Rowland-Smith Remains With Astros
Pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith cleared waivers, elected free agency, and re-signed with the Astros on a minor league deal according to this tweet from Alyson Footer. The Astros signed Rowland-Smith to a big league deal in December, so these machinations allow him to remain with the organization without taking up a spot on the 25 or 40-man rosters. He can join the Oklahoma City RedHawks in Triple-A and await a potential opening with the big club.
Astros To Designate Rowland-Smith For Assignment
The Astros plan to designate Ryan Rowland-Smith for assignment Thursday, the team announced. The Astros signed Rowland-Smith to a deal that could have been worth $725K last December, but he didn't crack the team's Opening Day roster.
The 28-year-old Australia native posted a 6.75 ERA with 4.0 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and a 37.1% ground ball rate last year before the Mariners non-tendered him. He missed time with a triceps injury in 2009 and a lower back strain in 2010.
The Astros' rotation is set with Brett Myers, Wandy Rodriguez, Bud Norris, J.A. Happ and Nelson Figueroa. The Astros will have ten days to outright Rowland-Smith to the minor leagues, trade him, or release him, assuming they go ahead with the DFA tomorrow. If outrighted, Rowland-Smith has the right to elect free agency.
NL Central Notes: Pendleton, Rodriguez, Pujols, Silva
Let's take a look at what's happening around the NL Central on this fine Sunday afternoon…
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports that the Astros tried to work out a trade for right-hander Lance Pendleton before the Rule 5 Draft pick was returned to the Yankees earlier today. The two sides just couldn't find a match.
- Pirates GM Neal Huntington told Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Rule 5 pick Josh Rodriguez has made the team (Twitter link).
- Albert Pujols is at peace with his current contract situation and has no hard feelings toward the Cardinals after failing to work out an extension, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Pujols said he still hopes something can be worked out following the season.
- Strauss also tweets that the Cardinals aren't interested in the recently released Carlos Silva.
- Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets that Brewers infielder Luis Cruz cleared waivers and will be assigned to Triple-A.
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart opines that the addition of Joe Inglett to the Astros means Jason Bourgeois will make the team and helps Tommy Manzella's chances to start at shortstop (Twitter link).
Astros Acquire Joe Inglett
The Astros have acquired Joe Inglett from the Rays in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations, tweets Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
Inglett, 32, has seen time at shortstop, second base, third base, and all three outfield spots over the course of his career. The utility man owns a respectable career line of .286/.345/.397 over 871 career plate appearances. He carries a significant platoon split, having hit just .200/.310/.253 against southpaws, though that data comes from a very small sample size of just 91 plate appearances.
Alyson Footer adds, via Twitter, that Inglett comes to the Astros as a non-roster player and will be in the mix for a job as a left-handed bench bat.
Astros Return Lance Pendleton To Yankees
The Astros have returned Rule 5 pick Lance Pendleton to the Yankees, tweets Astros' director of social media Alyson Footer. Pendleton cleared waivers and will be assigned to New York's minor league camp (Twitter link).
Pendleton, 27, was one of two Rule 5 selections by the Astros, along with Aneury Rodriguez. Pendleton had been competing for a spot in Houston's bullpen, but struggled with his control this spring, walking eight batters in just 7 2/3 innings.
Alberto Gonzalez Drawing Interest
At least four teams have "serious interest" in the out of options Alberto Gonzalez, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter). Ladson names the Athletics, Astros, Padres, and Braves as teams who are eyeing the Nationals' infielder.
Last Sunday, we heard the Padres were "looking hard" at Gonzalez, who has the ability to play an array of defensive positions. Though the 27-year-old posted just a .578 OPS in part-time duty for the Nationals a year ago, he has played well this spring, hitting .365/.400/.404. Still, with Jerry Hairston Jr. and Alex Cora on board, there may not be room for Gonzalez on the Nats' Opening Day roster.
Quick Hits: Rangers, Astros, Reyes, Burrell, Belt
Links for Saturday, after the Yankees announced that Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia will be their fourth and fifth starters while Bartolo Colon serves as the long reliever…
- The Rangers aren't looking for a centerfielder as they believe that Julio Borbon will be okay after suffering an elbow injury, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. It's not realistic to expect the club to land a starting pitcher either as there isn't much out there.
- Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. denied a report saying that he's close to selling the team, writes Stephen Goff of Examiner.com.
- Left-hander Dennys Reyes told Alex Speier of WEEI.com that he is healthy after dealing with a forearm strain at the end of last year. Earlier today the Red Sox purchased the veteran's big league contract.
- More teams are structuring deals to guard against major injuries to their star players, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- As Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reminds us, chances are that back-of-the-rotation won't be the one the Yankees finish the season with.
- Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that the team's bullpen isn't finalized (Twitter links). "We've still got a few things in the works," said Dubee, which Zolecki says could mean a trade, waiver claim, or an internal option.
- Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Bruce Bochy confirmed that Pat Burrell will be the Giants' Opening Day left fielder, meaning Brandon Belt is likely headed back to the minors. Check out Tim Dierkes' recent look at Belt's service time situation.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reminds us that 40-man roster space (or the lack thereof) can often serve as the tie-breaker when teams make roster decisions with non-roster invitees near the end of Spring Training (Twitter link).
McLane Close To Selling Astros
Astros owner Drayton McLane is nearing a deal to sell the team to Jim Crane, according to Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle. Though McLane denies that he has a deal, Justice hears from insiders who insist the sides are close.
It’s not clear how much McLane will obtain for the Astros, but he will certainly turn a profit on the club he purchased for $117MM in 1992. Justice hears that the team's price tag definitely exceeds $523MM, which is how much the Rangers sold for last summer. That’s well above $474MM, the price at which Forbes recently valued the franchise.
McLane was close to selling the Astros to Crane in 2008, but the deal fell through. Crane has also attempted to buy the Cubs (2008) and Rangers (2010).
NL Central Notes: Pudge, Chapman, Szczur
As Starlin Castro and Corey Hart celebrate birthdays today, here's the latest from the NL Central….
- Writing for MLB.com, Peter Gammons talks to a number of GMs and scouts about the NL Central contenders. One general manager thinks the Reds could "be the single biggest favorite in any division going into the season," while three scouts are collectively unimpressed with the Brewers, saying "Milwaukee may be awful" this season.
- Ivan Rodriguez is "not a fit" for the Astros' catching needs, tweets Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. The Nationals are known to be shopping one of their catchers, but Kilgore thinks Rodriguez's $3MM salary in 2011 may be too pricey for Houston, though the 'Stros have said they would add payroll for the right catcher.
- Aroldis Chapman has been working hard in preparation for his first full Major League season, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy looks at the details of the contract Matt Szczur signed with the Cubs in January, and also the revamped deal he signed just last week.
Astros Sign Fernando Nieve
The Astros have signed Fernando Nieve to a minor league contract, reports MLB.com's Brian McTaggart (Twitter links). Nieve has already passed his physical and will report to minor league camp.
Nieve, 28, was released by the Pirates just two days ago after allowing 17 hits in just 7 1/3 Spring Training innings. Last year for the Mets, he posted a 6.00 ERA, 8.1 K/9, 4.7 BB/9, 2.1 HR/9, and 37% groundball rate in 42 innings. 18.5% of his flyballs left the yard, a rate that led all of MLB among those with at least 40 innings. Nieve also made eight starts in Triple-A, posting a 5.63 ERA. Pittsburgh signed him to a minor league pact back in December.
The Astros originally signed Nieve out of Venezuela back in 1999, and five years ago he was their third-best prospect according to Baseball America.