Houston Astros

We had probably eight or nine possibilities to add," Astros general manager Ed Wade said. "We just felt that realistically these three plus (lefthanded pitcher Polin) Trinidad made the most sense. You try to insulate yourself from ...

Complete Astros coverage. NEW YORK — Lew Wolff has a way to shorten baseball's postseason: Make the first round best-of-one. "I'd make it one-game-and-you're-out for the first series," the Oakland Athletics owner said Wednesday. ...

Julio Cortez Houston Chronicle. The Astros will likely trade both closer Jose Valverde and third baseman Ty Wigginton soon, writes Richard Justice. Share. icon Print. icon Email. Resources. Sorry, your version of Flash doesn't support ...

Can't wait for baseball season to start? Got a question for Astros GM Ed Wade? Wade will be online for a live chat at 2 p.m. Wednesday....

Both of them made less than $5 million in 2008, and even if they both double their salaries in arbitration, they'll be relative bargains. Everyone on the roster seems available except Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman. Drayton wants both to finish their careers with the Astros.

Staff of Professional MLB Coaches & Players: Chris Tremie — Cleveland Indians Single A manager and catching, Ryan Long - Kansas City Royals hitting instructor, Jeff Calhoun - Former Houston Astros middle reliever and pitching, ...

•The Hawaiian Baseball League was hit and miss for a pair of Astros prospects. First-round pick Jason Castro hit .324 with an on-base percetnage of .429 in 74 at-bats, and outfielder Jordan Parraz hit just .221 in 77 at-bats. ...

Astros righthander Chris Sampson was optimistic in his recovery from right elbow surgery. "It's going real good," Sampson said at the Astros' Alumni Classic. "I get to see the doctor on Thursday. He had right elbow surgery on Oct. 1,...

Signing a shortstop would allow Cecil Cooper to give the declining Miguel Tejada more days off and perhaps squeeze another productive year out of him. Tejada faded badly after the break, hitting just three home runs and having a .312 OBP.

By Richard(joe.conway@chron.com) If Randy Johnson is indeed willing to pitch for $8 million in 2009, the Astros ought to send a private plane to Phoenix this morning and bring him back to Houston for a news conference. Remember that thing I...

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...

For those of you who have asked, this is the list of players the Astros have signed since Ed Wade became general manager and ultimately hired Felix Francisco to serve as the organization's director of Latin America scouting. This list...

Keep Houston Beautiful will honor community volunteers and environmentally friendly businesses and individuals, including Astros owner Drayton McClane, at its 24th annual Mayor's Proud Partners Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 17 at the InterContinental Houston Hotel, 2222 West Loop Sou...

Shortly after arriving from the general managers' meetings last Thursday, assistant general manager Bobby Heck assumed he'd be around Houston this week. Then he got a call from Astros Latin American scouting director Felix Francisco informing him that a special...

The Astros might have a window of opportunity to bring back Andy Pettitte. Go for it, Drayton. Pick up the telephone and invite the Hendricks brothers to lunch Friday. Tell 'em to bring Andy.

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By Jose de Jesus Ortiz Chat with Astros assistant GM Ricky Bennett at 2 p.m. today. Assistant general manager Ricky Bennett will do a live chat at 2 p.m. today. To help him get a sense of what questions you'll have, send questions to the comment section to ...

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) Pitchers Doug Brocail (Type A) and Randy Wolf (Type B) and infielder Mark Loretta (Type B) were the only Astros free agents to receive a classification in this off-season's free agent rankings. The rankings are based on stats from from...

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By Chip Roy Oswalt has lots of buddies and he's campaigning for the Astros to add Jake Peavy and/or Ben Sheets. There are risks, upsides and downsides with each, but who would've thought that Sheets might be preferable to Peavy? Yahoo Sports...

The Astros aren't far from contending, and with Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Roy Oswalt in the prime of their careers, this is an opportunity to win. The Cubs may still be the best team in the NL Central, but they're far from perfect. The Astros could finish ahead of the Brewers and Cardinals j...

By Richard(joe.conway@chron.com) I have so many good ideas that some days I don't even know where to start. Drayton McLane was saying the other day how much he enjoys my advice on running the Astros. Say, I wonder if he's back...

In a story I wrote that will run in Tuesday's paper, I outlined the Astros' top priorities heading into the winter meetings. I also have pointed out that the ballooning payroll might prompt the Astros to make a trade, and...

By Chip Ed Wade seems to be focused on three players at present. One of them (LaTroy Hawkins) is already back in the pen, leaving Wolf and Doug Brocail. It makes the most sense for Wolf to pitch in Houston if the Astros can put together the ...

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Astros players Lance Berkman, Jose Valverde, Hunter Pence and Wesley Wright will be among those honored at the 24th annual Houston Baseball Dinner at the Hilton Americas Hotel on Jan.

