Astros keep Biggio and let Kent go.

[Bull's-eye]

The Astros have just picked up Biggio's contract, but have decided to not re-sign Jeff Kent. Kent was due to make 9 million next year. Hopefully, this will help them keep Beltran.

[CHS_CG]

They better keep Beltran. They are retared if they dont!

[gobbler grad]

Biggio will retire in Houston. Whatever they do they need to keep Beltran, get rid of Bagwell if needed.

[onfirebball05mustang]

ok...
although i am a BIG biggio fan, i think that kent made some great contributions to the team this year! The b's must stick together, but Beltran to me, is a keep or sell person-don't matter to me one way or t'other

[AggieJohn]

i'm loyal to biggio, but the old farts need to start exiting

[Bull's-eye]

Sure like that big bat from the 2b position. Lamb could give you that, but the defense wouldn't be that great. Bruntly would be much better defensively or moving Viscaino would be another option.

[big daddy russ]

Kent sucked defensively. Three-toed sloths cover more ground than that slow white boy.

[rockdale80]

Kent was overpaid. And I want to see Biggio and Bagwell retire form Houston. I hope they keep them both so they can retire in a "Stros jersey and not be dispensed like they mean nothing to a town they have given so many years to. And I dont know how they can keep Beltran, but they need to figure something out soon.

[Goldenstick]

Astos 2005

C-Ausmus
1b-Bagwell
2b-Biggio
ss-Everett
3b-Ensberg
RF-Lane
CF-Beltran
LF-Berkman


Clemens, Oswalt, Pettite, Miller/Backe

Lidge

[Bandera YaYa]

Who they should get rid of, is the pitching coach for leaving Clemens in there way too long.....it cost us the game. He's good when his game is on, but he really sucked the last game! :mad:

[bigpimpin]

It wasn't Clemens' fault, St. Louis played small-ball and there's not too many pitchers that beat small-ball.

[Bandera YaYa]

So, no other pitcher would have made any difference???????? I say, if something ain't working , try something else.....it couldn't have hurt! I disagree, Clemens should have sat down.

[Eagles52]

Kent showed these last two years that he is still a solid player but not anything resembling what he was in San Fransisco. I see no reason to pick up the option him and keep your best prospect (Burke) from moving up to the majors, its his time. We had to keep Bidge if for no other reason than that he is the only legitimate leadoff batter we have. Clemens says he is 99% sure he is retiring, but that sounds strangely familiar...Something that could throw a big problem at resigning Beltran, who I think is the best total package player in the game and fits our team and ballpark SO well, Oswalt and Berkman are arbitration eligible, which means much larger pay checks are headed their way. Just a mix of a thought a friend of mine came up with and what I have added to it, if Carlos Hernandez gets a fastball that is consistently 90+ then he should be the #5 pitcher and move Miller to set-up type roll, he's got the stuff and with the terrible short-arm throwing motion he uses, perhaps the fewer innings will reduce his injuries
Astros hopeful 2005 Lineup-
1. Biggio
2. Beltran
3. Bagwell
4. Berkman
5. Ensberg (Lamb)
6.Everett
7. Burke
8. Ausmus
9. Pitcher
Maybe switch Bags and Berkman, but I like against a RHP having to face the left handed, Right, Left that the order sets up like that

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by Eagles52
...I see no reason to pick up the option him and keep your best prospect (Burke) from moving up to the majors, its his time...
Great point, 52, I had forgot about that. Redding also seems like he is on the cusp of being an awesome pitcher. He just needs to get more consistent. A better defense could help him out more than anyone.

[sahen]

just because the astros didnt pick up kent's option doesnt mean he wont be an astro next year, it just means that they rnt gonna pay him 9 mil for one year...i doubt anyone else will so there is a good chance we get him back...27 homers for a 2b is not bad...it isnt like he didnt hit a big one in the playoffs either...

[cdlvj]

Until they solve a major problem at the catchers position, they will never get over the top. You need a min .270 and 20 HR from that position.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by cdlvj
Until they solve a major problem at the catchers position, they will never get over the top. You need a min .270 and 20 HR from that position.
Think about what you're saying... think about how many catchers did that last year. Maybe three? I'll give you Posada, Javy Lopez and Pudge (hell, I don't even think Pudge hit 20 this year). Piazza could stroke a long ball but was moved out from behind the plate to first because he was a liability with a glove. His replacement, Jason Phillips, couldn't hit a ball if you put it on a tee but was an still an upgrade from Piazza. Just look at Tom Glavine. He had a horrible year when he moved from Javy Lopez to Piazza, but when he switched from Piazza to Phillips you could see a change in not only him, but the entire pitching staff. Catcher isn't a position where major league managers and GM's worry about offensive production. It's a lot like pitcher. You want to squeeze all the defense you can out of those two positions.

(On a side note... I still think MLB teams should concentrate on defense up the middle of the field before offense... C, P, 2B, SS, and CF are the most important defensive positions looking at it from a strategic standpoint... Put the big arms in RF and at 3B and the big bats in LF and 1B)

Ausmus is an All-Star for a good reason. They'll never get rid of him and they shouldn't. He's won two Gold Gloves, he throws out half of all his base runners, he handles his pitchers better than just about anyone in the game and he's a better-than average hitter for a catcher. What's his career average, .260? Something like that? Ask every major league GM if they'd rather have a Brad Ausmus/Mike Matheny/Dan Wilson-type guy behind the plate over a Piazza (all stick no glove) and 7 out of 10 would probably say the Ausmus-type. You only need .270 and 20 homers for your fantasy team.

[Cat22]

I would love to see the Astros keep Beltran, but I don't see it happening. The Yankees and Steinbrenner are pissed that the Red Sox beat them and they will do whatever it takes to make sure that does not happen again. They will probably offer Beltran some hugh contract that the Astros will not be able to match. I think the chances are very slim that Beltran will be an Astro next year.

[cdlvj]

So lets look at the Boston Red Sox 2004 World Champions

Jason Varitek .296 18 HR 73 RBI

[big daddy russ]

OK, Varitek too.

[Wildcat81]

Originally posted by Goldenstick
Astos 2005

C-Ausmus
1b-Bagwell
2b-Biggio
ss-Everett
3b-Ensberg
RF-Lane
CF-Beltran
LF-Berkman


Clemens, Oswalt, Pettite, Miller/Backe

Lidge
Now thats an awesome lineup. I just hope Clemens doesn't retire.

[Eagles52]

I have no problem with them resigning Kent, but he is in no way worth 9 million dollars and with the deferred money from the other two years of the contract, probably closer to 12 or so million really. But if we do not resign him we are able to move Biggio back into 2B to allow Burke to slowly move into the pros and not be counted on right off and also finally give Jason Lane the shot he's been deserving to play LF, I think he can at least make up for the offense lost from Kent, not to mention he is a big upgrade defensively from Biggio in left. You gain defensive range at 2B with Bidge but lose some arm so some of those double plays that Kent turned just wont happen but I think overall if we can keep Beltran that will allow us the freedom for all of these other moves I just mentioned. The word is supposedly that Beltran would like to stay in Houston but basically we all know Mclane wont be able to compete financially and so Scott Boras (Beltran's agent) will use the Yankees to drive up the figure on the contract but then sign with the...I can barely even type it...Cubs...