Ed Wade Live Chat: Highlights
by OremLK on Sep 29, 2009 1:58 PM CDT
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PrintHere are the highlights. The full transcript is below, if you'd like to read it.
Note: Come to think of it, I'm not sure if there are copyright issues on the transcript since this took place on the Chronicle's website. I'll remove it to be on the safe side but leave the paraphrased highlights. Sorry guys.
- Ed Wade "[doesn't] want to have the oldest opening day roster again."
- He believes Kaz Matsui will be the starting second baseman again next season, but Keppinger and Maysonet will be given some attention.
- Wade says that Felipe has all the weapons to become a Zambrano type pitcher; he will work on conditioning in the off-season and come to Spring Training to compete for a rotation spot.
- They are still considering bringing Miggy back, and they will factor moving him to third base into their thought process.
- Johnson, Manzella, Towles, and Chia Jen-Lo are all candidates to compete for roster spots in Spring Training.
- Asked if Castro has a chance at a starting position opening day, Wade began with an unqualified "Yes." He expanded on that to suggest that it will be contingent on how ready management thinks he is after Spring Training, and that they don't want to move him up too quickly if he's not prepared.
- They've had discussions with Carlos Lee about getting into better shape. "What some perceive as lack of effort is really just a case of a really big man going as hard as he can."
- Wade's best case scenario for advancing the starting rotation at Lexington is that one or more may jump straight to Corpus next season. "We're still looking at years vs. months."
- They love what Hawkins and Valverde have done for the back end of the bullpen, but Wade hints that the payroll may force the Astros to let them walk.
- Wesley Wright will go to winter ball as a starter with an eye toward competing for a rotation spot in the spring.
- Bobby Heck has pushed hard for Koby Clemens to be moved from catcher to first base exclusively. It sounds like Ed Wade agrees with him. He obviously won't be competing for a roster spot yet.
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Koby Clemens at first?
Hasn’t he gone from third to catcher now to first??
What’s the deal with his fielding ? Is he subpar everywhere?
First Base?? — Nowadays a player better be a homerun hitting, high RBI guy to be considered for first. Does Clemens fit that profile?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 29, 2009 5:54 PM CDT reply actions
If he hits like he did at Lancaster, he fits that profile. a key question is how much of Koby’s offensive outburst can be discounted because he hit in a HR friendly ballpark.
I found this part of the chat session intriguing. Wade said Heck had a good argument for moving Koby to 1st base, but he didn’t elaborate. I think Heck knows what he is doing, so I would be inclined to go with his player personnel recommendations. Perhaps Heck wants Koby to concentrate on his hitting in order to find out how good he is, and 1st base is the least demanding position. This recommendation probably is better for Clemens than Bennett’s idea of making him a utility player.
Yeah, first base seems like his best chance.
1.055 OPS is more than enough to try him at 1B, especially given our near-total lack of first base prospects. Even if he does drop down to, say, .900 OPS next year, that’s still plenty good enough to move forward.
By the way...
He’s always had power waiting to emerge, at least according to the scouts. Contact has been, and to some extent remains his problem. The question is, was he underachieving before and now has met his potential? Or did he simply overachieve this year? We’ll find out before too long, I suspect.
Castro, etc
I cannot see Castro starting the season in Houston.
I cannot see Johnson, Manzella and Towles all making the team. In fact, maybe at most will start the season with Houston
Since Keppinger is expected back, and Tejada if he returns wil go for third, does that make Blum and Boone odd men out (if Tejada returns)
I think Carlos Lee could be a superstar if he’d lose 40 to 60 pounds.
I still favor making a strong bid to bring Valverde back.
Other than Blum and Boone, what old guys are being dumped?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 29, 2009 6:02 PM CDT reply actions
meant to say
I cannot see Johnson, Manzella and Towles all making the team. In fact, maybe at most ONE will start the season with Houston.
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 29, 2009 6:04 PM CDT up reply actions
I think two could
If by “start the season with” you just mean on the 25-man roster. I think one max will actually have a starting ROLE on the team, however—probably Manzella at shortstop.
In his part of the chat session....
Richard Justice gave contradictory answers to the same question asked twice (by different people and at different times). The first time he was asked whether he believed the Astros would re-sign Tejada, he said he didn’t know, but he thinks the Astros would find a way to sign him because Drayton, Wade, and Smith all like him so much. Later when asked if the Astros would come up with the money to sign Tejada, he said his best guess is “no,” because all of the money would go to pitching.
That kind of exemplifies the flip flopping ways of Justice.
Another interesting part of the chat session....
Justice talked about the manager search. If he had to make a guess, Justice thinks the manager will be either Bogar or Clark.
Justice said Manny Acta would definitely get an interview. He said Acta loves the Astros and once said that he has a “star” for his heart. Justice thinks Acta might be good, but he doesn’t know how he gets along with Wade. Acta is a favorite of Hunsicker, and Justice doesn’t know how that might affect his chances.
Clark seems like a better fit as a hitting or bench coach, that said I’d be happy with Acta or Bogar.
by Timothy De Block on Sep 30, 2009 7:41 AM CDT up reply actions
I don’t know how i feel about clark to be honest…he would be awesome in comparison to coop with handling players…but really thats all we know. We don’t really know how he is going to handle situations as a manager because we didn’t get to see how he handled them on a daily basis in the minors, and its a lot different in the bigs. I just know i wasn’t too fond of a lot of his decisions with base running when he was 3rd base coach, given the two types of decisions presented are very different. In my opinion, i think he needs some more time under his belt to watch a better major league manager as a bench coach before he gets the reins. It’d be great if he was manny acta’s bench coach…
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