If you are to believe everything you read, Jake Peavy could be headed to the Chicago Cubs or the St. Louis Cardinals. This would be an absolute disaster for the Astros, who have ruled out trading for Peavy because they...

Washington Post  United States - Selig, making his first appearance in Houston since the controversy surrounding the decision to move two key Astros games against the Milwaukee Brewers to ... Selig: MLB's past a sign of strong future MLB.com Astros sign Lo The Japan Times

 United States - Nov 7, 2008 Hawkins could have waited to field offers from other clubs next Friday, but he was adamant about returning to the Astros. Houston also appears to have been ...

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The Astros finalized a one-year deal to retain reliever LaTroy Hawkins and introduced Taiwanese righthander Chia-Jen Lo on Friday.

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Astros owner Drayton McLane said Friday the Astros are long shots to land pitcher Jake Peavy after receiving a "wild combination" in a list of players the San Diego Padres would accept in return in a potential trade. Peavy, the...

 United States - Nov 6, 2008 Unlike the previous two general managers’ meetings, there were no major trades or high-profile negotiations for the Astros before baseball’s annual meetings ...

 United States - There's just been a lot of feeling out," said Astros GM Ed Wade, who made the biggest splash a year ago at the GM meetings when he dealt Brad Lidge to the ...

The Astros apparently didn't make the final cut in the Jake Peavy trade discussions. In the end, they just didn't have the minor league depth to make that kind of deal. At least, that's the word out of the general manager's meetings. These things can change quickly, but the Padres appear to be h...

 United States - Nov 5, 2008 Ed Wade’s news may not have been as glamorous, but he was equally proactive with his free agents. The Astros were busy during the penultimate day of the GM ... Astros looking to re-sign trio of pitchers Astros.com all 6 news articles

By Jose de Jesus Ortiz I told Ed Wade I'm not ruling out his team from finding out a way to acquire Peavy, but it's obvious the Astros' farm system doesn't help their cause much in that effort. Nonetheless, Wade has made some solid progress so far at the GM ...

By Chip Now, it's Andy Pettitte's turn at the Astros' window. Would Ed Wade dare walk down that trail? Is he worth the risk of a two-year deal? Could Drayton and Tal Smith swallow their pride from the last time Andy walked away? ...

 United States - Nov 3, 2008 Clemens filed a defamation suit against McNamee in January, accusing him of lying about the former Houston Astros pitcher using banned steroids and hormones ...

By Jose de Jesus Ortiz not understand why he's been such a powerful agent for so long. Hear the audio of Boras' briefing with the media. You can also hear Los Angeles Angels general manager Tony Reagins or Dodgers GM Ned Colletti or the Astros' Ed Wade. ...

None was as important as the one that wrapped up the World Series for the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park. He also got the final outs against the Brewers and Dodgers and went 41 for 41 during the regular season.

By Chip Astros acquire Mike Scott from the Mets for Danny Heep. • August 31, 1990. Astros acquire Jeff Bagwell from the Red Sox for Larry Andersen. • December 10, 1993. Astros acquire Mike Hampton from the Mariners for Eric Anthony. ...

Tampa Bay Rays closer Dan Wheeler says he rooted for former Astros teammate Brad Lidge this season.

When Brad Lidge got in trouble in 2006-07, he made the same mistake over and over.

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) Really, trading for Jake Peavy and signing Andy Pettitte instead of Randy Wolf would be a good thing for the Astros. If you've watched the World Series, or any baseball in the last 100 years, you know that the key...

By Chip If we lived in a perfect world . . . • We would be watching the Astros play the Rays this week and next. Now wouldn't that have been a matchup? Drayton's dudes against Gerry's guys! • Ed Wade would...

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) Astros general manager Ed Wade spent three days at the Astros' instructional league in Kissimmee, Fla., last week and saw several of the club's top prospects. There are about two dozen players at the three-week camp, which ends later this...

In what Jake Peavy says will be the only time he'll discuss possible trade rumors, the San Diego Padres' ace righthander told the Houston Chronicle he'd definitely wave his no-trade clause to join his friend ...

Between 1996 and 2003, the Philadelphia Phillies drafted Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Pat Burrell, Ryan Madson, Brett Myers and Kyle Kendrick. That's an argument for another day. Baseball is in an era of amazing parity. The Rays or Phillies will be the eighth diffe...

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) The Padres are reportedly shopping ace Jake Peavy, and you can bet the Astros, along with everyone else in baseball, will place a call to San Diego. The Padres reportedly want two pitchers and a center fielder, so I don't...

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) I recently spoke with Astros owner Drayton McLane about a story that appears in Tuesday's paper. The story is about what the Astros plan to do in the offseason, and McLane made it clear they club isn't going after C.C....

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) Where are all the Cubs fans now? Just like I predicted a couple of weeks ago in my blog entry about how classless the Cubs fans were for booing the Astros in Milwaukee following Ike, the Cubs are losers still....

