Time for Uncle Drayton to make a decision

feeds@yuku.com (proark) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:46:38 GMT

Does he want to stick to his guns and keep firing those 6 shooters into the air (1560 listeners will get it) or does he want to become relevant again in Houston sports?

Right now the worst possible things that could happen for Drayton are happening. The Texans have gelled and become a fun, exciting and possibly play-off bound team while the Rockets, even without Yao or T-Mac, are extremely exciting to watch and are competitive night in and night out against the best teams. The...

The Astros hired Jamie Quirk to join new manager Brad Mills' staff as bullpen coach

feeds@yuku.com (bumpin99) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:17 GMT

The Astros hired Jamie Quirk to join new manager Brad Mills' staff as bullpen coach.

Quirk, 55, was the Rockies' bench coach from 2003-08, winning the National League pennant on Clint Hurdle's staff in 2007. He spent the 2009 season as a pro scout for the Reds.

He joins pitching coach Brad Arnsberg, hitting coach Sean Berry, bench coach Al Pedrique, first base coach Bobby Meacham and third base coach Sean Berry on the 2010 staff.

The former infielder,...

Bullpen Coach

feeds@yuku.com (TonyWatson) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:08:21 GMT

I know bullpen coach is not what we would consider all that significant on the outside but I think a good one can probably be an encouragement to the younger pitchers and teach them some warmup habits and mental stuff. I'd like to see us consider someone who has a history of relief pitching and being a leader with the Astros. Two names that come to mind are Brocail and Russ Springer

Foreign substance on pitchers hats--Illegal or not?

feeds@yuku.com (spursfan20) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:51:44 GMT

I have noticed that most pitchers hats look pretty damn obvious that they carry some foreign substance on their hats and use dirt to hide it. Cliff Lee's hat looked so obvious out there that he probably is using some foreign substance to help out his pitches. That's why he's been piching so darn well. I thought this is illegal. Are the Umpires just looking the other way on purpose and ignoring the fact that these pitchers are using an enhance substance out on the mound these...

Magic Bullet

feeds@yuku.com (barzilla) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:27:14 GMT

No one from management has said what the payroll will be next season, but they have said it will be smaller. I'm guessing in the neighborhood of 90 million. After we give raises to Michael Bourn, Hunter Pence, and Wandy Rodriguez I am guessing we will have enough money to sign one significant free agent, so without divulging names, where would you like to see that magic bullet fired?

Sabbatical Done

feeds@yuku.com (barzilla) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:06:29 GMT

I took a sabbatical from posting for awhile. I told Speedy about it and maybe one or two other people. I didn't want to make a big fuss over it. Since I've missed out on close to two months of action, I thought I would comment on the major news items. I know this is backtracking, but this is my thread, so here goes.

1) Astros fire Cooper

About frickin time. I usually don't care much about the manager (more on that later) but he was actually causing injuries and...

The Orioles have outrighted pitchers Rich Hill removing him from the 40-man roster.

feeds@yuku.com (bumpin99) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:30:55 GMT

The Orioles have outrighted pitchers Rich Hill, Bob McCrory and Alfredo Simon to Triple-A Norfolk, removing them from the 40-man roster.

All three pitchers cleared waivers. Hill and Simon were reinstated from the 60-day disabled list. McCrory recently underwent surgery on his right shoulder.

Hill, 29, was 3-3 with a 7.80 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs. He endured two stints on the disabled list - March 29 to May 16 with a strained...

Blum re-signed, Arnsberg added as pitching coach

feeds@yuku.com (Bob Hulsey) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:17:00 GMT

The two latest moves by the ballclub - the Astros re-sign Geoff Blum for $1.5 mil in 2010 and a mutual option for $1.65 mil in 2011. While Blum is a versatile infielder and switch-hitter, it seems like he's going to become part of a logjam at 3B unless he becomes the post-Matsui answer at 2B.

They also announced that Brad Arnsberg was hired as the new pitching coach. He held that capacity with the Blue Jays for the past five seasons and previously been a pitching coach with the...

Astros Decline Brocail's Option

feeds@yuku.com (Flastrohs) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:44:43 GMT

From Rotoworld....

"Astros declined RHP Doug Brocail's $2.85 million option for 2010.

Houston will give him a $250,000 buyout instead, making the 42-year-old right-hander a free agent. Brocail was very effective in 2008, but missed most of this season with hamstring and shoulder injuries, posting a 4.58 ERA and 9/13 K/BB ratio in 17 2/3 innings. He should be able to land a middle relief gig somewhere, but may opt for retirement...

