Phil Rogers: Postolos resigned because of Crane

Once they were BFFs. Hanging out and negotiating deals in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Now, the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers says that Postolos resigned out of frustration with Jim Crane's hands-on approach. He says Nolan Ryan - because of that - might not be a fit, while Craig Biggio is "campaigning for the job" but isn't qualified.

Rogers also mentions an Aaron Fitt (Baseball America) report that he would take Kris Bryant over both Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray:

Baseball America’s Aaron Fitt is a fan of University of San Diego third baseman Kris Bryant. In fact, he says he would take Bryant over Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray with the first overall pick in the June draft because he’s a “special power bat.’’ He’s hitting .346 with 28 home runs and 43 extra-base hits in 52 games for the Toreros, and has built those numbers without flailing at pitches off the plate (56 walks, 35 strikeouts).

Mike Foltynewicz an "undervalued asset," apparently

Here's a link to Phil Rogers' column from yesterday, where he catches up with Illinois native - and Astros' 2010 1st Round pick - Mike Foltynewicz (who hit 100 on the gun in his first start of the season.)

It's a schizophrenic piece, as it talks disjointedly about the future and the present (which just may be a metaphor, as the Astros are somewhat disjointed between...nah, that's probably offering too much credit), but Foltynewicz is highlighted.

Given that Foltynewicz is an Illinoisiaisaisan, his draft experience (as it relates to the Cubs and White Sox) is mentioned:

"I talked to a guy from the Cubs once, but the White Sox were never around. I was right out their back door, but I don't think they were interested at all."

Oh well, Foltynewicz knows what's going down in Houston:
"In three or four years, we're going to be a fun team. We're going to be competing for the World Series, no doubt. We have some awesome talent."

There's that Norris-to-Cubs thing again...

We, collectively, didn't have a chance to post this from last night, but the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers tweeted:

Cubs don't match up well with Astros but expect them to try to land Bud Norris if the 'Stros make a serious effort to move him.

You can refer to the post directly underneath this one for a long discourse on the Astros and 2013 payroll, and Danny Knobler shooting this down. That said, Rogers was back at it this morning, pushing the Norris-to-Cubs possibility:

Could Alfonso Soriano and much of the $36 million he's owed be part of a Bud Norris trade? Makes sense but would Sori waive 10/5 rights?

Probably not. In the last 12 months Soriano has rejected trades to the Giants, Orioles, Pirates, and apparently prefers the East Coast. There's no reason to think he'd waive his 10/5 rights to come to Houston.

Phil Rogers: Pirates likely trading partner for Lowrie

We've seen this a couple of places this morning, but here's a link to the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers' tawdrily-titled "Baseball Whispers" (which sounds like it should air on Showtime at 1:55am) from yesterday:

Shortstop Jed Lowrie has been a huge surprise for the Astros but could be dealt within the NL Central. The Pirates are a likely trading partner.

I guess Clint Barmes and his .536 OPS just isn't cutting it.

Monday Draft Notes

*Baseball America's Jim Callis posted his Mock Draft 4.0: Mark Appel. However:
Buxton appears to be the preference of the team's baseball decision-makers and would be Plan B if a deal with Appel falls apart.

*Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers says Correa is gaining momentum, but not enough for the Astros to bypass Appel or Buxton. Astros Puerto Rico-based scout Joey Sola said Correa was the best Puerto Rican prospect since Carlos Beltran. A Rockies scout says Correa is a cross between Beltran and Alex Rios.

*Keith Law's (Insider-Only) final Top 100 draft prospects has Buxton #1, followed by Correa, Gausman, and Appel.

*Sports Illustrated's Dave Perkin's mock draft has the Astros taking Appel, saying it's the safest option.

*UPDATE: Jon Heyman has an unsubstantiated rumor that the Astros will take Appel, and the Twins will take Buxton.

Jeff Luhnow respectfully disagrees with Phil Rogers

In response to Phil Rogers' column from yesterday where Rogers alleged the Astros weren't happy with Carlos Lee coming to camp at 274 pounds, Jeff Luhnow tweeted:

Respectfully disagree with @ChiTribRogers on @Carlos45Lee - reporting weight similar to years past and working hard. Potentially big year.

