NL Central Notes: Ludwick, Sanchez, Astros

As the Cardinals continue to battle the Giants in the NLCS, here's the latest from the NL Central…

• The Reds probably won't be able to afford Ryan Ludwick if he insists on "market value" for veteran corner outfielders, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  That's probably true if Ludwick looks for the deals that Josh Willingham, Jason Kubel or Michael Cuddyer (Fay's comparables) received last winter, but Willingham and Cuddyer were the oldest of the trio, going into their age-33 seasons. Ludwick turns 35 in July, so a three-year deal seems far-fetched to me.
• The Brewers announced they have purchased the contract of right-hander Jesus Sanchez and added him to their 40-man roster.  The 25-year-old Sanchez posted a combined 1.63 ERA in 52 relief appearances at the Double-A and Triple-A levels last season, plus a 2.91 K/BB ratio and 64 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings.
• The Astros won't have their coaching staff finalized for a week or two, GM Jeff Luhnow told reporters, including MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.  Only one or two members of the current Astros' staff is under consideration to return under new manager Bo Porter.  Bench coach Joe Pettini will not be back, reports McTaggart (Twitter link).