Happy Birthday - 7/22

RHP Angel Heredia (21)
The Dominican-born Heredia has a few holes in his resume. He played shortstop in the Pirates organization in 2009 when he was 16, but there is no record of him playing in 2010 or 2011. He was apparently picked up by the Astros at some point prior to the 2012 season, this time as a pitcher. He spent the majority of 2012 on the restricted list for PEDs and only pitched in eight games for the DSL Astros toward the end of last season. This year, he is again with the DSL team and was named to the All-Star squad. In 14 games this season, he is 2-2 with a 1.66 ERA and a 1.338 WHIP.

One former Astro with a birthday today ~

1B/C Cliff Johnson (66)
Drafted by Houston in the fifth round in 1966, Johnson did not make his major league debut until six years later. He played in 376 games for Houston from September 1972 until his trade to the Yankees in June of 1977, hitting .256/.370/.471. As a player without a fixed position, Johnson was often used as a pinch hitter until moving to the American League where he was often used as a DH with modest success.

And according to this very silly Baseball Card Theater video from ex-pat Astros fan T. Sean Shannon, Cliff Johnson didn't smile a lot.