Houston Astros

Houston Astros News and Press

Astros Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)
Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:38:46 PST

Despite where the Astros sit relative to the rest of baseball, spots in the rotation will not just be handed out this spring. That was assured when a sixth extremely viable candidate was added to the rotation mix with the signing of veteran workhorse Livan Hernandez.

Hernandez, 36, signed a minor league contract complete with an invitation to major league spring training, where he will have a legitimate shot to make the opening day roster. It would be his 17th season in the major leagues for the 1997 World Series MVP.

"He gives us a veteran presence and it gives us flexibility so we don't have to push some young guys into roles if they're not ready for them," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said.

The most obvious young arm is attached the body of Jordan Lyles,...

Colorado GM tries a classic Rockies approach (Yahoo! Sports)
Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:31:00 PST
Dan O'Dowd turned to a collection of graybeards in pursuit of consistency that has eluded the Rockies.

MLB Roundup: Ortiz likely headed to arbitration, Lannan and Nats go head to head (Yahoo! Sports)
Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:55:16 PST
David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox are likely headed to an arbitration hearing to determine the designated hitter's 2012 salary, according to an ESPN.com report. A hearing isn't scheduled for this week, leaving time to negotiate, the report said, citing a source.

Livan Hernandez signs minor-league deal with Astros (Yahoo! Sports)
Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:50:17 PST
Right-hander Livan Hernandez signed a minor-league contract with the Houston Astros. The former World Series MVP received an invitation to major league spring training, where he will have a chance to make the team. Hernandez, 36, was the Opening Day starter for Washington last...

Philadelphia Phillies Newest Reliever Adds Bullpen Depth: Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:53:00 PST
General manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. added another piece to his 2012 roster puzzle through the addition of right-handed reliever Chad Qualls. The eight-year veteran could prove to be a smart late offseason addition to the team, as he could basically assume Ryan Madson's long-time...

Livan Hernandez, Astros agree to minor league deal (AP)
Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:14:49 PST
The Houston Astros have agreed to a minor league contract with former World Series MVP Livan Hernandez. The 36-year-old pitcher was invited to major league spring training. Hernandez was the opening day starter for Washington last season and started 29 games for the Nationals, going 8-13 with a 4.47 ERA.

MLB Roundup: Oswalt meets with Rangers officials (Yahoo! Sports)
Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:00:27 PST
Lunch went well for Roy Oswalt and the Texas Rangers in a Monday face-to-face meeting, according to an ESPN.com report. Oswalt, his wife, Nicole, and agent, Bob Garber, met Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and CEO and president Nolan Ryan.

Crane says Astros will keep name (Yahoo! Sports)
Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:05:11 PST
The Houston Astros may be switching leagues, but they'll keep their team name. New owner Jim Crane emailed a video message to season-ticket holders Monday saying, "one thing that we are not going to change is the name." He said last week that he was considering a...

New owner says he won't change Astros' name (AP)
Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:20:24 PST
New Houston Astros owner Jim Crane says he won't change the team's name. Crane said last week he was considering a switch. But he emailed a video message to season-ticket holders on Monday saying, "one thing that we are not going to change is the name." He says he made the decision after receiving "strong feedback and consensus among season-ticket holders and many fans."...

Restaurants by Osceola County Stadium in Greater Orlando (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:42:00 PST
The Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Fla., is the spring training home of the Houston Astros. For game-day hunger, consider hitting up one of these nearby restaurants before or after you cheer on your favorite players underneath the Greater Orlando sun.

Ten possible new names for the Houston Astros (Yahoo! Sports)
Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:28:43 PST
When the Houston Astros switch to the American League in 2013, they also might undergo a makeover that includes new uniforms (whatever) and a new name (gasp!). The franchise has a history of fiddling with both. New owner Jim Crane, … Continue reading →

New Astros owner reducing some ticket prices (Yahoo! Sports)
Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:20:20 PST
New Houston Astros owner Jim Crane on Monday introduced the team's new plan to reduce ticket prices for some seats and allow fans to bring their own food and drinks to the game. Crane was asked about the possibility of changing the team's name and uniforms.

Crane mulling name, uniform changes (AP)
Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:31:30 PST
New Houston Astros owner Jim Crane is considering changing the name of the franchise as well as its uniforms. Crane said Monday the team will conduct a study to decide whether or not to switch the name. "We're going to study the information both from the fans and from all sorts of marketing people," Crane said.

