Some hirings and a declining

So of course nothing happens all morning, and then I go to the doctor and that's when all of today's news happens. Maybe.

The Astros have announced that Brad Mills has hired Al Pedrique on as the Bench Coach, and Bobby Meacham as 1st base coach.

Yesterday we noted that the Phillies had granted permission for the Astros to talk to Meacham. That must have been one short conversation. Meacham comes to the Astros from the Phillies' Class-A Williamsport team.

So here's your coaching staff for 2010:
Manager: Brad Mills
1st Base coach: Bobby Meacham
3rd Base coach: Dave Clark
Hitting Coach: Sean Berry
Pitching Coach:

Nope. No pitching coach yet, but Brian McTaggart says that announcement could come by the end of the day.

And in other roster moves, the Astros were faced with a decision with Doug Brocail:
1) Pay the 42-year old $2.85 million in 2010
2) Buy him out for $250,000.

They made the right choice and bought him out.

Ed Wade:
"I've got great respect for Doug. He's a tremendous competitor and has great makeup. I talked to him this morning to tell him we're not going to exercise his option and he was very professional about it. At this point in time, it behooves us to give some of these young relievers a greater chance to be with us for the coming season. I don't envision us heading back in that direction from a playing standpoint, but we did talk about the potential of staying involved in the organization in player development, and Ricky [Bennett] is going to have conversations on that."

Brocail:
"It's one of those things I will talk over with the powers that be and see what they have to say. I won't rule it out. As of right now, I'm just trying to heal up and see how I'm going to feel over the next two or three months."
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After Ed Wade exercised Moehler's $3 million option, instead of buying him out for $250,000, I was nervous about the looming decision on Brocail. He's a great competitor, he tried some wacky crap to come back and make a contribution, and he seems like a good guy. But this was the right decision.