Untitled Page

Houston Astros News

Astros sign ex-Aggie Ruggiano, offer spring invites to five top prospects
February 7
Houston Chronicle
 
"The Astros added another outfielder with major-league experience and offered five of their most promising prospects invitations to spring training. General manager Jeff Luhnow on Monday announced the signing of former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Justin Ruggiano – an Austin native and former Texas A&M Aggie – to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training. Luhnow also extended spring-training invitations to minor-league first baseman Jonathan Singleton, second baseman Delino DeShields, shortstop Jonathan Villar and outfielders George Springer and Jake Goebbert. "I think it's important for some of the players who are on their way up to get a chance to be exposed to"
Like a stock market correction, Astros payroll gets an adjustment for 2012
February 6
Houston Chronicle
 
"When it became obvious that Jim Crane would get MLB's approval as the Astros' new owner, rumors spread that he would cut payroll dramatically, even below the already-reduced 2011 payroll. First it was $60 million, then $50 million. Now that new GM Jeff Luhnow seems "comfortable with the group" that will head to spring training soon, the payroll seems destined to end up just a little north of those projections. Either that, or the Astros are destined to pare the bottom line a bit more through a trade or two. If any of the big three are moved, the Astros could have their lowest payroll since 2000 and roughly half of the organization high in 2009 ($102 million). Similar to a stock market"
Angel Sanchez clears waivers, agrees to minor-league deal with Astros
February 2
Houston Chronicle
 
"Angel Sanchez will get another chance to work his way back up the Astros' food chain. Sanchez, the 2010 Opening Day shortstop who lost his spot on the 40-man roster, cleared waivers and agreed Wednesday to a minor-league deal with the Astros that includes a non-roster invitation to spring training. Sanchez, 28, had a .240 batting average and .590 on-base-plus slugging in 110 games last season, hitting one home run and driving in 28. A spring-training injury to Clint Barmes opened the way for Sanchez to begin the season as the starter, and he a .301 batting average and .718 OPS in April. Sanchez batted .205 in his final 185 at-bats of the season and struggled with the defensive demands at"
Sources: Playoff expansion has issues
February 1
ESPN.com
 
"Baseball commissioner Bud Selig continues to talk confidently about expanding the baseball playoff field in 2012. But sources tell ESPN.com efforts to make that happen remain bogged down, all because of one thorny little complication: the details. Wednesday was supposed to be the day the commissioner's office finished a proposed schedule for the 2012 postseason and shipped it to the players' association for consideration. But sources told ESPN.com that deadline wasn't going to be met -- not because talks have broken down, but because fitting two extra wild-card pieces into the postseason puzzle has proven to be more involved than the commissioner has been willing to acknowledge. The new"
Luhnow comfortable with shortstop depth as roster nears final form
February 1
Houston Chronicle
 
"Take a good look at the Astros roster. These 40 men and this list of non-roster invites could be it headed into spring training No. 51. "We're going to continue to be opportunistic, but I feel pretty comfortable with the group we have now," general manager Jeff Luhnow said. What the roster lacks in star power — a lot, coming off a franchise-worst 106-loss season — it begins to compensate for in depth."
Astros bring in veteran Livan Hernandez on minor league deal
February 1
Houston Chronicle
 
"The Astros added to their stable of starting pitching candidates, signing veteran righthander Livan Hernandez on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, general manager Jeff Luhnow said. Hernandez, a 36-year-old native of Cuba, has pitched 16 seasons in the big leagues, the last 2½ in Washington, where he compiled a 4.41 ERA last season. "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," Luhnow said."
Brian T wraps up exercise in optimism with Astros' electric bullpen
January 31
Houston Chronicle
 
"Well, our exercise in optimism is just about over. Once I'm done explaining how "great" our bullpen will be this year, we can all go back to that black cloud hanging over the 2012 season. Right? After all, our bullpen stunk last season. And there's little hope it'll be good enough to get us to that 3.80 ERA. After all, as you'll recall, the goal is to manage a team ERA of 3.80 over 1,450 innings pitched. Our starters, I optimistically predicted, will post a 3.92 ERA over 970 IP. That leaves 480 innings and 190 runs (a 3.56 ERA!) to allow for our bullpen."
No name change here; Astros to remain the Astros
January 31
Houston Chronicle
 