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) I recently had an extended interview with Astros general manager Ed Wade about his plans for upgrading the club in the winter. I'll have a story in Monday's Chronicle detailing those plans and what Astros fans can expect this off-season....

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) I just kidnapped Ed Wade and Tal Smith and have the controls of the Astros. OK, guess I'll have to do something to Drayton McLane, too. So I've kidnapped him, also, and now I have controls of the Astros. And...

Astros general manager Ed Wade put to rest any speculation All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada would be dealt, saying Tuesday the club never had an interest or ... What Is Going On Down In Houston? The Braves Show Miguel Tejada: Red Sox Interested Rotowire

Astros, pets pose for calendar to raise money for the Houston ...  United States - Apr 24, 2008 It was hard to decide which was cuter: Houston Astros pitcher Wesley Wright's getting instructions on how to cradle the whimpering puppy or the sweet-faced ...

Minute Maid Park beefs up flavor factor  United States - Mar 26, 2008 By KEN HOFFMAN There will be several new crowd-pleasers in the lineup when the Astros begin the 2008 baseball season at Minute Maid Park. ...

By Jose de Jesus Ortiz(jose.ortiz@chron.com) 4. Next year's Astros schedule: Josh Beckett's Boston Red Sox and Andy Pettitte's New York Yankees will come to town, and that will be a treat to Houston baseball fans who deserve to see these teams play regular season series at Minute Maid Park.

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) 2. Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6. Milwaukee Brewers 14. San Diego Padres 15. Los Angeles Angels 16. Atlanta Braves 17. New York Mets 18. Boston Red Sox 20. Los Angeles Dodgers 21. Texas Rangers 23. Cincinnati Reds 24. Chicago White Sox 26.St. Louis Cardinals 27. New York Yankees 29. Chicago Cubs 30. Houston Astros

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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...

The Astros snapped a three-game losing streak and earned their first win at Minute Maid Park in six games this season against the Pirates by scoring two ... Astros Rally to Avoid Sweep by Pirates Forbes Pirates bump bullpen, top Astros 8-3 in 15 Houston Chronicle

Regular exercise and surfing keeps Ausmus fit and calm  United States - Catcher Brad Ausmus and his family split their life between two cities — Houston during the Astros season, and San Diego otherwise. ...

The Chicago Cubs are going to the playoffs with a fomula that Drayton McLane should copy. First, they spent a ton of money in free agency last winter--around $300 million in all. Second, their GM is an old-school scout who built the organization from the inside out. Thanks to a combination of y...

Catcher ERA • • • Tim Purpura's biggest blunder was swapping Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens for Woody Williams and Jason Jennings. It really begins with Pettitte. The Astros had such a dislike of his agent, Randy Hendricks, that they allowed it to influence their evaluation of the player. B...

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...

I know how I feel about trading Brad Lidge. I'm dead set against it. I would hope he'll spend his entire career with the Astros. If I'm Tim Purpura, I try to fill the roster holes by trading someone else and by signing under-the-radar free agents until the next class of minor leaguers is ready.

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

By Brian McTaggart(brian.mctaggart@chron.com) ON HAVING AN EXPERIENCED ROSTER: "That's one of the things I said on Saturday is we've got a lot of guys in this room that have played in the World Series. We've got guys who have pitched great in the World Series. We've got guys who have pitched great in the World Series. We've added great players...

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...

Only Adam Everett has a lower OBP among regulars. Biggio's OBP is 52 points lower than Chris Burke's. The thing that's tough is figuring out who should hit there. The top five OBPs on the club are: Mike Lamb, Lance Berkman, Mark Loretta and Hunter Pence.

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...

The Astros eventually tried everything. Robinson got him straightened out for a while last summer. Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan drilled him about mechanical checkpoints during winter sessions. Lidge said he had it figured out, but for every dominant performance in spring training, ther...

You can't brag on some people. Say something nice, and they'll stick it to you the first chance they get. Check out these batting averages: Lance Berkman .190, Morgan Ensberg .158, Chris Burke .200 and Craig Biggio .240. That's why the Astros have scored two runs or less in four of their six games. Th...

By Brian McTaggart(joe.conway@chron.com) Round Rock, the defending Pacific Coast League American Southern Division champ, starts the season with an eight-game homestand. AP Photo/James A. Finley Pitcher Fernando Nieve is part of the opening-day lineup for the Round Rock Express. Hunter Pence, CF • • • Tim Raines Jr., CF

Look at it this way: they're 0-3, and if they keep scoring runs at this pace, no one will notice that the closer has troubles. They won't need a closer. As for me, I see a lot of good signs. Craig Biggio has started to hit. Chris Burke and Adam Everett are off to good starts. Have you checked out the St. Lo...

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...