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'Stros Fail To Reach Agreement With White Sox--So Far

Jose De Jesus Ortiz reports that a deal sending Willy Taveras and Taylor Buchholz to the White Sox for righthander Jon Garland has seemingly died on the vine.

Looks like Ortiz broke the story this morning, based on a quote he had from Tal Smith saying a deal was near, that reporters should "stick around the press room."

And then Ken Rosenthal updated midmorning by suggesting that Jason Hirsh may have been added to sweeten the pot.

But now both Ortiz and Newsday's Ken Davidoff are reporting that the team's contingents are leaving the meetings without a deal in place.

Ortiz suggests that negotiations may have broken down because Taylor flunked a physical, which Buchholz himself denies.

The All-Star Garland has won 18 games two years running, and has pitched 200 innings three years in a row. In all years but two of his seven-year career, he has posted an ERA+ at 100 or above. He posted a 3.50 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP during the Pale Hose's magical 2005, but has never before or since been so good. Still, there's little question that he is an above league average pitcher.

I still think that Hirsh can be an ace, but a bird in the hand, right?

The major questions here are whether the Astros would make the trade for Garland AND still sign Andy, and also what Andy's reaction to this news might be.

Given my opinion of Andy's offseason gamesmanship, and the fact that the durable Garland, at only 27 years of age, still has upside, I'd be kind of OK with it if the Garland deal happens, and Pettitte did not pitch for Houston in 2007.

Although certainly you'd have to say that an offseason that nets us both Garland AND Pettitte--in addition to Lee and what now must be seen as the bargain-basement signing of Woody Williams--would be one you can write home to mom about.

0 recs  |  Comment 11 comments

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Yeah,
that trade would have been a steal for the Astros.  Not sure what Kenny Williams was thinking.

by ReLaunch on Dec 7, 2006 2:58 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Williams Says "Move Along. .
.-Nothing To See Here"

Apparently unaware that he was making a liar out of Tal Smith,  White Sox GM has told MLB.com "we've got nothing going on."

The article goes on to quote Smith as saying the Astros and the Sox were "still working on it."

by rastronomicals on Dec 7, 2006 3:14 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Just In Case It's Not Dead
and just in case choosing Garland meant letting Pettitte go, I was moved to make some graphs as I so like to do

Pettite and Garland posted nearly identical ERA-pluses at the age of 26; Pettite has a clear advantage in career ERA+, and Garland hasd one  less so in WHIP.  I think it's pretty safe to say that Graland in 2007 will be a better pitcher than Pettitte in 2007, but that Pettitte at 26 had a brighter future than Garland does at the same age.

 

by rastronomicals on Dec 7, 2006 3:20 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Impressive,
I'm new to this site, good job.

by ReLaunch on Dec 7, 2006 4:09 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Garland = Overrated
One hit wonder...similar to that of the tone loc, lou bega, and sugar hill gang variety....

Deal sounds ok to me unless Hirsh is involved because garland will give you innings.....

However, I would miss watching Taylor give up some moonshots..

by jakechap20 on Dec 7, 2006 3:38 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Man
Tone Loc had TWO hits, "Wild Thing" AND "Funky Cold Medina."

Plus, he was in Ace Ventura, Pet Detective.

No one-hit wonder he, the m*****f***** had range

by rastronomicals on Dec 7, 2006 10:00 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

LOL
You definitely can't argue with his brilliant performance from Ace Ventura....You win Rastro, as always.....

by jakechap20 on Dec 7, 2006 10:58 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Pettitte
Okay, now that the Garland excitement has worn off a bit, wouldn't it be much much smarter to throw good money at Pettitte for 2 years at ~$14 million a year than to give up a good 24 year-old centerfielder, a workable 25 year-old future reliever (my likely guess), and the franchise's best pitching prospect (Hirsh)?

I mean we'd be paying Garland $22 million over two years, and there's nothing I can think of that would tie him to Houston so why would he resign beyond that? I mean it's clear he'd likely give us a better two year than Pettitte, but is that marginal benefit worth 3 young players? I say no.

I think the strategy now is to go hard after Pettitte, give him the money and the years because, after all, he (in my opinion) gave us our money's worth over the last 3 years and I'd rather overpay a little than to give away so many prospects for a 2-year lease.

by Kian on Dec 7, 2006 4:58 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

I heard the discussion
on 790 this afternoon, initially saying it was a done deal, then saying that Hirsh had been added to the package.  at first, i was less than optimistic at giving up Willy and Buchholz, but then realized that it's probably a good deal (once i got over my homerist affection for the two).  i almost ran off the road when they said Hirsh was added, though, especially when i found out how much Garland is getting paid and would likely have to get paid to re-sign.  Willy and Taylor still have a lot of upside and better yet are REALLY cheap.  i can understand wanting a little more considering what front of the rotation starting pitchers are going for these days (even with Pettitte, Garland clearly would be our no. 2), but our two most developed and most promising young pitchers is just too steep.  i'd throw in maybe Albers or Sampson, but not Hirsh.  still, though Garland probably means no Pettitte (cause of the money, unless Drayton has accepted that payrolls just have to continue to climb to compete), which also mean no Clemens (would he really come back without Andy?), so that's TWO spots open in the rotation without Hirsh or Buchholz in the running to fill them.  Add to that putting Jason Lane or Chris Burke in CF or needing to hit the already obscene FA market, and it's just too high a price for not THAT big an upgrade over the alternative.  of course if Pettitte is no longer an alternative.  Roy/Garland/Woody/?? maybe looks better than Roy/Woody/Hirsh/Buch?.

by littlevisigoth on Dec 7, 2006 6:59 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

guess "/?"
gives you italics.  oops.  hopefully you can figure out what i meant.

by littlevisigoth on Dec 7, 2006 7:02 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I knew the second Hirsh was mentioned
This was a rumor. He is touchable, but it seems the only time a team will trade their #1 P prospect is for hitting, or #1 hitting prospect for pitching.

Not for a pitcher like GARLAND!

Burke will be an All-Star, eventually!

by Shamus on Dec 7, 2006 9:38 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

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