My off-season Christmas list
With their 27th title, the Yankees proved, once again, that it is indeed possible to buy a World Series parade and set of rings if you outspend all the rest of your competition combined ($429 Mil for the Yankees last off-season vs. $380 Mil for the other 29 teams). The Astros proved that a weak farm system (that many consider the worst in baseball), an aging roster and poor spending mean competing with the Pirates for last place. But with the holiday season upon us, I've created my Christmas wish list for 2009. Now here's hoping Santa McLain comes through this off-season:
1) Fred McGriff to make the Hall of Fame and Mark McGwire to be vindicated of steroid allegations - so I can sell all their rookie cards my mom's storing at her house. I don't have the heart to tell her that I probably should have spent my childhood collecting sugar packets instead.
2) JR Towles, major league player (.188/.280/.329), to hit like JR Towles, minor league player (.299/.390/.473). Two years ago Towles was the Astros top prospect and only minor-leaguer on most Top 100 lists. He seems like a great guy, now hopefully some of his character will translate into base hits.
3) The Astros to find a way to clone Wandy Rodriguez. He was not only one of the best left handed pitchers in the league last season, he's also a switch hitter and only costs $2.6 Million per season, about the same as Doug Brocail and Brian Moehler. I just can't get over the fact that he's a switch hitting pitcher. Not to mention that at 5-11, 160, he's smaller than the average Houston
4) Roy O to return to his Cy Young form so the Astros can trade him while his value is still high. Don't get me wrong, I like having Oswalt on the team as much as anyone else. But as a small, hard throwing righty, I worry about his long term durability. Since I don't expect us to compete for a World Series any time soon, we might as well start acquiring assets to help us compete 3 or 4 years from now.
5) Lance Berkman to continue his march towards Cooperstown. I get the feeling that Berkman, like Bagwell and Biggio, will probably spend his entire career in Houston. How cool would it be to see all three of them enshrined in the Hall of Fame? Even if none of them ever won a World Series ring, it would still be great for the city and for the franchise.
6) McClain and GM Ed Wade to come back from the Winter Meetings having made at least one off season acquisition. Even if it is Robb Quinlan or Danny Richar. As an Astros fan, I need some reason to believe that next season will be better than last year.
1) Fred McGriff to make the Hall of Fame and Mark McGwire to be vindicated of steroid allegations - so I can sell all their rookie cards my mom's storing at her house. I don't have the heart to tell her that I probably should have spent my childhood collecting sugar packets instead.
2) JR Towles, major league player (.188/.280/.329), to hit like JR Towles, minor league player (.299/.390/.473). Two years ago Towles was the Astros top prospect and only minor-leaguer on most Top 100 lists. He seems like a great guy, now hopefully some of his character will translate into base hits.
3) The Astros to find a way to clone Wandy Rodriguez. He was not only one of the best left handed pitchers in the league last season, he's also a switch hitter and only costs $2.6 Million per season, about the same as Doug Brocail and Brian Moehler. I just can't get over the fact that he's a switch hitting pitcher. Not to mention that at 5-11, 160, he's smaller than the average Houston
4) Roy O to return to his Cy Young form so the Astros can trade him while his value is still high. Don't get me wrong, I like having Oswalt on the team as much as anyone else. But as a small, hard throwing righty, I worry about his long term durability. Since I don't expect us to compete for a World Series any time soon, we might as well start acquiring assets to help us compete 3 or 4 years from now.
5) Lance Berkman to continue his march towards Cooperstown. I get the feeling that Berkman, like Bagwell and Biggio, will probably spend his entire career in Houston. How cool would it be to see all three of them enshrined in the Hall of Fame? Even if none of them ever won a World Series ring, it would still be great for the city and for the franchise.
6) McClain and GM Ed Wade to come back from the Winter Meetings having made at least one off season acquisition. Even if it is Robb Quinlan or Danny Richar. As an Astros fan, I need some reason to believe that next season will be better than last year.
posted by Michael Austin at
5:24 PM
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