"New owner Jim Crane ended a week of speculation and rare attention on a national level and anticipated backlash among Houstonians, saying he would not change the name of the club – a possibility he floated last week. "You asked for change and we added several fan friendly initiatives last week and we hope you like them," Crane said in a video message to season ticket holders. "We will continue to listen, and to look for additional ways to improve on and off the field. "One thing that we are not going to change is the name. We received strong feedback and consensus among season ticket holders and many fans, and we will not change the name Astros. The Houston Astros are here to stay.""
Mystery team may join Mariners in AL West
January 30
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
 
"When the Houston Astros join the Mariners in the American League West Division in 2013, they may not be the Astros at all. The baseball team's owner, Jim Crane, is mulling a name and uniform change for his struggling Astros, The Associated Press reports. In fact, the team is "highly considering" a change. "We're going to study the information both from the fans and from all sorts of marketing people," Crane told the AP. "I'm not saying we're going to change. We haven't made the decision yet whether we're going to change.""
3.80: The magic number for 2012 Astros pitching staff
January 29
Houston Chronicle
 
"Skip: "What's our record, Larry?" Larry: "Eight and sixteen." Skip: "Eight … and sixteen. How'd we ever win eight?" Larry: "It's a miracle." Skip: "It's a miracle. This … is a simple game. You throw the ball. You hit the ball. You catch the ball." Truer words were never spoken … especially in a Kevin Costner movie. Well, in hopes of our own little "Minute Maid Miracle" (I claim copyright on that phrase if the Astros make the playoffs in 2012!), let's have a look at our starting pitching. With hitting I focused on OPS, but obviously that won't work here. To keep it simple, I'll stick with that old stand-by, the earned-run average. ERA is a measure of runs allowed by the pitching staff, but"
Are Astros really in the mix for a Roy Oswalt return?
January 28
Houston Chronicle
 
"Let's play a little game. Which of the following does not belong with the others: Zach Duke. Chris Snyder. Jack Cust. Fernando Martinez. Roy Oswalt. Yes, the games get tougher as we go along. Obviously, the Astros have signed the first four on the list this winter. Moreover, the first four combined are likely to earn less money in 2012 than Oswalt. Still, the odd rumors that link Oswalt to conversations with the Astros are head-scratching at first blush, mind-boggling on the second read. Oswalt has made the rounds over the past month, talking with teams like the Rangers, Red Sox and now the Cardinals. While in Houston, Oswalt was long rumored to be interested in playing"
Astros take a flier on former All-Star pitcher Duke
January 28
Houston Chronicle
 
"The risk is low, which may or may not correspond with the potential rewards the Astros can reap by signing former All-Star pitcher Zach Duke to a minor-league contract. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow announced on Friday the signing of Duke, a native Texan who also received an invitation to spring training. Duke, 28, is a lefthanded starter who has fallen on hard times since finishing fifth in the 2005 National League Rookie of the Year voting (8-2, 1.81 ERA in 14 starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates). A Clifton native and Fort Worth resident, Duke is 40-72 with a 4.81 ERA and .311 batting average allowed in the past six seasons. With a fastball in the 87-mph range, Duke relies heavily on"
Selig expects two one-game playoffs for this fall
January 28
Chicago Tribune
 
"Baseball appears ready for an extra round of wild-card playoffs by this fall, according to commissioner Bud Selig. "I really believe we'll have the (extra) wild card for this year," Selig said Friday at SoxFest. "Clubs really want it. I don't think I've ever seen an issue that the clubs want more than to have the extra wild card." The extra round would be one-game elimination in both the National and American Leagues to the teams who would have missed the playoffs as they are set up now. Some have argued for a best-of-three, but that appears impossible with the scheduled all but set for 2012."
Astros' move is to league of free spenders
January 26
Houston Chronicle
 
"A National League team probably never would have pulled the Prince Fielder deal that the Tigers did yesterday, and if you're wondering why Jim Crane wanted and received a purchase price discount with the Astros' 2013 move to the American League, that's it. Fielder is worth more to the Tigers, just like Albert Pujols was worth more to the Angels, than he would be to a National League team. Both can be stashed at designated hitter at the end of their deals when defense could start looking really bad, and both teams had first base commitments already, which National League teams couldn't handle with no DH outlet."
In search of that .750 OPS, in the Astros outfield
January 26
Houston Chronicle
 