Steve Campbell responded to our tweet, asking whether Rogers' report was accurate, saying:
"I wouldn't reject out of hand. Wasn't here when he reported, so I don't know what dialogue was on the subject at the time."

So there's that.

Campfire Talk: Carlos Lee is 24 pounds overweight

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers has a quick note about Carlos Lee, saying that the Astros had hoped he would report at 250 pounds, and instead came in at 274.

Rogers:
He and Brett Myers aren't exactly role models for a young team.

Phil Rogers saw Drayton in the French Quarter, on his cell phone

Here's a story from the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers, on Drayton McLane's tenure as owner of the Astros.

Among the things Rogers notes:

*You thought Selig put the squeeze on the Astros? That's nothing (apparently) compared to Drayton's wife:
Selling the Astros was widely seen as a concession from McLane to his wife. He's 75, none of his children was interested in taking over and, well, the timing was right.

Apparently, Minute Maid sucks:
Minute Maid Park is a great place to watch a game but not a great place to play one. The hitter-friendly dimensions make it a challenge to develop pitchers there.

Surely there is some data to back that up...

Dive into the inner workings of Phil Rogers' mind, won't you?

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers has a new column (I know it links back to the Boston Herald, but it's the right article) in which he has a crisis. His crisis? He doesn't know what to do, and needs the Hall of Fame to bail him out of his crisis. Here's an annotated guide to the inner thoughts of Phil Rogers.

One year. One measly year.

That’s all the time left before the three-player crash that proves once and for all how broken the Hall of Fame voting process has become.

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are due on the Hall ballot for the first time next December.

Oh noes! Three of the greatest players of our generation are going to come up for judgment by writers just like me. Not now, though, in a year. So let's hurry this crisis up by creating one.

Barring direction from the Hall of Fame’s board of directors, 580-plus voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America again will be left to determine how to handle the legacies of players implicated in the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The BBWAA again will be left to determine how to handle the legacies of players, just like they have since 1936. Those lucky Base Ball Writers of yore never had to deal with players of ill repute. Lucky sonsaguns. If only the non-profit organization who keeps the plaques clean could provide some sort of moral compass!

Was it OK to get some chemical help because so many players were doing it? Or does being a steroid guy disqualify you from membership, as voters are asked to consider the "integrity, sportsmanship, character" of candidates?

Is it okay for me to take an Excedrin? Can my over-inflated sense of importance and ego handle the anti-inflammatories? Am I going to die?

My take on the brokenness of the process is this: 581 voters, 581 standards.

How dare Indvidualism overrun this sacred process! You know what we need? RIGHT NOW? The Hall of Fame to provide a guidebook that can be inserted into our brains to tell us what to do! While they're at it, how about a PDF of feelings? Someone get me a flow-chart. STAT.

It’s ridiculous to expect me and the other 580 who voted a year ago to sort this out. Many of my brethren disagree, but we hardly have the information we need for these calls. We don’t know who did and who did not use steroids, and we never will.

We have only dedicated our lives to the covering of Base Ball, and have to be an active member of the BBWAA for ten years to even get a paper ballot asking us to put a check beside our own moral code. If only we could get some sort of omnipotence pill that would allow us to see inside the hearts, minds, and history of each player we have to choose whether or not to bestow an honor upon...Hall of Fame, you need to get on that, too. It's ridiculous to think that we cannot be omnipotent, and be hoodwinked by the very players we have spent our lives covering.

All we know is which guys have been implicated publicly, through positive tests (Manny Ramirez and Rafael Palmeiro), the Mitchell Report (Clemens) and reporting (Bonds, Mark McGwire). Then there are guys like Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Sosa, who are reported to have tested positive in 2003 survey testing, which was done under a since-violated guarantee of anonymity.

All we know is what Major League Baseball and a former senator has been able to uncover through gradually stronger testing. And for those other guys, we had to rely on snitches for us to know and pass crushing judgment on. That's not enough information. We need more. Get on that, Hall of Fame.

The whole thing is beyond a slippery slope. It’s an icy crevasse.

A slick sinkhole. A kickball field full of loose gravel for us to fall and skin our knees. A mineshaft of motor oil. Nobody will live. We will all die because of this. Help us, Hall of Fame, avoid these pitfalls.

