Wandy Claimed on Waivers (UPDATE: Rockies claimed him)

I think a deal might still happen simply because these are still the Rockies and they still face the problems with pitchers that the Rockies have historically faced.

If you are the Yankees, you can ask why you'd give up prospects for Wandy when you can sign the same pitcher for the same money in free agency. But for the Rockies? First and second tier free agent pitchers (that don't already pitch for the Rockies) don't want their ERA's to balloon the way that that park makes ERA balloon. So either they'd either be completely lukewarm to signing in Colorado, or they expect a major salary premium above and beyond the market-value deal that Wandy has.

Among all the teams in the league, I think the Rockies would be the team that would have the hardest time signing a pitcher equivalent to Wandy in free agency at or below the price to which Wandy is committed, even including the trade kicker with the option. If that is the case, giving up prospects to get Wandy becomes much more comprehensible.

 

I don't follow the Astros that much anymore, but did Wandy give Houston a hometown discount for his offseason contract? If he's more tradable now with his new contract, that would have to be the reason, right? Otherwise, any team that got him last year would be paying him the same money right now.

Because I can't imagine how anyone can spin an "older, great pitcher" is worth more or even the same as a "younger, great pitcher"

 

He wasn't a free agent last year, so the Astros were the only ones that had the ability to sign him to that deal. That said, it's hard to say if it was a discount. Based on his numbers the last few years, it was a discount. But the perception around the league consistently seems to be that he's not that great, so it's unclear if he would have gotten more elsewhere.

As far as trading him, the team taking him would be making less of a financial commitment. Teams like shorter contracts, so instead of a 4 yr deal, they'd only be "signing" him to a 3 yr deal (or 2 instead of 3 - not sure how long he's signed for). Even if it's the same $/yr, that makes him more appealing.

 

The perception around the league is right, he's not that great.

I remember when him and Meatface (Astacio) first came up, I asked myself, "Are either of these dudes worth a s***?"

Turns out Wandy might be worth a s***, but I wouldn't wipe.

Let him leave , but get something back for him.

 

4 years of stats seems to suggest otherwise, though. So if a player actually performs great, but people don't think he *should* be great because he doesn't look the part, is he great or not?

 

He's great at home, but 7 years of away stats seem to suggest that he's not great overall.

Is it just that he's figured out how to pitch at MMP, or is it that he feeds off the energy of the hometown crowd?

Either way, at his age and with his contract, I'd rather let another team make use of him in exchange for future rebuilding pieces.

 

Lots of pitchers & hitters have weird home/road splits though. Back in 2007, his numbers were certainly way out of whack (ERA of 2 vs 6), but it's gotten smaller the last 4 years. This year, there's actually no real split at all. At the end of the day, his numbers are consistently amongst the top tier of the league - and unlike a lot of the other players on that list that come and go, he's remarkably consistent. And I believe there was a stat that over the last 2 years or so, he's one of the top 4 or 5 lefties in all of baseball?

Good question - but MMP isn't a pitcher's park, so I'm not sure what you could do to more effectively pitch there that you couldn't do at any other ballpark. I think he probably pitches his best when he's in his comfort zone. That explains being better at home than on the road, as well as that split narrowing as he's gotten more experience over the years. It also would explain his struggles in AL parks, where he doesn't have a lot of experience.

Agreed - he provides more value to another team than the Astros, if you assuming their timeline of getting good is around the 2014 level.

 

True, many players have weird home/away splits, but (with the exception of this year) Wandy's splits have been fairly... well... split.

If he really has figured it out, good for him (and good for the team that takes him off our hands). If this year is an aberration, sorry Wandy (and sorry to the team that takes him off our hands).

I do agree, he is consistent.

MMP definitely isn't a pitcher's park, but being a lefty does help him avoid throwing pitches that end up in the Crawford boxes. In a park that's not as misshapen as ours, he might not do as well.

His struggles (and many other NLers' struggles) with the AL could also be explained away by the fact that they have nine batters in their lineup, compared to the eight plus pitcher that we trot out every game.

That's not a knock on the NL, I prefer the pure baseball we play to what's going on across the aisle (I pray MLB doesn't make us switch).

I'm just saying their style of play skews the numbers our guys put up under their rules.

I'm hoping for 2013, but I am an optimist

 

The argument is that on a short-term deal, he could be used as a rental, and the team would have the option of letting him walk. I find that ridiculous, personally... but some financially-strapped teams trying to "go for broke" in a given year seem to prefer moves like that. That's why he conceivably could have a bigger market in 2013.

As I've said before, I personally don't believe much in that. I think the contract concerns are incredibly overstated, and just rival GMs trying to use Heyman/Rosenthal to make Wade cave on his asking price. It's just that if they are true, then that "problem" could be fixed by waiting until later.

 

We don't even know who else might of claimed him. We only know the 7th team out of 29 claimed him.

 

Do we know if the Astros know who all the teams that claimed him are? Or are they only told the "winner"? It seems like it would be useful for the Astros when negotiating to know how many teams were potentially interested. If 15 teams put in a claim, the Astros can hold out for more; if only Colorado put in, then it's unlikely they will get as much down the line.

 

I doubt MLB discloses that information.

 

I believe that the Rockies are the only team they are allowed to negotiate with. It doesn't matter who else claimed him. It may be helpful information for the off season, but for the remainder of this season, they can either trade him to the Rockies, allow him to go to the Rockies with no compensation, or recall him from waivers.

 

Oh certainly - I was more interested in knowing the general demand for Wandy. Any team that claimed him was willing to take on his full salary, but it's unclear if they'd be willing to give up any prospects. If we know a lot of teams claimed him, the Astros would know they are more likely to be able to get SOMETHING in the offseason and be hardball negotiators with the Rockies. But if the Rockies were the only team that claimed him, that means his salary is a problem and teams weren't even interested in picking him up without trading any prospects - so the Astros would/should be more willing to try to trade with the Rockies.

That said, I imagine juicy is right - that the Astros wouldn't be told that information.

 

^

Then I guess he goes no where....at least, that's what should happen.

 

This is what the Astros should negotiate. We know they are willing to take on all the salary at no cost to prospects because they made the claim in the first place. So the Astros should offer to take on some salary in exchange for getting the prospects they want - that's what they did with Oswalt, Pence, etc.