"When last we left our exercise in optimism we were shooting for a team OPS of .750. Why? Well, while you can find all kinds of stats to prove different things, I focused on OPS for a pair of reasons. First, it's easily understood and it's an accessible stat that translates across different times and places of measurement. A minor leaguer (I'm lookin' at you, Jimmy Paredes!) who consistently turns in an OPS of .720 then delivers a .713 OPS in two months in Houston can probably be counted on to get on base and slug his way to a .725-ish OPS as a full-time player. Second, team OPS has a fairly direct correlation to runs scored. Houston's team OPS of .684 (24th) last year matches closely to"
Hurricanes? Buffs? Vast majority votes to retain Astros as team name
January 25
Houston Chronicle
 
"For one day — and certainly an oddly timed day given the Texans hangover, the Rockets' seven-game winning streak and just the simple fact it's January — Houston was a baseball town again. The Astros' relenting on their ban of outside food, lowering of ticket prices, and proclamation of an open mind on the future of the uniforms and even the 47-year-old team name had the town abuzz. Headlines were about the Astros. Airtime was given to the Astros. Social media were blowing up on the topic of the Astros, with 819 comments on the team's Facebook page by 7 p.m. Tuesday, coinciding with upticks in the interactive portions of the Chronicle's own Astros content. The main issue: Those six little"
MLB allows retired Tony La Russa to manage in All-Star game against Ron Washington
January 25
Dallas Morning News
 
"Tony La Russa will come out of retirement to manage the National League team for the July 10 All-Star Game at Kansas City. La Russa will go against Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington, who will handle the American League team for the second consecutive season. La Russa retired shortly after St. Louis defeated the Rangers in the seven-game World Series."
Astros name change? (Forget) that
January 24
Houston Chronicle
 columnist Jarome Solomon
"It is only right that Jim Crane has decided to slash ticket prices for that technically-major-but-closer-to-minor-league baseball team now known as the Houston Astros. Perhaps fans can get their money's worth in the 2012 season. I mean, as was the case for all who paid to see The Green Hornet (or Green Lantern, for that matter), Astros ticket buyers must feel as if they are owed some green from last season. So Crane deserves a big whoop for that."
Forget glass-half-full, Brian T looks at a full glass 2012 for Astros
January 24
Houston Chronicle
 
"As Astros fans, all we hear about is how the winning won't happen until 2014 (2013 for the truly delusional). Well, I say why not just win this year? No, I haven't been possessed by the spirit of "The Grocer." No, I don't need a padded cell. (Well, I might, but that's not related to this post.) Look, I understand the reality that this team is probably going to give us a year of heartache before we get dragged kicking and screaming to the AL West. But before the season has started and with Spring Training still joyfully about four weeks in the future, I decided to take a glass-half-full (OK, all-full) look at the 2012 Astros. After all, once the season begins, the hopelessness of 2012"
Astros sign former UH star catcher Snyder
January 21
Houston Chronicle
 
"The Astros are trying to bolster their catching corps with some home-grown talent. General manager Jeff Luhnow announced Friday that the Astros have signed Houston native Chris Snyder to a one-year contract that includes a mutual option for 2013. The Astros have not yet announced the move they'll have to make to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Snyder, who starred at Spring Woods High and the University of Houston. Snyder, 30, has a career .231/.333/.394 batting line (average/on-base percentage/slugging average) in seven-plus seasons in the major leagues, with 70 home runs and 243 RBIs in 1,846 at-bats. Snyder had spent an anxious couple of months on the free-agent market after his"
Pam Gardner leaves Astros with 'no regrets
January 20
Houston Chronicle
 
"Pam Gardner resigned Thursday as the Astros' president for business operations, capping a two-decade era during which she helped orchestrate the team's move to downtown Houston and became one of the longest-tenured female executives in Major League Baseball. Gardner, who joined the team in 1989 as director of communications and was named one of its two presidents in August 2001, is the latest executive to depart in the wake of the club's sale in November by Drayton McLane to shipping logistics executive Jim Crane."
Jack Cust: The anti-Astro Astro, and why this is bad — and good
January 19
Houston Chronicle
 
