Don't You Have a Crystal Ball Too?

So what if the 2007 has yet to begin? If ESPN can put previews for the NFL draft on in December, then I Remember Dome Dogs can look ahead to the 2008 free agent class. Especially given the fact that a good deal of our team are free agents. If we Astros fans think the team looks different from 2006, get a load of the potential changes that could occur this off-season. I consider myself as big of an Astros fan as anyone, but I had no clue that there were this many of the Good Guys could be somewhere else fairly soon. While the free agent markets are impossible to predict, as far as the demands of players/their agents, who will re-sign during the season, who will get traded at the break, etc., but these names jumped off the page to us. Some are former Astros, former Astro farmhands, or just make sense. Given the Astros history of making deals, or at least getting involved in the market, just about anything is a legitimate possibility. I do not think it would be realistic to see Carlos Zambrano, Joe Nathan or Andrew Jones shaking Tim Purpura’s hand in December of this year, but there are certainly possibilities out there.

2008 Astros Free Agents
Jason Jennings p
2 years/$7M (2005-06), plus $5.5M 2007 option
Brad Lidge p
1 year/$5.35M (2007)
Craig Biggio 2b
1 year/$5.15M (2007)
Morgan Ensberg 3b
1 year/$4.35M (2007)
Brad Ausmus c
2 years/$7.5M (2006-07)
Adam Everett ss
1 year/$2.8M (2007)
Mike Lamb 3b
1 year/$2.7M (2007)
Mark Loretta inf
1 year/$2.5M (2007)
Dan Wheeler p
1 year/$2.1M (2007)
Trever Miller p
1 year/$1.3M (2006), plus $1.3M 2007 mutual option
Jason Lane of
1 year/$1.05M (2007)
Orlando Palmiero of
2 years/$1.9M (2006-07)
Brandon Backe p
1 year/$0.545M (2007)
Chad Qualls p
1 year/$0.441M (2007)
Chris Burke inf
1 year (2007)
Luke Scott of
1 year/$0.382M (2007)


2008 Free Agent Class (expanded list at end of my contribution)
1. John Smoltz (41)
2. Carlos Zambrano (27)
3. Joe Nathan (33)
4. Mariano Rivera (38)
5. Jorge Posada (36)
6. Curt Schilling (41)
7. Bobby Abreu (34)
8. Ichiro Suzuki (34)
9. Andruw Jones (31)
10. Carlos Guillen (32)
11. Jeff Kent (40)
12. Mike Lowell (34)
13. Jason Jennings (29)
14. Jake Westbrook (30)
15. Ivan Rodriguez (36)
16. Freddy Garcia (32)
17. Kenny Rogers (43)
18. Torii Hunter (32)
19. Jason Isringhausen (35)
20. Omar Vizquel (41)
21. Marcus Giles (30)
22. Eric Byrnes (32)
23. Paul Lo Duca (36)
24. Bob Wickman (39)
25. Corey Patterson (28)
26. Adam Dunn (28)
27. Scott Linebrink (31)
28. Michael Barrett (31)
29. Milton Bradley (30)
30. Jon Lieber (38)
31. David Eckstein (33)
32. Aaron Rowand (30)
33. Juan Uribe (29)
34. Bartolo Colon (35)
Source: Mlbtraderumors.com

What the Astros need (the most) :

Catcher (who can hit. “handling the pitching staff” is less of a qualification)

Possible solution(s):

Humberto Quintero; the Astros will not pay for Lo Duca or Posada. Unless they take pay-cuts. Which I doubt catchers from New York will. Options seem limited and would require over paying in general…However, if we’re going to over pay for a offensively gifted catcher, my money is on Barrett, PECOTA projects a solid 2008 season for him. Hopefully the Cubs financial burden incline them to let him go.

Shortstop:

Solution(s):

Uribe. Guillen. Evertt returns.

Juan Uribe - Has struggled the past three seasons. And with his legal troubles, he may be willing to take a pay cut in order to get a starting job

Carlos Guillen - At 33 one of the older short stops, but still a consistent hitter, when healthy. Wouldn’t it be nice to bring him back to Houston?

Adam Everett - A solid citizen, has a little pop and is the most underrated defensive shortstop in either league. How he plays this year will determine a lot for his future with the Astros.

Pitching: (starting and bullpen)

Solutions (no doubt there need to be multiple):
Re-Sign Jennings, Lidge, Wheeler, Qualls.
Sign: Jake Westbrook, Scott Linebrink

The most obvious solution is usually the best. I have confidence that Jennings will come in and pitch well enough that the Astros will want to sign him to a long term deal. Those back three guys are a special group. Wheeler and Qualls will probably want to test the market, as they are not making all that much, even for relief pitchers. Lidge is a lot like Everett. How he does this year will go a long way in deciding his fate. Westbrook is a solid AL pitcher who has done his work in a small market. Without Roger, Craig and Company weighing down the payroll, there should be enough money to offer a 3 year deal to a guy of his caliber. I just put Linebrink on for the same reason as Guillen, a guy who would fit in well because he used to play here. A “Houston” kind of guy. Would be a good replacement for Wheeler if they don’t resign him. Similar skills.

Others to Consider:

Eric Byrnes OF-

A fourth outfielder type, but seems to find his way onto contending clubs (Oakland, Arizona this year). Plays with tremendous toughness, spark. Like the Centerfield version of Craig, minus a lot of talent. Would Make a good corner outfielder if Lane/Scott don’t work out. Which is very likely.

