Alyson Footer is currently ripping Jeff Pearlman a new one and Jeff Pearlman are having a friendly discussion

If you head over to Alyson Footer's twitter feed, you'll find that she is taking Jeff Pearlman (he of the unsourced "Houston was a hotbed for PED use" argument).

Pearlman tweeted late last night:
What!? Melky Cabrera—an otherwise mediocre player who suddenly morphed into Ken Griffey, Jr.—cheated? I'm shocked! Shocked!

To which Footer replied:
As Lance Berkman once said, when a player does something that seems super-human, there’s usually a reason.

And Pearlman wrote back:
But weren't you upset on my Bagwell take, [Alyson]?

The tweets, organized in an easier-to-read manner:
One has nothing to do with the other. My issue with your take on Bags, and a lot of other writers’ takes as well, is how forcefully you call him out, with no proof. Yet I’ve read interviews you’ve conducted with former players on your blog where you proclaim them innocent of any PED use because, well, you just know THEY never used. It’s comical. You don’t know.

We'll update this if it continues but it's interesting that Pearlman decided to turn the conversation to Bagwell when Footer was clearly staying well away from it.

Update: Alyson Footer responded:
"Hate to disappoint but I’m not ripping him a new anything…Jeff & I are friends. He knows my stance on this."

Jake Goebbert gets some love

We've appreciated him for quite some time, but Alyson Footer gets on board the Goebbert Wagon:

He wasn’t on my target list when I arrived to town yesterday, but it bears noting that outfielder/first baseman Jacob Goebbert is receiving rave reviews from the people who work for and cover the Hooks. The 23-year-old is hitting .308 (60-for-195) with 15 doubles, three triples and four home runs with 24 RBIs. He also was named Hooks Player of the Month after compiling a .984 fielding percentage with six outfield assists.

Greg Rajan:
Dude is a player for @cchooks, but doesn’t get enough respect from #Astros brass.”

Shortstop Johnathan Villar also gets some love in the notebook.

Interesting note about the video room

Alyson Footer has a pretty cool post about how the iPad is changing the video room.

Hell no the rotation isn't set yet

While it looks like Myers is lined up for the Opening Day start vs. Roy Halladay, the rest of the rotation isn't set, as far as Mills is concerned:

"No, no, not at all yet. We come up and read in the paper some clubs are already announcing their rotation for the season. This is just our club I'm talking about, but if we start to make those plans now, we don't know what's going to happen as far as injuries, how guys throw the ball, how guys do things.

"We're going to utilize this time to the best of our ability to kind of let guys get in shape and do the things they need to do to be ready. There's enough first time through that we can kind of map things through later."

There's also a sad funny story about Carlos Lee's conditioning in Footer's blog.

Odds "overwhelmingly" in Wallace's favor for 1B1

Alyson Footer's new blog post discusses the chances of who will be 1B1 come Opening Day.

Right now, around 10 days before the first Spring Training game, the odds are overwhelmingly in Wallace's favor.

Lee is a backup plan in case Wallace really, really, really scuffles this spring (yes, it deserves three reallys, to illustrate just how disastrous of a showing Wallace is going to have in order to not be the Opening Day first baseman.)

What - Drayton doesn't love Astros County?

So Rich Malley interviewed Alyson Footer and there was an interesting exchange:

What kind of relationship do you have with the Astros fan sites?

Well, we like them. We are pro fan blogs. We have three main ones in Houston.

I’m a Crawfish Boxes guy.

We like them. Drayton (team owner Drayton McLane) really likes them. So when Drayton likes them, we like them. (laughs)

What? Run-DMc doesn't like Astros County? This is some bull crap!

In all seriousness, congratulations to our friends at TCB for the high-profile shout-out (though we burn with envy). It's always nice to know that management is "pro fan blog," and that is said with the distinct possibility that Astros County isn't one of the three main ones.

