Releiver Brandon Lyon agreed to terms with New York Mets on a one year deal Thursday. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Lyon went 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP  in 61.0 IP split between the Astros and Blue Jays in 2012. After being traded to the Jays, Lyon pitched particularly well, going 4-0 with a 1.12 WHIP in 25.0 innings. Lyon averaged over a strikeout per inning in 2012 for the first time in his career.

Lyon and the recently signed LaTroy Hawkins will join holdovers Frank Francisco and Bobby Parnell in Sandy Alderson’s reworked pen. Hard throwing Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia will also challenge for roles in spring training. Newly signed, but familiar face Pedro Feliciano will battle Tim Byrdak and Josh Edgin to be the primary lefty reliever.

Lyon has some experience closing, he saved 26 games for Arizona in 2008 and 20 for Houston in 2010. Since Bobby Parnell has faltered when given a chance to close, Terry Collins may feel more comfortable turning to Lyon if (more likely when) Frank Francisco hits a rough patch. Lyon and Francisco have similar career ratios, so Collins is not exactly choosing between Dennis Eckersley and Mariano Rivera.

Alderson has done nice job rebuilding the Mets bullpen. Hawkins and Lyon are dependable, if not spectacular, set up options. Along with veterans like Hawkins, there is a good mix of youth with hopefuls Edgin, Familia and Mejia. What the Mets really need is for Bobby Parnell to harness his fastball and nerve and transfer his eighth inning success to the closer role.

Brandon Lyon could be close to joining the bullpen in New York. (Image Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports)

Lyon split the 2012 season between the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays, making 67 appearances. He posted a 3.10 ERA, 1.246 WHIP, and 9.3 K/9 over 61.0 innings this past season. Right-handed hitters batted .253 against him, while lefties mustered just a .213 line. The 33 year old will be entering his 12th season in the Major Leagues.

New York clearly made it a point to address their bullpen this winter, as Lyon would potentially be the third right-hander that the team has signed in just the past week. Lyon, Scott Atchison, and LaTroy Hawkins will collectively give the team some options with late-game experience under their belts, which could be vital considering there are already reports that GM Sandy Alderson isn’t enamored with keeping current closer Frank Francisco in the role. Francisco is under control for a hefty sum, $6.5 Million, but will be a free agent at season’s end so there doesn’t appear to be much concern within the Mets organization that might prevent them from pulling him from the closer’s role should be struggle early on. Should they look to make such a move then Lyon and Bobby Parnell would appear to be two early favorites to step into the role.

Former San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson has been linked to the Mets over the past few weeks, including reports that the team privately watched him workout at one point, but an agreement with Lyon likely eliminates any chance that the team brings him aboard. This also would presumably put an end to rumors about the team’s possible interest in Jose Valverde.

The Giants, for better or worse, have largely stood pat this winter. Coming off a winning season with few significant departures expected there wasn’t much that needed to be done.

(Image Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports)

It would now appear, according to CSNBayArea.com’s Andrew Baggarly, that the team is looking to make one last move before Spring Training begins and have started “deep discussions” with free agent reliever Brandon Lyon. The two sides have reportedly been talking since earlier this month but have tabled discussions for the time being in order to allow the team to focus on its impending arbitration cases. Talks are expected to pick back up next week, though there is no certainty that a deal will be reached.

Lyon’s last foray into free agency resulted in a three year, $15 Million contract with the Houston Astros prior to the 2010 season. The move was widely panned at the time as a big mistake by the Astros. It was an overpay for a pitcher who wasn’t worth the long term commitment. Houston got just what they paid for. Lyon pitched just 91.1 innings over the first two years of the deal, posting a 9-9 mark with a 4.34 ERA and 1.434 WHIP. He may have saved 24 games over that span, but his walk rate spiked and he had trouble avoiding the home run ball. By July of this past season the Astros had seen enough, including Lyon in a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays mid-month. The veteran pitched well with Toronto, pulling his collective line on the year to a 4-2 mark with a 3.10 ERA, a career high 9.3 K/9, and 3.0 BB/9.

San Francisco will likely continue with Sergio Romo as their incumbent closer, but the potential addition of Lyon could be a nice pickup for the Giants. The move would also likely assure the end of Brian Wilson’s tenure with the team, as the reliever was non-tendered in early December but has yet to sign elsewhere on the open market.

Francisco Cordero has been traded to the Astros as part of a ten player deal. (Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE)

The deal is the biggest of this year’s trade season player-wise, but will not likely have an immediate impact for Houston.  For the Blue Jays, the deal could help them stay in contention this year.  In 36 innings out of the bullpen, Lyon has a 3.25 ERA.  Happ has a 4.83 ERA in 18 starts this season.  Carpenter has stubbled this season in 29 2/3 innings-pitched.  He has a 6/07 ERA, but he adds to the pitching help the Blue Jays need.

While Toronto, who was dealt some difficult blows by injuries to their pitchers, have many of the pieces in place now to hold their pitching staff together, Houston GM, Jeff Lunhow is happy with their haul according to the Associated Press.

“This is a very good deal for us,” Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “Once again, we are adding depth to our minor-league system with quality young players. We really feel this will help us moving forward and are extremely excited about the players we’ve added to our organization.”

The Astros have changed their approach to rebuilding since being sold to Jim Crane.  Crane has brought in people with an analysis focus – both on the statistical side and the player development side.  They are rebuilding from the ground up and want to compete with home-grown talent.

Combine the young players Houston got in this deal with Cordero’s experience and Francisco’s normally above-average OPS, and Houston could have a combination of youth and veterans that can help them be successful sooner rather than later.

Cordero is 3-5 with a 5.77 ERA in 34 1/3 innings.  He has been largely removed from the role of closer but has 329 saves in his career.  Francisco is hitting just .240/.296/.380 in 27 games, but he owns a career .759 OPS (good enough for a 102 OPS+).

Cordero is a free agent after this year, and Francisco is a free agent after next year.  If the Astros have any intention of using these players toward their ultimate goal of being competitive, they will have to extend both of them.  They will not be competitive this year or next, but two or three years down the line, they might.  Cordero’s age will probably prevent him from contributing when the Astros do turn things around, but if he performs well enough in Houston, and if Houston re-signs him, they could turn around and trade him next year.

The Astros are 34-59 and in last place in the National League Central.  The Blue Jays are also in last place, but they are just two games under .500 and still in the hunt for a Wild Card berth.

For more on the Astros, be sure to check out Climbing Tal’s Hill. 

For more on the Blue Jays, be sure to check out Jays Journal.