The one thing that is clear is that players with any link to performance-enhancing drugs aren’t currently welcome in Cooperstown. McGwire, the test case, has been on the ballot five years, never has received more than 23.7 percent of the vote and received 13 fewer votes in 2011 than in 2010.

Here's what is clear: my compatriots in Base Ball, whom I have just acknowledged do not have enough information to pass judgment, have passed judgment. And Mark McGwire was found wanting by three-quarters of them. Am I saying that Mark McGwire should be in, because the Base Ball Writers aren't smart enough? Perhaps.

While Jeff Bagwell never was linked to steroid use, he improved his body taking androstenedione when it was sold off the shelves at GNC and told ESPN in 2010 that he had "no problem" with a player juicing up.

Jeff Bagwell had the help of GNC, those conniving bastards. It's a place so reprehensible that there are 4800 of these brothels of Base Ball, for players to get their wicks wet in the hazards of making themselves better over the counter. How dare he speak his mind to ESPN? What kind of world do we live in where you can't be held accountable for your mother-f***ing opinions? F*** your opinions, says this Base Ball writer.

It’s impossible to know if that 42 percent rating is a reflection on his play - he’s a Hall of Famer in my book - or if he’s considered a steroid user, even if his only real tie is to androstenedione when it was sold over the counter.

He only got a hit in 29.7% of his at-bats throughout his career. Is there a correlation between this number and 42? Jackie Robinson wore 42. Did he take steroids? WE DON'T KNOW. Vote him out.

My interpretation says guys who took advantage of baseball’s lack of testing to do as they pleased - Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Clemens, Rodriguez and Palmeiro, among others - disqualified themselves for the Hall because integrity is among the listed factors for voting. But I need some evidence. I don’t believe I can eliminate every brawny player on suspicion alone.

I think that, if there wasn't a good system in place, and someone was able to beat that system without breaking any laws whatsoever, he clearly has no integrity. I'm suspicious. But I can't be suspicious. I need cold, hard facts to tell me if someone was unduly strong. Get on that, Hall of Fame.

If the New York Times had not reported Sosa was on the list of 104 players testing positive in 2003, I would have felt I had to vote for him even though he seemed as complicit as Bonds and McGwire. There has to be some standard of fairness, even if it allows a good cheat to beat the system.

If a reporter - maybe even a Writer of Base Ball - had not published what was supposed to be an anonymous test, I would not be in this crisis. There has to be some standard of fairness, as long as it doesn't apply to my profession.

Rather than reward some cheaters and sanction others, you can say - as ESPN’s Buster Olney does - players should be judged only by what they have done on the field. But I can’t get there in my thinking when voting rules cite "integrity, sportsmanship, character ..."

See how my ellipses cause me confusion, consternation, and crisis...? I am hamstrung by arbitrary rules. Buster Olney, that sanctimonious bastard, ignores these rules because he does not have a conscience, and because he freely admits that he is not omnipotent.

Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the Hall’s board, needs to take some ownership of the issue. The BBWAA serves at the Hall’s discretion. There has been discussion at recent BBWAA meetings about seeking clarification from the Hall, but a vote asking for help was rejected in 2010. That doesn’t mean voters don’t need help; it means many aren’t humble enough to ask for it.

The chairman of the board of the Hall of Fame needs to address this. See, at one point, we all had a vote - similar to the way we have a vote on who should get into the Hall of Fame - on whether or not we should ask for some clarification. But we couldn't come to an agreement on whether or not to ask for help from a non-profit organization. This clearly means that we aren't capable of making decisions. Except for Buster Olney, that sanctimonious bastard. Help us Hall of Fame, if we ask for it. But we won't, for we are too arrogant.

Jeff Idelson, president of the Hall, cites the BBWAA’s stance in explaining why the Hall hasn’t entered the discussion. "The Hall of Fame has always been an open book with the BBWAA," Idelson said. "Always willing to listen to the concerns the BBWAA has, always willing to discuss them. At this point in time, we have great faith in the organization to continue voting with the integrity it has since 1936."

Having been rebuffed by Jane Forbes Clark's unwillingness to recognize that we need help but won't ask for it, we turned to the Hall of Fame's president who said that, since we have been doing this every year for 75 years, they trust us. This is clearly a mistake. Why won't Idelson override our unwillingness to ask for help? Because of 75 years of tradition and history? When does that play a factor in Base Ball?

