John Lackey has put himself in a position to cash in this offseason. Lackey put together a strong regular season, posting a 3.83 ERA in 27 starts. Lackey was even stronger in the postseason, going 1-1 with a 2.29 ERA in 19.2 innings.
As much as the Angels want to retain Lackey, they might not be able to. They have to decide on the fates of Vladimir Guerrero and Bobby Abreu, both of whom want to return to the Angels. Third baseman Chone Figgins will probably get a look, but he is expected to walk either way.
On the open market, there will definitely be a lot of interest in Lackey. The Boston Globe suggests the Mets and Rangers as logical landing spots, but keep an eye on the Dodgers and, yes, the Astros.
Lackey, a Texas native, would fit perfectly for the Astros. Their current ace, Roy Oswalt, is calling for some help in the rotation and Lackey could be that guy.
While they need to fix their bullpen, and find a replacement at shortstop, landing an All-Star ace like Lackey would certainly raise the morale in Houston, as well as give their new manager a chance to make things happen.