Houston Astros

By Brian McTaggart Lance Berkman admitted Tuesday afternoon he didn't know very much about his new boss, but that was exactly what made the announcement that Brad Mills was the new Astros manager so exciting. Astros excited about new skipper Mills

By By REUTERS HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former Boston Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills has been appointed manager of the Houston Astros, the team said on Tuesday.

Multiple candidates for the Astros' managerial job were brought in for a second interview on Wednesday. Manny Acta was just one, but Drayton McLane said Bob Melvin wasn't brought in. Phil Garner, Al Pedrique and Dave Clark also said they...

Jose Cruz is one of the most positive folks you'll ever meet in baseball. He loves the Astros, and I mean, LOVES, the Astros. So, it was quite a blow to him when Tal Smith and Ed Wade told him...

By Brian McTaggart Two home runs by catcher J.R. Towles weren't enough for the Astros to overcome another shaky start by Brian Moehler or keep the Phillies from clinching the National League East title Wednesday night. Towles goes deep twice, but Astros fall

By Brian McTaggart Astros catcher J.R. Towles recorded his first career multihomer game Wednesday against the Phillies, but he needed a little help from modern technology to get it done. Towles awarded home run after review

By Chip There are a few things I think somebody needs to point out to the Astros' leadership. Here's my short list of things. I'm guessing you have a few things you'd like to tell the Astros as well. • Houston, you're...

By Chip I'll make a bold statement right off the top: The Astros' success in 2010 may well depend on whether Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt return to their All Star form. Berkman 162-game Average Avg.RHRRBIBBOBPOPS .30010433112105.412.966 You don't have to shout...

If Bagwell is reluctant, McLane can turn on that Temple charm. The Astros need a makeover, and this is a good place to begin. If McLane is thinking clearly, ... Sunday Morning Astros, etc Round UpThe Crawfish Boxes all 2 news articles »

HOUSTON -- Astros right fielder Hunter Pence has been named the team's winner of the 2009 Heart and Hustle Award and was ... and more »

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 17, 2009 1:20 PM CDT 0 comments More photos » by Dave Einsel - AP 23 days ago: Texas Rangers' Ian Kinsler, right, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run as Houston Astros pitcher Mike Hampton, left, walks toward the ...

Charlotte 49er third baseman Aaron Bray has had a great last month. In late May, at the Atlantic 10 Championships in Dayton, Ohio, needing just one hit to tie the all-time career hits record at Charlotte, he ended up with four hits to help the Niners stave off elimination against Fordham.

There's no such optimism in the Houston Astros clubhouse. The Pirates look to build on another strong outing and notch their first back-to-back wins of the young season Wednesday night when they continue a three-game home series against the NL Central ...

By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com PITTSBURGH -- Zach Duke pumped his fist and raised it in the air. He was celebrating a personal accomplishment, yes, but even more so he was recognizing the significance Monday's 7-0 win over the Astros could have for this ...

The Astros’ Cecil Cooper (right) led his team to the best record in the NL after the All-Star break. OF Milton Bradley, RHP Kevin Gregg, RHP Aaron Heilman, RHP Luiz Vizcaino, INF Aaron Miles, C Paul Bako, OF Joey Gathright. ... They Will Be Gunning For Cubs NYMfansonly.com

By Mark(noreply@blogger.com) The response of baseball owners to the Yankees unprecedented free agent spending spree continues as another owner has joined the call for a salary cap. The difference this time is that the owner does not represent a small market club as did most of those who pushed for a cap in the past and as d...

Let's review why the Astros have missed the playoffs three straight years. The reason is that Drayton McLane has made some mistakes. I can't see this ever happening. If it does, Drayton McLane becomes another green-bean salesman in Temple.

How about those Astros? Some run in the second half. I don't know about you, but I haven't seen such excitement since the World Series. Those kids did almost everything right for a couple of months. If you didn't like your 2008 Astros, you probably don't like ice cream.

I haven't talked to him about it, but here's what I know. First, Drayton McLane wants Oswalt and Lance Berkman to finish their careers with the Astros. Both have a chance to make the Hall of Fame, and he wants them to go in as Astros. McLane could end up with four Hall of Famers--Jeff Bagwell, Crai...

