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Astros in talks with Lo Duca

Hat to trade rumors, I could have read the article a hundred times and always skipped the last half. Wade wants another veteran catcher and we're negotiating with Lo Duca.

This is an interesting signing to me because Lo Duca has a fairly adept ability to get on base. This all very preliminary because it's just negotiating, but this would probably be a plus move for us. That is, of course, if you forget about the whole My Space fiasco.

Link 5 months ago Lovelance_tiny DyingQuail Comment 8 comments 0 recs |

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Would that mean

LoDuca and Palmisano with the Astros and Quintero and Towles in AAA?

by ol Pete on Jan 13, 2009 11:18 AM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It makes me wonder if the Astros' front office really has no faith in Quintero.

The Astros’ actions with respect to Quintero over the last few years could be interpreted that way. I also wonder if Quintero hurt himself with the Astros’ organizaton by blasting the management when he was sent down to AAA.

by clack on Jan 13, 2009 12:51 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It's sad

that a career OBP of .337 qualifies as “adept at getting on base” for the Astros.

by Only_A_Lad on Jan 13, 2009 12:33 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Earlier this year when we had an article on the catcher free agents (with stats)....

I was amazed that so many had an OBP below .300. There were very few “good” OBP candidates available. So, .337 probably qualifes as “adept at getting on base” among the available catchers.

Some sabermetric types bash LoDuca, but I think a lot of the bashing is caused by the fact that “traditional” front office types overrate his offense. However, if you get past that and realize that his offense will be better than Quintero, and better than what we had last year, it would be an OK signing. A lot of manager like his intangibles: the leadership factor (which gets ridiculed by some stat types), his pitch calling ability, and his defense. I recall a HT study a few years ago which indicated that Ausmus and LoDuca are similar type defensive catchers who are good at blocking wild pitches. In fact, I would think that LoDuca is a substitute for some of the veteran attributes brought by Ausmus (hopefully, with a bit more offense, though).

I don’t recall the My Space fiasco. However, I do recall that LoDuca went thorugh a messy divorce (from a former San Antonio beauty queen) in which his sex affairs were blared across the NY tabloid press.

by clack on Jan 13, 2009 12:48 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

From the standpoint of "best available"

at a price the Astros would be willing to pay, I think Lo Duca would be a good choice. He is an “Astros type”, that is, a team player, hard worker, good community person, and I think he could teach his successor a lot.

It takes more than pitching to win a pennant, but not much!

by bwhite2323 on Jan 13, 2009 2:15 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

here ya go...

trysts with a 19 year old who posted pics/wrote about it on her myspace: http://sonialoduca.blogspot.com/

by HighLeveragePerformer on Jan 13, 2009 6:37 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

No thanks

Ii would much rather just give the spot to Towles than pay Lo Duca. I would bet that I look better at the plate than he does.

A big “No Thanks” from me

by baggs on Jan 13, 2009 1:45 PM CST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

If he forces Towles to the minors....

you may be right. My thinking is that he is a bigger threat to keeping Quintero off the roster.

by clack on Jan 13, 2009 4:03 PM CST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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