The Astros have acquired right-handed reliever LaTroy Hawkins from the New York Yankees in exchange for Matt Cusick, the Astros announced minutes before the start of their game with the Reds on Wednesday night.
Hawkins, 35, was 1-1 with a 5.71 ERA over 33 relief appearances for the Yankees at the time of the trade. He allowed 26 earned runs over 41 innings pitched with 17 walks and 23 strikeouts.
Cusick, 22, was batting .285 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs in 94 games as a second baseman for Class A Lexington.
He was drafted in the 10th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Southern California.
My first thought at hearing this is... WHY!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I understand that we are looking for someone to help take some of the work from Brocail in the bullpen because he's being overused(and thus, showing it with his production)... but why are we giving up young talent for 35 year old LaTroy Hawkins.
I thought our goal was to rebuild the farm system, not continue to destroy it... I'm not saying that Matt Cusick is the next Craig Biggio or anything... but he's been a pretty decent player in Class A, and he's only 22 years old!!! It's not like we're trading away a 28 year old Class A guy. I don't like the trade. I think they could have given some more innings(in more meaningful situations) to someone like Sampson and eased some of the tension on Brocail. I don't see this as a move that needed to be made(even if they think they are going to try and make a run for the playoffs).
It also doesn't help that Hawkins was DFA'd by the Yankees who had 10 days to trade, release or assign him to the minors... so there is at least a chance the Astros could have gotten him for nothing...
Hawkins has been below average this season with the Yankee's and I just don't see him doing much for us. I just don't like the move. I also don't like that Hawkins has thrown at our old buddy Luke Scott!