B4 | Friday, January 22, 2021 |beaumontenterprise.com |BeaumontEnterprise SPORTS TRADE ASTROS FrompageB1 Catcher Castro backto the need forbettercommu- nication. Watsonbecame upset at not being involved Houstonon2-year deal in the hiring process for a generalmanager and coach after McNair assured him By Chandler Rome fensively,but havingatan- lection during its111-loss he would. The Texans hired STAFF WRITER dem that hits from either season in 2013 —still the Nick Caserio as GM and are side of the plate is aluxury best campaign of Castro’s still searching foracoach. TheAstrosare bringing formanager DustyBaker. 10-year major league ca- Watson’s contractisdefi- back afamiliar face. Maldonado will enter reer.Castrofinished his nitely tradable withman- Houston is in agree- spring training as thepri- first Astros tenure with a ageable remaining salaries ment with free-agent marystarter,givenhis fa- .699 OPSin617 games. of $10.5 million,$35 million, catcher Jason Castroona miliaritywith the young Houston partedways $37million, $32millionand two-year contract,multi- staffand theon-fieldlead- with Castro following the $32million. He hascorre- Adrian Kraus/AssociatedPress plepeople with knowl- ership Baker lauded so 2016 season and traded for sponding salary-capfigures While theDolphins could offer an enticingpackage edgeofthe deal said much last season. Castro veteranYankeescatcher of $15.94 million, $40.4 mil- of draftpicks,the Texans arereportedlynot Thursday.Accordingto doesnot possess Maldona- Brian McCann thatwinter. lion, $42.4million,$37.4 interested in quarterbackTua Tagovailoa. ESPN,the deal guarantees do’s throwingarm but is a Onceall is official, the millionand $32million. Castro $7 million across better pitch framer. return of Castroand re- “I reallydoubt thatDesh- andSteve Young. would be an out-of-charac- twoseasonswith incen- Though Castro is well signing of outfielder Mi- aunwill be traded,” an NFL Watsonled the NFL in termove forveteran gener- tivestoearn up to $2 mil- acquainted with the As- chael Brantleyleave the generalmanager said.“The passing yardslastseason al managerKevin Colbert, lion more. tros, much has changed Astros with decisions to owner has to figureout a andthrew 33 touchdown whodoesmost of hisroster- Afterlosing Dustin Gar- sincehelast donnedtheir makeontheir 40-man ros- waytoworkthingsout and passesdespite beingsacked building through the draft. neau on outright waivers uniform. He’ll play fora ter. Twospotsmustbe getonthe same pagewith 49 timesona4-12squad. last month, the Astros newmanager and general cleared. Right-hander the quarterback.It’sareally The49erscould offer NewOrleans Saints were in search of either a manager. Only one pitcher Humberto Castellanos is good reminderthatyou elitedefensive end Nick Bo- Drew Breesisretiring, platoon partner or backup remains from Castro’slast an obvious choice to be needtohaveexcellent com- sa as part of an extensive and Watson would be an ex- to starter Martin Maldona- Astros team in 2016 —start- phasedout,beitvia waiv- munication with your best packageinvolvingWatson cellent replacementfor do.Garrett Stubbs, he of er Lance McCullers Jr.Cas- ers or asmall trade. Others players, because thissitua- andquarterbackJimmyGa- him. 49 big league plate appear- trodid work with reliever whocould be in jeopardy tionisextremely negative roppolo.Another wrinkle: The Saints have astrong ances, wasthe other Ryan Pressly while with of asimilar fate include and has deterioratedreally 49ers startingquarterback roster but also some thorny catcher on Houston’s 40- the Twins. first baseman Taylor Jones fast. JimmyGaroppolo,29, is salary-capissues. manroster. Houston chose Castro and lefthanderCionel Pe- “I knowalot of teams due$24.1 million in 2021 The Saintshaveaproven Castro,alefthandedhit- with the 10th overall pick rez. would be interested in andhas ano-tradeclause. track recordofacquiring ter, profiles as aperfect in the 2008 draft,and he Deshaunifthe Texans talentinthe draft,with complement to theright- became acornerstone chandler.rome@ made him available, and it Carolina Panthers head coach Sean Payton handed-hitting Maldona- during theirteardown. He chron.com would cost alot as faras ThePanthershavethe and assistant generalman- do.Neither man excels of- wasthe club’s All-Star se- twitter.com/chandler_rome