Goodbye, Jose Valverde. You, too, Ty Wigginton. Pick up your lovely parting gifts at the door.

The Astros seem likely to trade both of them in the next few weeks. You won’t like the reason. Don’t shoot the messenger.

The Astros finished last season with a payroll of around $100 million after the acquisitions of Randy Wolf and LaTroy Hawkins. To keep that team together for 2009 would cost about $120 million.

That’s the number the Astros have come up with after factoring in the raises Valverde, Wigginton and Wandy Rodriguez probably will get in arbitration.

Besides, Valverde and Wigginton will be free agents a year from now. Trade 'em a year early instead of a year late. Here's hoping for some young pitching.

Plus, Carlos Lee’s salary jumps from $12 million to $18.5 million in each of the final four years of that six-year, $100-million deal.

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