Yesterday, Houston dealt LHP Jeriome Robertson to Cleveland for OF-L Luke Scott and the rights to OF-R Willy Taveras. The Astros' off-season moves bumped Robertson from their rotation. With several other pitchers capable of covering for injured starters, the club decided to deal Robertson for help in an area where they weren't as well stocked as they are with starting pitching.

Cleveland drafted Scott out of Oklahoma State University with a 9th round pick in the 2001 draft. Tommy John surgery prevented him from making his professional debut in 2001, but he split 2002 between A Columbus in the South Atlantic League and A+ Kinston in the Carolina League and split 2003 between A+ Kinston and AA Akron in the Eastern League. He appears to possess a decent grasp of the strike zone and substantial power. The 25-year-old should split 2004 between Houston's AA and AAA franchises, where the parks will exaggerate his power, possibly earning him a September call-up. While the Astros have a habit of needlessly spending money on their bench, a solid 2004 may earn Scott a position as a reserve outfielder in the majors in 2005.

Houston grabbed Taveras from the Indians in this winter's Rule 5 draft. Cleveland signed Taveras as a non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 1999. After a season in the Dominican Summer League, another in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, and two at A Columbus, Taveras spent 2003 at A+ Kinston, where he hit .282 with a .381 OBP and .350 SLG on 112 H, 9 2B, 6 3B, and 2 HR with a 52:68 BB:K and 57/69 SB% in 397 AB. The 22-year-old's speed is obvious and his plate discipline promises that he might have the opportunity to utilize his skills on the basepaths, though he probably should spend a season each at AA and AAA. Since Taveras at least could contribute as a pinch-runner and probably as a defensive replacement in the outfield, he's the type of player who teams can make use of as Rule 5 picks even though he should spend more time in the minors if he's to maximize his potential. However, the Astros weren't willing to sacrifice their roster flexibility or a year of development time for Taveras, so Houston arranged to unfetter him from the Rule 5 requisites.

I'm concerned that one or both of these players will become buried in the Astros' system, barred from contributing to their major league club, but Robertson might have been in a similar position if he'd remained in Houston. This trade isn't a clear coup for the Astros, however the upside of the players Houston acquired is defined far better than that of the pitchers Milwaukee picked up for their surplus starter.