Enjoy Central Texas for another season, Chris Johnson

Apparently Easy Eddie read the post from yesterday and decided the Astros don't have enough third basemen. The Law Offices of Blum, Johnson and Saccomanno just weren't enough. So the Astros went out and found themselves a former hero.

Platooning with Geoff Blum at third base, the Astros signed Game 6 star Aaron Boone to a one-year deal. ::softly crying::.

Yep, the man who screwed Boston twice in a two month span (The ALCS homer and then screwing up his knee in a pick-up basketball, prompting the Yankees to sign A-Rod away from the Red Sox) will be playing some games at 3rd base in Houston this season. Let's take a look at some career highs for Mr. Boone:

Runs: 92 (2003)
Hits: 158 (2003)
2B: 38 (2002)
HR: 26 (2002)
RBI: 96 (2003)
Avg: .294 (2001)
OBP: .356 (2000)
SLG: .483 (2001)

I just....just.....want to cry.

I don't get it. Bring Saccomanno or Johnson up and let them platoon with Blum. Boone made $1 million last year as a back up to Nick Johnson and Dmitri Young, so I can't imagine he'll make much more than that. But you know who'll make less? Saccomanno or Johnson. Then you're developing your farm system, giving some guys a chance, and saving money.

Boone hit .275 vs. lefties / .220 vs. righties in 2008. Five of his six home runs came in May (three in a one-week span), two of them in back-to-back games - one of those a 7th-inning pinch-hit homer off Shawn Chacon in Houston.

And it's not like he finished strong. A .227 average in August (5-for-22). .191 in September (9-for-47).

Maybe one of the reasons I'm pissed about it is because I was going to have the inside scoop on Tejada moving to 3rd. Now that won't happen.

But here's an interesting note: 49% of his Balls in Play were to left field and he's a fly-ball hitter. So he will take the ball the other way, which is a plus in Minute Maid Park. He just has trouble hitting the inside stuff (.125/.263/.211 top-to-bottom). Lemons? Or Lemonade?

Just to recap:

We have two young guys: Chris Johnson - 24 years old. Mark Saccomanno - 28 years old at third base. Just non-tendered a guy hitting 20+ homers and a .290 average. And then go out and sign Aaron Boone.

Thoughts? Comments?