The Astros get a C from John Donovan in his "NL Hot Stove Grades," which seems to me just about right, considering that's where I had graded the Wilson signing. Donovan is to be commended for not getting all reactionary over the decision not to offer Clemens arbitration, but gotta take issue when he writes,
Wilson is a slight upgrade, offensively, for a team that needs all the pop it can find.
Said it before, say it again, the problem with this team offensively is not power, it's OBP.
Was also seeing that Buster Olney thought Orlando Palmeiro was pretty good value.
Saw it, but don't necessarily agree, considering he'd never before in his career come within 900K of his 2006 salary, and he'll be 37 this year, with no power and no great defensive skills.
I'd guess most Astro fans don't have anything major against Palmeiro, or the club for signing him, but the money was a little high, and it also most likely blocks Luke Scott. Scott may or may not be major league material, but I think you need to find out, anyway. At any rate, the Palmeiro signing was no coup.
I'm sure y'all saw the Crasnick story? Nothing new there, but well presented, anyway. I wouldn't necessarily agree with the title, either. "Houston's Farm System On the Rise," seems a little overstated, Hirsh and Nieve notwithstanding.