WORST . . . TRADE . . . EVER

On Wednesday, the Astros traded OF Luke Scott, 3B Michael Costanzo, LHP Troy Patton, RHP Matt Albers, and RHP Dennis Sarfate to the Baltimore Orioles for SS Miguel Tejada. Yes, that’s right. We traded away five players, including three pitchers, to get one guy.

Already, this looks like the worst trade since last year’s trade for Jason Jennings. But it gets worse. Much worse.

First of all, at least the Jennings trade, bad as it was, was intended to address a specific need: starting pitching. This trade seems to have been done for the sole purpose of making a blockbuster trade and making it look like the Astros are being aggressive in trying to put a winning team on the field. There was no need for a new shortstop, the Astros already had the best defensive shortstop in Baseball in Adam Everett. The Astros explain, however, that what is lost defensively with this trade is more than made up for by Tejada’s offense, though with the recent moves the Astros had made, I wasn’t convinced that offense was the biggest problem. If anything, it was our greatest strength.

But anyway, Tejada is the Astros’ new shortstop. Adam Everett was not offered a new contract and he became a free agent, promptly signing with the Minnesota Twins (I’m glad someone out there recognizes a good player when they see one).

The Astros have now given up six players to get one.

I said to myself when I heard about this trade that it might be a good idea for the Astros to wait for the Mitchell Report to come out before they make a big trade. Sure enough, on the very next day after the trade, the Mitchell Report is released and Miguel Tejada’s name is in it. Alyson Footer reports,

The Mitchell Report claims that Tejada, while with the Oakland Athletics in 2003, asked teammate Adam Piatt if he had any steroids. "Piatt believed that Tejada asked him because Piatt was in good shape and generally friendly with him," the report states. "Piatt had several conversations with Tejada before a transaction occurred. Piatt admitted he had access to steroids and human growth hormone and agreed to obtain them for Tejada."

Piatt, according to the report, said he provided Tejada with "testosterone or Deca-Durabolin, as well as human growth hormone." Piatt also said he did not know if Tejada actually used the substances.

"Piatt's bank provided two checks deposited into Piatt's account that had been written to him from Miguel Tejada," the report states. "The checks are dated March 21, 2003 and are in the amounts of $3,100 and $3,200 respectively."

Not sure if Tejada actually used the substances? I’m guessing if he paid $6,300 for them, it’s safe to say he used them.

So, let me get this straight. The Astros gave up six players to get one guy whose only upside is his offense, and it turns out he’s been using steroids?

I’ve never gotten mad at the Astros before. They are a classy organization that knows how to build a championship team. But with this trade, I just have to say:

WHAT THE F*** IS GOING ON HERE?!

Up until now, I was quite pleased with the Astros’ new general manager, Ed Wade. I thought he has made some smart trades and gotten some key signings. I was really looking forward to 2008, the first year without my personal hero, Craig Biggio. I thought we had a solid lineup, and if things worked out, a decent bullpen and starting rotation. But this stupid, stupid trade just blew the whole thing up. And why? So you can rent a doper for two years?

A statement released by Drayton McLane today gives us no information about what the Astros are going to do from here. It could have been written two months ago, for crying out loud.

Maybe there will be more information from the Astros tomorrow. Though I doubt it. That Tejada’s name is in the Mitchell Report could not have come as a shock to the Astros. Surely, they knew what they were getting with this guy, which raises questions about the kind of culture the organization is trying to develop now that the two greats, Bagwell and Biggio, are gone. And if the Astros did not know about the baggage that comes along with Tejada, then that raises doubts about the competence of the Astros front office. Ignorance in this case is not bliss, and it is certainly no excuse.

My only hope now is that the Astros release Tejada and make Loretta our starting shortstop.

The other big names in the report were Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. Pettitte was a surprise, but Clemens was not. We have all heard about the side-effects of steroids: acne, uncontrollable rage, depression. I wonder if doctors will add the inability to decide whether or not you want to play Baseball again next year to that list.

Clemens complained that his name was mentioned in the report and that, as his lawyer put it,

He is left with no meaningful way to combat what he strongly contends are totally false allegations.

