I wonder if any of their targets signed with another team tonight. Hence the "Well, we're confident in Giles anyway". Also, not Astros related, but this could be big.
Would have liked Hunter a lot. Underlying metrics demonstrate that he was amongst the elite relievers this past season.
I'm not saying Giles won't close, or that he can't be good. In fact I suspect he will be good, he was awesome all year before the postseason. But if they want me to believe they aren't looking for a potential Giles fallback well....
I'm fine with bringing him back as long as they still make some other bullpen additions. Don't want him back though if that means they're not going to still sign a couple relievers other than him.
So you would rather Astros go with bullpen as is instead of as is plus adding Liriano? Astros would not sign Liriano to a contract that would prevent them from signing a better reliever.
No, between those two scenarios I would rather do as is plus Liriano. I was saying that I hope we don’t sign Liriano and then decide that we’ve filled our need of a LH reliever. I wasn’t saying the money would prevent it. I was saying I hope they don’t view signing Liriano as a legit alternative to signing one of the top remaining FA relievers.
Their targets this year are not available early. This week things seem to be opening up. Deals soon I think.
I don't see the scenario of Astros viewing Liriano as an alternative to a high leverage reliever as even possible. Astros may end up only with Liriano as a pen addition, but in that unlikely and unholy situation, it wouldn't be because the Astros view Liriano as more than a loogy.