And from Bagwell himself

Click to read Alyson Footer's post on the Bagwell press conference, but you can tell from the pull that he still knows how to get in that batting stance:

On whether or not he finds the suspicion of PEDs offensive?:
"Not one bit. Someone from Toronto's obviously not going to know a thing about me. That's going to happen in this era. The suspicion is ridiculous...just because I worked out? I mean, come on. But it doesn't bother me. I knew this was going to happen. Whatever happens, happens."

Alyson Footer's new blog post is a good one

Good post from Alyson Footer, in which she thankfully sets the expectation level for Houston's signing Carl Crawford:

I put the odds at slim to none. The numbers I'm hearing bandied about from industry insiders is six years at $120 million or seven at $140 million. Yes, there will be a team out there goofy enough to shell out that kind of cash. I cannot envision it'll be the Astros.

Within the post, we also get some sad news:

Terribly tragic news from out Latin American operation: Astros Venezuelan Scout Luimac Quero passed away in the early morning hours on Sunday from a heart attack at the age of 26. He is survived by his wife Klineidy Leon, who is three months pregnant, and his one year old daughter, Megan Quero. Deep condolences to his family.

Brutal.

Lee to 1B starting to make sense

This Carlos Lee-to-1B thing is gaining some traction.

Alyson Footer has a blog post about it:

You also have to wonder if playing first base has helped Lee at the plate. Is playing a position where he is involved in nearly every play, which in turn requires non-stop concentration, helping him focus better at the plate? There seems to be long stretches of nothingness while standing in the outfield, and I can see where it would be easy to become distracted or let your mind wander. Maybe the concentration that's there when Carlos plays first base lingers when he is hitting. It could be the best explanation as to why his bat has come to life after hitting around .240 for the better part of four months.

At first my thought was, "Good God! Have you gone mad? The Astros might reward a guy who is receiving north of $18m (pre-taxes, of course) with a position change to keep him interested in playing the game responsible for paying him north of $18m?"

As ridiculous as it sounds, yes. The Constable just might have it wrong. I got an apoplectic text message from him just this afternoon. It read as such, "GAH! LEE? 1B?" I'm assuming that means he's not for it, and having read the earlier post, that seems to be a reasonable assumption.

So allow me to be the voice of reason. It's not the worst idea. Unfortunately for me, Alyson Footer kind of beat me to the reasoning. Wallace could - potentially - go back to Triple-A and wait for Carlos Lee to start losing concentration there, until they make him a player-manager to increase his concentration, until he starts to ride Jason Castro like a bull in the dugout between innings. Then they can make him the ranch hand-player-manager until he misses less important series to impregnate whatever female cows are called with a syringe. Then they can make him GM to regain his concentration. Yet, I digress.

Wallace does have options, and if he goes back to Triple-A, Alyson Footer kindly responded that Koby Clemens wouldn't take playing time away from Wallace.

So what do you think? Which way are you leaning?

File this under "Please God, No"

Alyson Footer tweets (and here) that we might be seeing more Carlos Lee at 1B in 2011.

Here are the tweets, combined, for your viewing pleasure:
Mills tells media they had many talks last winter about moving Berkman to left field and Lee to first. Didn't happen obviously but it does make you wonder if Carlos will play more 1b than LF in '11. 1b is definitely his better position.

Horrifying. Because if Carlos Lee is playing more 1B next year, that means Brett Wallace is sitting on the bench, or he's playing in Round Rock Oklahoma City. After giving Wallace half a season to prepare for big-league life, what the hell would it accomplish to send him back to Triple-A, where he has hit .299/.357/.484? Who would take Lee's place in LF? And don't say "Carl Crawford," don't you dare say "Carl Crawford."

A youth movement is what got the Astros to this point, edging towards respectability by giving spots to young players. Not by taking your first baseman of the future and sending him back to the Minors, after he's been accruing two months of Major-League service time, where he'll be competing with Koby Clemens for time at 1B.

