The Conservative Cave
The Bar => Sports => Topic started by: BlueStateSaint on March 21, 2009, 07:32:15 AM
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He's there. I know that the Mets wanted him, but they could get no takers for Ramon Castro.
Pudge passes physical, officially an Astro
by KRISTIE RIEKEN, AP Sports Writer
14 hours, 27 minutes ago
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP)—Ivan Rodriguez’s $1.5 million, one-year contract with the Houston Astros was finalized Friday after the catcher passed his physical.
“We’re very happy to have him here,†general manager Ed Wade said. “Obviously it’s a huge upgrade to our ballclub to have somebody with his ability and experience and we think it’s another step in the direction we want to go to bring a World Series to Houston.â€
The 13-time Gold Glove winner hit .276 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 115 games last season with Detroit and the Yankees, who acquired him in July. He expects to make his spring debut for the Astros on Sunday, and he should be in good shape after playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
Houston needed a veteran catcher to replace Brad Ausmus, who became a free agent and signed with the Dodgers. Last year, the Astros used Ausmus, Humberto Quintero and J.R. Towles behind the plate.
The 37-year-old Rodriguez will likely start in Houston, moving Quintero, who had been projected to start, into the backup role. Rodriguez didn’t play as much as he wanted to last season.
The vendors and concession stand owners in Houston will be happy, as Pudge calls one of the slowest, if not the slowest, games in MLB today.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-astros-rodriguez&prov=ap&type=lgns