• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Sports Bank

News. Sports. Arts & Entertainment. Politics

  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Archives
  • Media
  • The Sports Bank in Book Form
  • Premier League Book

Pittsburgh Pirates Acquire Wandy Rodriguez from Houston Astros

July 26, 2012 By paulmbanks Leave a Comment

Share

In what many observers deemed as a bold move, the previously woebegone, now surging Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired Left-Handed Starting Pitcher Wandy Rodriguez from Central Division rival Houston Astros in exchange for AAA All-Star pitcher Rudy Owen and Colton Cain, both left-handers, and outfielder Robbie Grossman to Houston.

The Pirates, who have set a Major League Baseball (MLB) record for consecutive losing seasons (19), are in the middle of a pennant race, both in the Central Division and as well as in the MLB Wild Card race.

In short, they’re going for it.

In acquiring Rodriguez, the Pirates obtained a veteran left-hander who’s under contract past the end of this season while having the Astros assume a significant chunk of his remaining contract.

“The pitching market is much more plentiful than the position player market,” general manager Neal Huntington said after Tuesday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs. “We had an opportunity to make a move for a player that we liked at an acquisition cost that we felt was appropriate.”

Rodriguez’s contract pays him $10 million this season and $13 million next year as part of a three-year, $34 million contract he signed before the 2011 season. He has a $13 million club option for 2014 that becomes a player option because he was traded.

According to an industry source, the Pirates are responsible for $1.7 million of Rodriguez’s remaining salary in 2012, $8.5 million in 2013 and $7.5 million in 2014. The Pirates only receive cash from the Astros in 2014 if Rodriguez exercises his option.

 

Rodriguez, 33, was 7-9 with a 3.79 ERA for the Astros this season. He has 89 strikeouts in 1302/3 innings.

“We like the innings, we like the strikeouts, we like the ERA, we like the competitor,” Huntington said.

“While we’ve given up a significant amount in prospect value, we recognize that we do still feel like we have enough to have a very deep system and potentially to make another move or two,” Huntington said.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, “I’ve had my eyes on him for a while,” m “He competes. He’s been tough to hit any team that I’ve had.”

Rodriguez should bolster the back end of their solid rotation led by James McDonald and A.J. Burnett, both of whom boast identical 10-3 records.
The offensively-challenged Pirates (23rd in MLB in runs scored and batting average) are still looking to add a hitter. They have had a scout monitoring the Brewers-Phillies series this week, and could have interest in Shane Victorino.
Follow paulmbanks

Related Posts via Categories

  • Aaron Judge Breaking the Roger Maris HR Record Would be Good for Baseball
  • Time to Rethink Black Sox Legacy Amid Field of Dreams Game
  • Travelogue: Visiting the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Iowa
  • Field of Dreams: Re-Analyzing the Movie Amid the 2nd Real Life MLB Game
  • Cubs and Reds at Least Bring History to Field of Dreams Game
  • Ricketts’ Marquee Network Loses 1/4 Its Audience; Cubs Fans Rejoice
  • Aaron Judge Ahead of Roger Maris Yankees HR Record Pace
  • Willson Contreras, Ian Happ Will be Casualties of Next Ricketts Sell-Off
  • Chicago Cubs 2022 Season Midterm Report Card, Analysis
  • FOX Sports Places Yankees-Red Sox Promo at World Trade Memorial Site

Filed Under: MLB

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

newsnow_f_ab
online casinos not on Gamstop

Best Paypal Casinos

Recent Posts

  • Aaron Judge Breaking the Roger Maris HR Record Would be Good for Baseball
  • Manchester United Now Pursuing Cody Gakpo to Fill their Void in Attack
  • Chelsea FC Transfer Talk: Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner, Wilfried Zaha
  • Man United Transfer Talk: Milinkovic-Savic, Rodriguez, Rabiot, Arnautovic
  • Time to Rethink Black Sox Legacy Amid Field of Dreams Game
  • Travelogue: Visiting the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Iowa
  • Erling Haaland Silences Community Shield Critics, Steals the Show on Opening Weekend
  • Best Kratom Potentiators
  • Timo Werner Undergoing RB Leipzig Medical, Leaving Chelsea
  • De Jong, Ronaldo Situations Destroying United’s Transfer Window

From Our Sponsors

OnlineBettingMD

Online Sports Betting

Best football betting sites

 

From Our Sponsors


[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2022 ·Magazine Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in