"There are three things that the Astros, as they have been and presumably continue to be constructed, do not do. 1. They don't walk 2. They don't, for a poor offensive team, strike out much. 3. They don't hit home runs. Now Jack Cust has signed with the Astros for $600,000 non-guaranteed plus a 2013 club option that according to agent Bobby Barad is for $1 million. And there are three things that Jack Cust does do on offense. 1. He walks. 2. He strikes out. 3. He hits home runs, or at least he did. While the Astros are a bunch of busy work for a defense, a Jack Cust at-bat is an invitation for defense to take a nap. If they had to find one player who absolutely doesn't fit their mold, both"
Astros agree to deal with free agent hitter Jack Cust
January 18
Houston Chronicle
 
"The Astros finished off a busy Tuesday by agreeing to a contract with free agent Jack Cust, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Cust will be under contract for 2012 and the Astros hold a club option for 2013, meaning Cust could become the team's first designated hitter when the Astros move to the American League in 2013, as most of his career experience is bat-only. The team also agreed to a $2.35 million contract with lefty J.A. Happ, exchanging salary arbitration proposals with shortstop Jed Lowrie, and hiring former Astros farmhand and experienced minor league pitching coach Craig Bjornson as bullpen coach."
Happ agrees to one-year contract with Astros
January 17
MLB.com
 
"The Astros reached a contract agreement with left-handed pitcher J.A. Happ on Tuesday, coming to terms on a $2.35 million deal to avoid arbitration. Happ, who earned $474,000 in 2011, was eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career following a rocky season in which he went 6-15 with a 5.35 ERA in 28 starts. Houston wasn't able to reach an agreement with infielder Jed Lowrie prior to Tuesday's deadline to exchange numbers. "We want to get a fair deal for the club," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said."Sometimes that means negotiating a settlement ahead of time and avoiding having the hassle and the legal cost of having to prepare for a hearing. Certainly there comes a"
Berkman may be perfect candidate for Astros' first full-time DH in 2013
January 16
Houston Chronicle
 
"This time next year the Astros will be involved in a different kind of search – pursuing a permanent designated hitter as the organization prepares for its first season in the American League West. Over the years, Houston has used the opportunity of interleague games to rest some of its regulars and get others at bats in the regular lineup. Though Carlos Lee has taken most of the DH ABs recently, both Jason Michaels and Lance Berkman have had drawn some of the assignments. Jeff Bagwell, Berkman, Lee and even Craig Biggio have served as the Astros' DH over the years, but mostly only to give their bodies a break from playing in the field a few games."
Astros minor league team joins Tim Tebow craze
January 13
Houston Chronicle
 
"The mania over Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has predictably reached the Astros organization, previously one of life's few Tebow-free zones. The high Class A Lancaster JetHawks, one of the more innovative farm teams out there as far as promotions go, will give fans the opportunity to snatch 15 tickets for $15 – an homage to Tebow's uniform number. There is a catch though, that Tebow's Broncos have to beat the heavily favored New England Patriots Saturday night for the promotion to kick in."
Astros shake up staff with new bench coach, special assistants
January 12
Houston Chronicle
 
"The Astros made considerable changes to their staff including in the dugout, where former Cardinals bench coach Joe Pettini is replacing Al Pedrique as bench coach after Pedrique declined a reassignment to bullpen coach. General manager Jeff Luhnow also announced the hiring to his staff of Dan Radison as special assistant to the GM in player development, Mike Elias as special assistant to the GM in scouting and Matt Sinatro as catching and advance scouting coordinator. Pettini worked for 10 years under Tony La Russa, winning three National League pennants and two World Series titles with the Cardinals (losing the third to the Red Sox, who featured current Astros manager Brad Mills as bench"
More teams interested in Carlos Lee than Wandy? Seriously?
January 12
Houston Chronicle
 
"Who'd have thought the day would come where there was more interest in Carlos Lee than Wandy Rodriguez? If you believe any of the rumors running around these days, some teams may be interested in taking on Lee for the last of his six-year contract. Seriously? To be sure, it's likely the Astros might have to eat some of the $18.5 million if Lee were to be traded, but for a team in cost-cutting, money-saving mode, any "relief" would be a plus. But no interest in Wandy? Really?"
Astros claim waived F-Mart
January 12
New York Post
 