Even though his bat would (might?) be an upgrade over Wallace, let Lee play LF - where he can earn his $18m in peace, covered by Michael Bourn, and let Wallace develop. A commenter said it earlier, by the time Lee's contract is up, J.D. Martinez could be ready for Major League time, and there's Shuck and Bogusevic to consider, as well.

Alyson Footer: Don't bring up Lyles

And we agree with that sentiment.

Footer:
Don't get me wrong -- I believe Lyles is the real deal and could be a long-term fixture at the top of this rotation. But by the time the Triple-A season is over he'll have thrown somewhere in neighborhood of 160 innings, and for a 19-year-old kid in just his third professional season (and his second full one), that is more than enough.

I like what the Astros have been doing lately and the influx of young players has sparked an optimism among fans and the front office not felt in about two years. But bringing Lyles to the big leagues is not necessary, and it is not in the best interests of the player or the organization.

Correct!

Will Bagwell return?

That's the question Alyson Footer speculates on in her blog post tonight.

I'm assuming Bagwell will be welcomed back by the front office if he does want to continue coaching, but at this point, I'd say the odds of him wanting to return are 50-50. He's enjoying the experience and is making a difference with both the young and veteran hitters, but the decision will be based on whether he can stand to be away from his kids. Right now, he can't.

Further evidence Lyles might be coming up to the Big Club

Alyson Footer posted from her minor-league road trip an update on Jordan Lyles:

The Astros have become much more liberal with their thinking when it comes to challenging the really special talent, and while they don't want to place too many early expectations on Lyles, it's clear he's the pitching prospect with the brightest future. After spending the 2009 season with Low-A Lexington, Lyles skipped High-A Lancaster and went straight to Corpus to begin '10, and there's a chance that's not his final stop this year, despite there less than a month remaining in the Minor League season.

Alyson Footer gets us all teary-eyed

Alyson Footer has an excellent recap of the last 72 hours. It's well worth a full read, but here are some interesting notes to pull:

*Berkman would have approved a trade to Texas and St. Louis, and "would have thought about" Tampa Bay and San Diego. He turned down the Angels and White Sox.

*Footer:
But he's leaving here and heading to a great team, to play in a packed ballpark every night, where every game matters. And the Yankees win. A lot. And once he gets a taste of winning again, I sincerely doubt he'll long to be back here when it's over.

Let's all get comfortable with Lance wearing those other pinstripes

Just a flurry of activity in the last few minutes about the Lance-to-NYY possibility.

Alyson Footer:
Puma is here. Feels there is a decent possibility he'll be traded. But he has not been traded.

Joel Sherman:
Hearing Berkman deal from Astros to Yankees is on verge of completion.

Buster Olney:
The Steinbrenners have given pre-approval to the acquisition of a large salary such as Lance Berkman or Adam Dunn.

Alyson Footer:
Berkman said no matter what happens, he wants the opp. to come back to Astros next year. So a requirement if he was traded would be for the new team to NOT pick up his option. He's the anti-Oswalt.

Roy speaks!

Roy had a little exchange with Alyson Footer about his situation:

Oswalt says '12 option won't be deal breaker if approached with a trade offer that suits him. "I'm going to find a way to get it done. I'm not going to go somewhere where it's going to be bad for me. And I don't want to put the Astros in a bad situation."

Footer sums it up:

This isn't rocket science. Desirable team = no option requirement. Undesirable team = option requirement.

I'll let y'all take it from here with the "putting the Astros in a bad situation" quote.

Dayum! Now it's on.

Alyson Footer's blog post shook me to my very core.

Chris Johnson, Jason Castro, and Jason Bourgeois were all called up and will be in uniform on Tuesday. That means three dudes are out of a big-league job. And those three dudes are Cory Sullivan, Casey Daigle, and Kevin Cash.

Because Humberto Quintero got popped in the coconut, but may not go to the DL, Castro will be your C1 for the time being. Chris Johnson? 3B1. Pedro Feliz? Bench player. Jason Bourgeois is now OF5.

