A chance blessing or asking for trouble?

[Sonny]

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=hou

HOUSTON -- The Astros have a deal in place with left-hander Mike Hampton, pending a physical, MLB.com has learned.

General manager Ed Wade declined to comment.

Hampton, 36, will be in Houston either Monday or Tuesday to take the physical, which is usually the final step before a team and player finalize a deal. An announcement confirming an agreement between the free agent and the Astros could arrive sometime on Tuesday, assuming Hampton passes.

As of now, I do not think this will be a good deal.

[STP Images]

As badly as the Astros need pitching and given the fact that he's made a home in Houston previously, I think it's a better move than the Woody Williams / Jason Jennings deal for SURE. Adding Hampton's bat in the 9th hole when he's on the mound won't hurt the lineup either.

They'll just have to keep Bagwell away from him. I understand that one of the reasons (not the only reason, but one of them) that contributed to Hampton's original departure was the discovery of a little bit of hanky panky with Mrs. Bagwell . . .

[Jenny Z]

Originally Posted by Sonny

As of now, I do not think this will be a good deal.

Well, they can join the Dallas Stars as another Texas team making bad deals.