The latest domino

Another big-name Houston Astro gone? Wandy Rodriguez claimed on waivers

UPDATE: Colorado is the team that claimed Wandy Rodriguez. The Astros have until 11 a.m. Thursday to decided what to do. If they simply let Rodriguez go to the Rockies to shed salary without getting anything in return the fact that Colorado is the team will make the Astros look even worse.

After all, the Rockies are seven games under .500 themselves. They'd be making this move for the future rather than to contend in 2011.

------------

Wandy Rodriguez could be on the verge of joining Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn as ex Astros. A yet-unidentified mystery team has claimed the left-handed pitcher — arguably the Astros best starter — off of waivers.

Early reports are that the New York Yankees, the squad that many expected to nab Rodriguez at the trade deadline, is not the claiming team.

The cost-cutting Astros can now be free of Rodriguez's $36 million in salary if they desire by simply letting Rodriguez go to the claiming team. The organization could also opt to negotiate a trade with the claiming team or pull Rodriguez back from waivers and keep him.

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated first tweeted the news of Rodriguez being claimed.

Rodriguez may have never turned into the dominant No. 2 starter the Astros thought he could be, but he'd be an extremely valuable piece for a team in the playoff race. He is 9-9 with a 3.31 ERA, numbers that look even better when you consider that Houston is the worst team in Major League Baseball. Rodriguez has also turned into a standup representative for the Astros in the community, as he showed at the recent Astros Wives Gala.

unspecified

chill out

Houston Astros ballpark gets cool new name for the next 15 years

Courtesy of the Houston Astros

The Astros' stadium will have a new name in 2025.

The Houston Astros are about to have the coolest ballpark in Major League Baseball. The team announced on Monday, November 18 that its has reached a naming rights agreement HVAC manufacturer Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

Beginning on January 1, 2025, the stadium will be known as Daikin Park (die-kin). Scheduled to run through the 2039 season, the new name replaces Minute Maid Park, which has been the stadium’s name since 2002. It opened in 1999 as Enron Field.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Houston Astros (@astros)

Astros fans online are already calling the new stadium “The Ice Box,” replacing its informal “The Juice Box” moniker. That name feels likely to stick.

Japan-based Daikin Industries is a leading manufacturer of HVAC systems. It sells air conditioning units and other products under brand names such as Daikin, Goodman, Amana® and Quietflex. Critically, it operates Daikin Texas Technology Park in nearby Waller, which is the largest HVAC manufacturing facility in North America. The company employs approximately 10,000 people in Greater Houston, according to a release.

“We are excited to be partnering with Daikin for our ballpark’s naming rights,” Astros owner Jim said. “Daikin is an international company that proudly calls the Greater Houston area its North American home. The Houston Astros and Daikin share the same values, a commitment to excellence and a desire to give back to our local community. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of this ballpark in 2025, I am proud to have Daikin alongside us to create even more special memories for our fans now and in the future.”

The Astros will use the revenue for new stadium amenities and other upgrades. It will also continue the team’s various community initiatives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. the Houston Chronicle notes that naming rights deals may be worth anywhere from $3.5 million per year (T-Mobile park in Seattle) to $11 million per year for the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field.

The team’s first game in Daikin Park will take place on Monday, March 24, which it plays an exhibition against its Triple-A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. It will open the regular season on Thursday, March 27 against the New York Mets.

“Daikin fit all of the criteria we set out to find in a naming rights partner,” Astros senior vice president Matt Brand added. “Their name and reputation fit our iconic downtown Houston home, and their values mesh perfectly with those of the Astros. We are grateful to partner with the entire Daikin team and to help them succeed in their business goals. Daikin Park will be a special place for our fans for many years to come.”

houston astros daikin park business