Munro's Back & Backe's Down

[Astro Annie]

Pete Munro will join the club in St. Louis on Friday and Backe will be with the Zephyrs.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/hou/news/hou_press_release.jsp?ymd=20040602&content_id=759808&vkey=pr_hou&fext=.jsp

[PopTop]

I wonder why Minnesota released him, was it some pre-arranged deal if he wasn't on their big league roster by June 1st? :notme: I'm also assuming Munro will step into the rotation slot that Quackworth is currently filling.

[barzilla]

Pops,

The article said that Munro became a free agent on the 1st, so you have to assume it was part of a prearranged deal with the Twins. A 6-3 record is respectable anywhere you pitch, so this is a solid deal for the Astros. Personally, I like the deal mostly because we know Duckworth has been ineffective in every role he has been in so giving the starting assignment to Munro makes sense. As I understand it, Hernandez still hasn't built up the velocity they want, but the advantage for him is that he is learning how to pitch. Before, he could simply throw 92-94 MPH, but now he has to show a little more guile to get hitters out. This is a lesson he needs to continue to learn in AAA. If he ever gets back up to 90 MPH he could be a dangerous pitcher.

[14ALL]

What's up with the DUCK?

[Toy Cannon]

Pops,

The article said that Munro became a free agent on the 1st, so you have to assume it was part of a prearranged deal with the Twins.

His contract stated that if he wasn't on the big league roster by June 1st, he could become a free agent.