"By midday Wednesday — the Astros' final full day at baseball's winter meetings — the logjam had begun to break apart in the team's quest to trade off some of its remaining high salaries.

With Mark Buehrle's agreement to terms on a four-year $58.5 million deal with the suddenly splashy Miami Marlins, one of the two top free agent lefties was off the market. The Astros hope, and industry insiders believe, that their 32-year-old lefty Wandy Rodriguez would make a nice option to somebody unable to secure the services of Buehrle or other high-value lefty C.J. Wilson.

The Astros are looking to trade Rodriguez, putting the $36 million and three years left on his deal elsewhere as they seek to rebuild through furthering their prospect load."