"A fiery leader, Brocail may help fill the large leadership void that was left open when former Astros general manager Tim Purpura decided last winter to let Russ Springer go in part because former manager Phil Garner wanted a reliever who could pitch multiple innings.

The relief corps, especially Brad Lidge and Chad Qualls, had leaned heavily on the steady guidance Springer provided.

"I just know they really felt (Brocail) was one of the guys you could really call the glue," Astros general manager Ed Wade said of the Padres. "There's a right way to do things and a wrong way, and he knows the right way."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/5332103.html

Ortiz, in his HC blog, discussing the Brocail signing, has some pointed criticisms of Pupura and Garner:

"Remember, the Astros never recovered from Tim Purpura's decision to let Russ Springer go. Purpura made some bad mistakes, and the Springer decision was one that really hurt. When saying why they didn't want Springer, Phil Garner said the Astros instead wanted a reliever who could pitch multiple innings. People close to Springer, many of them some of the top pitchers on the club, were upset at Garner's rationale and wondered if Garner just couldn't deal with a reliever who had more respect than the manager in the clubhouse."

http://blogs.chron.com/baseballblog/archives/2007/11/winter_meeting_1.html