Happy Birthday - 3/14

SS Marwin Gonzalez (23)
Gonzalez was drafted from the Cubs in the Rule 5 draft in December by the Red Sox and then quickly traded to the Astros for Rule 5 pick RHP Marco Duarte.  Gonzalez split his time in 2011 between the Cubs AA and AAA teams, earning a Southern League Mid-Season All-Star nod and batting a combined .288/.343/.400/.742.  In  Venezuelan winter league play, he had a .292 batting average.  At short, he showed good improvement defensively from 2010 to 2011.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

3B/OF Ty (sometimes Tye) Waller (55)
Waller played in 11 games for Houston in 1987 with uninspiring results.  His best season in the majors was for the Chicago Cubs in 1981 when he hit .268/.303/.451 over 30 games.  Waller is currently the first base coach for the Oakland A's.

2B Matt Kata (34)
Kata appeared in 40 games for the Astros (52 plate appearances) in 2009 and managed only a .200 batting average.  In 2011 he played in the Texas Rangers minor league system, hitting .293/.353/.480/.832 at the AAA affiliate in Round Rock.