Astros exchange figures with remaining arbitration-eligible players



Smiley N. Pool/ Chronicle

Lefthander Wandy Rodriguez went 14-12 with a 3.02 ERA last season.

The Astros agreed to deals with three arbitration-eligible players Tuesday.

However, they have their work cut out for them with the three that remain, especially with lefthander Wandy Rodriguez.

The team is offering Rodriguez $5 million. Wandy wants $7 million.

That’s a $2 million gap. That’s a lot of money. Just think of what $2 million can buy.

The figures are more agreeable in the cases of pitcher Tim Byrdak and outfielder Hunter Pence.

Pence wants $4.1 million; the team’s number is $3.1 million.

Byrdak is asking for $1.9 million and the team’s offering $1.3 million.

Either way, Wandy stands to at the very least double his 2009 salary of $2.6 million.

The biggest winner here stands to be Pence, who made $439,000 last year.

Byrdak made $1 million in 2009.

My guess is the Astros will settle with all three. Wandy’s will just take a little more time.

Categories: General
Bernardo Fallas

10 Responses

  1. PrincessLea says:

    January — Give the guy a chance – it’s a blog, not a full story – there is a difference. Think before you speak and if you think you can do a better job get out there and prove it (which you probably can’t).

  2. J says:

    So until you actually put something of your own thought up here about the Astros, I wont be on board with the new guy.

    You come from soccer to the Astros??? I mean, are they giving jobs to all unqualifieds up at the Chron?

    Just because you write for the local soccer team doesnt mean your qualified enough to write about their baseball team.

    I meant to write yesterday in your introduction blog but didnt get a chance. You didnt even say anything about iking the Astros. Almost like you have to do this to keep a job or something.

    You will ask dumb questions to the players and staff etc and report it here. YEAH!

    I have read your stuff so far and a 10 year old following the Astros could have wrote the same.

    Anyways, just keep the soccer out of here and make sure you dont copy your soon to be new buddy Richard Justice.

  3. Russ says:

    By the way, it is spelled “semantics”.

    As for the arbitration guys, Byrdak should be thankful to have a job–should be easy to deal with him.

    As for the other guys, Wandy is the main concern–will the tightwads aka Astros give him a 2 year deal with a third year option for $20 million? Lock him up for 3 years–he has earned it.

  4. JR says:

    I see you are jumping right in to covering the ‘Stros. Great!

    But when is Jose de Jesus Ortiz going to post something on the soccer blog??? His picture has been up for a week.

  5. laser says:

    There is no such word as “Symantics”; it is semantics. Anyway, the point being made was that Wandy’s final figure is expected to be around 6m, i.e. the midpoint of 5m and 7m.

  6. Yeppers says:

    If this is the type of limited and bare bones reporting we can expect now that you’re covering the Stros, it’s too bad.

    “That’s a lot of money. Just think of what $2 million can buy.” — how insightful (not)

    How about some statistics for these guys that warrant (or contradict) the figures for which they are asking. Or some comparisons to similar players in the league that can somehow quantify (or not) the requests.

    Wheres the BEEF?

  7. Lazarus says:

    GREAT to have you covering the ‘Stros.

    But why is Jose de Jesus Ortiz now listed on the Soccer y Fútbol blog?

    Thanks. He is. BF

  8. jd says:

    That’s not how baseball arbitration works. They pick either the players bid or the teams bid. No middle ground.

    That’s correct, provided they get to a hearing. Just as a reminder (I bet this is what Scott was referring to), parties can negotiate a settlement (usually somewhere in the middle) any time before the scheduled hearing. BF

  9. scott in brenham says:

    JD… Symantics, nobody ‘wins’ in arbitration. Just ask anyone who’s ever been divorced. It’s a ‘negotiation’ that’s settled by a third party. They’ll meet somewhere in the middle, which is what Bernardo was alluding to… Don’t let logic interfere with your omniscience. Merry Christmas.

  10. JD says:

    Symantics, but if the Astros win arbitration, Wandy would be $200k short of doubling his 2009 salary

    That’s right, but you know what I meant. BF