On SportsRadio 610 this morning we discussed what it would take for the Astros to become interesting again, and this was the answer.

This season just got way more interesting.

Alyson Footer: This ain't 2000

Alyson Footer's new blog post describes how the 2010 Astros aren't your 2000 Astros who, after 30 games, were 12-18. Not 9-21.

Footer:
In 2000, the Astros lost about as many games as the this year's team has one month in, but back then, the pitching was so horrendous that the Astros had pretty much no chance to win, night after night, month after month. The pitchers were largely Astrodome pitchers, for whom the mantra was, throw the ball down the middle and let them hit it. Most likely, the balls will die at the warning track and you'll win ballgames.

So in 2000, in the new ballpark, Astros pitchers other than Scott Elarton and Shane Reynolds had no chance. The season was over on what we office girls affectionately referred to as Black Thursday -- a late-April afternoon game against the Cubs when Jose Lima gave up four home runs in the first inning and pretty much personified what the entire season would be -- 16-14 losses, 10-7 losses, 9-6 losses. You get the drift.

That is what is so infuriating about watching the 2010 Astros. The pitching has been just fine, and when your pitching is just fine, you have a chance. But then there's the offense. Where oh where is the offense? It's unfathomable that Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman and Hunter Pence have collectively contributed almost nothing, and we're a month into the season.

Michael Bourn, you're the best offensive player we have, what do you think?
"It's all on us. It's not the pitching. They've been great. This is on us."

Alyson Footer's blog post will give you a cavity

Alyson Footer's new blog post talks about pride, determination, and hope:

Are they mad? Yes. Frustrated? You bet. Baseball might be a kid's game, but Major League Baseball is big business. Professional pride drives players to give everything they have, night after night. They're upset with how things are going so far, and they're a bit shell-shocked at the record. A bad start? Again? Really?

But while clutch hits have eluded them, determination has not. Confidence hasn't waned either. Believe it or not, the talk in the clubhouse after the game wasn't how bad the team is, but how much they're looking forward to that moment when things finally start turning. They're waiting. Patiently? Maybe not. But they still feel they can pull this thing together.

Matsui: Unemployed!

Well, almost. Alyson Footer's blog post finds Brad Mills non-committal on whether or not to just go ahead and sit Kaz Matsui on his formerly-cracked anus in favor of Jeff Keppinger and his .371 average:

"I don't want to label it that way yet. We're still just a dozen games into the season. Let's wait and see how everything plays out. I'm congnizant to get (Matsui) out there and get him on a roll. It's tough, but it's tough to not get the other guy (Keppinger) out there. Coming out of Spring Training, I was trying to get Keppinger at-bats in first week of the season. He did so well, the other at-bats were kind of silent. As we kept him in there, he continued to play really well."

Footer notes there's no Starting Quarterback syndrome:
It's the right thing to do for the sake of the team and when you're 3-9, it would make no sense to play the lesser player just because he was signed as a starter and the other was, upon trading for him, viewed as a bench guy. Ed Wade gave Mills complete autonomy with decisions surrounding Matsui -- meaning, Mills will do what's best for the on-field health of the team without worrying about how much one player is being paid over the other.

Craig Calcaterra says:
The more playing time Keppinger gets, the more he'll start to look like what Kaz Matsui will give the Astros with more playing time himself. Ask the Reds who, after Keppinger had a fairly spectacular 267 at bats in 2007, tried to make him into a full time player the following year. The results: .266/.310/.346. Some of that was no doubt due to a knee injury he got in May of that year, but a lot of it was simply a function of him being exposed as something less than a full time player.

Keppinger more or less kills lefties, but if you give the guy 500 plate appearances, he's not going to do much more for you than Matsui is going to do. In light of that it makes sense for Mills not to make some big announcement regarding who the starting second baseman is, play the hot hand and enjoy Keppinger's production while it lasts.