Rosenthal Latest!

[Johnny Footstool]

Was Albert Pooholes to Brad L, as Jack Hamilton was to Tony C? One pitch, career ended?

Nah.

Billy Wagner went through a "gas can" phase once or twice in his career. He came out of it okay.

Lidge will be fine.

[M2]

Nah.

Billy Wagner went through a "gas can" phase once or twice in his career. He came out of it okay.

Lidge will be fine.

Wagner had exactly on bad season, 2000, when he got injured. Other than that, his career high single season ERA is 2.85.

[RollyInRaleigh]

The Astros wish Billy Wagner was still their closer.

[M2]

The Astros wish Billy Wagner was still their closer.

Think they'd trade Taylor Buchholz, Brandon Duckworth and Zeke Astacio for him?

[REDREAD]

I don't know that I'd trade Juan Castro for Brad Lidge at this moment in time.

I'd be willing to pick up Lidge as a project (in fact, I'd love to buy low on him now).

I agree with your main point, that the Astros are unlikely to get the impact bat they want for him at this point.

[corkedbat]

The Yankees would raise a number of questions if they traded reliever Scott Proctor for Braves infielder Wilson Betemit, a possibility first reported by the New York Post and confirmed Wednesday by FOXSports.com.

The trade of Proctor would make more sense if right-hander Octavio Dotel already had made his expected return from elbow surgery; if the Yankees moved Proctor now, they almost certainly would need to add another late-inning reliever in a separate deal.

The addition of Betemit, whose best positions are third base and shortstop, also would be something of a head-scratcher.

Betemit could fill in at second while Robinson Cano recovers from his hamstring injury, but probably isn't a long-term solution at that position. His future playing time, then, likely would be minimal unless the Yankees traded Cano or — ahem — third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

The return of third baseman Chipper Jones from an oblique strain Wednesday night could make the Braves more willing to trade Betemit, but even then they might be reluctant to part with their emerging talent.

Betemit, 25, could develop into a 25-homer, 40-double man, and the Braves control him through 2010. Trading such a player for a reliever, even one as good as Proctor or the Padres' Scott Linebrink, would be a decidedly risky move. The Braves might want another player added to such a deal.

Wonder if the Yanks would take a 25-RBI 40-single man like Clayton for Proctor?

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Why are the mediocre Astros involved in Miguel Tejada talks but the Reds, leading the WC, aren't? Houston annoys me thinking they are in this.

[Falls City Beer]

Why are the mediocre Astros involved in Miguel Tejada talks but the Reds, leading the WC, aren't? Houston annoys me thinking they are in this.

Maybe because the Astros have proven themselves to be far more resourceful and resilient than perennial also-rans like Cincinnati?

[Spitball]

Jason Stark on ESPNews just mentioned that Miguel Taejeda- that he wouldnt be suprsied that Miguel is sent to the LAA or the Astros before the trade deadline- The O's are looking at Brandon Wood and Howard Kensick i think the two names mentioned in trade talk with them and Brewers are in team meeting right now in regards to putting Carlos Lee on the market.

The Angels probably have enough young talent in their system and on their roster to get both Tejada and Soriano. They trade away combinations of Aybar, Wood, Kendrick, McPherson, Kotchman, Gorneault, Murphy, Mathis, Napoli, Morales and perhaps a Kennedy or Figgins. They could get both and run away with the West.

[smith288]

Felipe Lopez, maybe?

Seriously though, any team would be nuts to pass on Lidge. He's still got killer stuff. He'll be fine.

Mark Wholers says hi!

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Maybe because the Astros have proven themselves to be far more resourceful and resilient than perennial also-rans like Cincinnati?

I understand that. It's still annoying. Why can't they just go away?

[TRF]

Mark Wholers says hi!

Myth.

Most of Wholers problems were physical, and went undetected. He sought a sports psychologist for help, but what he needed was a better diagnosis of his elbow. Physically he couldn't do it anymore. after surgery, he was better, but but not the pitcher he was.

[Johnny Footstool]

Mark Wholers says hi!

Mark Wohlers' pitches were hitting backstops, mascots, and batboys. Lidge is merely hitting the dirt around the plate.

And as TRF pointed out, Wohlers had an undiagnosed injury.

I guess it's possible that Lidge has one, too, but at his worst he's still way better than the struggling Wohlers was.

[REDREAD]

Here's an interesting thought. I know the Astros wouldn't do it, but is there anyone here who wouldn't trade Majewski for Lidge right now?

I'm sure there's some people who wouldn't, but consider the price we paid for Majewski and what his ceiling was. While Lidge is also struggling, his ceiling is a lot higher. The guy has dominated in the past.

A Kearns for Lidge trade (instead of Majewski) would've been pretty intriguing. Sure, it gives the Astros a bat, but it would've given us a potential closer. We could've still done Lopez for Bray.

[RFS62]

Maybe because the Astros have proven themselves to be far more resourceful and resilient than perennial also-rans like Cincinnati?

We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto.