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Astros armed Houston gets Astacio from Colorado for Elarton
Updated: Wednesday August 01, 2001 12:20 AM
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Astros parted with two former No. 1 draft picks Tuesday, Scott Elarton and Tony McKnight, in a swap of pitchers they hope will help overcome Chicago in the NL Central. Elarton, the 25th overall pick in 1994, went to the Colorado Rockies for Pedro Astacio, 6-13 this season with a 5.49 ERA. McKnight, their top pick in 1995, was dealt to Pittsburgh for reliever Mike Williams. "Astacio is a guy that obviously is not having a great year," Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker said. "But take him away from Coors Field and he's pitched better away from home. "He's a guy with great intensity and great fire. He's a guy capable of pitching some big games and a guy I think has a chance to come up big for us down the stretch." Elarton, a 25-year-old right-hander, had a breakthrough season in 2000, leading the Astros' starters with a 17-7 record. He started this season as the ace, but slumped badly. He was 4-8 with a 7.14 ERA and 26 homers allowed before going on the disabled list July 17 with tendinitis in his right biceps.
"Last season was great for me," Elarton said. "Unfortunately, this year has not been good at all. I wouldn't be standing here right now if I'd had a good season. It's a business, and you've got to treat it that way." Astacio, a 31-year-old right-hander, is 6-13 with a 5.49 ERA overall, but just 1-8 in 10 starts since June 3. He makes $6.6 million, and Houston inherits a $9 million team option with a $1 million buyout. If the option is declined, he becomes eligible for free agency. "He's just a better pitcher than some of the guys we have in the rotation," Astros manager Larry Dierker said. "He's been a workhorse. He hasn't always been effective. "He's not in a class with (Greg) Maddux, (Pedro) Martinez or Randy Johnson, but he's just a notch below. I know he has a losing record this year but that doesn't bother me that much." Elarton makes $400,000 this year and is eligible for salary arbitration next winter.
Houston, which won three straight NL Central titles from 1997-99, missed out on the playoffs last year and began Tuesday 41/2 games behind the division-leading Cubs. McKnight went 9-5 with a 4.76 ERA in 18 starts at Class AAA New Orleans this season. McKnight was recalled from New Orleans to start the second game of a doubleheader at Pittsburgh on Saturday and earned the victory in a 12-3 Astros win. Williams ranked third on the Pirates' career list with 69 saves and he had a 12-14 record and 3. The addition of Williams, who had 22 saves for the Pirates, give the Astros a choice of closers, including Billy Wagner and Mike Jackson. "Williams is a guy that seems not to make sense for us," Hunsicker said. "We've got a good bullpen and a good closer. But a lot of things happen down the stretch and this as much as much to fortify our bullpen as anything." Colorado began the year with high hopes after adding free-agent pitchers Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle to its pitching staff, but the Rockies have plummeted to last in the NL West, starting Tuesday at 44-61, 16 1/2 games behind the first-place Dodgers. Last week, the Rockies sent shortstop Neifi Perez to Kansas City as part of a three-way deal in which outfielder Mario Encarnacion, infielder Jose Ortiz and left-hander Todd Belitz went from Oakland to Colorado and outfielder Jermaine Dye went to the Athletics.
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