Adam Dunn OF-

The Dunn to the Astros trade rumors have been going on for a couple summers in a row. Has the power that they sorely need. Batting average is shaky (that’s the best way to put it), but his batting eye is amongst the best in baseball. Makes in home in Porter, Texas. Seems to be the kind of guy to take a home-town discount.

Freddy Garcia SP-

Would be a very good number three for the Astros. White Sox GM Kenny Williams will not overpay for him. Had strong second half of 2006. He will probably ask for too much, but with the abundance of starting pitching talent on the 2008 market, who knows.



Care to comment or predict the future, here is a list, by position of free agents for 2008:

First Basemen
Sean Casey DET
Tony Clark ARZ
Jeff Conine PHI
Julio Franco NYM
Matt LeCroy WAS
Kevin Millar * BAL
Olmedo Saenz LAD
Mark Sweeney SF
Mike Sweeney KC

Second Basemen
Marlon Anderson LAA
Craig Biggio HOU
Luis Castillo MIN
Damion Easley NYM
Mark Ellis * OAK
Marcus Giles ATL
Mark Grudzielanek* KC
D'Angelo Jimenez OAK
Jeff Kent * LAD
Luis Rivas TB
Jose Valentin NYM

Shortstops
David Eckstein STL
Carlos Guillen DET
Cesar Izturis * CHC
Ramon E Martinez* LAD
John McDonald TOR
Neifi Perez DET
Juan Uribe * CHW
Omar Vizquel SF
Michael Young * TEX

Third Basemen
Russell Branyan SD
Corey Koskie * MIL
Mike Lamb HOU
Mike Lowell BOS
Greg Norton * TB
Abraham O. Nunez PHI
Alex Rodriguez NYY (may void after 2007)

Catchers
Brad Ausmus HOU
Paul Bako BAL
Michael Barrett CHC
Gary Bennett * STL
Ramon Castro NYM
Sal Fasano NYY
Wiki Gonzalez WAS
Toby Hall LAD
Jason Kendall OAK
Jason LaRue KC
Paul Lo Duca NYM
Mike Matheny * SF
Damian Miller MIL
Chad Moeller CIN
Jose Molina LAA
Josh Paul TB
Jorge Posada NYY
Ivan Rodriguez * DET
Yorvit Torrealba COL
Javier Valentin * CIN

Outfielders
Bobby Abreu * NYY
Moises Alou * NYM
Milton Bradley OAK
Adrian Brown TEX
Eric Byrnes ARZ
Mike Cameron SD
Roger Cedeno BAL
Brady Clark MIL
Jeff DaVanon ARZ
Adam Dunn * CIN
Jermaine Dye CWS
Luis Gonzalez ARZ
Shawn Green* NYM
Eric Hinske BOS
Torii Hunter MIN
Geoff Jenkins * MIL
Andruw Jones ATL
Bobby Kielty OAK
Rob Mackowiak * CWS
Eli Marrero STL
Luis Matos WAS
Jason Michaels CLE
Orlando Palmeiro HOU
Corey Patterson BAL
Timo Perez STL
Aaron Rowand PHI
Reggie Sanders KC
Ichiro Suzuki SEA
Brad Wilkerson TEX

Starting Pitchers
Kris Benson * BAL
Mark Buerhle CWS
Paul Byrd * CLE
Shawn Chacon PIT
Matt Clement BOS
Bartolo Colon LAA
Scott Elarton KC
Josh Fogg COL
Casey Fossum * TB
Freddy Garcia CWS
Geremi Gonzalez TOR
Livan Hernandez ARZ
Jason Jennings COL
Randy Johnson NYY
Brian Lawrence WAS
Jon Lieber PHI
Kyle Lohse CIN
Wade Miller CHC
Eric Milton CIN
Odalis Perez * KC
Joel Pineiro SEA
Kenny Rogers DET
Curt Schilling BOS
Carlos Silva MIN
John Smoltz * ATL
Brett Tomko * LAD
Kip Wells STL
Jake Westbrook CLE
Randy Wolf * LAD
Jaret Wright BAL
Carlos Zambrano CHC
Victor Zambrano NYM

Relief Pitchers
Jeremy Affeldt COL
Armando Benitez SF
Hector Carrasco * LAA
Francisco Cordero MIL
Rheal Cormier CIN
Vic Darensbourg DET
Doug Davis ARZ
Elmer Dessens LAD
Scott Eyre * CHC
Travis Harper TB
Trevor Hoffman * SD
Jason Isringhausen* STL
Todd Jones DET
Jorge Julio ARZ
Joe Kennedy OAK
Byung-Hyun Kim COL
Scott Linebrink SD
Rodrigo Lopez BAL
Ron Mahay TEX
Dan Miceli TB
Trever Miller HOU
Mike Myers NYY
Joe Nathan * MIN
Chris Reitsma ATL
Ricardo Rincon STL
Mariano Rivera NYY
Glendon Rusch CHC
Rudy Seanez SD
Julian Tavarez * BOS
Mike Timlin BOS
Mike Venafro COL
Luis Vizcaino ARZ
Bob Wickman ATL
Scott Williamson BAL
Jay Witasick * OAK
Kerry Wood CHC
Tim Worrell SF

Source: http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2000/04/2007-free-agents.html

Well, go on, think...discuss...comment.

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