I don't beleive that Tejada is given the credit he deserves. His arm is still a cannon and he obviously still has the ability to get people out. Overall, I do beleive that be removing Everett from the batting order and inserting Tejada we have the BEST lineup in the NL. By shear odds alone, we should score far more runs. The difference between Tejada and Everett on defense is a significant one, but that would be the case when you replace Adam with anyone but Vizquel. The runs created by Tejada will outweigh the runs he gives up on defense. Not to mention the added lineup chemistry and practically making it impossible for the opposing pitcher to pitch around the heart of this lineup. Was the trade a good one? Who knows. I was not so high on Albers, I believe that you should show some improvement in over 250 innings, which he has not. We knew Luke was gone, which is sad. Costanzo wasn't to high on my list based on his sky high K rate, which would only get worse in the pros. Not to mention that he can be replaced by a now non-tendered Dallas McPherson. Sarfate has potential to be an excellent bullpen arm if he can consistently locate, which has yet to be seen over an extended period of time. Patton is the name that hurts. He was bound to be in our 2008 rotation, and has all the makings of being a solid #3 lefty. Health concerns may have made this decision easier for Wade, who still has Paulino and Gutierrez to fall back on. Only time will tell how good this trade was, but on paper, the AStros will be better in 2008 because of it.

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Astros Land Tejada

Written by Baqqs on 2:09 PM

HOUSTON -- The Astros have acquired shortstop Miguel Tejada from the Orioles for five players.

The Astros traded outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate and third baseman Mike Costanzo to Baltimore for Tejada, who has two years remaining on his six-year deal, which he signed with Baltimore in December 2003.

Tejada, 31, hit .296 with 18 homers and 81 RBIs over 133 games for the Orioles in 2007. Over an 11-year career, Tejada has a .287 average 258 homers and 1,033 RBIs.

Scott, 29, batted .255 and set career-highs in games (132), runs (49), hits (94), doubles (28), home runs (18) and RBIs (64) in his third season with the Astros in 2007. He ranks sixth among National League outfielders in slugging percentage (.547).

Patton, 22, went 0-2 with a 3.55 ERA in three games with Houston in 2007. He was a combined 10-8 with a 3.51 ERA (151.1IP, 59ER) with 94 strikeouts in 24 starts between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Round Rock last season.

Albers, 24, appeared in 31 games for Houston in 2007, going 4-11 with a 5.86 ERA In 2006, he earned Texas League Pitcher of the Year honors with Corpus Christi after leading the Texas League in wins (10) and ERA (2.17).

Sarfate, 26, went 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 14 strikeouts in seven appearances for the Astros in 2007 after being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers organization on Sept. 11. He went 2-7 with a 4.52 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 61.2 innings pitched in 45 games for Triple-A Nashville prior to being traded.

Costanzo, 24, was acquired by the Astros as part of the trade that sent reliever Brad Lidge to the Philadelphia Phillies on Nov. 11. Last month, he was rated the sixth-best prospect in the Houston organization by Baseball America. Costanzo hit .270 with 27 home runs and 86 RBIs for Double-A Reading in 2007, finishing second in the Eastern League in home runs.

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Arbitration Deadline

Written by Baqqs on 6:03 PM

This past week has been pretty exciting for baseball fans, and a little more exciting for Tiger fans. The blockbuster deal giving the Tigers one of, if not the most potent lineup in all of baseball was the highlight of The Winter Meetings and maybe all of the off-season. Now that The Winter Meetings and The Rule 5 Draft are offically over there is little baseball news to enjoy right? Well, maybe. However, it's no secret that The Astro's still have some holes and will likely explore any remaining trade offers to fill those positions. Also worth noting, today Mark Loretta and Trever Miller have made their decisions regarding the Astros arbitration offer. Miller has decided to explore free agency while Loretta will rejoin the Astros as a pricey utility bench hand. Loretta coming back to The Stros will turn out to be a good thing for the team, his leadership, versatility, and consistent bat are sure to be used. Miller has offers with other teams and is seeking a two year deal. If he signs with one of those teams, The Astros will earn a sandwich pick between the 1st and 2nd round of next years draft.

Here are some rumblings that could possibly effect The Astros.

-Ron Mahay has declined arbitration from The Braves and has drawn interest from The Yankees, Royals, Rays, Giants and Astros. (A lefty like Mahay would be a welcome addition to an Astros bullpen lacking a lefty specialist)

-Eric Gagne has until tonight to decide whether or not to rejoin The Red Sox and accept their arbitration offer, or to continue to test free agency. The Texas Rangers have officially dropped out of the Gagne race, based on Gagne wanting a two year deal and The Rangers unable to to do so.

-Solomon Torres was traded by The Pirates to The Brewers for two minor league pitchers The Brewers won't miss.