Astros add two coaches

feeds@yuku.com (Clack) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:09:04 GMT

McTaggert and Footer both reporting that Bobby Meacham will be 1st base coach and Al Pedrique will be bench coach. Pedrique was an interim manager in the D-Backs organization, has been part of the Astros' organization for awhile, and was one of the ten candidates for the current manager job. Meacham is currently a batting instructor in the Phillies minor league organization, but he has ML coaching experience with the Padres, Marlins, and Yankees. He was a coach associated with Girardi...

Yankees/Phillies WS - big ratings. Is baseball back for the masses?

feeds@yuku.com (filmtexas79) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:13:37 GMT

The World Series game was the highest-rated opener in five years and the highest-rated game in two years.

Interesting facts on Astros Managers

feeds@yuku.com (TonyWatson) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:26:59 GMT

I got to thinking about the history of Astros managers and wondered how many we had hired for their first manager gig. We've had 15 full-time managers in the history of the franchise, not counting Mills. Of those 15, 7, or almost half, were hired here for their first MLB manager job:
Grady Hatton
Bob Lillis
Hal Lanier
Art Howe
Terry Collins
Larry Dierker
Cecil Cooper

The results were obviously mixed. By generous standards you'd have to say...

Coste chooses to be a Free Agent.

feeds@yuku.com (bumpin99) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:39:16 GMT

The Astros on Tuesday outrighted veteran catcher Chris Coste to Triple-A Round Rock, removing him from the 40-man roster. Coste refused the outright assignment and is a free agent.

Coste, 36, hit .224 in 2009 with two home runs and 18 RBIs in 88 games combined between Philadelphia and Houston. He was acquired earlier this season by the Astros after being claimed off waivers from the Phillies on July 10.

With the Astros, Coste hit .204 with 10 RBIs in 43 games. A veteran of four...

Twittering afoot....Footer says Mills is the new Astros Manager

feeds@yuku.com (Clack) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:54:25 GMT

Link Here.

I liked him best of the remaining finalists. Recommendations from Theo Epstein and Francona are a very good thing. For all we know, he could turn into a great manager.

Garner's case?

feeds@yuku.com (Dak05) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:12:26 GMT

Could someone please make the case for why Garner is even in the mix of the managerial spot?
I either missed it or it just was never out there. I don't understand it, well, not all of it. I understand he has some PR buzz and a general sense of support from the fans, but is that ever the reason to hire a manager? This move only seems logicial when there is no other reason whatsoever for the average fan to buy tickets or have an interest.

People say he's the only manager...

Looks like we could get all three

feeds@yuku.com (Bob Hulsey) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:15:09 GMT

Mills and Clark are returning for a third and second interview, respectively, and I think Mills is going to be offered the job but that Garner is going to be offered the Bench Coach job to serve in the same role Bill Virdon did to Larry Dierker in 1997, sort of bench coach/consigliare. Clark is being set up to remain as a base coach - either third or first.

Mills really has no bargaining room if he wants to be a major league manager. He's in his 50s and he hasn't been a big...

Neyer: Drayton needs to have his head examined

feeds@yuku.com ( sturt ) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:51:44 GMT

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/1038/indians-get-their-man-astros-dont

...He'll allow his people overspend on some has-been player, but veto spending on draft picks and managers.

Now the Astros will move on. They've got some tough spinning to do when a manager finally is hired.

It's not just that the...

Astros claim Bourgeois off waivers

feeds@yuku.com (bumpin99) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:25:43 GMT

Jason Bourgeois, a Houston native who played at Forest Brook High School, was claimed off waivers Monday from the Milwaukee Brewers and will come to Spring Training next year with a chance to win a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Bourgeois batted .189 in 24 games with the Brewers, hitting one home run and driving in three runs. The right-handed hitter batted .316 in 105 games with Triple-A Nashville, hitting two home runs, 18 doubles, six triples and had 41 RBIs. He also stole 36 bases....

Mark McGwire has been hired to be the St. Louis hitting coach

feeds@yuku.com (bumpin99) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:27:29 GMT

Pat Lackey informs us that a Cardinals source confirmed to Fanhouse's Ed Price that Mark McGwire has been hired to replace Hal McRae as the St. Louis hitting coach.

McGwire, 46, played in Saint Louis for four and a half seasons, hitting 220 home runs during his tenure, including setting a then-single season record with 70 home runs. For his career, McGwire totaled a...

Acta joins Indians

feeds@yuku.com (lloydinnit) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:28:21 GMT

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4593663