Addition by Subtraction
One nominee for our WTP Whipping Boy has been released.
Woody Williams, the flammable starter, was evidently undone by the continuous, extreme whiplash and was released by my beloved Astros today. At least this hangover of Tim Purpura’s gross incompetence will cost us $6.5MM this year thanks to the idiotic contract Williams signed last year.
This was one of those signings that was trouble from the start: a flyball pitcher with homerun tendencies, turning 41, and obviously losing his stuff, starting half his games in the Juice Box. I gotta admit that that strategy’s nothing if not optimistic. In just 160 IP in the Juice Box, Woody bonered up 32 HRs, an almost Ken Dixon type pace.
Fortunately, the Stros have a well-stocked farm system of replacement possibilities who can step in for Woody. What? It’s not 1991?
Dammit.
Posted under 2008 Season, Astros, Outlook, Purpura is Latin for dumbass
March 29th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Best move of the off-season.
Hands down.
March 29th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
[…] that “Got bomb?” Williams has been sliced off the roster, we actually look better…which is sad. Let’s […]
March 30th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I think if we’d gotten Woody in 2004 like we tried to, this would be a much more bittersweet moment. But since he was definitely on fumes when we did get him, it’s all sunk cost.
Still, by all accounts he’s a class act and exited with grace. He’ll make a great minor league instructor. Godspeed, Woodrow.
March 30th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
My favorite part? Mr. Woody actually *earned* PERFORMANCE BONUSES for turning in a 8-15 season with a 5+ ERA.
Man, if I turned in that kind of performance at my job, they’d demand I return my paychecks!
March 30th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Good point, Striker, and you should’ve called me out (more) for that.
Woody is a good guy, and if somebody wanted to drop $13.5MM into my lap to allow buckets of home runs, that’s really not my fault. And it’s not like he dialed it in, either. He gave it a go.
Good call.