Trouble is, it’s not the voters’ integrity that is in question. It’s the perceived integrity of the candidates, and everyone has a different take on that. This is the last chance for the Hall to get in front of the argument, and there’s no indication it feels the need.

How dare you read between the lines and think that it's OUR INTEGRITY in question? We're the ones who are making arbitrary judgments on other people's character here. And until you have covered Base Ball for a print newspaper, you are not allowed to do so. Why won't the Hall of Fame give us a color wheel where we can be told what to think? If the Hall of Fame won't tell me what to do, how am I supposed to do it?

If Jim Crane doesn't get approved, he has Forbes to thank

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers has a note on Jim Crane's prospective purchase of the Astros:

Crane still appears on track to be approved as the Astros' new owner. However, one source said Major League Baseball staffers are investigating one allegation raised in the story, with an outside chance it could complicate the transfer.

MLB long ago vetted Crane, who was involved in attempts to purchase the Cubs and Rangers, and excused him in almost all of the cases Forbes raises. But at least one element of the story surprised Selig's staff, requiring additional legwork.

The source denied Crane is under additional scrutiny because of the troubles of the Dodgers' Frank McCourt and Chuck Greenberg, whom Nolan Ryan and their other partners bought out within his first year of owning the Rangers.

Carlos Lee is frustrating people in Chicago

Phil Rogers' tawdry Baseball Whispers column notes the mounting frustration with Carlos Lee:

Carlos Lee, who is owed $39 million, is testing the Astros' patience with a batting average around the Mendoza line. Some say he walked every step from the dugout to left field last weekend in Milwaukee. He's taking a spot from Brian Bogusevic, whose bat and energy could help get the Astros turned around.

Phil Rogers: Lee to 1B would mean Bogusevic to LF

In Phil Rogers' tawdry Baseball Whispers column, he tells us what to expect if the Astros move Carlos Lee to 1B:

The Astros are giving serious consideration to moving Carlos Lee to first base to open up an outfield spot for De La Salle product Brian Bogusevic, who was drafted as a pitcher. Lee at first could mean the much traveled Brett Wallace (hitting .208 in 46 games) is on the move again.

If Wallace is on the move, it'll be to Oklahoma City. That's it.

Phil Rogers seems to think it's a done deal

In his blog post today, the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers indicated that the White Sox were in on Lance and Myers (as mentioned earlier), but that isn't the case anymore:

According to sources, Williams was heavily engaged in discussions with the Astros on Berkman. He also had discussed Myers. But indications are that window may have passed, with Berkman heading to the Yankees, who until Friday had been conspicuous by their quiet.

Phil Rogers knows some scouts

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers talked to some scouts who said that Brett Myers is more likely to be traded than Roy or Ted Lilly.

Roy isn't making this very easy

According to the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers, the reason teams aren't shanking each other in the shower to trade for Roy is because they think Roy wants them to automatically pick up his 2012 $16 million option in order to waive his no-trade clause.

So his remaining $25 million would then be $41 million + prospects.

Phil Rogers' Power Rankings

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers posted his MLB Power Rankings for Opening Day. Where can we find the Astros?

Astros: 25th
The departure of closer Jose Valverde created another opening on a team that already had too many of them.

Oh, and just so you know:
Cardinals: 5th
Brewers: 11th
Reds: 18th
Cubs: 19th
Pirates: 30th

Rogers: Astros may need Wagner

With Jose Valverde's impending free agency, the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers speculates on the future of Billy Wagner:

The Cubs don't have much payroll space, and they may prefer to go with Carlos Marmol as their closer. Then again, they wouldn't do so a year ago when Marmol was coming off a good season. The Cubs could offer Wagner a chance to close, as could the Orioles, Rays, Tigers, Angels, and Braves. Even Wagner's old teams, the Phillies and Astros, have back-end bullpen concerns.

My take: The Sox could use Guerrero or another RBI guy to lessen the load on Paul Konerko, the often-injured Carlos Quentin and Gordon Beckham. But Williams seems to want a left-handed hitter and will steer away from base-clogging types, like Guerrero. Wagner makes sense for the Cubs only they've had enough of Carlos Marmol. He did a solid job as the closer once Lou Piniella gave him the job. I'd stick with him for 2010. But he would have some trade value. Wagner will want to close wherever he goes, so to have him and Marmol in the same bullpen isn't a good idea.

