[mofome]

unless he can pitch, i dont understand the move. erstad isnt that old, but he hasnt had an OPS over .699 since 2004. i guess hes not a terrible pinch hitter/pinch runner.

[Willie Bee]

Well, he is probably a better pitcher than Kris Benson, though I doubt we'll get to see him perform as such.

Seriously, I've always liked the guy dating back to when he walked on as the punter at Nebraska while playing baseball there. So my feelings for him are a bit biased. He's versatile defensively, has some speed and provides decent overall talent off the bench for an extremely low price. Having him in camp should also push Bourn and maybe Cruz Jr a bit in the spring. I'm not scratching my head at all about this one as it might be one of the best deals Wade has made all offseason. Certainly doesn't cost the team anything.

[mofome]

Well, he is probably a better pitcher than Kris Benson, though I doubt we'll get to see him perform as such.

Seriously, I've always liked the guy dating back to when he walked on as the punter at Nebraska while playing baseball there. So my feelings for him are a bit biased. He's versatile defensively, has some speed and provides decent overall talent off the bench for an extremely low price. Having him in camp should also push Bourn and maybe Cruz Jr a bit in the spring. I'm not scratching my head at all about this one as it might be one of the best deals Wade has made all offseason. Certainly doesn't cost the team anything.

id rather have Abercrombie on the roster. hes had no success in the majors, and hes not a baby, but last year he hit over .320 with over 15 hrs and over 40 Sbs in AAA. erstad wouldnt do any of those things imo. i like the upside. you've got enough vets with cruz, loretta, blum...id rather have reggie. its not much risk, its just a roster spot.

cant wait for bases man

[Willie Bee]

Understand your angle, but I seriously doubt that both Bourn and Abercrombie will be on roster coming out of spring. It's the age-old adage about wanting that younger guy to play a lot and continue to develop at Triple-A rather than ride pines for the most part at the majors. For what it's worth and to be fair, unless some injury or slump falls upon El Caballo in left, Bourn in center and Pence in right, no other outfielder on the roster is going to have a shot at the stats Abercrombie put up in minors a season ago.

Erstad gives the club a viable CF option (along with Pence) if Bourn can't cut it. Of course, if Bourn can't cut it there is going to be hell to pay in the front office in terms of PR from season ticket holders for trading Lidge away. Remember also that the club picked up Yordany Ramirez along the way and they're really high on that youngster. Assuming Bourn can cut it, Houston's going to have a pretty solid 5-man OF crew next year in Lee, Bourn, Pence, Cruz Jr and Erstad. It might be the deepest and most stable portion of the roster right now. Erstad and Cruz are most likely just 1-year, almost no-cost investments until Abercrombie and/or Ramirez can join the team (or possibly be dealt for the desperately needed pitching help that I think the club needs right now).

[mofome]

Understand your angle, but I seriously doubt that both Bourn and Abercrombie will be on roster coming out of spring. It's the age-old adage about wanting that younger guy to play a lot and continue to develop at Triple-A rather than ride pines for the most part at the majors. For what it's worth and to be fair, unless some injury or slump falls upon El Caballo in left, Bourn in center and Pence in right, no other outfielder on the roster is going to have a shot at the stats Abercrombie put up in minors a season ago.

Erstad gives the club a viable CF option (along with Pence) if Bourn can't cut it. Of course, if Bourn can't cut it there is going to be hell to pay in the front office in terms of PR from season ticket holders for trading Lidge away. Remember also that the club picked up Yordany Ramirez along the way and they're really high on that youngster. Assuming Bourn can cut it, Houston's going to have a pretty solid 5-man OF crew next year in Lee, Bourn, Pence, Cruz Jr and Erstad. It might be the deepest and most stable portion of the roster right now. Erstad and Cruz are most likely just 1-year, almost no-cost investments until Abercrombie and/or Ramirez can join the team (or possibly be dealt for the desperately needed pitching help that I think the club needs right now).

i havent read anything about ramirez that makes me believe he'll ever contribute on an mlb roster, but i havent seen him play. bourn may end up being a good player, i dont have a good feel for him. i thought that lidge trade was terrible overall, but we'll find out a bit more about that deal this season. i agree that the young guys should get as many abs as possible in aaa instead of sitting in the majors, i just think reggie has the chance to be a good player in the league and i think hes proven himself in aaa....we'll see how he does in the spring. a guy on another roster that id now like to see spend the year in aaa is flores with the nats, i think it was a misake bringing in lo duca if flores is going to sit for him.

[Willie Bee]

I don't know a bunch about Ramirez myself other than what I read from the Baseball America guys and the few scouting contacts I still have, but am in your corner regarding Abercrombie having more potential than Ramirez. What will be interesting this spring is how much weight is given to ST performances. Pence slaughtered the ball last spring and still didn't earn a ticket to the MLB dugout for Opening Day. But that was the Purpura-Garner duo at the top of the decision chart, so we'll see what happens this spring if someone like Abercormbie tears it up and how the Wade-Cooper tandem (with Tall Smith as well) irons things out.

The club simply needs more pitching, and Kris Benson ain't going to provide it from my chair.

[EaglesPhan36]

Erstad also gives them a guy to spell Berkman at 1B if they choose to use him there.

[matskralc]

Erstad also gives them a guy to spell Berkman at 1B if they choose to use him there.

1B isn't exactly a difficult position to spell somebody at. It's really not that difficult to find a 1B/corner OF type that can hit. Erstad can't hit. He's also not really a good enough fielder to play center regularly. He might have some value as a 25th man, but you can generally find better options in the minors or on the waiver wire for league minimum salary. Add in that he's horrificly injury-prone and you've got yourself a not-very-good signing. Not that Ed Wade is known for being particularly bright.