Mistakes should be learned from not repeated

Let's go back to 1994. The Astros are getting significantly better each year. They see what they think is an opportunity; they pounce....oops! At the end of the '94 season the Astros traded Steve Finleyand Ken Caminiti to the San Diego Padres for; essentially Derek Bell and Doug Brocail. Finley went on to win 5 Gold Gloves ('95, '96, '99, '00 and '04) while the Astros struggled to find an every day center fielder until Bourn came on the scene. Ken Caminiti won 3 Gold Gloves ('94, '96 and '97) and was named the 1996 NL MVP. The Astros are still looking for a 3rd basemen. Oh and let's not forget those same Padres took us out of the playoffs in 4 in the first round in 1998. My point is, the Astros traded two players who had shown their value early and they were never really able to replace them. The Astros have made these foolish decisions throughout their history. Joe Morgan for Tommy Helms.......Kenny Lofton to the Indiansfor Ed Taubensee........Rusty Staub to the Expos.......Curt Schilling to the Phillies..........Mike Cuellar to the Orioles......and John Mayberry to the Royals. Go to the internet and read what these guys did after the trades. Also look at who the Astros got in these trades.

I can almost understand moving Wandy and I completely agree with moving anyone else (Except Lyles and Norris). It's time to build around Pence and Bourn; not send them off to become perrenial All-Starsfor other teams. We are a couple of years away, maybe less if the new owner is willing to put some money into free agency. But moving Pence and/or Bourn will cripple this team for 3-5 years.

I have read the rumor about the 60million dollar payroll from Jim Crane and if that true then go ahead and trade everyone because we have seen our last winning season. We're not Tampa Bay Jimmy-Boy! And you and Ed Wade combined are not Gerry Hunsicker.

(Note: I didn't include the trade for (rental of) Randy Johnson. That one hurt but it's understandable considering Johnson was considered one of if not the best in the majors at the time. But in the aforementioned trades we didn't get close to a Randy Johnson, we didn't get close to anything worth what we gave up.)