-Tejada trade talk is all but dead. After the smoke has cleared it looks as though The Astros made a strong push for Miggy, but The O's backed off to do a little homework. However, according to several sources, The O's beleive that The Astros have to players necessary to make a trade. I find that interesting considering Wade named: Pence, Patton, Towles untouchable. Although this trade seems dead now, once the O's realize that no one else wants Tejada anymore, and their desire to trade him may bring these talks back. Wade is doing the right thing here by not pressing the issue and giving up to much.

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Poll Results

Written by Baqqs on 11:00 PM

Will Matsui Make The Astros Better?

Yes: 18
No: 03

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Winter Mettings Over

Written by Baqqs on 1:27 PM

Ed Wade has left the building. That building being the Hotel Lobby of The Opryland. Although a deal wasn't finalized in Nashville, Wade has left many offers on the table and available for discussion. Before we jump into today's trade rumors and signings another significant event happened for The Astros today in The Rule 5 Draft. The Astros selected two pitchers that could have an impact in 2008. For more info on the acquisitions: Click Here/a>

Now to today's rumors:

Tejada:

Early this morning Houston radio station 790 reported that a trade between the Astros and the Orioles was all but done. the main peices the Astros would have given were said to be Burke, Everett, and a young prospect pitcher, likely Patton.
Later in the day more and more rumors emerged siting just the opposite, that The Orioles have put this trade on the back burner. Either way, several sources still say this trade could happen and 790 still claims the deal is in its "advanced stage".
Sources:

ESPN
Fox Sports

Luke Scott:

While Tejada was garnering most of the attention this morning, Luke Scott was quietly mentioned by several teams in possible trades. One of those trades was known to be at least a 3 team deal. Like most trades, that deal seemed to have fallen through, however Scott is still on a few teams radar.

Sources:

Houston Chronicle
Tampa Paper

Fox Sports

Eric Gagne:
Gagne has today to decide whether or not he wants to accept The Red Sox arbitration offer, but several sources have The Astros as possible suitor should he decline arbitration.

Sources:

SI
Boston Herald

I have to go to work, but I will have all of today's wrap up later tonight.

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Winter Meetings Day 2

Written by Baqqs on 5:17 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a move that will transform the team’s roster and expectations, the Tigers on Tuesday agreed to a trade with the Florida Marlins that will bring third baseman Miguel Cabrera and left-handed pitcher Dontrelle Willis to Detroit, in exchange for a package of six prospects headlined by outfielder Cameron Maybin and left-hander Andrew Miller.

Until Monday night, many in the industry believed Detroit would not trade Maybin under any circumstances and would be very reluctant to deal Miller. But in a whirlwind 24-hour span, the Tigers agreed to part with both of them in return for two players who immediately make them one of the favorites to win the World Series next year.

According to one club official with knowledge of the negotiations, Detroit has tentatively agreed to include catcher Mike Rabelo and right-handed pitchers Dallas Trahern, Eulogio De La Cruz and Burke Badenhop in the deal.

Team officials postponed a briefing with the local media, scheduled for 6:10 p.m., a sign that they were in the midst of serious negotiations. Shortly after that, the Free Press reported that a deal between the Marlins and Tigers had been completed.

The club also considered trading for Oakland right-hander Dan Haren and Baltimore left-hander Erik Bedard. By late afternoon on Monday, though, it was clear that the team’s first preference was to acquire Cabrera and Willis in a monumental swap.

Cabrera, 24, and Willis, 25, are both due to become free agents after the 2009 season. It’s not clear whether Detroit has made plans to pursue contract extensions with them.

The deal was remarkable in both its magnitude and unexpected nature. One night before the trade, Detroit club president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said he was “very happy” with his team’s everyday lineup. Then he added Cabrera, the most formidable young hitter in baseball since Albert Pujols.

On Monday, manager Jim Leyland pointed out that the Tigers did not arrive in Nashville with a glaring weakness, but added, “By having conversations with people, who knows if something will pop up?”

As a result of the deal, Detroit is now willing to move third baseman Brandon Inge, outfielder Marcus Thames and right-handed pitcher Chad Durbin, in order to free up money in the Tigers’ payroll.

Inge, who will be displaced at third base by Cabrera, is owed $19.1 million over the next three seasons, and Detroit may need to absorb some of that salary in order to trade him. Durbin and Thames were due to receive raises in arbitration.

The Tigers entered the week without needing to upgrade their offense, but could not resist the opportunity to land Cabrera – especially since the team’s front office has a long history with him.

Detroit assistant general manager Al Avila signed Cabrera out of Venezuela during his tenure as an executive with the Marlins, and Cabrera is a personal friend of Tigers first baseman Carlos Guillen.

He also happens to be one of the best hitters in baseball. He batted .320 with 34 home runs and 119 RBIs for the Marlins this year. According to Retrosheet.org, the player with the most comparable stats through age 24 is longtime home run king Hank Aaron.

