Submitted by TotalAccess on Sat, 12/05/2009 - 22:02
Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com
It should come as no surprise that the Houston Astros are in the hunt for pitchers this offseason.
More specifically, the Astros are especially looking to boost their bullpen in 2010.
With a new skipper and a fresh group of faces leading the charge, Houston aims to right the ship after an 88-loss season.
To bring fans up to speed, the Astros recently made their pitch to closer Jose Valverde by offering him arbitration; meanwhile, the team declined arbitration on Miguel Tejada.
The club still hopes to retain Tejada next season to platoon him at third base with the re-signed Geoff Blum; and an answer regarding Valverde's arbitration could come soon, though he could easily opt for a multi-year deal elsewhere, leaving Houston without a closer.
According to ESPN and other sources, the Astros have also apparently shown interested in pitchers J.J. Putz and Brett Myers.
With snow falling in Houston on Friday and the Winter Meetings right around the corner, look for the Astros to have a new-look club come Opening Day 2010.
Hopefully, the higher-ups can surround the likes of Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, and Michael Bourn with a solid surround cast to help get Houston back on track in the National League Central.
At this point in time, the Stros rotation will include Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez (who is coming off a phenomenal season), and Bud Norris (who looks to have the stuff necessary to make it as a big league pitcher); they still have a gap to fill with the two remaining spots, though management claims to be happy with what they've got if needed.
Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the Astros are absolutely in the market this offseason.
Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at denton.ramsey@gmail.com
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