Wandy Rodriguez heading to Pirates

[Guest]

The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to trade for Houston Astros starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez, a source told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.

Rodriguez is 7-9 with a 3.79 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 130 2/3 innings this season.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/81...andy-rodriguez

More news to come.

[Guest]

The Pirates have acquired left-handed starter Wandy Rodriguez from the Astros in exchange for minor leaguers Rudy Owens, Robbie Grossman, and Colton Cain. The Astros will also pay some of the remaining $30MM owed to Rodriguez through 2014, a salary commitment which includes a 2014 option that was triggered by the trade.

Rodriguez, 33, has posted a 4.04 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in a little over 1,300 career innings, all with the Astros. The Wasserman Media Group client signed a three-year, $34MM extension with Houston prior to the 2011 season.

Grossman, an outfielder, is the best of the three prospects acquired by Houston, according to Jim Bowden of SiriusXM ESPN radio (Twitter). A 22-year-old switch-hitter, Grossman was a sixth-round draft choice of the Bucs in 2008. He's hit .262/.374/.403 with seven homers in 413 plate appearances this season with Double-A Altoona.

Owens, 24, had a 3.14 ERA in 19 starts with Triple-A Indianapolis this season. He has been added to Houston's 40-man roster.

Tom Singer of MLB.com first broke that the trade was close. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com confirmed that it was official and added in the financial details (via Twitter), and club press releases added which players the Astros received.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/0...rodriguez.html

[Woy]

Keith Law loves this deal for the Astros. I'm sure Lunhow found a gem here.

Your move, Mo. Go get me a starter and right-handed CF.

[Youk]

Good to see the Pirates buying instead of selling.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I think I've drafted Wandy Rod in every draft for the past 5 years...

There just comes a time when Wandy is always available, and no one else takes him...

[StealthShot]

Jesus Christ I can't for see how the Astros will compete in the AL west next season.

[Woy]

Jesus Christ I can't for see how the Astros will compete in the AL west next season.

They weren't going to compete with Wandy, Brett Myers and Carlos Lee anyways. They're a huge rebuilding project and have a great evaluator of talent in GM Jeff Lunhow to bring them back.

[Villain]

I love watching the Pirates go for it. This is awesome.

[NAHSTE]

I love watching the Pirates go for it. This is awesome.

Said everyone last year when they acquired Ludwick and Lee ...

But seriously, I think most of America wants to see them hang on and get a playoff berth. Would be cool if they played the Braves in the WC round, 20 years after the Sid Bream game.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Wandy got traded while I was at the Reds/Astros game. I was sitting next to a grizzled Astros fan who then proceeded to go emo on me because Wandy was the last guy left from the World Series team, and while he knows why they are doing the biggest fire sale this side of the '98 Marlins, he was pretty depressed about the string of 90+ loss seasons that are coming.

Jed Lowrie will be the highest paid returning Astro in 2013, at just over $1M.

[Guest]

Wandy got traded while I was at the Reds/Astros game. I was sitting next to a grizzled Astros fan who then proceeded to go emo on me because Wandy was the last guy left from the World Series team, and while he knows why they are doing the biggest fire sale this side of the '98 Marlins, he was pretty depressed about the string of 90+ loss seasons that are coming.

Jed Lowrie will be the highest paid returning Astro in 2013, at just over $1M.

Doesn't even have anything on that guy. Crazy they will be paying both Myers and Rodriguez multiple times more than Lowrie.

[NAHSTE]

Wandy got traded while I was at the Reds/Astros game. I was sitting next to a grizzled Astros fan who then proceeded to go emo on me because Wandy was the last guy left from the World Series team, and while he knows why they are doing the biggest fire sale this side of the '98 Marlins, he was pretty depressed about the string of 90+ loss seasons that are coming.

Jed Lowrie will be the highest paid returning Astro in 2013, at just over $1M.

I think it should be a bittersweet moment, because it's the only way they will get better. Their system is actually loaded with high upside position players all of a sudden. Luhnow has done well for them so far.

But from a fan's perspective, over the last 24 months they have lost Berkman, Oswalt, Pence, Bourn, Myers, Lee, etc. And they are being forced to switch leagues. It's gotta be pretty a pretty strange time right now for real fans.

(My dad is a lifetime 45s/Astros fan and all my roommates in college were from Houston, so that's the only reason I even give a shit.)