The Astros have had an interesting visit to the Mile High City this week. Brett Myers gave up six runs in the first inning Monday night and the Astros were unable to get back into the game. Matt Downs blasted a three-run homer in the ninth but it was too little too late.
On Tuesday it was announced that the Rockies had been awarded a waiver claim on Astros starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez. That means the two teams have until Thursday afternoon to work out a deal involving the veteran left-hander. The Astros sent Bud Norris to the mound Tuesday night against Rockies rookie Alex White. Norris was ineffective, needing 110 pitches to get through five innings. Bud had trouble fielding his position, making two bad throws and missing a catch while covering first base. Had Norris been able to execute at least two of those three plays the game may have taken a different turn. Eventually Fernando Rodriguez served up a tie-breaking homerun to Jonathan Herrera to give the Rockies the 8-6 win. The most interesting sequence of events on the field took place in the bottom of the eighth inning. Brad Mills took a page out of the Whitey Herzog managerial manual when he sent left-handed pitcher Wesley Wright to the outfield while David Carpenter pitched to Troy Tulowitzki. Carpenter retired Tulo on a grounder to short and Wright returned to the mound to whiff Todd Helton. The great part was that the strategy worked. I used to love it when Herzog did that and I’ve often wondered why more managers haven’t tried it.
Today Wandy took the mound in Coors Field as a member of the Astros. In the latest news out of Denver, Ed Wade has been quoted as saying that a deal is highly unlikely at this point. So it appears as though Rodriguez will leave town tonight with the Astros, but it’s not a certainty. At the moment the Astros and Rockies are locked up in a 6-6 tie in the sixth inning. Clint Barmes has a homer in his old stomping grounds and Rodriguez is still in the game. Stay tuned for more later on the Wandy Rodriguez soap opera.
Tags: Colorado Rockies, Ed Wade, Houston Astros, Wandy Rodriguez
I have been a die-hard Astros fan for over 35 years and joined the staff of climbingtalshill.com prior to the 2011 season. I try to catch every inning of every game on TV or in person. I first started blogging at "Astro Blog" at the beginning of the 2010 season. I love baseball and have been known to flash the leather. Unfortunately my swing is more suited for slow-pitch softball. I am also a scratch bowler and certified U.S. Bowling Congress Bronze Level Instructor.
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