With the Houston Astros 14 games out of first place in the NL Central, everyone has been talking about Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman as the Astros’ most desirable trade chips.
However, nobody is talking about Brett Myers, who is having a pretty solid season in Houston.
Only on a one-year deal, Myers could be a good acquisition for a team looking for a No. 3 or 4 starter heading down the stretch.
Let’s look at the pros, the cons, and the teams that might be interested in the 29-year-old from Jacksonville, FL.
Pros
Myers has improved across the board from 2009 to 2010 for the Astros. Did you know Myers is the only pitcher in baseball to pitch at least six innings in every start this season? Not only is Myers pitching deep into games, but he is giving the Astros quality innings as well.
Myers has a 3.55 ERA and has lowered his WHIP (1.37 to 1.28), H/9 (9.4 to 8.8), and perhaps most importantly, his HR/9 (2.3 to 0.8). I think there are two reasons for his decreased HR rate.
1. Myers is inducing more ground balls than he did last year. Myers has a ground-ball rate of 49 percent this year.
2. Myers is getting hitters to hit the ball up the middle, which is the biggest area in all ballparks. Forty-eight percent of all balls hit against Myers this year have been up the middle.
Myers is also on a very affordable one-year, $3.1 million contract. He does have an option for 2011, but it is a mutual option with a $2 million buyout.
Cons
When you look at Myers’ home and road splits, you have to wonder if Myers has just fallen in love with the pitcher’s mound at Minute Maid Park. Myers is 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA at home and is 2-6 with a 4.14 ERA on the road.
How is Myers going to fare down the stretch when he won’t be pitching at Minute Maid Park? That is something for GMs to consider.
Something else for GMs to consider is that at the end of the day we are talking about Brett Myers. At best, he is a No. 3 or 4 starter on a contending team. Teams tend to overpay for starting pitching at the trade deadline, and overpaying for Myers could cost a GM in the future.
Now that we have looked at the pros and cons of acquiring Myers, let’s look at the teams who might be interested in the former Philadelphia Philly…
New York Mets
The Mets need someone they can slide in after Johan Santana and Mike Pelfrey, and Myers could be that guy. A big outfield like Citi Field has could suit Myers well.
San Diego Padres
The Padres just placed Mat Latos on the DL, and Kevin Correia is having a less than stellar season. Myers could be a solid fill-in down the stretch for the Padres. Like at Citi Field, Myers could benefit from pitching in spacious PETCO Park.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers could certainly use another starting pitcher, as Chad Billingsley and John Ely have struggled throughout the season. Of course, the question with the Dodgers is can they add payroll?
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers definitely need another starter, but I am not sure how well Myers would adjust to the American League. I would be hesitant to trade for a guy who has pitched in the NL his whole career if I was an AL GM.
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