[Fox 26] Pitcher Doug Brocail Reaches Contract Agreement with Astros

where our pen is shaky is in the setup and closer roles. If you are putting money into the pen, I think it should be in one of these two spots. Not long relief/middle relief. Overloading with back end pitchers didn't work out for our starters and it will be much the same with relievers. Not to mention that with Oswalt, Backe, Patton, Albers, Sampson, Rodriguez and possibly another starter, there will be options to move a "not good enough starter" to middle relief. Fo Free!

Of course, if they are thinking they can't get another starter and that Dougy Fresh is going to be working many games due to a starters inability to make it long into the day, it's still a crap move.

 

Our bullpen last year:

Qualls: 3.05 ERA
Lidge: 3.36 (gone)
McLemore: 3.86
Moehler: 4.07
Miller: 4.86
Wheeler: 5.07 (gone)
Borkowski: 5.15
White: 7.67
Randolph: 12.15

You really don't think there's potentially a place for a guy with a 3.99 career ERA in there?

 

His WHIP, both last year and the year before (when he had a 4.7 ERA) would have led everyone in our pen last year except for Wheeler, who is gone obviously.

 

In baseball years, he is only 37 because he did not pitch 2001-2003.

 

Does MLB mandate defibrillators in the dugout like high school sports?

I hope so.

Otherwise, I like this move.

 

Quoted for truth. Some of you really need to adjust your reality distortion field, because Brocail is not a bad pickup. It's like you expect Papelbon or Johan Santana to accept a 1 year, $2 million deal or something with the Astros. Get real.

Although PETCO Park is considered to be a pitcher's stadium, Brocail was actually much better on the road last year, posting a 1.79 ERA in 45.1 innings (versus a 4.88 ERA in 31.1 innings at home). Interesting.

 

That we have to ask this question is reason enough to not to sign an old fart with a bad heart.

The Astros need to let their young players get experience, versus squeezing that last little bit of MLB experience out of the likes of Brocail.

 

Young players don't get that much experience coming off the bench or out of the pen.

 

i don't think this is a move that's going to limit the 'stros financially.

 

And when they do that, there will be b****ing to no end about why they didn't do more to build the pen in the offseason. This is a good low risk move, period.

 

that's it. it's just low cost and low risk. i don't understand why it's a problem.

 

Didn't we do this last season, with regards to letting young players "get experience" in the pitching staff? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but most of the Astros' pitching prospects simply aren't very good. There's absolutely no reason why this team -- one with one of the worst bullpens in baseball -- shouldn't attempt to sign a reliever for cheap who just posted a 3.05 ERA in 76 innings.

 

Word.

 

It's not the cost or Brocail as a member of the team that's bothering me. What's bothering me is the pre-disposed belief that they have already pulled their hats out of the ring for anything better and are going to bet on Brocail to be the 7th/8th inning guy.

If we pick up another starter and a setup/closer, then I will be fine with DB. If this is our "move" for the bullpen, it's piss poor.

 

i don't understand why you think he couldn't be a 7th inning guy. looking around the league, doug brocail's career numbers certainly match nearly every bullpen in the league's 7th inning guy.

 

and take away innings from Mark McLemore or Matt Albers or Paul Estrada or whoever?

It is not like Brocail is going to push the Astros over the hump next year. We will be lucky to be a 500 team next year with or without Brocail.

If we pitch our younger talent more, at least we will know for sure what their MLB skills are. Hey, maybe one of the young will develop into a 7th or 8th or even 9th inning closer? How will we know if we do not take the chance?

Also, what the Astros do not have right now is the young talent it would take to land Santana (or <insert available top of the order talent here&gt. How or we going to get that kind of talent without developing it?

 

i don't understand this.

don't make moves in the offseason because you're not gonna be good anyway??? seems a bit circular to me. yeah, i promise...if they don't strengthen the bullpen and the starting pitching, they will not be a very good team next season. so i'm kinda hoping they'll add players along the way who might contribute towards them being a better team. that's kinda the point.

 

Allrightythen...

Let's make a bet. If Doug "choppin" Brocaili has an era in the range of 3.10-4.0, I'll put anything you want in my sig.

If he is this years Woody, and goes over 4 then I win and we both lose.

 

SPLA.........drip

 

What we have is a trade-off? Do we take a step closer to being 500 next year? Or do we take a step closer to being 550 (90 wins) two years out and on?

Brocail certainly is not part of the future for the team.