Astros Decline To Offer Arbitration To Clemens, Pettitte, Others
POSTED: Friday, December 1, 2006
Houston, TX -- (Sports Network) - The Houston Astros declined to offer arbitration to all five of the club's free agents, including pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.Reliever Russ Springer, first baseman Jeff Bagwell and infielder/outfielder Aubrey Huff were also declined arbitration. As a result, the Astros will not receive a compensatory draft pick if any of these players are signed by another team. The 38-year-old Bagwell is the career leader for the Astros in home runs, runs batted in and walks. The four-time All-Star missed the entire 2006 campaign with right shoulder arthritis, however. In 15 seasons with Houston, Bagwell hit .297 with 449 homers and 1,529 RBI. Clemens, 44, went 7-6 with a 2.30 ERA in 19 starts for the Astros last year. The 11-time all-star decided to return in late June last season, and from that point forward led the Majors in earned run average. Huff hit .267 with 21 homers and 67 RBI in 131 combined games between Houston and Tampa Bay last season. He was acquired by Houston from the Devil Rays on July 12, and hit .250 with 13 home runs and 38 RBI for the Astros. Pettitte, 34, was 14-13 with a 4.20 ERA in 36 appearances (35 starts) for the Astros in 2006. It was his 12th consecutive winning season, which includes all of his big league seasons, tying him with Hall of Famers Carl Hubbell and Juan Marichal for the third-longest streak of consecutive winning seasons to start a Major League career. Springer went 1-1 with a 3.47 ERA in a career-high 72 appearances in 2006.
Copyright 2006 Courtesy of The Sports Network.