Actually, I thought I heard Senator Mitchell say that every current player whose name came up in his investigation was invited to speak to Sen. Mitchell and offer his side of the story to be included in the report. That would have been one “meaningful way” for Clemens “to combat what he strongly contends are totally false allegations.” But, no player, including Clemens, took Mitchell up on his offer. Sorry, Rocket. The whining just won’t get you very far here.

As for Pettitte, according to the report, he said he only used steroids to heal from an injury more quickly. Of course, he should have worked with his team (the Yankees at that time) and his doctor on this issue rather than obtain the steroids on his own.

All in all, I’m glad the report came out. The Mitchell Report is Baseball’s first step out of its worst crisis since the Black Sox Scandal. It is important for the fans that they know which players were juiced and which were not. It’s also important for the Hall of Fame voters to know this. However, I do not think any punishment should come from this report. The evidence mentioned in the report does not carry the same weight as a positive test and most of the offenses occurred several years ago. Except in the most extreme cases, punishments resulting from this report would not help Baseball.

–J.E. Heath

3,000 hits, and counting

Thursday night, Craig Biggio earned his 3,000th career hit–a game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Much has been said about it on the Astros website and elsewhere in the sports world.

Now that I’ve had some time to reflect, I wanted to say a few things about it, as well.

I guess I’m just not a good enough writer to explain what I and all Astros fans felt last night. Of course, no one celebrates this much for one hit. It was an entire career that I cheered for while listening to Milo Hamilton make the call in my car.

One of the reasons Baseball is such a beautiful game is that it works so well on the radio. Our generation doesn’t understand the magic of radio. It’s theater of the mind. A talented announcer can describe the scene in such a way that you believe you are actually there to see it happen in person. When Milo called out, “There it is!” I could see Biggio racing down the line to first base. Milo yells, “Bidge wants to make it a double!” and I start yelling, “Go! Go!” pumping my fist to encourage Bidge on. What an incredibly emotional moment, one I will not soon forget. I might have been driving down a rural highway past a small town airport, but I was there–in the stands, on the field, yelling, clapping, cheering as joyful tears welled up in my eyes.

Was Biggio being greedy when he tried to stretch that single into a double? No. He was playing the game like he always does, giving 100% to the game and to his team. Biggio’s effort paid off later in the game. The lead went back and forth through the whole game. Biggio’s hit tied the game at 1 run each. In the top of the eighth, Colorado scored three runs to take the lead. The Astros answered with three more runs in the bottom of the inning. The score would remain 4-4 until the eleventh when Colorado took a one run lead off a home run by Troy Tulowitzki (who?).

The Astros have been behind in extra innings before this season, and it usually doesn’t end well. Such was the case just the day before, when the Astros lost to Milwaukee in eleven innings. But this night was different. To a man, the Astros decided they were not going to let Biggio’s big night be tarnished with a loss. Biggio, of course, was out in front. With two strikes against him, two outs in the inning, and our boys down by one run, Biggio legs out an infield hit–his fifth hit of the game. His hustle kept the inning alive. If he had not been running hard down the line, he would have been out and the Astros would have lost. But if Biggio hadn’t been running hard, he wouldn’t have been Biggio, and this night would not have been so special.

Next Hunter Pence, the rookie who has simply been phenomenal since being called up just a few months ago, hits a seeing-eye single up the middle. Two on, two outs, and the big bats are coming up. Berkman is denied a chance for heroics when he gets hit by the pitch. Now the bases are loaded with two outs, and the excitement starts to build.

This game was a must win, not just because it was Craig Biggio night in Houston, but because this team needed an exciting, come-from-behind win, if for no other reason than to simply prove to themselves that they can do it.

With the bases loaded, and the game on the line, Carlos Lee steps to the plate. If there hadn’t been video tape to prove it, you’d probably think I’m just making this up. Lee takes the first pitch he sees and sends it flying just fair of the left field foul pole for a game ending grand slam.

Like I said, if they hadn’t caught it on video tape, you wouldn’t believe me.

Lee’s grand slam capped off an amazing and historic night. And it was made possible by Biggio’s refusal to give in or give up. Biggio’s work ethic has been well chronicled throughout his career. He personifies what Houston Astros Baseball is all about.

