(1) Purpura likes Jason Lane. This is the easiest way to guarantee JL more playing time. (2) The main sticking point was apparently length of contract. The Astros offered one year and an option on a second if Kent met some "low number of plate appearances." Kent feels he can get at least two years guaranteed. (3) Clemens and arbitration is a formality so both parties have until January to get the deal done. The money is a fairly minor point in whether he returns or not. If he comes back, he may want a raise, but I don't think he would be looking to "break the bank."
Sam, the odds were pretty good Kent is going to be asked by any team that covets him, to take a decent paycut from his 9 mil salary. He is also 36 years old, so who knows how much longer he plays. His salary in arbitration would come close to his 9 million dollar salary last year, and he would get to be paid great and stay close to home? The odds are decent he takes it and runs, with the current free agent market as it is. Then the Astros would've been stuck paying him close to the amount they would have if they picked up his option, which they clearly didn't want to do. The reward of a 1st round pick in baseball is not worth the risk of having the said scenario play out. Especially with the unpredictability of a large number of MLB draft picks.
Yikes i didint think he would get nearly that much. 8mill per yer is pretty steep for a guy who will be 40 going in to the season.
Did you guys see what the final offer to Kent was... that he actually declines?!? 7 million for next year, with an option for 2006 that would kick in if he had reached 538 plate appearences (don't know how they got that number)... where he would have received another 7 million. Keep in mind that 538 plate appearences is basically nothing... barring a huge season-ending injury, he would have met that easily. Thus, the contract was basically 2 years 14 million dollars... and Kent declined it. Frankly, I'm suprised we were even willing to do that much for him to begin with... had you told me that was what we were planning to offer, I would have thought Tim and Drayton were a little 'tipsy' at the time of coming up with those figures. In many ways, Kent declining this contract will work out better for us in the long-run... because he definitely would have met that option, and we would have had less flexibility both this year and next.... $14 million dollars is a lot of money for a 37 year old, no matter who he is. Also, I'm frankly impressed by Pupura and Drayton's aggressiveness.... it seems that times truly have changed... and if we don't get free agents now, its because of their own personal preference (or stupidity, with Kent)... not because of our lack of agrressiveness.
I remember Kent's agent saying he is looking for a gurranteed two year contract, and I guess that one isn't "gurranteed". Wish he took the offer, but eh. Can't win them all.
1. So you think Biggio will go back to 2nd base? I'm not exactly thrilled at the prospect of that. 3. Oh yeah, I forgot about the no-negotiations thing for declining arbitration. That makes more sense.
That offer was as good as Kent deserved... if not better. Maybe they could have sweetened it with a 4 million buyout after this year, if he didn't meet that EASY incentive. Frankly, by turning that deal down, he's either saying he didn't want to play here anymore (which I doubt that... this is as good as an environment/media that will tolerate his antics), or he's received a better offer from some AL team (texas, detroit) willing to overpay and give him a guaranteed 2 year deal. Take that $14 million and apply it to the contract extentions, the bullpen, and possibly one more starter... it will be money better well spent. Kent turning down this deal will leave a bitter taste in my mouth about him, and I've never had a problem with the guy... even when all that clubhouse cancer stuff was being tossed around. In other news... anybody else think this "extra income" may have something to do with that fat new tv deal they just signed? I do.
exactly. The TV deal was a huge plus for the Stros. Great to see that they seem to be ok with spending the money on players wrather than using it to help compensate for losses. I like Kent too, no matter what the media etc was saying about him last year. And that HR in the playoffs.....man that blew the top of my head off. He must have gotten better offers or something, or his agent is controlling his mind into believing there are better ones out there. Well, bring on Beltran and co. Let's go Stros! Don't the winter meetings start tomorow? How long do they last?
December 10-13 in Anaheim. A few people in the office are going, so I'll try to get the 411 on Beltran when they get back. Also, they damn well better bring back good hats this time. Last year's hat was just awful:
I have to assume as well that Kent didn't really care about playing in Houston and/or for a championship. The idea was to bring the core group of guys back while getting Clemens to come back. Then, get the starting pitching healthy while improving the relief. Then, you would think we would have as good a shot as anyone to make it to the playoffs and do better than last season. The offer to Kent that I'm reading about in this thread was more than fair. If he went shopping elsewhere because the last year of a two year wasn't guaranteed unless he met a minimum # of at-bats or because he could make one or two million more elsewhere, then what does that say about him? He obviously didn't care about staying in Houston, playing with his existing teammates, or making another run. So, piss off Kent...***.
I expect Biggio to be reduced down to ~500 AB, split between second and the OF. Lane gets ~400 AB in the OF, Burke (unless he has a breakout or disaster year) ~300 AB at second.
How do you guys expect Biggio to play 2nd with one knee? Do you know how much harder playing 2nd is on the knees than playing the outfield? Biggio didn't make it to all of the balls other LF's would, but he was a far cry from Daryle Ward in terms of range. If you want to complain, you should complain about his noodle arm. Additionally, reducing his AB's seems counterproductive when you look at his numbers from last season--pretty solid.
