Less Than Two Hours...
There are less than two hours until the Major League Baseball trade deadline. As an Astros fan, waking up this morning brought along a very nervous afternoon.
I frequent several message boards and rumor sites, and here are a few points floating around:
Apparently, the Mets are interested in Roy Oswalt and Brad Lidge. Former Astros closer Billy Wagner has told Mets GM Omar Minaya that he can fix Lidge's problem. For Oswalt, the Astros were asking for Brian Bannister and Lastings Milledge.
The Red Sox are also interested in Brad Lidge.
- I've never said any Astro should be without discussion in trades, because I'd make a deal for anyone if the right players are involved, however I'm not sure how 'right' this would be. Oswalt probably won't be with Houston after the 2007 season, so maybe they're thinking they'll need to cash in their chips as soon as they can. I'd cry like a baby.
- Apparently, Oswalt is interested in testing the trade market after next season, and wants a 5-year deal. With his history of injuries, the Astros are balking.
- Morgan Ensberg, Adam Everett, and Fernando Nieve were offered to the Orioles for Miguel Tejada. Baltimore rejected, somehow Oswalt got in the mix, and while the Baltimore Sun reports the O's rejected the deal, the Astros camp report Oswalt was never offered.
- Hank Blalock of the Texas Rangers for Brad Lidge. Folks, I'm a Brad Lidge fan, but I'd make this move in a heartbeat. Qualls or Wheeler are very capable closers, and Fernando Nieve has been sent to Triple-A to work in the late-innings of games, so they're breeding another closer as we speak.
Blalock has a terrible average against left-handed hitters (about .202) and has been benched when Texas faces a southpaw, but he's playing against superior pitching in the American League. Ultimately, they gave up a failed closer (Cordero) to the Brewers to possibly make a deal for another failed closer (Lidge), so it's basically a situation of two teams trading problems.
- It seems that if we make the deal for Blalock, the subsequent move would be to send Morgan Ensberg and Adam Everett to San Diego for relief pitcher (and former Astros) Scott Linebrink and Khalil Greene.
- I'm a big fan of Adam Everett (and despise people who are calling for his head), so I'd be real careful before I make this deal! I like Greene, but he's a very small offensive upgrade, and he can't beat Everett's defense. And do we need Linebrink that bad? But at that point, we'd have three third baseman (Ensberg, Blalock, & Huff).
- The deal with San Diego won't happen, meaning the deal with the Rangers probably won't, either.
- I'm worried that if the Astros trade for Soriano, it'll be at the last minute against several other offers, and they'll give up too much.
Tick tock kiddies. It's almost time.
Labels: Baseball, Houston Astros, Sports