Major League Baseball is the first professional sport to try selling tickets, sponsorships, etc., since the ecnomic collapse, and teams are afraid. Everything I've written about Drayton McLane and his payroll numbers should now be viewed differently.

If you remember, the Yankees didn’t offer Roger Clemens arbitration after he retired in 2003, and when he decided to sign with Houston later that winter, the Yankees didn’t get a pick from the Astros. Apparently, they believe Mussina will live up to his word and stay retired. Then again, eve...

INSIDE PITCH Six of the Astros' scouts, including assistant general manager Bobby Heck, were in attendance in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, recently to watch infielder Dayan Viciedo, a Cuban defector. Latin American scouting director Felix Francisco, East Coast supervisor Clare...

So the Astros will be fiscally conservative and they'll go to spring training with a team designed to finish no higher than second. Maybe they'll catch a break or two. Maybe Michael Bourn and Miguel Tejada will have huge seasons. Maybe Hunter Pence will continue to get better. Maybe Wandy Rodr...

Filed under: Phillies, Rays, Red Sox, MLB PlayoffsIn the Playoff Pulse series, our MLB editor takes on a hot October topic. Of course, that doesn't mean that the Phillies are dead in the water heading into the World Series. We know that anything can happen in a short series -- the 2006 Cardina...

The Houston Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals, both expected to not be competitive this year, exceeded everybody's expectations and remained in the playoff hunt until well into September, with the Cardinals leading the Wild Card even ...

Everyone else: Rays at Tigers 1:05 EDT Yankees at Red Sox 1:35 and 7:35 EDT Nationals at Phillies 1:35 EDT Blue Jays at Orioles 1:35 EDT Braves at Astros 2:05 EDT Reds at Cardinals 2:15 EDT Rangers at Angels 3:35 EDT Dodgers at Giants 4:05 EDT Pirates at Padres 4:05 EDT Athletics at Mariners 4...

By John Grupp Houston Astros pitcher Brandon Backe tried to focus on baseball as he sat in the visiting clubhouse Friday afternoon at PNC Park. ... Astros Notes: Team takes shot at Selig with T-shirts Houston Chronicle Ike knocks power out of Astros MLB.com

By Rob(noreply@blogger.com) Again I Missed The Ugly Parts: Astros 8, Dodgers 5 While out looking for a Mother's Day card (on Mother's Day? Slacker.), I left the car with the Dodgers comfortably leading the Astros by a 2-0 score in the top of the seventh. With the Dodgers' generally reliable bullpen getting ready to engag...

By Josh Martin The win puts the Redbirds at 15-10 on the year, in 2nd place in the NL Central, and 1 1/2 games behind Chicago.  Tomorrow is the rubber game of the series as Kyle Lohse gets the nod for the good guys. Game # 25 Sat. April 26, 2008 Cardinals 4 Astros 3 Adam Wainwright pitched the full nine innings for S...

The guys also examine Albert Pujols‘ squabble with Houston pitcher Brandon Backe following the Cardinals slugger’s slide into Astros catcher J.R. Towles in the eighth inning of the Cardinals’ 5-3 win Tuesday. The show documents a huge HR day for the Angels in Anaheim, drunk fans in Toronto...

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) Baseball general managers voted 25-5 on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla., in favor of using instant replay to review questionable home run calls, and this corner of the world believes it's a good idea. Astros GM Ed Wade was among the five who voted against instant replay, which is used in the NFL, NBA...

By Eric Simon Having just dispatched the also-ran Houston Astros in three straight to close out Craig Biggio's last trip to New York as a big leaguer, the Mets anxiously await the arrival of the Atlanta Braves for a three-game set, the outcome of which should answer the question on everyone's lips: Wil...

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) His position is probably left field and we have a left fielder. You can't play him in right because he doesn't have enough arm strength, and with Hunter (Pence) and Josh (Anderson) playing in center it didn't make sense." • • • Lefthander Brian Bogusevic, the Astros' first-round pick in 2005...

By David Hannes For a record setting 15th time this season, the Brewers blew a lead of 3 runs or more, and lost to the Astros, 9-7. Thankfully, the Cubs and Cards also lost. The Brewers added 3 more runs in the bottom of the sixth, and all were charged to Oswalt–Oswalt left after 5.67 IP and 5 ER.

