Results tagged ‘ Astros ’

Angels have offer out to Ayala; nothing imminent

The Angels are one of “a handful of teams” that have tendered a formal offer to Luis Ayla, but a source familiar with the negotiations said the free-agent reliever is still weighing his options and a decision is not imminent.

It’s unclear at this point whether the Angels have offered a Major League or a Minor League contract, but they are believed to be in the mix along with the Orioles, Yankees, Astros and perhaps others. Considering he’s coming off a bounceback season with the Yankees, one that saw him post a 2.09 ERA and a 1.268 WHIP in 56 innings, the 34-year-old right-hander would likely command a Major League deal.

The Angels were among four teams interested in adding Francisco Cordero, but he wound up agreeing to terms on a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Blue Jays on Tuesday. Cordero is reportedly headed to Toronto to serve as a setup man — a pretty clear indication that the Blue Jays’ offer trumped that of the Angels and other suitors.

– Alden Gonzalez 

Cust to the Astros

Jack Cust, who has hit 105 home runs in a 10-year Major League career that has spanned six teams, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Astros with an option for 2013, according to a baseball source.

The deal is pending a physical and could be announced as soon as Wednesday. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow declined to comment.

Cust, 33, appeared in 67 games for the Mariners last year, batting .213 with three homers and 23 RBIs. He spent the previous four seasons with the Oakland A’s, hitting 97 homers and driving in 281 runs in that span. He’s played primarily left field, right field and designated hitter in his career.

-- Brian McTaggart

Astros willing to take back money on Myers, Lee

The Astros are shopping starting pitchers Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers and first baseman/outfielder Carlos Lee at the Winter Meetings and would be willing to eat some of the contracts of Myers and Lee, according to a Major League Baseball source. The Astros aren’t willing to take back money on any deal involving Rodriguez.

Lee is scheduled to make $18.5 million next year, the final year of his six-year, $100-million deal. He has a partial no-trade clause, meaning he has given the Astros a list of teams to which he could be traded. Rodriguez is due $10 million next year, $13 million in ’13 and would get $13 million in ’14 if he changes uniforms. Myers is due $11 million in ‘12 and $10 million in ’13, if his club option is picked up.

– Brian McTaggart

Barmes longshot to return to Houston

Veteran infielder Clint Barmes, who filled a void at shortstop for the Astros last season, is unlikely to return to Houston. The Astros would like to have him back and Barmes isn’t averse to returning, but Houston is rebuilding and isn’t prepared to take on a larger salary as it awaits a transfer of ownership.

“I talked to his agent a couple of weeks ago and told him we would really like to have him here, but I just don’t know if it’s going to work in our situation,” Astros general manager Ed Wade said.

Barry Meister, who represents Barmes, understands the Astros will have to wait until the ownership issues gets resolved before making a run at free agents.

“I had talked to the Astros before free agency started and they indicated, as we all know, they have some issues they have to deal,” Meister said. “Ed and I have a good relationship, but there are issues of ownership.”

The Astros have until Nov. 23 to decide if they’re going to offer salary arbitration to Barmes, who’s a Type B free agent. He would have to sign with another team before Nov. 23 or reject the Astros’ offer of arbitration in order for the Astros to get a compensatory pick in next year’s First-Year Player Draft. He has until Dec. 7 to accept or reject arbitration.

Barmes, who was traded to the Astros a year ago and made $3.92 million this year, will have no shortage of suitors, Meister said.

“I think there’s going to be a significant market for him,” he said. “He’s not averse to coming back to Houston, but when they’re ready to talk about that, we’re ready to so the same.”

Barmes hit .244 with 12 homers and 39 RBIs last season with the Astros after missing the first few weeks with a broken hand suffered in Spring Training.

– Brian McTaggart

Yankees talking about Wandy Rodriguez

The Yankees have discussed Houston Astros left-hander Wandy Rodriguez, but still have to be convinced that he would represent a significant upgrade over the pitching they currently have in their rotation.

