Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Developing story: Wandy Claimed

Via Ken Rosenthal (with a captip to MLBTR), Wandy has been claimed by an unknown team.

The Astros now have three options:

1. Trade him to the unknown team
2. Pull him back off waivers
3. Just let him go, a la Alex Rios.

It's going to be an interesting few hours in Astroland. Just for the record, if Wade lets Wandy go without getting anything back, I'm fully in favor of his departure, even if George Postolos gets a team of monkeys to make personnel decisions.

(Updates go from most-recent to least-recent, top to bottom)

Update: The Rockies have been awarded the claim. There has to be some sort of resolution by noon on Thursday. However, Colorado won't want to give up anything to take on Wandy's contract, since he's making so damn much money. More on this later.

Here's guessing that Ed Wade waits until close to the Thursday deadline to do anything, as Wandy is scheduled to pitch against Colorado tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon, and probably wouldn't appreciate Wandy dominating the Astros lineup in a Rockies uniform.

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Update: It's not the Nationals, according to Rosenthal.

Update: Jerry Crasnick notes that Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos has called a press conference for 3:30pm. The Blue Jays were allegedly in on Wandy at the deadline. However, there's been a trade between the D'Backs and Blue Jays.

Updated Update: Could be the Nationals, according to Buster Olney. "Early speculation among rival teams is that WASH is the team that placed claim on Wandy Rodriguez; they need a veteran SP for '12 rotation.

Update: The claiming team "doesn't appear" to be the Yankees, or the Diamondbacks.