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) This isn't exactly the Astros telling Chris Burke he's their everyday second baseman, but the decision to give Burke most of the starts on the road while resting Craig Biggio is his best chance yet to show management what he... This isn't exactly the Astros telling Chris Burke he's their ever...

Craig Biggio had five hits for just the second time in his career and Lee hit a grand slam in the 11th inning to give the Astros an 85 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night.

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com)

By Jose de Jesus Ortiz(jose.ortiz@chron.com) Honestly, folks, it has become hard to watch the Astros, especially because it's difficult to watch such wonderful, classy guys struggle. I promise you if you got to know Roy Oswalt, Woody Williams, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, Lance Berkman, Morgan Ensberg, Brad Ausmus, Brad Lidge, the en...

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) He had Mark Loretta hitting second and playing second base in place of struggling Craig Biggio, and Loretta goes 0-for-4. Lance Berkman went 1-for-4 batting third and is no longer off to a bad start. He's just having a bad season. Morgan Ensberg, Adam Everett and Brad Ausmus actually pulled t...

I knew he didn't have the money to do much more with the offense than sign Carlos Lee. I believed that if Lance Berkman and Lee were dominant, that if Morgan Ensberg's shoulder was healthy, the Astros would score enough runs. I thought Craig Biggio, Luke Scott and Chris Burke would do far more t...

Growing up Deep in the Heart of Texas, Diamondbacks outfielder Chris Young, a Houston native, attended his share of Astros games. But he had never before stepped onto the field at Minute Maid Park until Friday afternoon.

Pitching depth? Wandy Rodriguez, Chris Sampson and Albers have combined for a 2.12 ERA in five starts. The Astros have 10 quality starts in 15 games. Only Atlanta (11) has more in the NL. Just when you were ready to throw Biggio off the bus, he delivered another late game-winning hit in a 6-5 vict...

At the beginning of this season, the Astros had four players they probably couldn't afford to lose and stay competitive: Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, Roy Oswalt and Jason Jennings. Right now about, Purpura and Drayton McLane may be wishing they'd tried just a teensy bit harder to re-sign An...

• To quote Joe Torre, ''It's all about the pitching.'' So far, so good. The Astros have gotten six quality starts in eight games, and Chris Sampson came within an inning of one on Tuesday. Overall, the rotation has a 2.45 ERA, second-best in the NL. No starter has allowed more than three earned run...

HUMBLE, Texas Jason Gore got a boost from the Rocket in the Houston Open. Wearing a black Houston Astros cap that Roger Clemens gave him, Gore shot a 4under 68 on Friday to join a sixplayer logjam at the top.

Audio: Astros manager Phil Garner on prospects in Round Rock Audio: Express manager Ricky Bennett on quality of talent on team Audio: Hunter Pence on being held in high regard by seasoned veterans Audio: Round Rock pitching coach Burt...

By Jose de Jesus Ortiz(joe.conway@chron.com) Phil Garner told Brian McTaggart that Lidge will pitch Wednesday and then again Thursday against Class AAA Round Rock. • • • Roy Oswalt and Lidge will pitch in a minor-league game Wednesday. Oswalt, of course, is having a stellar spring. Lidge is not, but Lidge also is adamant that he usually h...

By Jose de Jesus Ortiz(joe.conway@chron.com) Astacio's highlight with the organization was likely last year at Class AAA Round Rock. His low moment was probably the game-winning home run he gave up in Game 3 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park. He also gave up the game-winning home run in Game 3 of the 2005 World Series against the Chic...

Brad Lidge goes nowhere. Got that? Nowhere? He pitches the ninth inning for the Houston Astros next season. No trade gets Brad Lidge from the Astros. Miguel Tejada won't get me to part with Brad Lidge. Pat Burrell won't do it, either. If the Phillies called and offered Ryan Howard straight up... Uh,...

I'm very excited to hear that you have a source telling you that about Lee. Now this is going to sound absolutely crazy but I think (the Astros) should try and also get Soriano, and let him play second base on the road and right field at home.