Pat Neshek didn't want to leave St. Louis.

The former Cardinals - now Houston Astros - right-hander spoke candidly Wednesday about extension talks leading up to his free agency this winter.

"I probably would have given a discount at the end, but there was never anything exchanged," Neshek told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I got that hint right away."

Neshek earned first-time All-Star honors for his breakout year with the Cardinals, pitching to a 1.87 ERA while earning 25 holds behind closer Trevor Rosenthal. His performance resulted in a two-year, $12.5-million deal with the Astros this offseason, but Neshek said he would've taken half of what he received in order to stay in St. Louis, and even less had negotiations went down in July or August.

Neshek was apparently told by Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak he had a lottery ticket with the club, which didn't sit well with the 34-year-old.

“He (Mozeliak) kept saying ‘lottery ticket’ and ‘we’re not going to be able to sign you back,’” Neshek said. “Which, you know, you kind of go, ‘What the heck? You’re the Cardinals.’ They’re not a small market. I don’t care what anybody says. Every game there is packed and it’s a baseball atmosphere. In one sense it was kind of disappointing, but he knew it. He saw better. He could do something cheaper and try to get better. I see where they’re coming from."

Neshek will compete with another new recruit, Luke Gregerson, for the closer role in Houston this year.