Hard work, and also humility. After Biggio hit number 3,000, and everyone in the stadium was cheering for him, Biggio made a point to bring his long time friend and teammate Jeff Bagwell out of the dugout and onto the field. Why? Alyson Footer quotes Biggio:

"I wanted him on the field, between the lines, one more time with me, to really let the fans say goodbye, say hello, say thank you for so many things," Biggio said. "To me, that was what it was all about. He deserved it. I guess I deserved it in a way. I really just wanted him to be out there one more time with me."

For Biggio, this night was not simply about him. He understands he never would have achieved this without the support of the Astros organization, the Astros fans, and of course, Jeff Bagwell.

Hard work and humility. That’s something you don’t see much at all these days. Not just in sports, but everywhere in our culture. In a country where people are made famous simply for being stupid, or bad, or for doing nothing at all, where politicians vie for the spotlight by trying to see who can talk about himself the loudest for the longest, where movie stars think that a blockbuster hit means everyone in the world cares about their personal opinions, and where the average person flies down the freeway in 7,000 pounds of personal space (a.k.a. an SUV) with no regard for his fellow commuters, it’s refreshing to see someone who actually puts his friends and family before himself even when he is at the pinnacle of his profession. That is Craig Biggio.

Take a look at these other quotes to get an idea of just what a stand-up guy Biggio is.

"I'm very grateful, really thankful, for a lot of things. A lot of things have happened here over the course of my 20-year career, but tonight I think was the best. I'm just glad we finally got it done."

Did you catch that? “We finally got it done.” Not I got it done, but we.

"We've had some good weeks and some bad weeks but to finally get there, get over the hump and get somebody from this organization finally on that list. ... This is a proud day for the Astros."

Again, we finally got there, we finally got someone on that list. “This is a proud day for the Astros.”

Biggio will be the first to tell you this is not about him alone. It’s about his friends, his family, the Astros, the fans, and the city of Houston.

Biggio has given so much to this community, not only on the field with a pennant and now our first legitimate Hall of Famer, but also off the field with his work in the community, especially his favorite charity, The Sunshine Kids. He deserves the applause, the cheers, and the honor. But he would never tell you that. That is why he is one of my heros.

–J.E. Heath

Craig Biggio is NOT overpaid

I just can't keep silent when I see something like this. Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports has written an article in which he lists the most overpaid players in Major League Baseball by position.

At second base is Craig Biggio. Biggio is one of my heros, so obviously I disagree with Passan's assessment. Allow me to put this in perspective. Biggio is the lowest paid position player on Passan's list by $3.1 million. That alone suggests he doesn't belong on this list. Further, Passan himself says, "Biggio was a great player. Biggio will be a Hall of Famer."

Admittedly, Biggio has been struggling this year. This year is also the last year of his career, so big numbers really shouldn't be expected from him. He signed a one year contract with the Astros during the offseason so that he could get his 3,000th hit. That may seem selfish on his part -- forcing the Astros to keep a low performing veteran at second base when there is a promising young second baseman (Chris Burke) who is waiting for a chance to play everyday. But, Biggio says he is doing this for the fans; because the Houston fans deserve to see one of their guys reach this milestone. Considering the fact that Biggio could be playing somewhere else for much more money, I believe him when he says that.

And that brings up another reason why it is unfair to say that Biggio is overpaid. A man with his credentials could be making more than twice as much somewhere else. But Biggio is committed to the Astros and Houston fans. If he were getting paid as much as he could be paid, then maybe you could argue that he isn't worth it. But, I consider $5.15 million a relative bargain to watch Houston's first true Hall of Famer cap a great career and take a final bow.

–J.E. Heath

Thank you, Jeff Bagwell

Jeff Bagwell, the greatest hitter in Houston Astros history, announced his retirement in a news conference yesterday. Bagwell is the Astros’ all time leader in home runs, RBIs, and walks. He was voted NL Rookie of the Year in 1991, unanimously voted the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1994, and was an All Star in 1994, 1996, 1997, and 1999. I’ll let Jim Molony explain in detail why Jeff Bagwell is headed for the Hall of Fame.