So if Chicago is out, and the Astros need a closer, would you want them to sign Billy Wagner?

Phil Rogers apparently knows the early front-runners

Rogers, of the Chicago Tribune, has this regarding the early race for the Manager:

Astros general manager Ed Wade is expected to take his time hiring a full-time replacement for fired manager Cecil Cooper. Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio could get interviews, but the early front-runners are Tim Bogar and Manny Acta.

Really.

Chick-Fil-A. Seriously?!

Phil Rogers must really hate Houston.

Tal's Hill is no longer the silliest thing about Minute Maid Park. The two foul poles carry stunningly large advertisements for a mall chicken restaurant, with the lettering extending a few feet inside the poles. How long until that revenue stream finds its way to Chicago?

Chick-Fil-A is hardly a mall restaurant, it's a fine dining establishment. I, for one, am glad he's in Chicago for the White Sox opener. Let's check tomorrow to see if he rips Kansas City a new one.

Astros and their fans: Whiners?

Nothing like starting your morning off with a healthy dose of blinding rage, courtesy of the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers (who tried to bait the Astros into signing Adam Dunn, remember).

I'm glad I didn't see this yesterday, or it would have made me a bit peeved.

Come on, Carlos. Do it again.

Wouldn't it be something if Zambrano could give the whining Houston Astros a second helping of no-hit stuff, this time in their own backyard?

Because owner Drayton McLane planned horribly with Hurricane Ike bearing down on his city last September, the Astros were bleary-eyed when Zambrano blew them away at Milwaukee's Miller Park. The game ended a 14-1 run that had taken an underachieving Houston team to the edge of the National League wild-card race. But that had little to do with Zambrano's magic, and it was weak for the Astros to overlook his excellence.

Zambrano can remind the Astros of that Monday night when he faces them in the 2009 opener at Minute Maid Park. He is trying his best not to stir up those memories, however....

....The no-hitter Sept. 14 was anything but normal. But it was just as valid as any of the other 256 official no-hitters in history, even if that point was lost on the victims.

Rather than tip their caps to Zambrano or ask McLane why he didn't accept Major League Baseball's offer to fly players and their families to a neutral site at least 36 hours before Ike's landfall, the Astros complained about the series being moved to Wrigley North on short notice....

....Anything can happen when Zambrano starts, including some things that qualify as baseball magic. No excuses necessary.

I understand. I really do. But it seems like it just keeps coming up. Yep, Run-DMc mishandled it. Yep, Major League Baseball mishandled it.

But maybe the Cubs do their fair share of whining, too.

The last Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown, New York - at least in its former format - was to feature the Cubs and Padres last June. Yet...

Piniella has been to the Hall of Fame Game before as a player and as a manager. But he didn't want to be here, not with the Cubs heading to his hometown of Tampa, a rare day off lost to a meaningless game as far as the standings are concerned.

"We're in a tough stretch of games. And we're on the road a lot this month," Piniella said outside the Cubs' dugout. "Truthfully, if you had your druthers you'd rather have the day off. But again, we were chosen to be here. San Diego was chosen to be here. And here we are. And we're happy to accommodate the best way we can. We understand it. We saw the enthusiasm," Piniella said. "I understand the significance of the game. And I understand it's an inconvenience for the teams involved. For me, I could have had a day off in my hometown today."

The Cubs' travels were indeed a hardship: a flight from Toronto to Albany, N.Y., then a 90-minute bus ride, then a return trip to Albany before heading on to Florida—all on Monday.

Do you think that if the Cubs were on the bidness end of a no-hitter in Tampa the next day, that might not have come up? Or do the Cubs just get pissed any time they're asked to do something historic? What do you say, Phil Rogers, Chief Apologist?

You couldn't blame players if they complained about the weekend trip to New York, especially given a schedule that doesn't include a home game until April 13, after six games in Houston and Milwaukee. But these guys seem to understand that their mission is to win games while being professional.

Oh, yeah, the weekend trip to New York, where they were asked to be the first team to play in the new Yankee Stadium. What a drag.