General manager Brian Cashman balked at the Rockies’ request for several high-level prospects in exchange for right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who instead went to the Indians on Saturday.

Left-hander Manny Banuelos is generally considered off-limits by the Yankees, but they seem willing to at least talk about players like right-hander Dellin Betances, catcher Jesus Montero and right-hander Ivan Nova.

Rodriguez represents the upper echelon of what’s left on the market leading into Sunday’s 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline, but the Yankees will need to believe that he would make an impact over what Bartolo Colon or Freddy Garcia figure to provide in order to stomach the $38.3 million he’d be owed through 2014 if Rodriguez exercises his player option for that season.

Rodriguez is 7-7 with a 3.49 ERA in 19 starts this year for Houston. In 122 innings, he has permitted 49 runs (47 earned) and 120 hits, including 15 homers, while walking 38 and striking out 106.

– Bryan Hoch

Bourn and Reds unlikely match

It appears less than likely that the Reds will make a trade with the Astros to get outfielder and leadoff hitter Michael Bourn.

According to a baseball source, Houston’s asking price was too high. However it is not known which players or prospects from the Reds the club was seeking.

The Reds and general manager Walt Jocketty remain buyers on the market ahead of Sunday’s 4 p.m. ET non-waivers Trade Deadline. They are also looking for players under club control beyond this season and Bourn was signed with the Astros through 2012.

– Mark Sheldon

Efforts to trade Bourn increasing

The Astros’ efforts to trade outfielder Michael Bourn are picking steam, according to multiple reports. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported Saturday it’s growing more likely Bourn will be dealt before Sunday’s deadline.

Bourn, who’s tied for the National League lead in hits since June 1, told MLB.com on Saturday he’d prefer to stay in Houston, but understands it’s out of his control. Bourn, a Houston native, was traded to the Astros in 2007 from the Phillies in the Brad Lidge deal.

– Brian McTaggart

 

Astros have a deal for Pence

The Astros reached a deal to send All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence to the Phillies in exchange for four players, including Philadelphia’s top two Minor League prospects, a person close to the negotiations told MLB.com.

The deal, which is subject to the approval Major League Baseball, is expected to be finalized on Friday.

Pence was pulled from the field in the middle of the fifth inning of the Astros’ game against the Brewers on Friday night at Miller Park.

The Astros are receiving right-handed pitcher Jarred Cosart and left-handed outfielder Jonathan Singleton, along with two more players. At least one of the players will be a player to be named later. Cosart is ranked by MLB.com as the Phillies’ top prospect, and Singleton is No. 2.

Pence, 28, entered Friday’s game .309 with 11 homers and 62 RBIs for the Astros and made the National League All-Star team for the second time. He’s making $6.9 million this season and still has two years of arbitration remaining, so any team acquiring him would have him under control for at least two more seasons.

Cosart, 21, grew up in League City, just south of Houston, and was drafted in the 38th round in 2008. He’s got an 18-13 career record with a 3.67 ERA in his career, including 9-8 with a 3.92 ERA this year at Class A Clearwater.

Cosart has electric stuff, with one of the better fastballs in the Minors and a very good curve. He’s lean and projectable and he’s got good command of his stuff.

Singleton, 20, was taken in the eighth round in 2009 and is a career .287 hitter with 25 homers and 136 RBIs in 227 games, including .282 with nine homers and 47 RBIs in 92 games this year.

A high school draftee had an extremely productive first full season, being named the South Atlantic League’s Most Outstanding Major League prospect. He should hit for average and power and has a good approach at the plate.

Although he was a top first base prospect, the Phillies have moved Singleton to the outfield to avoid the Ryan Howard roadblock. He’s taken to it better than expected. He’s manning left field in Clearwater this season.

