Obvs depends on other moves and how much they're paying, but Baez was really good from 2018-2019. I think maybe Click is stockpiling veteran relievers because he intends to use some of his young relievers (Paredes, Taylor, Garcia, Abreu, Martes, Perez, Javier, etc.) to trade for outfield help.
Is the Baez signing because Click decided to move on from Colome, Hand, or Rosenthal for whatever reason? Can Baez close? Would they just have no set closer and go with a mix of him, Pressly, and Paredes closing out games?
We need lots of innings. Nobody in the current rotation has thrown 150 innings outside of Greinke and you can't expect the same performance from all our young guys in a full 162 game season. It does look like a trade is in the works. Otherwise AAA will be filled with some really pissed off guys. If we can only carry 13 pitchers that means 8 in the pen... Pressly, Smith, Stanek, Baez, Raley, Paredes, and Taylor makes up 7 of 8...... So what happens with Pruitt, Scrubb, Garcia, Abreu, Perez, Josh James (when he returns from the IL),etc?
I don't want them to trade Abreu because I feel he'll bounce back as long as he come into camp in shape this time. And don't want them to trade Garcia because seems like he could become an important piece but maybe Click offers one them up in a trade. Hopefully not for Benintendi. Also add Whitley to the mix. Another year goes by without making his mlb debut?
Whitley will likely be a starter when he comes up. He's only 23. Framber didn't make his debut until 24 and didn't figure it out until 26. Keuchel also made his debut at 24.
I don’t consider Baez to be a “big get”... his fastball velocity is going down and his SIERRA/FIP were not so good. Click seems to think he is still working for the Rays.
I worry about the fastball velocity and the Ks. He's got 5 straight years of having a lower ERA than SIERA and xFIP. His xwOBA shows the ERA was legit, but if his velocity drops more...hitters are going to turn the pop ups into homers. A very meh deal hoping he can either bounce back or keep depending heavily on pop ups. I'd much rather the Astros spend money on studs. I had a little hope they would spend on one reliever and one OF, but expected a few deals like this and Stanek. If they work out like Click hopes, they will give the Astros players on good deals in the next 2-4 years. Feels very pre-Verlander Luhnow.
As of now the Astros have 92.5 million coming off the payroll next season and it could be 107 million if they don't pick up Yuli's option and Pressly doesn't reach the appearances needed to vest his option. I'm not concerned about payroll other than this season. If they feel they can afford Baez this year then I'm not going to complain. I never believed the Astros were really in on the elite relievers. Sounded like agents leaking BS to me. They took the money Peacock, Biagini, and Devenski were making last year and gave it to Baez and Stanek.
Puts our previous discussion of Joe Smith's salary in a new light. This signing was either an overpay, or the relief pitcher market is more robust than we suspected.