Bringing Hader in kind of reminds me of when the Oilers brought in Buddy Ryan as DC. Looked really good on paper and galvanized the fanbase....but KILLED team chemistry.
He throws first pitch strikes in the 8th as well... they just get hit. At this point, he's getting paid well and going to get vested to get paid next year regardless of which inning. He knows he needs to be better regardless of which inning. At his age, its unlikely he's going to get a multi-year contract beyond next season regardless of which inning he's pitching. If the Astros want to install somebody else as the 7th inning guy and split the work between Hader/Pressly for the 9th, it will at least keep them from blowing games as often in the 8th (unless Abreu wants to do so).... and if that helps his potential trade value till the deadline, so be it.
