Reliever Tim Byrdak signs with Houston

Reliever Tim Byrdak won't return to Tigers, signs with Houston

As recently as Tuesday afternoon, Tim Byrdak expected to re-sign with the Tigers.
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“I felt like I had a lot of unfinished business there,” he said. “The way spring training went for me, it was kind of embarrassing.

“I was one of the few guys in Major League Baseball to have a job and lose it because of a terrible spring. I wanted to get back to Detroit and help stabilize the bullpen.

“I don’t want people to think I can’t do my job.”

Byrdak, who had been a reliable left-handed reliever for Detroit last year, was released by the club after a spring training in which he went 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA.

Still, he had interest in re-signing with the Tigers. And the Tigers had interest in him.

But the Houston Astros contacted his representatives on Tuesday, and their sales pitch was compelling: They had only one left-handed reliever on their big-league roster – Rule 5 draft pick Wesley Wright – and Byrdak would have a good chance of returning to the majors soon.

So, Byrdak decided on Wednesday to sign a minor-league contract with the Astros. Then he left his home outside Chicago to join Houston’s Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express, for their season-opening series in Iowa.

Byrdak said the Tigers’ signing of left-hander Aaron Fultz last weekend was a factor in his decision. With the Astros, Byrdak said, “I felt like there was more opportunity to get back (to the big leagues) quicker.”

Detroit officials have been trying to add left-handed pitching depth, since Bobby Seay is the only left-hander currently in the big-league bullpen.

Byrdak said he had kept in touch with his friends in Detroit over the past several days, including Seay and reliever Zach Miner.

“With the friendships I developed in that bullpen last year, I’m pulling for those guys to prove a lot of people wrong,” Byrdak said, as he traveled to Des Moines on Wednesday night. “I’ll definitely have an interest. Those guys are my friends there.”

Byrdak expects to be in uniform when Round Rock’s season begins on Thursday. He’s about to begin the same journey he started at this time last year, when he was at Triple-A Toledo, hoping for a chance to prove he belonged in the majors.

He pitched well for the Mud Hens, and then had a 3.20 ERA in 39 appearances for the Tigers, before things unraveled this spring.

“The worst part about it is that I was at the pinnacle of my career, trying to establish myself as a big-league pitcher,” Byrdak said. “But my career has always been like that. I’ve been knocked down, and I keep coming back.”

good for him. The Tigs are probably wondering why they let him go!

He's done pretty well so far!

Go Big Byrd!

Should have kept him

Oh I agree.
Perfection of an outing today.

Could have used him tonight

Big Byrdak has just finished two almost perfect innings, only allowing 1 hit, with 1 walk and a whooping 3 strikeouts against the Brew Crew in Milwaukee.

His thread on the Astros MB:

The Tim Byrdak Appreciation Thread

crap. Another Tiger blossoms away from Detroit! Yes I think the Tigs office IS kicking themselves. Who trades people/lets em go during ST? Oh, yeah, that would be us.

We keep letting them get away