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December 20, 2012

Skewed Left

How to Analyze the Astros' Spending

by Zachary Levine

While Major League Baseball operates without a salary floor, it's not like there are no restrictions on the frugal. The baseline for fielding a major-league team is found right there in the rule book.

4.17 A game shall be forfeited to the opposing team when a team is unable or refuses to place nine players on the field.

Combine that with the minimum salary set forth in the latest collective bargaining agreement, and you're on the road to a minimum payroll around $12 million when you consider that those nine players might get tired without a full roster.

As much grief as the Marlins have taken for their self-destruction this offseason in gutting payroll, the Astros were in an even stingier situation. They made their two major-league free agent signings of the offseason this week, bringing in DH Carlos Pena for a reported base salary of $2.9 million and Jose Veras for a reported $1.85 million.

They certainly didn't have to. They had enough bodies to get 650 plate appearances out of the DH spot. They had enough arms to fill 500 relief innings. They weren't very good bodies. They weren't very good arms. But they were never going to be reported to Commissioner Selig for any Rule 4.17 violations.

For instance, here's a lineup of people still on the team who could have been the Astros' first American League 25.

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15 comments have been left for this article.

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code of conduct

rwp9843

Surely these two signings are calculated gambles, with the hope being that either or both play well for the first half of the season, upon which they potentially yield a decent prospect or two in trade - simply a means of adding depth to their minor league system. Otherwise, the moves make little sense. Surely their front office does not believe that signing these two players will give anyone the impression that they are trying to win in 2013. The opposite impression seems a more likely result.

Dec 20, 2012 05:45 AM

rating: 2

R.A.Wagman

Is it at all possible that the Astros, while not necessarily trying to contend, want to avoid setting the record for most losses in a season?
And if so, do you think that the current roster as that much more than a 40 win team?

Dec 20, 2012 06:50 AM

rating: 1

NYYanks826

I hope that in the end, ten years from now, there will be another ProGUESTus article, similar to the Tigers one from this week, looking back at the 2013 Houston Astros.

Dec 20, 2012 06:59 AM

rating: 3

CRP13

The Astros took two unnamed receivers, turned them into guys who earned saves, and maximized their returns. Melancon and Lopez yielded Lowrie, Weiland, White, and Gillingham.

My guess is the plan is the same with Veras, and some old-school GM will bite and further stock the farm system - which is very much in the Astros' plan, and is probably why they signed him in the first place.

Pena is most likely a clubhouse signing. Reportedly, everybody in the majors loves the guy, he's well-spoken and a great influence on the younger guys. As numbers-people (as most of us are who frequent this site), it's really easy to dismiss or overlook the influence a positive, mature, and professional person can have on impressionable (and or downtrodden) young men trying to figure out what it means to be a major league ball player.

Neither of these signings were about adding wins, in my opinion.

Dec 20, 2012 07:01 AM

rating: 10

CRP13

Ken Rosenthal reported today that Veras will close for the Astros. I won't claim to be prophetic, but....

Dec 21, 2012 16:42 PM

rating: 0

rwp9843

It's also worth noting that the most recent CBA has made it more difficult to spend lavishly on the draft, and to acquire draft picks through free agency. Facts which almost certainly influenced the Astros thinking with regard to any perceived value these players have, aside from the veteran/clubhouse presence mentioned above.

Dec 20, 2012 07:25 AM

rating: 0

ofMontreal

What about the salary floor? Aren't they supposed to be somewhere in the 30's at least? That's why Miami needs Nolasco, so the commish/union can't dock em somehow.

Dec 20, 2012 15:49 PM

rating: 0

crile2

Sould we start blaming Kevin Goldstein for not having turned the Astros into a contender yet or should we wait until the all star break?

Dec 20, 2012 16:56 PM

rating: 5

ScottyB

Baseball teams should have two goals. To build a winner, and to give fans entertainment in return for their money. There is no excuse for a metro area as big and wealthy as Houston to suffer through such incredible pennypinching. Disgusting

Dec 20, 2012 19:52 PM

rating: 1

CRP13

So wrong. There is a great excuse for it. The previous ownership destroyed the ML club and minor league farm system in some deluded opinion that numbers don't matter at all, and only aging veterans could create a championship.

If the Astros spent $100 million on the available free agents this offseason, it still wouldn't make them a playoff team. Robbing Peter to pay Drayton is what got them into this mess, and spending now is not the answer. Building a foundation to allow spending later is.

Dec 21, 2012 07:23 AM

rating: 0

ScottyB

So right- Signing a few decent players at reasonable contracts for stopgaps would make the Astros easier to watch for their fans, and would have negligible impact on 2015 payroll.

Dec 21, 2012 09:42 AM

rating: -1

CRP13

Such as who?

Dec 21, 2012 12:50 PM

rating: -1

lefty50

I'm a season ticket holder and love to go to the park. But this team is ridiculous. I know the team won't contend, but I still want to see games that are competitive, and I don't believe the roster, as presently constituted, is going to be competitive in more than half their games. This team could lose 115 games. Season ticket holders are going to revolt.

Dec 22, 2012 10:04 AM

rating: 1

ScottyB

I'm with you, lefty. Rebuild, sure, but you need to provide some entertainment value. Also, I don't understand crp's mindset (that is common around here) that if you are not a was contender, you should sell everything off, lose 100+ games, stockpile cash and hope to contend 4 years down the road.

Dec 22, 2012 22:03 PM

rating: 0

ScottyB

Blanton, Melky, Chavez, Feldman, Ludwick, Pierzinski, Polanco, Soria, Soto and Youklis all signed reasonable 1-2 year deals. I know they're not great, but may make a bad season go down more easily.

Also, Crane/Houston have enough cash to even sign one or two high-price players to keep people interested- kinda like what Baltimore did with Ripken and seattle did with Ichiro during their lean years.

The Rays and Royals may need to pinch pennies. The Astros do not- it is entirely their choice to be cheap, and that is not good for the fans.

Dec 22, 2012 10:09 AM

rating: 0

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<< Previous Article
Rumor Roundup: Thursda... (12/20)

<< Previous Column

Skewed Left: My Lost W... (12/18)

Next Column >>
Skewed Left: An After-... (12/27)

Next Article >>

In A Pickle: The Four-... (12/20)

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