In case you missed it, the Astros signed a free-agent last week. You’ll be forgiven if this news didn’t capture your undivided attention as the signing involved a nearly 30-year-old reliever on a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training. Not exactly earth shattering stuff for the casual to even the most ardent fans, especially with a recent pair of high profile hires on the Houston sports scene (Dana Brown, DeMeco Ryans). But Ty Buttrey isn’t without intrigue.
First, a bit of backstory. Buttrey, about to turn 30 in late March, pitched last season for the Angels Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City.