Ron Paul stars in Astros rainbow uniform at ’76 Congressional ballgame (Yahoo! Sports)
Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:52:24 PST
Almost nobody likes Congress. The polls say so. But I'll say this for the federal legislature: Republicans and Democrats play each other in a baseball game every year, and that partly makes up for whatever it is they do the … Continue reading →

Rockies get Scutaro from Red Sox for Mortensen (PA SportsTicker)
Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:33:28 PST
The Colorado Rockies acquired infielder Marco Scutaro from the Red Sox for right-hander Clayton Mortensen on Saturday in a surprising trade that could pave the way for top Boston prospect Jose Iglesias to take over at shortstop sooner than expected.

MLB 2012 Houston Astros Spring Training Schedule (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:37:00 PST
With the start of spring training right around the corner, fans of the Houston Astros have plenty to look forward to this season. Will this be the year the Astros surprise everyone and claim a World Series championship? The Astros train at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee,...

MLB Roundup: Yanks' A-Rod expects DH rotation (Yahoo! Sports)
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:55:11 PST
Alex Rodriguez is excited about the prospect of playing with newly acquired pitcher Michael Pineda -- and looks forward to doing so at third base more than as a designated hitter. In an interview with ESPNdeportes, Rodriguez lauded the New York Yankees' new, young pitcher while...

Astros sign C Snyder to 1-year deal (Yahoo! Sports)
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:10:15 PST
The Houston Astros signed catcher Chris Snyder to a one-year deal, with a mutual option for another season, the team announced Friday. Snyder played most of his eight seasons for the Arizona Diamondbacks, before getting sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010.

Yankees sign Gardner to 1-year deal (Yahoo! Sports)
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:01:14 PST
The New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration with outfielder Brett Gardner, announcing a one-year deal Friday. Gardner hit .259 with 87 runs scored and led the American League with 49 stolen bases last season. He added 60 walks for a .345 on-base percentage in 159 games, with 124...

Spring Training 2012: Osceola County Stadium, Home to the Houston Astros (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:06:00 PST
Osceola County Stadium is intimate and vibrant, like a good spring training stadium should be. The stadium is located in Kissimmee, Fla., and is the spring training home to the Houston Astros. The stadium opened in 1985 and underwent an $18.3 million renovation in 2003 .

Spring Training 2012: Hotels in Kissimmee, Florida (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:44:00 PST
Are you planning on getting a hotel in Kissimmee, Fla., to watch some spring training baseball? The Houston Astros play their spring training games in Kissimmee, Fla,. at Osceola County Stadium. Ticket prices for the games range from $15 to $24 .

Astros agree to contract with catcher Chris Snyder (AP)
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:27:32 PST
Free agent catcher Chris Snyder has agreed to a one-year contract with the Houston Astros, a deal that includes a 2013 mutual option. The 30-year-old hit .271 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 34 games for Pittsburgh last year, when his season ended in June because of surgery on his lower back. Snyder hit 15 homers with 48 RBIs for the Pirates in 2010.

The Pain of Gary Carter’s Diminishing Health: A Fan’s View (Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:51:00 PST
It was the bottom of the 12 th inning in a 1986 playoff game against the Houston Astros. It was the same series that featured the epic 16-inning Game 6 clincher, the one that eliminated the unbecoming possibility of facing unhittable Mike Scott in Game 7.

Cust agrees to $600,00 deal with Astros (AP)
Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:36:26 PST
Outfielder Jack Cust has agreed to a $600,000, one-year contract with the Houston Astros after getting released by Seattle and Philadelphia last year. Cust's deal, announced Wednesday, includes a 2013 team option. The 33-year-old hit .213 with three homers and 23 RBIs in 67 games for the Mariners, who released him on Aug.

MLB Roundup: Darvish agrees to deal with Texas, former umpire dies (Yahoo! Sports)
Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:15:14 PST
Call him the $103 million man ... or, better yet, the man with the nearly 80,000,000,000,000 (that's 80 billion for those of you without a calculator) yen arm. Japanese pitching star Yu Darvish has agreed to terms with the Texas Rangers for a reported six-year deal worth more...