MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Houston Astros Rumors Ahead of the Deadline

Over the last couple of days, trade talks surrounding the Astros veterans seems to have cooled off. All of the deals that had been rumored before have hit snags.

The negotiatons for Hunter Pence have hit a wall thanks to Ed Wade's insistence that the Astros get back a king's ransom for their All-Star right fielder.

Opposing franchises are scared off by the money tied up in Wandy Rodriguez, and Brett Myers 2011 collapse has rightfully given interested teams reason for worry.

Surprisingly, the most attractive trade piece on their roster when you take everything into account might be Clint Barmes. He has been hot lately and there are certainly no shortage of teams looking to bolster their bench with a versatile middle infielder who can hit for some power. To boot, he won't cost a lot and he is a free agent at the end of the year, meaning teams won't have to make any long-term commitment to him.

As well all know, though, things can change in a second. Let's take a look at the most recent rumors surrounding the Houston Astros and their trade chips.

Will Hunter Pence Land in the City of Brotherly Love?

As we get closer to the July 31 trade deadline, more and more teams get mentioned as a possible landing spot for Hunter Pence. This could be because more teams realize they want to add another piece, but it could also be because the Astros are shopping him harder as they have continually hit brick walls in other negotiations.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted that the Phillies have been the the most aggressive team in the Pence sweepstakes and that seems like a good match. As a former Phillies GM, Ed Wade still has a good relationship with their front office and the Phillies have the type of prospects the Astros undoubtedly want in return.

The package of players heading back to Houston will surely have to involve Philadelphia's top prospect Domonic Brown and the team's willingness to part with him will likely have a lot to do with this deal getting done.

Will Hunter Pence Be Traded at All?

While there are a ton of trade scenarios floating around about Hunter Pence, you have to think that the longer this goes, the less likely the Astros are to deal him.

The Phillies, Pirates, Braves and Red Sox have all been mentioned as possibilities, but nothing solid has come out of those talks.

Rosenthal even said that the Pirates front office felt "stymied" in their attempts to get a deal done with the Astros.

Peter Gammons of MLB.com confirmed the general consensus about the Pence trade talks with his recent piece. Gammons says that he has learned that Pence is "essentially not going to be traded."

The Astros seem content to hang on to Pence if they aren't blown away and I really can't blame them. Although he has some arbitration years coming up, Pence is relatively inexpensive right now and he is young enough that it's not inconceivable that he will still be a big part of the team when they are ready to contend again.

How Big an Issue Will Wandy Rodriguez's Contract Be?

On paper, Wandy Rodriguez is an ideal trade chip. He is a solid left-handed starting pitcher with plus stuff and no real injury history.

When you dig deeper, though, you find that he may be tough to move. He has about 40 million dollars left on his contract and he has an option for 2014 that automatically becomes a player option if he is traded. That means that any team that acquires him will more than likely be committed to a large chunk of money all the way through the 2014 season.

With new owner Jim Crane asking for the payroll to be cut down to 60 million dollars going into next season, the Astros will probably do anything they can to move Rodriguez.

Originally, the Astros were trying to have their cake and it eat too by moving Rodriguez and his salary and also getting back a haul similar to what the Rockies are asking back for their ace Ubaldo Jimenez.

Now, the Astros seem to be changing their tune. Joel Sherman recently tweeted that while the Astros were once asking for a lot in return for Rodriguez, they would now "take little at deadline to get rid of most of his contract."

Will Clint Barmes Provide the Brewers with the Infield Bat They Desire?

It's no secret that the Milwaukee Brewers are in the market for some infield help. The combination of Yuniesky Betancourt and Josh Wilson at shortstop isn't giving them the production they desire.

In 377 at-bats, Betancourt is hitting .252 with seven homers. In over 100 fewer at-bats, Clint Barmes is hitting .250 with six homers. Since the All-Star break, he has hit over .300. After missing significant time earlier in the season due to injury, Barmes seems to be rounding into form.

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com recently tweeted that the Brewers had interest in Jeff Keppinger before the Astros traded Keppinger to the Giants.

Now, the thought is that the Brewers will turn their sights to Barmes as a solution at short or at the very least, as a way to bolster their bench.

Will the Astros Do Anything at All?

It makes so much sense for the Astros to make several trades before the deadline that it might come as a surprise to some that things have been so quiet after the trade of Keppinger.

They just have a lot working against them. First, it's tough to get market value for a player like Pence. Opposing teams treat the Astros like they are having a fire sale and because of that, they want the Astros to sell off their parts for next to nothing.

They also don't have economics working for them. They need to cut payroll, but their two biggest payroll albatrosses, Rodriguez and Brett Myers, are considered overpaid by other major league clubs.

They also don't seem like a team in a trading mood. In a story by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, general manager Ed Wade was quoted as saying that the Astros will be "good listeners" as the deadline approaches.

It's that type of passive attitude that leads me to believe the Astros will end up standing pat at the trade deadline after all.