Hopefully returning to this team and coaching staff will help. He has been on the upswing, but stil had a 5+ ERA and was DFA by the Angels...
Alexander appears to a better pitcher than Nevis at this time in their careers, so I dont understand this move unless they want to keep Alexander stretched out as a starter at SL in case of another injury to a SP.
Yes. and his k rate has been fine this year. Just giving up too many big hits. He will fit great on this team because he will very likely only pitch in low leverage and be the 5th or 6th man down the reliever totem pole. Hes probably better than Ort.
Almost no downside. Neris knows the system and has had success here. If Neris comes in and does well, its a cheap arm. If Neris does not, you send him on his way and call Alexander back up.
Basically he replaces Dubin. Better option than VanWey, Weems, or the 6th starter if he is in the bullpen because there is an off day. Just based on his experience and intangibles he is worth the last bullpen spot.
bullpen has been shedding arms and Alexander pitched 3 innings last night — he’s probably out of commission for 3-4 days anyway, so this is a bridge.
Hector Neris is a great pickup. Astros probably saw a hiccup in his delivery, they believe they can clear up. Neris has the mental makeup and pitching acumen to be of help to this team. kudos for Jason Alexander for pitching his 3 inning save. Astros most definitely want to work with him more in AAA. They have more leeway to expand his repertoire in the minors, since winning isn’t the multimillion dollar catastrophe if a mistake is made.
I like what I've seen from Alexander also, but I sure as hell trust the Astros when it comes to their opinion on pitchers. As a bottom rung guy, hard to do better than Neris. He's not the best, but you know he can take the heat if need be in a pressure situation.
Neris fits in. He is still adequate on the mound in non-leverage spots and is loved and respected in the clubhouse. He has been there, done that also. This bullpen is 5 deep with dudes plus Ort has been a fine #6 guy. Losing Dubin actually hurt a little. It's a luxury, but adding a 7th bullpen guy you know won't crap himself in September is a solid move. The fact that he is RH and adds balance is a bonus.
I expect him to do Hector Neris things. Which is to say, let runners on like he’s welcoming customers into a Costco and then pull a Houdini act and celebrate like he won the World Series, in the middle of July.
