According to ESPN's Rumor Central, the Astros have inquired on former Mets reliever J.J. Putz:
Putz, 32, saved 40 games for Seattle in 2007. The Mets hoped he would provide shutdown eighth-inning work in front of Francisco Rodriguez last season, but Putz lasted only 29 1/3 innings before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery in June.
Although Putz still has to show he's healthy, he's attracted a lot of early attention because he's willing to sign a one-year, incentive-laden deal to re-establish himself as a dominant back-end pitcher. Pittsburgh and Houston have also inquired on Putz, and Detroit, Tampa Bay and Texas are teams that could emerge as fits as the winter progresses.
So there is obviously some competition for Putz, but let this be a digital pat on the back to Astros County for noting this possibility on November 6.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
