HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros see Wandy Rodriguez as one of the best left-handers in baseball, and they didn't want him to get away. Rodriguez and the Astros avoided arbitration and reached agreement Tuesday on a $34 million, three-year contract. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6058659
i think this is a good contract for a quality left handed starting pitcher, especially on this staff... glad we can lock down way-rod for a few more seasons and see if he's plateaued or can still get better, especially on the road.
too bad we have many more grueling seasons ahead for the astros. they are losing me as a fan. it's hard to ignore the rangers up here in north texas...especially given the astros' hopes for being a quality team are slim to none for the foreseeable future. i applaud them for re-signing wandy but i expected it and, if not, then it would just be almost an admission of giving up for a slimmer payroll to sell the team.
This team is definitely headed in the right direction, and in my opinion is more watchable than the Texans and Rockets. And I don't see how if you ever are am Astros fan you could switch to the Rangers. That team up till this season has been mediocre at best. The contract they gave to Beltre was a dumb one and one they will regret. They realized they lost Lee so decided to overspend on a 3rd basemen who has only performed in contract years. Sorry, but as a true fan to my team I don't see how you can slowly detach from your current one (Astros) and go like another team. Let alone a Dallas franchise. No offense but you sound like a fair weather fan that us getting soaked up with the Rangers because they finnally did something in the playoffs.
Good for Wandy. I hope he can play great going into the deadline so we can turn him into some top prospects. I can't agree with you there.
Regardless of value, it's hard to get excited about keeping a player on a crappy team. Especially since said player isn't so young that he'll stay through the rebuilding.
Well, I've lived in North Texas for the last 11 years. It's nice to be able to like the teams in the same town as you live and you can actually go to games on occassion. I have zero Houston ties after having grown up there and been a Houston fan for thirty years or so. I hardly qualify as a fair weather fan having followed the Astros since 1975. The Rangers have been bad for so long that it is refreshing for me to see them being near the top of the heap. So, yes, they have sparked my interest. Hard to ignore last season and the excitement if you live up here. Not that I care what you think of me. I don't jump around teams lightly. The Astros have been bad since their World Series and I don't think they are going anywhere in the next five years. They have a lot more rebuilding to do imo. And, the team is for sale which could drag out the rebuilding. And, the lack of loyalty to keeping our marquee players last season was a major letdown for me and removed a few of the reasons that kept my interest in the Astros. I draw the line with the Mavericks, though, although the Rockets are going nowhere fast.
There is no such thing as a "true fan". Everyone follows teams his own way. It is an entertainment choice, not a pledge of allegiance.
Enough of this crap around here with posters trying to define who can be a fan of what team. Some of us have been fans of a given team longer than some of you have been alive.
Yea....the whole "fair weather fan" label is thrown around so much it has become cliche. I probably shouldn't have even explained myself...because it really doesn't matter who is calling who "fair weather fan"...unless they have a license to do so with the MLB. Let me just say I've been contemplating moving the Rangers to my #1 team for a while. It would relegate the Astros to my #2 team. Unlike some fans, I can root for multiple teams. Or, am I then a "multi-team fair weather fan" now?
I am in the same boat. I grew up in Houston and I curently live in Dallas where I hope to make my home. I grew up rooting for the Stros and I jumped ships last year and now root for the Rangers. It is hard not to root for a team that has never done anything and the year I move here hey go to the World Series. They are very young and thier owner is Nolan Ryan! They are a very very exctiing team. Hamilton was the MVP and his story is really easy to root for. I am not the biggest baseball fan, and the Astros have fallen off since the killers B's. This team inspires me and I will be rooting for both come spring training. I do draw the line as well with the other teams. I hate the Mavs! I hate the Cowboys! I will always love the Rockets and Texans on another level, but if you want to call me a fairweather fan for jumping to Rangers.....Im okay wih that. They make it really hard not to like them....
see, that's where I am with the Astros. I love all things Houston, really, but the Astros are far and away the #1 sports franchise for me.
I just don't see it. Baseball lost alot of fans with the witch hunt of the steriods era.....The NFL and the NBA I love so much more. Baseball has been stuck in its ways for years and it really doesnt apeal to the younger generations.......Its not Americas pastime anymore and the NBA and NFL get so much attention compared to the dwindling sport.....
I think baseball sucks in general and is so boring and repedetive. I jump ships because I was really never on a ship in the first place. I dont have love for the game..... Its very sad to me that the very best players I ever saw play are all going to be black balled from the game. Baseball sucks compared to the other two leagues
If Wandy's contact doesn't have a no trade clause, this is a fantastic deal. Otherwise it's a solid deal. I don't see him taking it to the next level (All-star) but if he can turn in three seasons close to his last three then the Stros made out pretty well. If the Astros are struggling mid-season and Wandy is doing well, we could get quite a haul for him. His per-year salary is very reasonable and not trade-prohibitive like Roy or Lance's last seasons.
Hey, I didn't ask you to feel the same way. That's just me. Baseball is #1 with me as sports go. That's not going to change, but I don't expect anyone else to feel that way. OK a few things here. If you don't think baseball appeals to younger generations, go back and look at youth leagues in all the communities. Get the number of kids involved. "Appeal to younger generations" and "Nielson ratings" are mutually exclusive. It *is* America's pastime. Of course, that's just my opinion, and my opinion is as worthless as yours! :grin: Have a look at the attendance figures and the money generated by the MLB and you'll think twice about using the word "dwindling". Even amd the steroid scandal, the MLB did better than the NBA last year. It's a far cry from "dwindling". I mean I get it, you're not into baseball. It's cool. I'm just pointing out that some of your impressions are not based on actual fact. But I'm not asking you to change your preference. It's cool. One last thing: the MLB and its steroid-laden, anti-technology antics cannot ruin baseball for me. Baseball is bigger than MLB. Baseball is coaching my kid's t-ball team and running into half the town at the park. Baseball is thousands of hours throwing the ball with pop and grandpa as a kid, and throwing the ball with mine now. I don't know what other people think when the first flowers pop out of the ground in March and the robins start showing up, but I think, "mmmmm, baseball." To each his own.
Fair enough. I respect your point and it is valid. I grew up playing it and I do like the game. I just don't get excited with it like I do with the NBA or NFL. I wish the stros and the MLB the best. I just think on paper, the Rangers will make another run this year if they grab another arm or a youngster really steps up