Cabrera batted almost exclusively third and fourth for Florida this season. He provides the Tigers with yet another middle-of-the-order presence, to go along with Gary Sheffield, Magglio Ordonez, and Guillen, who batted third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, for most of the 2007 season.

Cabrera, like Sheffield, Ordonez, and new shortstop Edgar Renteria, is a right-handed hitter.

Kenny Rogers re-signed with the Tigers last week, which seemed to eliminate their need for another veteran starter. But Detroit’s interest in Willis rekindled, and a deal became possible once the club retreated from its former stance that Maybin and Miller –considered integral to the Tigers’ future as recently as Monday night – were untouchable in trade talks.

The arrival of Willis gives the Tigers one of the best rotations in baseball. Detroit’s starting staff will now include three left-handed pitchers – Willis, Rogers, and Nate Robertson – along with right-handers Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman.

In addition to Maybin and Miller, the Tigers surrendered two prospects – Trahern and De La Cruz – who were among the organization’s ten best in preliminary rankings by Baseball America.

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Winter Meetings Day 1

Written by Baqqs on 1:30 PM

Now that Wade has established all position players for the Houston Astros it’s very likely he will move on pitching. With the signing of Kaz Matsui and the acquisition of Michael Bourn, both Luke Scott and Chris Burke will be shopped for any type of pitching. This isn’t really news to Burke. As far as possible suitors, The Rockies seem to be the frontrunner's and there is always Beane and The A’s who expressed interest in Burke when he was just being brought up. As far as Burkes value today, it’s anyone’s guess although it’s clear that his isn’t really a prospect anymore, and somewhat of a gamble for a full-time 2B. For Chris, I don’t think there is anywhere he would rather go. The Rockies seem to value Chris which would be a new feeling for him and he would have a chance to grow with a very good team in a very hitter friendly park. The problem? The Astros may be hesitant to deal with Rockies after the last trade between the two teams. I won’t remind you of the details.

Now for the good stuff!!

The Astros have apparently began talks with The Twins regarding closer Joe Nathan. The Houston native Nathan is arguably the best closer in baseball and one of the more, if not the most consistent pitcher in any bullpen.

The Good:
-Nathan would solidify a vastly superior bullpen to that of 2007, which included Rick “Miller” White and Dave Borkowski.
-Nathan would vastly improve the numbers for our starters by holding leads (say what?), and providing much needed security in the pen.
-Nathan would most likely welcome the move to his hometown and would be an instant fan favorite.
-His projections for 2008 are once again, amazing.

Bill James
2.70 ERA/ 1.02WHIP/ 40sv/ 70IP/ 81K/ 25BB/ 10.4K/9/ 2.74FIP
ZIPS
2.19ERA/ 82K/ 20BB/ 70IP

The Bad:
-Nathan would only be under contract through the rest of 2008.
(Unless an extension can be reached)
-If the Astros were to sign Nathan to an extension, (which they should do if they trade for him) he would be very expensive and would likely receive F. Cordero type money.
-The trade for Nathan would cost at least, Scott, (Burke or young arm), + quality arm.

This trade makes sense for both parties based on team needs and financial situations. The Twins need a cheap power bat who can also play outfield. Can you say Luke Scott. The Astros have a gaping hole at Closer and would love to replace an inconsistent Lidge with the games best who also happen to be born in Houston.

Would you be willing to part with either Patton or Paulino for one of the best closers in baseball?

What would be too much in terms of contract extension? 4/40, 4/50? 5/60?
Keep in mind Cordero got 4/46, and Nathan is definitely better.

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Kaz's Hitting Trends

Written by Baqqs on 11:19 AM

I was reading some Astros forums and someone asked about Matsui's specific hitting trends. Being curious myself I looked up some of his hitting trends and splits.

Batted Balls In Play

The percentage stand for percentage of hits balls in that vector of the diamond against total batted balls.

Kaz hit 25% of balls in the 2B hole. This is worth noting because Michael Bourn's ability to get on base would very much improve Kaz's chances of getting on base. If Bourn is on first, then the first baseman is pulled to the bag for pick offs, leaving the 2 hole wide open. Also, seeing all the balls Matsui hits up the middle, the ability for Bourn to go from 1st to 3rd will be very important and could significantly improve Pence, Berkman, and Lee's RBI numbers.

Random Facts:

In 2007 Kaz hit 21% Line Drives compared to Burke's 16.9%

Kaz's Line Drive percentage was higher than any Astro in 2007! Including Pence, Lee, and Berkman

In 2007 Kaz had a WSP (Win Share Percentage) of .569 vs Burke's .255.
*Note (WSP adjusted for playing time)

Kaz had a higher BA/BIP (Batting avg vs Balls in Play) than any Astros except Pence.

In 2007 Kaz hit a combined .295 with RISP vs Burke's .211

Click For Additional Split Stats
Add. Stats

First Inning : Kazuo Matsui

Last Poll Results

Could Qualls Close Effectively?
Yes::14
No:::14