Pence  burst onto the scene in 2007, hitting .322 with 17 homers and 69 RBIs in his first year with the Astros, who drafted him in the second round in 2004 out of the University of Texas-Arlington. He hit 25 homers in each of the next three seasons, and in 2009 became the 12th Astros outfielder to make the All-Star team.

– Brian McTaggart

 

 

7/29 Hot Stove Roundup: Who’s next to go?

That hasn’t really been decided yet.

Since Carlos Beltran officially joined the Giants on Thursday, no big moves have been made — at least not as of late afternoon on Friday. So, with the non-waiver Trade Deadline now less than two days away, and lots of big names remaining, we’re almost bracing for an avalanche of deals to be carved out just in time.

Before then, here are Friday’s biggest rumors …

* Ubaldo Jimenez is still the big ace that’s apparently being dangled, but nobody seems to have stepped up. Jon Heyman of SI.com and MLB Network said the Red Sox are aggressively pursuing Jimenez, the Yankees are “lurking,” and the Indians, Reds and Blue Jays are also in the mix. Jayson Stark of ESPN.com then stated that the Yankees’ interest has waned, and the Indians are the ones emerging.

* The Astros remain in “intense” trade talks for Hunter Pence, according to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Pence was removed from Thursday’s lineup because of a potential trade, McTaggart added, and said a direct two-team deal remains general manager Ed Wade‘s preference. The Phillies have made Pence their top target, but how much are they willing to give up?

* The Tigers are a contending team, and they need starting pitching. That’s no secret. The question is who they can get — or better yet, who can they get without giving up top prospect Jacob Turner? One way or another, MLB.com’s Jason Beck wrote, the Tigers’ search for a starter is nearing a resolution.

* The Reds may be 6 1/2 games out of first place after losing four straight, but GM Walt Jocketty said this much: “We are not selling.”

* If you need a third baseman, don’t look to the Cubs. Aramis Ramirez and his no-trade clause are not on the market.

* The Mariners traded Ryan Langerhans to the Diamondbacks for cash considerations, in order to clear room on the roster for former D-backs outfielder Wily Mo Pena.

* The Rangers are pushing hard to get closer Heath Bell, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes. Whether or not that materializes, the Padres have a lot of interesting pieces, and things should pick up between now and the Deadline.

* Jason Marquis, Jeremy Guthrie, Koji Uehara, Hiroki Kuroda, Erik Bedard (who pitches tonight), Doug Fister, Mike Adams, Wandy Rodriguez, Grand Balfour and Kevin Slowey are some of the arms that can be had before 4 p.m. ET on Sunday. B.J. Upton, Denard Span, Michael Bourn, Jamey Carroll, Carlos Quentin, Jason Kubel, Delmon Young and Josh Willingham are some of the position players to be had. But no movement yet.

So we wait.

– Alden

Astros remain in Pence talks

The Astros remain in intense trade talks regarding All-Star right fielder Hunter Pence on Friday afternoon, specifically with the Philadelphia Phillies.

MLB.com has confirmed Pence was briefly removed from the lineup prior to Thursday’s game in St. Louis because of potential trade, but wound up staying in the order and going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles in the Astros’ win. Pence was in the lineup on Friday night for Houston’s series opener against the Brewers, batting fourth.

Although there are reports the Astros and Phillies have discussed a three-team deal, a person close to the situation told MLB.com Friday that a two-team swap remains Houston’s focus. The Astros are coveting several prospects for Pence, who’s the top name on the trade market in the wake of the Carlos Beltran trade.

The Atlanta Braves are also reportedly in the mix for Pence’s services, along with the Reds and a handful of other teams.

Astros general manager Ed Wade had no comment.

The Astros are also getting heavy interest about Gold Glove center fielder Michael Bourn, left-hander Wandy Rodriguez and, to a lesser extent, right-hander Brett Myers. The non-waiver Trade Deadline is 3 p.m. CT on Sunday.

– Brian McTaggart

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