"Fernando Martinez is officially an ex-Met. The one-time top prospect was claimed off waivers by the Astros yesterday. Although multiple teams put in claims for the 23-year-old, Houston, with the worst record in the league last season, got the outfielder. Martinez was a huge disappointment for the Mets, who viewed him as a potential star. But an inability to stay healthy, as well as a lack of conditioning, plagued him. A year ago, he lasted only 11 games with the Mets, hitting .227 with a homer and 2 RBIs. And he played in just 63 games in the minors, in part due to an arthritic knee."
Bagwell and Biggio, a Hall of Fame package deal? Here's one vote against that
January 11
Houston Chronicle
 columnist Steve Campbell
"Jeff Bagwell is getting in the Hall of Fame. Probably. If precedent counts for anything. Which is no guarantee. Which would make about as much sense as Ron Santo getting voted in the year after he died. Really, the landscape of the Hall of Fame is liable to undergo changes – good or bad – that nobody truly can claim to foresee. Bagwell had an upswing of support in his second time on the ballot, improving from 42 to 56 percent. While that leaves Bagwell well short of the 75 percent necessary for induction, it puts him on solid footing moving forward."
Bagwell seeks to land a spot in Hall of Fame on second try
January 9
Houston Chronicle
 
"Jeff Bagwell's second day in front of baseball's legacy tribunal known as the Baseball Writers Association of America should go better than his first. They almost always do with some voters reluctant to name a player a first-ballot Hall of Famer unless he was the elite of the elite. How much better will be the key as the 15-year Astros great will learn his fate with the rest of the nominees at 2 p.m. today. Bagwell got 41.7 percent of the vote from 10-year-tenured members of the BBWAA last year and like every candidate, needs at least 75 percent to gain admission and 5 percent to remain on the ballot."
Jose Altuve and the marathon season(s)
January 6
Houston Chronicle
 
"When Jose Altuve was first discussing his intentions to play winter ball back in August, he stressed that despite a career-high in at-bats and games played and the first exposure to big league routines, he was still young. Ah, to be 21. Those young legs, young arms and all the other parts of a young swing, finished 2011 with 898 plate appearances. That's 391 when making rubble of the minors, 234 with the Astros proper and this winter, a whopping 273 when putting together an MVP-like campaign for Magallanes of the Venezuelan Winter League."
For 2012 Astros, the crawl, walk, run philosophy is in full play
January 6
Houston Chronicle
 
"The 2012 Astros' season is not about wins and losses. It's about building the foundation and restoring stability. That will eventually result in more wins than losses, but the fruit may not be evident until 2013. Some are calling for the Astros to delve into free agency. Others are suggesting they should make plays for players on the trade front. New GM Jeff Luhnow has made it clear, though. No thanks! Not this year at least. Sure, everyone wants to win and, indeed, it is the barometer for an organization's progress. But, in the case of the Astros, that barometer should be stretched over the next five years, not simply to take the temperature of 2012. Progress is progress. As hard as it"
Astros go data-heavy with addition of director of decision sciences
January 4
Houston Chronicle
 
"The Astros boosted their commitment to a data-driven existence under new general manager Jeff Luhnow and CEO George Postolos with the hiring of Sig Mejdal as the club's director of decision sciences. In plain English? "Really someone to oversee the architecture and ongoing operation of all the systems that we're going to utilize to make better baseball decisions," Luhnow said."
On behalf of Astros fans, see you in hell, 2011
January 3
Houston Chronicle
 
""That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you…" -Leviticus 25:11 Obviously, things work a little different in baseball, despite its manufactured ties to the Bible, "In the big inning" yucks, etc. Our two jubilants in 2011 were the dregs of baseball off the field and on it. One was the Mets, ironically one of two teams in the National League East with no red ink in their uniforms despite drowning in it elsewhere. And the other, of course, your Houston Astros, saving the worst for last in their infant half century. And it's finally over, just about the worst year you could ever have imagined, absent one of the premature deaths that plagued the franchise's early history or other "real""
Fresh off the nightmare, spring training begins next month
January 3
Houston Chronicle
 
