"Multiple Teams in on Putz" and the Astros aren't one of them

Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi reports that there are "multiple teams in on Putz." Who's on the list?

White Sox, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Nationals and Tigers.

Granted, there could be other teams who just aren't listed...

J.J. Putz is a "strong possibility" for the Astros

Yahoo Sports' Winter Primer breaks down each NL Central team going into the Winter Meetings. A lot of things we already know, but we do see:

The Astros are seeking a cheaper alternative for Valverde (J.J. Putz is a strong possibility) but are trying to re-sign Hawkins.

Astros inquire on Putz

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.

Keep an eye on J.J. Putz

This is another speculative post on behalf of Astros County, but don't sleep on the fact that the Mets just declined J.J. Putz's $9.1mil option for 2010, opting instead to buy him out for $1mil.

Says MLB.com's Jason Beck:
Putz experienced elbow discomfort in early May and had surgery to remove a bone spur a month later. He tried throwing late in the year, but was ultimately diagnosed with a slight tear in his medial collateral ligament in the same elbow. He's expected to fully recover and be ready to start throwing next month, but even so, the injury worries reportedly were concerning enough for the Mets, who were believed to be hesitant about the 2010 option going into this season.

Beck goes on to say that Putz could be a low-cost option for teams seeking help in the 9th inning in 2010. Hey, you know what? Putz will be 33, he's coming off surgery, and he'll be cheaper than Jose Valverde. Those are perfect conditions for a run by the Astros. Don't sleep on the possibility of Putz in an Astros uniform.