“I figured once it was determined Sampson needed surgery, that it was a given the Astros would pick up Brocail’s option. I was wrong.
A $3.25 million price tag for a non-closer is certainly steep, but is it worth losing him over, what, a million or so?
The Astros are probably banking on Brocail’s desire to pitch at home as a bargaining chip, and they may be right. Or, maybe they don’t really want him back and are saying so just to save face from a public perception standpoint. We’ll see. But right now, I strongly disagree with their decision to decline the option.”
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Always assume the worst. It makes you seem like a “realist”.
Even though Mclane has not hesitated to spend money in the past, McTaggart writes in the Chronicle
Astros will explore the free-agent market, but McLane cautioned that signing one of the top free agent pitchers may not be in their plans.
The free-agent class is led by CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Derek Lowe, Ryan Dempster, Jon Garland and Mike Mussina. Sabathia will command at least $100 million, which is too risky and too rich for the Astros’ blood.
“That might be way out of our league,” McLane said. “The Yankees have said starting pitching is their No. 1 priority, and several other teams have, too.”
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Clearly Mclane is only talking about Sabathia, McTaggart piles on, and invites further criticism in his blog,
McLane made it clear they club isn’t going after C.C. Sabathia because he will command too much money. …
But McLane said the Astros probably aren’t going to make a run at some of the other top free agent pitchers, without saying names. Perhaps that means Ben Sheets, Derek Lowe, Jon Garland and guys in that class.
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Perhaps. But perhaps not. “Without saying…” means he didn’t say.