"Yes, friends, spring training begins next month. Literally, in just a few weeks, Jim Crane — not Drayton McLane — will stand in front of players and coaches for his first big moment in the sun. You can bet quite a bit will happen between now and the first spring training game March 3 against Washington at Osceola County Stadium. Count on trades. Bank on more non-roster invites. And, believe it, there will be some curve balls. For now, though, some of the biggest changes are those that haven't happened yet. Wandy and Brett are still Astros and Houston is still in the NL Central…for one more season. Brad Mills apparently got a reprieve for now, but Bobby Heck and others in the front office"
ESPN writer among candidates for Astros front office position
December 30
Houston Chronicle
 
"As the Astros look to form the remainder of the front office around newly installed president George Postolos and general manager Jeff Luhnow, multiple candidates have been in for interviews though no positions have been officially filled. ESPN senior writer Keith Law, who worked previously in the Toronto Blue Jays front office, is a candidate for a position, having already interviewed according to a person with knowledge of the process. Luhnow had no comment on any individual candidates vying to join a front office with other top positions filled by David Gottfried (player relations), Bobby Heck (scouting) and Fred Nelson (player development). Luhnow did say that there have been no"
Brad Mills has 10 arms on his 40-man roster
December 21
Houston Chronicle
 
"General manager Jeff Luhnow's acquisition of former Red Sox farmhand and major league dabbler Kyle Weiland as part of his first move has given the Astros 10 starting pitchers on their 40-man roster, and manager Brad Mills has said he's going to give Weiland a chance in spring training. Last year's race for the starting rotation was a little bit of a rigged affair, if you'll remember, with the spots basically determined to the point where performance in spring training meant little."
Former Astros GM Wade reportedly lands back with Phillies
December 20
Houston Chronicle
 
"Former Astros general manager Ed Wade, who was previously the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, has accepted a scouting position with the Phillies according to reports from Philadelphia-based and national writers. Wade was fired last month as general manager of the Astros after four years with two more seasons remaining on his contract. He and Tal Smith were immediate employment casualties of the arrival of new owner Jim Crane and CEO/president George Postolos. Wade offered no comment on his future when reached Monday night."
Utility man Bixler to stay with Astros
December 20
Houston Chronicle
 
"Utility man Brian Bixler will remain in the Astros organization after he accepted his assignment to Class AAA Oklahoma City. Bixler had been designated for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster for last week's two-for-one trade that brought in Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland. He will come to Astros spring training now as a non-roster invitee."
Lee, Myers and Wandy may be on the block
December 17
Foxsports.com
 
"Carlos Lee, 1B: In the right situation, Lee could be the Comeback Player of the Year. His contract — one year, $18.5 million — isn't as bad as you think. He won't be with the Astros after 2012, with first baseman of the future Jonathan Singleton on the way. Lee, 35, has incentive to produce as he's preparing to hit the open market. New general manager Jeff Luhnow could entice a team like the Indians if he pays half of the contract. Lee could become a popular target after Fielder signs. One complication: Lee has a full no-trade clause. Brett Myers, RHP: Luhnow's best move with Myers may be to wait and hope that he reestablishes some value before the July trade deadline. His ERA jumped from"
Ex-Astro Michaels catches on with Nationals
December 17
Houston Chronicle
 
"Cast adrift by the worst team in the major leagues, former Astros outfielder Jason Michaels found another organization that will have him. The Washington Nationals signed to a minor-league contract, according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy. Michaels,35, put up a .231./.296/.400 batting line for the Astros the past three seasons, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 52 runs in 477 at-bats. He struggled to a .199 average during an injury-plagued 2011 season that included two trips to the disabled list."
Luhnow makes first trade as Astros GM, and it's not a salary dump
December 15
Houston Chronicle
 
"The first major-league trade of the Jeff Luhnow era defied all odds and expectations. The Astros didn't do a salary dump. They didn't beg and plead until somebody took the salary of Carlos Lee, Brett Myers or Wandy Rodriguez off their hands. Maybe that will come later. Or soon. In Luhnow's first deal since the Astros introduced him as general manager last Thursday, he sent righthander Mark Melancon to the Boston Red Sox for shortstop Jed Lowrie and pitcher Kyle Weiland. Luhnow traded a cost-effective — emphasis on the effective — reliever for a switch-hitter who projects as the starting shortstop and a 25-year-old right-hander who steadily progressed through the Red Sox minor-league"
Red Sox acquire Houston's Mark Melancon for Jed Lowrie, Kyle Weiland
December 15
Boston Herald
 
