Astros re-signed RHP Doug Brocail to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with a club option for 2010.
Brocail will make $2.25 million next season. The option for 2010 is worth $2.85 million and contains a $250,000 buyout. Incentives could push his salary higher in both years. Brocail, 41, finished last season with a 3.93 ERA in 68 2/3 innings. It looks like he'll be the seventh-inning guy in front of LaTroy Hawkins and Jose Valverde.
Astros are going to have to stay on the cheap side so this is a good signing for them. They have brought back Hawkins and Mike Hampton so far this offseason. Rumor has the Stros shopping Valverde so the they need a lot of bullpen help is he does go.