My problem with Baez is that he is notorious at blowing leads in close games. He has a save percentage of 16%. A setup man usually has a much lower save % than a closer since they are more likely to enter a game with runners on, but that 16% is insanely low. Sadly, the only company he is in with that awful percentage is our other reliever signing in Ryne Stanek and another familiar face in Josh James. For reference: Career Save Percentage: Pressly 44% (75% last year) Joe Smith 49% Devenski 39% Josh James 20% Colome 86% Trevor May 50% Archie Bradley 61% Brad Hand 82% Kirby Yates 85% Sean Doolittle 83% Jeremy Jeffress 73% Shane Greene 80% Joakim Soria 81% Hendriks 74% (93% last season) Blake Treinen 77% Trevor Rosenthal 86% Darren O'Day 47% Keone Kela 72% Pedro Baez 16% Ryne Stanek 17% Which ones don't belong??????? Out of all the decent free agent relievers and other guys we are sadly familiar with (Devenski, James) we signed the 2 absolute worst at maintaining small leads. It is going to be pucker time every time these guys take the mound with a 3 run lead or less. So no, I don't care why Click did it. I literally would have preffered any of the other notable late inning relievers on the market.
Regarding unconventional bullpen usage, I took that as a given coming into this offseason considering how TB has operated for years. Which has made it unlikely that the Astros want to pay for a top reliever. Also, I’d think that good relievers must account for this to some extent in their decisions. There is a much greater likelihood that you will get Tampa Bay’ed and end up with fewer saves and high leverage opportunities, both of which are helpful to get paid.
I don't think save percentage is a relevant data point for middle relievers. It compares "save opportunities" to saves - but the middle reliever rarely gets the chance to pick up the save. The better comparison would be, what percent of time does a reliever enter the game with a lead and leave with the lead. What you're really looking for is, what is their ERA when the team is ahead by a run or two.
Win probability added is a decent way to view whether a reliever was effective in leverage spots. But yeah, since blowing a lead in any inning counts a blown save, while holding a lead only gets counted as a save if it's the 9th, it's not useful for nonclosers.
The Giants designated Luis Basabe. If Click doesn’t have any other plans to acquire a CF, I wouldn’t mind Houston putting a claim on Basabe to let him compete with Souza/Straw.
Wouldn't mind that move. Would be nice to stash in AAA as potential depth if he can't beat out McCormick or Souza.
Man, all I know is if Baez does not perform well this thread is going to absolutely annihilate Click. For Click's sake Baez better pitch like pre-Pujols Brad Lidge.
The price for Baez is the issue. He overreacted once Hendricks signed with CWS. As @Nook as stated throughout the past two pages, Click hasn't done the best job with plugging in holes. I hope Click proves us wrong. I like the names that @Snake Diggit pointed out. I hope Click can snag a CF and one pitcher.
In his career, Baez has been better in save situations than non-save situations. He has a career 2.40 ERA in save situations with a 0.983 WHIP and allowing a .584 OPS. By every clutch statistical measure Baseball Reference has, his numbers are very good.
Oh God, I hope it's the Mets...Tyler is a thin skinned oversensitive headcase and I want to see him thrown into the savage NY media lion's den. The Dodgers are already full of hypocritical, whiny Astros haters, and adding the player who is the biggest hypocritical, whiny, Astros hater would be too much to deal with.
Leon could become a Hall of Famer and lead the Astros to several rings, but if Baez blows a save it will be hell to pay for Click.
I think the Dodgers are just pushing the price up and really re-signing Turner is their focus. Mets is perfect for me. NL East is the most stacked division. Probably takes one less suitor away for Odorizzi, Paxton, Rosenthal, etc Rosario 1yr 8 mil to the Indians. Maybe Astros can nab Bradley for 1yr 5 mil or Pillar 1yr for 3-4 mil Either way I’d keep holding till somebody throws Ozuna $70 mil
I think I read that Bradley wants a long term contract. But I guess you could want something but doesn't mean teams will give it to you.
Baez has entered the game in a save situation 121 times, he has 101 holds and 3 saves, meaning 14% of the time he blew the lead. I get that people don't like the signing, but save% of guys who haven't been given actual save opportunities is an absurd argument.
You don't have to put him on the 40 man for a minor league deal, but if he made the team a couple spots will be open once spring training starts when Verlander and James can be moved to the 60 day IL.