"Save opportunities were rarer than diamonds this year for the 106-loss Houston Astros. But when Mark Melancon got a chance, he usually delivered. "He was nails," Astros manager Brad Mills said last night. The Red Sox were impressed enough that yesterday they traded talented, but oft-injured infielder Jed Lowrie and right-hander Kyle Weiland to the Astros for Melancon, who won't necessarily replace closer Jonathan Papelbon but surely will pitch in close games when late-inning leads need to be safeguarded. Melancon, 26, took the reins as Astros closer in May and recorded 20 saves in 25 chances. He was 8-4 on the season with a 2.78 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 742/3 innings spanning 71"
Report: Sox acquire Mark Melancon from Astros
December 14
Boston Globe
 
"The Red Sox have made a significant addition to their bullpen, acquiring righthanded reliever Mark Melancon from the Astros for infielder Jed Lowrie and reliever Kyle Weiland. Melancon, a hard-throwing 26-year-old had a 2.78 earned run average and 20 saves in 74.1 innings for Houston last season. He struck out 66 and walked 26. His numbers suggest he could serve as the departed Jonathan Papelbon's successor as the Red Sox closer in '12, though he may also be the first of many pieces added to the bullpen, especially if Daniel Bard ends up in the rotation. Oakland closer Andrew Bailey is one among a handful of potential relievers the Red Sox could still pursue."
Ranks of Astros shortstop options grow at tender deadline
December 13
Houston Chronicle
 
"The list of Astros shortstop candidates swelled a bit on Monday as most notably Ryan Theriot was non-tendered at the deadline for teams to do such barely speakable things. The Astros have a crowd at shortstop with Angel Sanchez, Brian Bixler, Diory Hernandez and Rule 5 pick Marwin Gonzalez all claiming some aptitude for the position, but the team has sought an upgrade. With Ryan Theriot and old friend Jeff Keppinger, whom we'll throw in mostly for kicks, added to the mix, there are still a handful of names on the market to watch."
New system offers new Astros GM a chance to chart new course to gain an edge
December 11
Houston Chronicle
 
"One of new Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow's guiding principles is that baseball is a zero-sum game. One team's win is another team's loss. One team's championship is everybody else's regret. Under the circumstances, don't look for Luhnow's 25-page plan for rebuilding baseball's worst team to appear anywhere outside the Astros inner sanctum. Luhnow is looking for a way to catch up to teams that that have smart, capable people in charge. Showing them his exact blueprint for doing so wouldn't put him in line to be valedictorian of the current class of GMs. In 2013, the Astros will join an American League West that features savvy GMs such as Jon Daniels of Texas and Billy Beane of Oakland"
Astros new GM Luhnow and the misguided notion of a stats vs. scouts war
December 10
Houston Chronicle
 
"The amazing part about Jeff Luhnow's introductory press conference wasn't the admission of a years-long rebuild, it wasn't the support for Brad Mills and it wasn't the smooth linguistic transition midstream from English to español. No, it was that he was able to leave the spreadsheet unattended for an hour and come into the light. Yuk, yuk, yuk. 2004 finds that joke hilarious. That was probably the peak of the often counterproductive scouts vs. stats argument. One year after the dead tree edition of "Moneyball" came out and sparked a movie version and countless misinterpretations. Educated in a dual degree program that blended business and engineering, Luhnow joins a front office that is"
Astros new GM has the right stuff
December 9
Houston Chronicle
 columnist Jerome Solomon
"Former baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth was the first to mention Jeff Luhnow to Jim Crane as a solid candidate to be the Astros' general manager. Crane, an exceptional golfer, owns a home in Pebble Beach, Calif., where Ueberroth is owner and co-chair of Pebble Beach Company. At the time, Crane was still waiting for Major League Baseball's approval of his purchase of the Astros. As time passed, Crane and Astros president and CEO George Postolos were supplied many more names of candidates for a position whose filling Crane described as "the most important decision we will make for the next three or four years.""