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Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Carlos Beltran's Unrequited Love For Anaheim

This Houston Chronicle story claims Anaheim tops free agent centerfielder Carlos Beltran's wished-for landing spots, but Anaheim is apparently uninterested:
The Astros have been told that the Carlos Beltran sweepstakes are "yours to lose." ...

New York newspapers have reported that the Yankees will offer $13 million a year. The Cubs will also be serious players, but the Angels, who are believed to be Beltran's first choice, may not be interested.

Of course, this could omit the all-important part that says "we're not interested in $200M/10 years". Boras waits... and waits... and waits.

In that same story: the Astros are considering signing former Angel and Houston native Ben Weber?

[Weber] was one of the American League's best relievers between 2001 and 2003, but pitched just 18 games last season because of carpal tunnel syndrome. He was a key member of the bullpen that helped the Angels win the 2002 World Series. He's also a Houston native. If Weber is healthy, he could help filling those innings between the starter and closer Brad Lidge.
Tell me again how dealing Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner in the course of two years was a good idea. I'm forgetting now, exactly, how that was supposed to work.

Comments:
Billy Wagner was supposedly too expensive (and at $9 million for 48.1 innings, I’d say they were right) and Octavio Dotel just plain sucked. You can hardly argue with the ultimate result of both trades.
 
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Semi-agreed on Wagner, though that is an artifact of paying retail for your closers -- which all teams must make a decision on eventually, even the Dodgers. But are you arguing that Dotel would have sucked in the middle relief role he was in prior to the trade? If so, he joins a fairly long list of quality middle-relief guys who couldn't make outs in the ninth.
 
"Totally sucks" was too a strong a term. He just wore out his welcome in Houston with his struggles at closer (he seems to have done the same in Oakland - check out who sponsors his BR page). Either he genuinely suffers from a lack of 'closer’s mentality' (which I don’t buy), or he just lost the ability to get outs last season.

Either way, I’m sure he’ll be an effective reliever in the future, no matter what inning he’s pitching - his peripherals were still mighty impressive.
 

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