draft picks andplayers. No.8pick of thefirstround ager Jeff Ireland remaining He’s such an eliteplayer andneedquarterback help in place. Assistant general thatit’sdefinitely some- afterTeddy Bridgewater manager TerryFontenot CLASSIFIED thing alot of teams aretalk- passed for3,733 yards, 15 washired as the Falcons’ ingabout and thinking touchdownsand 11 inter- general manager. about.Ibelieve it would ceptions. take at leastthree first- Theonlyway theTexans NewEngland Patriots rounddraft picks to makeit could wiselyentertain a It’shardtoenvision Bill happen.” deal with Carolina would be Belichick entertaining a Whatwould a25-year- if theyget running back huge tradefor Watsonde- Real Estate For Sale | For Rent | Services old quarterback in his Christian McCaffrey along spitethe strugglesofCam primecommand in atrade with at least twofirst-round Newton as TomBrady’s re- forthe Texans considering draft picks. placement last season. the Seattle Seahawksgave But the Patriots do have up apair of first-round draft Denver Broncos roughly$54 million in sala- picks in atradefor strong TheBroncosneed an up- ry-capspace availableand safety Jamal Adams? gradefromquarterback the 15th overall pick of the Here’s alook at potential Drew Lock andhold the No. first round. 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NewYorkhas fourfirst- draft picks. rioand executive vice presi- All Bills Paid. Section 8, Mon.- Fri. 9am- 2:30pm. roundpicksinthe next two dentoffootball operations Equal Housing Opportunity Agency drafts, including the No.2 ChicagoBears Jack EasterbyinHouston. A overall selectionthisyear, This wouldgive general Watson tradeisstill consid- Autos & More Vehicles | Boats | Motorcycles | RVs | Misc. along withroughly$70 mil- manager Ryan Pace a ered ahighlyunlikelysce- lioninsalarycap space in chance to admittoand nario. 2021. The Jets also have make amends forhis mis- quarterback Sam Darnold take from 2017,when he LasVegas Raiders WANTED CASH Paid | FOR Junk Cars and Pick-Ups. under arookiecontractand picked quarterbackMitch- JonGrudenhas stuck Free Towing: 409-540-3344 twothird-round draftpicks ell Trubisky insteadofWat- with Derek Carr foryears, thisyear. son andPatrick Mahomes. and he hasn’t gotten The Jets hired Robert Sa- TheBears don’t have a enoughwins in return. leh, oneofthe head coach- lottogive theTexans,with GrudenisahugeWatson WANTED CLEAN RV or Class CMotor Home |Pay Cash. Can be expensive. 409-781-1630 ing candidatesalong with no extrafirst-round draft fan, andit’snosecrethe’s Chiefs offensive coordina- picks in the next twodrafts. annuallyweighing hisop- torEricBieniemythatWat- They alsohaveatight sala- tions at the position despite Visit us on theWeb at: sonwanted the Texans to ry-capsituation. It’sdoubt- Carr’ssteady production. interview. Salehwas never fulWatsonwould want to There’snostate income WWW.SOUTHEASTTEXAS.COM requested; Bieniemywas play forateamthatpassed taxinNevada, and there’s requestedafter Caserio was on him in the draft. the glitter of LasVegas to hired, and he interviewed consider forWatson,aswell Monday. IndianapolisColts as playingwith running SoutheastTexas.com/ NFLteams rarely make back Josh Jacobs andtight Miami Dolphins themistake of conducting end Darren Waller. Jobseek The Dolphins areanat- seriousbusiness within The Raiderswould likely tractive destinationwith theirown division, but the needtosendCarr and two strong leadership in coach Colts definitelyneed aquar- first-round draft picksto TO ADVERTISE: (409) 838-2814 Brian Flores and general terback after Philip Rivers’ the Texans to have achance manager Chris Grier. retirement. to landWatson. Miami has twofirst- TheColtswould likely rounddraft picks and two need to send at leasttheir AtlantaFalcons second-round picks, in- next three first-round draft Watson is from nearby cludingthe third overall picks to have arealisticcon- Gainesville, Georgia, mak- pick obtainedfromthe Tex- versationabout Watson. ing thishis hometownNFL ans in thetradelast year Basically, thisisanonstart- team. He’s aformer Falcons thatsent left tackleLaremy er. ballboy. Tunsil to Houston. The Dol- The Falcons have theNo. DRIVERS phins areanascending Jacksonville Jaguars 4overall pick of the first Coastal Ready Mix,Inc team, and Florida has no Should newcoach Urban roundbut have atightsala-