Astros actually getting something done????

[Guest JoesBros]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6313575.html

[bullets13]

that's a great move by them... he's one of the best catchers in history!

[KFDM COOP]

:o did they really do something this Spring? 

[Ruckdad]

If this was 1999 it would have been a great move

[adminbaberuth]

anything over the mendoza line, at that position is a positive.

[Ruckdad]

I'm not convinced that he will hit over the Mendoza line.  Look at what he did with the Yankees last year.

[cardinals4life]

If this was 1999 it would have been a great move

i think its still a great move the stros have alot of young catchers and he can work with them and show them how its done he can also help with those starting pitchers whos have been none to struggle other than Oswalt

[Ruckdad]

Isn't that what Ausmus wsa supposed to do?  That hasn't worked the last few years.

I hope it works out, but I don't think this aquisition puts them any closer to the playoffs.

[Chazz Reinhold]

I'm not convinced that he will hit over the Mendoza line.  Look at what he did with the Yankees last year.

the guy hit .276 for the year....yeah his .219 with the yanks was a bit shaky....but how can you even put the "mendoza line" into consideration here when the guy is a career .301 hitter? ill take .250 from a catcher (who is currently batting .600 in the classic). anything is better than 2 guys batting below the mendoza line in spring training.....towles and quintero are both around .190

[AJ25]

they're not bringing him in for his bat, granted he is hitting well.

they brought him in for his veteran experience, to work with the young pitchers as well as the future catcher of the stros, towles. in the mean time, he'll be the starter until towles or humberto is ready

[cardinals4life]

Isn't that what Ausmus wsa supposed to do?  That hasn't worked the last few years.

I hope it works out, but I don't think this aquisition puts them any closer to the playoffs.

No way you just compared Brad Ausmus to Ivan Rodriguez lol i hope you didnt because Ausmus might be one of the Astros best catchers ever but Pudge is one of the best to ever play the game at his position

[Guest JoesBros]

I dont really care what people think about it. I just know that I am excited about the Astros picking him up. Hey if they are 20 below at the trading deadline then see what you can get for him. Until then Im looking forward to watching him play in an Astros uniform.

[Gametime23]

Pudge is a great stick and defensive presence. No ragging on Ausmus please, he has the ability to manage a ball club right now. I believe that is what they were stating by saying his veteran experience. He should have worked with the catchers bc the Stros pitching staff shakes off the young guys too much. Maybe Pudge will be the guy who gives our pitchers some confidence that he can run the game behind the plate. Maybe we won't trade him if he is producing like we always do.

[AggiesAreWe]

Pudge will do well, as long as he stays healthy. 50 points higher batting average from the catcher spot will do wonders for the Stros.

[Ruckdad]

they're not bringing him in for his bat, granted he is hitting well.

they brought him in for his veteran experience, to work with the young pitchers as well as the future catcher of the stros, towles. in the mean time, he'll be the starter until towles or humberto is ready

This has never been a strength of Pudge's game.  He does not call a good game and does nothing (save his arm throwing out would be stealers) to enhance a pitching staff.  My point was that if Ausmus, who arguably was one of the best game callers in recent time, couldn't get more out of this staff - How is Pudge?

[Gametime23]

He is better offensively, defensively, and can call a better game than Towels and Quintero. Why would we not want a person like this. Ausmus not getting that out of his staff is what I am still wondering myself. Maybe Ausmus was just not assertive enough or the young guys were not willing to learn I dunno. All I know is I would take Ausmus as pitching coach. Maybe they could just put him in the bullpen as the bullpen coach. Who knows with the Astros, we didn't make a move on Peavy the yr he had 20 wins we took Jason Jennings I believe. All I want is a good GM.

[Ruckdad]

Well now we are getting into what this team's main problem has been over the last few years.  Tim purpura.  I have said all along that it was going to take a long time to get from under the mess that Timmy P left behind.  We have the worst rated farm system in the majors, a lck of quality startin gpitching, no legitimate leadoff man and only two - maybe three - quality offensive players.  The drafts that Timmy P was in charge of were dreadful and Ed Wade has done more in his one draft than Timmy P did in four or five.

[Gametime23]

Yeah we went from having one of the best farm system pitching to crap when Tim came along. Now we have to wheel and deal to get some players by signing free agents, and try to get it back to where it should be.

[baseball4life09]

Hey don't hate on tim he made the smartest move in astros history trading taylor buc jason hirsch and willy t all for jennings.....wow talk about a bargain for the astros jennings helped them win that world series it was truly amazin...then I woke up.

Dude was a joke but hey our farm system is alright ed wade has faith in it so do I. Look if the stros are 20 out at the break I'm sure they'll make it interesting berk roy and el cabayo and possibly pudge and pence will carry this team gotta B-lieve