Astacio tries to impress scouts

[RockieBill]

Pedro Astacio pitched well in a losing cause for the Rockies, allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings. His timing could have been right to facilitate efforts to trade him.

More than a handful of teams dispatched scouts to the BoB to watch Astacio pitch.

There were the known interested parties, including the Yankees and Cincinnati. In addition to Gene Bennett, who followed the Rockies to Phoenix from Denver, the Reds flew assistant to the general manager Larry Barton in for the game.

And some teams that had been in the background also showed up, including the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers, who had senior scouting adviser Don Welke fly in just for the game.

The Dodgers originally dealt Astacio to the Rockies. In addition, L.A.'s interim general manager, Dave Wallace, has a strong bond from Astacio from the days when they were coach and pitcher in the Dodgers farm system.

Seattle general manager Pat Gillick has said his team wants to add a top-of-the-line starter for it's postseason plans. Cleveland's need for pitching help became obvious Friday when Chuck Finley was put on the disabled list, complaining of numbness in his left shoulder caused by a nerve problem in his back.

What the scouts saw was a solid effort by Astacio, even if he wasn't a match for Johnson, who avenged a loss at Coors Field on Sunday when he gave up six runs, four earned, in six innings.

While I'm one of Pedro's biggest fans, maybe a change of scenery would do him good. With the tailspin the Rockies are in right now, nothing good can come from his starting any more games at Coors Field.

RB


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[RockieBill]

Yesterday, Pedro might have actually impressed a few people. He threw his first shutout in more than four seasons, limiting the Padres to three hits and two walks while striking out seven, including five in the first two innings.

As scouts from Los Angeles, Boston, the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs were monitoring his every pitch, Astacio most often gave them a 91 mph fastball for strike one, a changeup or another fastball for strike two and his big curveball for strike three. If he didn't strike them out, he got a jam-shot grounder or an end-of-the-bat flyball.

The Rockies are not interested in picking up their 2002 option on Astacio, who would make $9 million next season, which means they will more than likely deal him before the July 31 trade deadline.

RB

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[bear]

We here in Philly keep hearing very disturbing rumors of a trade for Astacio involving Randy Wolf and two of our more promising prospects-Eric Valent, OF and Brandon Duckworth, SP. Understandably, the possibility of this is putting quite an anti-Pedro stink in the air! My question is this: If the Phils were to trade for him [and I see they were not mentioned among the scouts present at his last start], what kind of pitcher would we get? A true ace-quality pitcher? A 2-3 pretty good pitcher? A has-been? Pretty much the same as we now have? I'm interested in your evaluation of him.

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bearin' up!

[RockieBill]

To be honest, bear, I think his best years may be behind him. While he's been somewhat successful here (by that, I mean he's won more than he's lost), he's also wasted a good portion of what could have been a very good career with any other team.

Now then, could he help the Phillies? I think so. Pedro is still one of the best ground ball pitchers in the game. As a 3 or 4 SP, he may help your team to hang at the top of the NL East.

I haven't heard exactly who the Phils were willing to part with, so this is news to me. I would say the Rockies are getting the better end of this trade, if it happens.

RB

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[bear]

Talk is of 2 very good prospects--Eric Valent, OF and Brandon Duckworth, SP, both almost ready for full-time major league duty!This is not a good deal from our perspective!!!!! It is encouraging for me to hear you know nothing about it, causing this rumor to lose[happily!] a lot of credibility. If someone like you-a verry knowledgeable fan, especially of your team- hasn't heard of it, it is probably someone's imagination in the papers or our half-a**ed "all-sports" radio station. Thanks for your slant on Astacio, whom I wouldn't mind getting -cheaply- in just the role you suggest, 3-4 starter who gets consistent ground-outs.

[RockieBill]

Hey, bear. Still no reliable news on an Astacio deal - it seems as if the Rockies think he's worth more than most teams are willing to give. This is the latest from Tracy Ringolsby, in this morning's Rocky Mtn. News:

It's no secret he (O'Dowd) is willing to trade right-handed pitcher Pedro Astacio, but O'Dowd knows Astacio can make the difference for a team in a pennant race, so he wants value in return. O'Dowd is on hold while teams with interest -- and they include Los Angeles, Arizona, Cleveland, Seattle, Cincinnati, Houston, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Boston and the New York Yankees -- decide if a title is worth the price of Astacio.

While I've heard of the interested teams, I really haven't heard what they're willing to give - except for Valent and Duckworth, as you've told me, and the Lilly/Soriano rumor from the Yanks.

If you haven't seen him pitch lately, he's due to start tonight against the Gambler down in Arlington (if he doesn't get delt in the next couple of hours!). It may be on Fox Sports where you are.

RB