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Astros Notes: Pence, Rodriguez, Figueroa

Wandy Rodriguez's contract extension is the big news out of Houston today, but here are some other Astros-related items of note...

• The Astros set a 5pm deadline today to reach agreements with any remaining arbitration-eligible players, according to a team press release.  The club beat the deadline with Rodriguez, but not with Hunter Pence, so the Astros and the 27-year-old outfielder will go to an arbitration hearing.  As MLBTR's ArbTracker shows, Pence is Houston's last unsigned arb-eligible player.  The club offered $5.15MM, while Pence is asking for $6.9MM in his second arbitration year.  Pence is a Super Two player, so he still has two more arb years left after this one.
• Joel Sherman of the New York Post has the breakdown of Rodriguez's contract (Twitter link).  The southpaw will earn $7MM next season, $10MM in 2012 and $13MM in 2013.  There is a vesting option worth $13MM in 2014 that has a $2.5MM buyout.  Rodriguez also receives a $1.5MM signing bonus.
• MLB.com's Brian McTaggart notes that Houston now has its top four starters (Rodriguez, Brett Myers, J.A. Happ and Bud Norris) all under team control through at least 2012.
• Nelson Figueroa talks to Astros senior director of social media Alyson Footer about how relieved he is to be on a guaranteed contract for the first time in his eight-year Major League career.

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