McTaggart: Wandy and Astros going to arbitration
by OremLK on Jan 25, 2010 8:18 PM CST
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PrintHOUSTON -- Astros general manager Ed Wade said the club will head to an arbitration hearing with left-hander Wandy Rodriguez after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement by Monday's team-imposed deadline.
This is never a good development, because now Wandy is going to have to sit and listen to all the reasons why the Astros don't think he's worth the money. It's hard to say what the results of such intangibles might be, but it does create some questions.
How much does the front office really value Wandy? How much does he want to play here, if he's willing to take it this far? And does this do anything to open up the possibility of him being traded this year, or perhaps next off-season?
You could make a case that trading Wandy now would be selling high, especially if you got back some top pitching prospects in return. But he's a great player, and I love watching him pitch, so I'd be sorry to see him go.
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there a fanshot on it
which is why i didnt make a fanpost and ill just wait for main page article on it
by EveryHoustonTeamRox! on Jan 25, 2010 8:31 PM CST reply actions
Does Wandy actually have to be present at the arbitration? It’s his agent/representative who is going to be making the argument. Are “hurt feelings” really as big of a deal as people make it?
I tend to believe it’s overblown, you hear all the time “it’s business” from players and front office personnel alike. I’d tend to believe that if people are going to have “hurt feelings” it’s because they want those feelings and are looking for either a way out of the organization or money.
by Timothy De Block on Jan 25, 2010 10:39 PM CST up reply actions
I don’t know if the player is required to be there, but I haven’t heard of a case where they aren’t. Even if they aren’t required to be there, if I were the agent, I would insist on the player appearing, feeling that it might restrain what the team says. Also, it may help personalize the decision for the arbitrator.
In the Tal Smith interview which was linked the other day, he said that teams can conduct their arbitration presentation in such a way as to minimize the possibility of hard feelings. So, he felt that concern is overblown, apparently. (That said, we know it has happened, according to players.)
I wouldn’t read much into this development with Wandy. The fact that they are going to arbitration is primarily a function of the amount of money at issue between the two sides. Wandy has a big pay raise either way, so why not play with house money to get an even bigger salary? My recollection is that the Astros and Valverde also had a large difference in positions, and it went to arbitration. The other factor is that Wade is more willing to go to arbitration than most GMs. From the time he first came to Houston, he said he isn’t afraid of the arbitration process and doesn’t think there is any reason to refrain from using it. He has experience with arbitration based on his previous work with Smith.
Tal Smith was an early supporter of Wandy; years ago, when Wandy was disparaged by many fans, Smith believed in him, and told fans to have patience. So, I doubt this means that the Astros don’t like Wandy.
My understanding of the arbitration process is that it’s not “Wandy’s fastball sucks…he only deserves $5 mil”. It’s more like “here are some other players with similar stats and here’s what they were paid, so he should get something similar”. Seems harder to get one’s feelings hurt.
what happens if the only other comparable guy is in arbitration as well.
by Timothy De Block on Jan 26, 2010 3:09 PM CST up reply actions
I think it would be a great time to trade him
I agree, Orem, about the thought of trading him. Strike while the iron’s hot on a player who is about to begin the typical “decline” years of his career. It took him a few too many seasons to put it all together and it’s not like he’s going to be extremely helpful once this team is good again.
About the “feelings” side of things, I personally think Wandy has the makeup of a player whose feelings would be hurt by the process. One of his biggest issues not so long ago was the big inning melt down based on emotions/not staying focused. He has a history of letting things bother him, so, yes, I can definitely see how this could become a bigger issue.
Pitchers don’t typically age the same as hitters and therefore to say Wandy is entering his declining years is a bit premature. That said I don’t believe trading him now would be a great move, Ed Wade has made some good moves to make this team competitive. I’d like to see how this current team shakes out before any rash moves are made. If it’s the middle or later in the season and the team is struggling with no real clear chance at making the playoffs then I’d probably before a trade.
I’m a bit more optimistic this year than I was last year at this time. The Astros have two good options for the rotation in Paulino and Norris and if they produce, the Astros could have one of the better rotations in the league. Especially with the hopeful improvement of the defense in the infield.
by Timothy De Block on Jan 26, 2010 3:18 PM CST up reply actions
I think you are underestimating Wandy.
He has been a high quality LH pitcher for several years. I wouldn’t trade him unless the Astros got a top of the rotation ML-ready young pitcher in return. If not, I think the Astros are selling low, and I’m not in favor of tearing up the rotation just to tear it up. I want to see a good team on the field next year; so it would have to be a damned good deal in order to do that kind of damage to next year’s team. I think you have to look at decline years differently for LHP vs. RHP. LH starting pitchers tend to develop at an older age, and, if they turn out to be good, they tend to decline more slowly. The slower decline is due to the fact that LHPs are more likely to be effective with lower velocity than RHPs.
That’s pretty much what I’d want to get in return as well, clack. Well, maybe a guy who’s proven himself in AA or A+, depending on the quality of the prospect. A prospect who is at least very close to major league-ready.
But if we could get a deal like that, or better, I’d be in favor of trading him at the deadline, assuming we’re under .500 and/or not in the thick of contention.
I believe
if we have any thoughts of trading Wandy, its now or never. In no way are we going to get any top prospects for him and his stock isn’t going to drive any higher in my opinion. One thing about Wandy is he only has one more year of team control. His value isn’t very significant because of his lack of team control and increasing salary. However, If he were 14-12 and had figured out two years ago, he may have netted an intriguing package in my mind. I say keep him though because we arent rebuilding and he could win 15 games. If we do trade him, we are going against everything we are about with the current ownership.
by SteveBartman_MVP on Jan 26, 2010 4:33 PM CST reply actions
Well, Cot’s Contracts says he has 4.105 years of MLB service time. I believe players need at least 6 years to become potential free agents, so unless I’m not understanding this right and it rounds all the way up or something weird like that, he should be under team control through 2011.
Oh you're right.
Two years of team control is definitely better than one. My mistake. I thought he already went through a total of 5 years. Hes started atleast 22 games in every 5 of his seasons so I figured he was arbitration eligible for the 3rd and final time. I like Wandy though, don’t get me wrong. He has one of the best curves in the game and when he stays cool under pressure can deliver when needed. If he has a great year in 2010, he is going to get awfully expensive.
by SteveBartman_MVP on Jan 26, 2010 10:26 PM CST reply actions
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