But, aside from his numbers, what made Jeff Bagwell such a great player and a Houston icon was his intangibles. Astros owner Drayton McLane and General Manager Tim Purpura touched on this during yesterday’s news conference. Alyson Footer quotes:

“I want to personally thank you for what you have meant to this franchise, as a great player, a leader and a great human being,” McLane said. “We are certainly indebted to you and certainly look forward to your continued involvement.”

Added Purpura: “You and Craig [Biggio] have set the tone for what we do in the organization, how we play our game, what we teach our young players.”

Bagwell and Biggio epitomize what has come to be known as “the Astros way.” What exactly is it? It’s more than just great players. It’s great people. Jeff Bagwell’s leadership and work ethic have helped to carry this franchise through the ups and downs of 15 years of baseball. Bagwell and Biggio have made this club what it is today: one of the premier teams in the Major Leagues. Where would the Astros be if it weren’t for these two? Not in Houston, and not perennial championship contenders. Astros fans will continue to see the results of Bagwell’s hard work long after his number 5 has been placed alongside other Astro greats like Ryan, Scott, and Dierker.

–J.E. Heath

World Series

Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals. They have won the 2006 World Series 4 games to 1 after defeating the Detroit Tigers 4 to 2.

The Tigers committed 8 errors over the course of this 5 game series. So, if you're looking for a reason for the Tigers' failure, there it is. The better team won this World Championship.

-J.E. Heath

World Series Game 3

As I write this, the St. Louis Cardinals are leading the Detroit Tigers in Game 3 2-0. It’s still a close game, but I can say already that the Cardinals are doing better than I thought they would. But, they have surprised me through the entire postseason. At first, I didn’t think they would even make it to the postseason. I believed that my beloved Astros would make yet another amazing run at the playoffs. But, alas, the once and future National League champions fell just short. Then, I didn’t think the Cards would make it past the first round, but they did. I thought they would never beat the Mets, but they did. Now, I don’t think that they’ll win the Series, and they’re on their way to taking the lead. So, that just shows what I know.

I guess I’ll just sit back and enjoy the series. It’s bittersweet. The World Series is the best part of the season, but it also means that the long, cold and lonely winter is just around the corner. I already can’t wait for April.

–J.E. Heath

Tigers beat Yankees

It’s the morning after the Tigers’ stunning victory over the Yankees, and already there’s talk that Joe Torre might be out as the Yankees’ manager. The man who has led the Yankees to four World Series Championships since 1996 is being blamed for their collapse.

As if the Tigers did nothing but sit around and watch the Yankees implode. The Tigers were simply the better team. They only had two more losses this season than the Yankees, and that’s probably only because they had the Twins (who were another very good team) in their division. The Yankees did not have such strong competition in their division. So, let’s remember that there was another, a better, team on the field.

But, according to Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner, there is no reason for the Yankees to lose. They have, by far, the largest payroll in Baseball. They have a roster filled with all-stars and future Hall of Famers. Jason Giambi, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mike Mussina, Randy Johnson, Johnny Damon, Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui, Bobby Abreu. Any of these players would be a franchise player on any other team. Some were franchise players for other teams before they were lured away by a huge Yankee contract.

But the lesson to be learned here is that you cannot buy a championship. It is not Joe Torre’s fault that a $198 million team couldn’t beat a team that was $116 million dollars cheaper. Apparently, $198 million can only buy you one playoff win. Blame it on inflation. Or just blame it on poor personnel decisions.

If Steinbrenner wants to win championships again, he should return to the formula that has worked for the Yankees and nearly every other successful team in Baseball: homegrown players and good pitching. To win a championship, you must have a team, not a collection of big contracts. That is where the Yankees failed and the Tigers succeeded.

I’m making it official now that I’m getting on the Tigers’ bandwagon. They are a good team and I hope they win it all.

Playoff Predictions Dead Wrong

Looks like my playoff predictions were way off. All the teams I picked to win have lost, or are losing. The Twins, Yankees, and Dodgers have all been eliminated. Only the Padres remain, but they are facing elimination, too. The only thing I got right was the number of games it would take to win the Yankees-Tigers series: four. But, that’s why Baseball games are played on the field instead of on paper.

–J.E. Heath