Happy Birthday - 12/13

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Aneury Rodriguez (25)
Originally signed by the Rockies as a NDFA out of the Dominican Republic in 2005, the Astros acquired Aneury from Tampa Bay in the Rule 5 draft in 2010. After spending all season on the Astros roster as a Rule 5 draft pick in 2011, Rodriguez spent the vast majority of his 2012 season at Oklahoma City with only one start in Houston. In 29 games (13 starts) with the Redhawks, he was 4-7 with a 6.60 ERA and a 1.878 WHIP. In his only start for Houston, he allowed two runs on two home runs over six innings. He is pitching for the Toros del Este team in the Dominican Republic this winter, and as of 12/12, he was 3-1 in eight starts with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.219 WHIP. He is currently a free agent.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Ron Taylor (75)
Taylor came to Houston in a June 1965 trade with the Cardinals and pitched in 68 games for the Astros in 1965 and 1966 with a 6.03 ERA and a 1.496 WHIP. Following his playing career, he went back to school at the University of Toronto, got his medical degree and became the team doctor for the Blue Jays.

SS/3B Dale Berra (56)
A first round pick by the Pirates in 1975, Berra came to Houston as a free agent in August 1986 and played in only 19 games for the Astros in 1987 at the end of his major league career. He hit .178/.296/.244. According to Baseball-Reference, Berra was once quoted in talking about his father Yogi as saying, "Our similarities are different."