The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired Wandy Rodriguez and cash from the Houston Astros. The Pirates sent prospects Robbie Grossman, Coltan Cain and Rudy Owens in exchange in the deal.
The Pirates will cover $1.7 M the rest of this season, $8.5 M in 2013, and $7.5 M in 2014 if the option is exercised. The Astros pay about $12 M in the deal.
Rodriguez, 33, has a 3.79 ERA over 21 starts with Houston this season. The left-hander has a career 4.04 ERA over parts of eight seasons in the Majors.
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While I would like them to add a bat, I don’t have an issue with this trade. It’s not a rental, it doesn’t give up any of the top five prospects, and we still have Locke, Wilson and McPherson waiting to fill the back of the rotation.
Now, just call up Marte and I would be happy.
OK. Here is the thing. This gives the Buc’s another veteran starter that will slide in for Corriea. That makes this the strongest rotation we have had in many, many years. Mac, Wandy, AJ, Bedard, and Karstens is how I see it playing out. That seperates the 2 lhps and also keeps Mac and AJ from pitching back to back. Good move Neil, now gets us a big bat/leadoff hitter.
The part that bugs me about the trade is the 2014 option now gets converted to a player option. For $13M, you know that’s getting picked up in his age 35 season.
We will not be paying 13M though. Only 7.5M for the option.
The Astros ate a lot of Wandy’s salary. Also with the trade we have him for the next 2.5 seasons. This in my mind was a good trade.
I like it and trust Huntington
If the Astros ate some of Wandy’s 2012 contract, this could be a great deal
I like this trade. Wandy is a good SP and will bring some veteran presence in, something we can’t deny has helped this club to this point with Burnett. I think we will still go after a big bat but realize it will come at a cost. But if we are giving up some prospects with a an above average upside, we better get something good in return such as Willingham, Pence, etc.
I feel like we had Locke and Owens so we had one to give because they are similar. Cain was just ok in the low minors but still a good prospect. Even though Grossman is a tweener in the OF I really like that he is a walk machine. I cant remember the last Pirate who piled up walks. Maybe Bonds? I have always wanted Wandy. The definition of crafty lefty. If we got good money back also this is a good deal. McDonald has been shaky so he will fit in…maybe we will deal Bedard or Correia? it will be interesting. Now lets fill the top of the order/corner OF issue without giving out too much more. Not sure if that is possible. Gorkys Hernandez is so great in the field but we have to get a bat. he is not ready to hit in the mlb…he probably never will be.
I’m not sure how I feel about this. Lol.
Apparently the Pirates weren’t very pleased with Grossman, I’d be curious to know now exactly what occurred. Maybe this also means that they feel comfortable giving up on him with Adalberto Santos continuing to emerge.
I’m not a fan at all. Wandy simply isn’t that good. H
Not liking this move, why not give Locke or Owens a shot in the big leagues before making a movie for a lefty. The Astros have to be eating a very significant ammount of the contract for this to make any sense.
You know what you get with Rodriguez, where who knows if Owen, Locke, or Wilson will be good this year. That isn’t the type of bet you take this time of year. Keep in mind, we still have 2 really good starting pitchers in Indy ready to come up at any time, plus Morris in the bullpen, who is ready as well. This was a good move.
move*
Well I am glad it wasn’t Hansan. I like the deal. I hate to lose Grossman but you have to give something to get something.
I wonder how much money the Astros ate?
Tonight’s game proved we need two more bats not another pitcher that won’t be around that long due to his salary being high.
An individual game proves nothing. This game by itself showed that Andrew McCutchen isn’t a great hitter against lefties and that Gerrit Jones is. Check mate.
You take the trades that you can get. This IMPROVES the team! There was no place for Owens, because Locke and Wilson are ahead of him. Grossman’s importance is minimized by Polanco’s emergence in the system. Rodriguez is a good pitcher! You don’t consistently have an ERA below 4 and a whip around 1.2 because you are a bad pitcher.
We will get a bat, just be patient. I would rather get a good deal that rush into it.
Why trade Owens for Rodriguez? Wally is only to be here for a season or two. Rudy had a chance to be here for 6. Bad deal Neal is at it again. We needed two hitters not another pitcher.
we just took a step in the wrong direction i am disgusted with this garbage
That’s a bit of a strong reaction. I was really into the idea of Grossman, but there are guys there to replace him. Owens seems ok, but there are two guys on his own team that can replace him. Cain is so far off it’s a bit of a stretch to assume anything, but he doesn’t project as any frontline starter, so whatevs. The Pirates got themselves a decent, experienced professional…for like 3 years no doubt. They still have Cole, Taillon, Heredia, and Marte…..disgusted may be a bit of a harsh term.
I wonder how the rotation will shape out and second who’s roster spot he will take.
I’d imagine he’ll take Meek’s spot for now – see if the Bucs unload Lincoln, Hughes, or Resop before Juan Cruz gets activated..
Resop has been on fire. he has really urned it around. I feel like Cruz has been the worst guy out of the pen the last month or so.
Astros announcers just said Grossman, Cain & Owens
Is that right? Sounds good. I like Wandy.
Neal Huntington confirms it is Grossman, Cain, and Owens.
TERRIBLE we will pay…we do not need a pitcher this is the dumbest move imaginable…this is the first move I have not liked of NH..if we are going to give up this much is should be for a bat not a luxury sixth pitcher
You can never have enough pitching. especially a good lefty at PNC. We didn’t give up anything of substance. Grossman who I like is the 3rd best OF in the system and we have a bunch of guys coming on. Owens gives up to many gopher balls. I like Wilson better as well as the big three coming from the low ranks. We still need another hitter and I think we will get one. Its the only reason they could be keeping Marte down at this point.
Why couldent we have either used lincoln or call one of these guys up to pitch? We should not gut our system for guys like victorino and wandy!
Hardly gutting the system… We have plenty of promising LHP and Grossman was going to be a leadoff type, not a corner OF. Polanco’s emergence minimizes his importance.
what i was saying if we make two more trades like this one…or begin to deal heredia or marte it will be gutting…i like our other OF better too like polanco, santos,even barnes, and dont forget the injured josh bell
We overpaid.
Hanson will probably move to third. Glad we kept Polanco and Marte…so far.
Move to third? Um…..huh? Maybe in bizarro world.
i am watching the post game show and they are saying. Grossman, Cain, and Rudy Owens for Wandy. Good deal if that is the case. This makes me wonder though where Hanson is going.
Nevermind, just saw an update: Grossman, Colton Cain, Rudy Owens. Good trade!!!
Whew….
I heard its Hanson and Grossman!! No problem with giving up Grossman, but i do not want hanson involved in this trade.
Apparently FoxSports.com has a source that says Alen Hanson is included as well. I really hope this isn’t true. If so, very bad trade.
Fox News…wrong again!
Grossman
I am listening to the Indy game and it sounds and looks like Hanson. Interesting given they just drafted a SS with the 1st pick.
hanson will play second long term
…oh man, and Ben Hohlfelder is “the” name in advanced presumptive scouting via the box score online. Only time will tell, he should still be in high school, shouldn’t he?
I think the deal with the option is that it becomes a player option.
The Pirates reportedly gave up Grossman, who was pulled when the trade was reported as final.
Looks like Hanson and Polanco left their game early tonight. Coincidence?
That’d be my guess. That’d have to be a hell of a deal for the best two offensive players in the low-mid minors.
Sounds like Hanson I wonder who else? I saw Grossman was pinch hit for late.
Robbie grossman for Wandy.. I like it
I like this move as long as we didn’t give up too much
appears we gave up owens, grossman, and cain
I think that counts as too much.