The Houson Astros acquired Aubrey Huff from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in exchange for two minor leaguers: pitcher Mitch Talbot and infielder Ben Zobrist.
Jason Lane was sent down to AAA Round Rock and utility man Joe McEwing was designated for assignment.
I caught the tail end of this trade on the radio this morning and wondered if the 'Stros had moved Hunter Pence, in which case I was about to declare the new Rays' FO geniuses. But this trade looks pretty even to me.
1 I have't anything about Ensberg being dinged up, but as soon as I heard about the trade I began to wonder.
2 The last several Astros games I've seen on the tube here in NYC, Berkman has been in right field, and Mike Lamb at first.
While Huff has not played RF this year, he was there 97 times last year. Sounds like typical modern Astros -- a guy who can play multiple positions and can be moved around like chess piece once Garner starts using the bullpen.
Huff can play all 4 corner postion.. but the question is... are these two AA guys really that good? couldn't the Rays spin Huff for something more ready?
Moving to the Astros could 'help' Huff without changing his performance, even adjusting for league/park/competition: the Rays have been starting him against LHP his entire career, for no apparent reason. The Astros can run out an Ensberg/Berkman/Burke/Taveras/Wilson combo against LHP and roll Huff in at one of the corners against RHP. Whether they will use him so judiciously is a different question, I suppose. But the flexibility on that roster just became a lot more relevant now that they have a true LHB who can hit better than Lamb/Palmeiro.
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The best pitchers come from somewhere else.
They're stockpiling minor league pitchers, because they know the rest of the division's staffs will be retired in 5 years anyway.
2 The last several Astros games I've seen on the tube here in NYC, Berkman has been in right field, and Mike Lamb at first.
While Huff has not played RF this year, he was there 97 times last year. Sounds like typical modern Astros -- a guy who can play multiple positions and can be moved around like chess piece once Garner starts using the bullpen.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.