Happy Birthday - 8/21

Happy Birthday to ~

LF J.D. Martinez (26)
Originally from Miami, Julio Daniel Martinez was drafted in 2009 in the 20th Round out of Nova Southeastern University. In 78 games this season, Martinez is hitting .256/.280/.392 with 16 doubles and seven home runs. He is currently on a rehab assignment after having suffered a wrist injury in late July. Future trivia question answer: Martinez was the first player to hit a home run in the Marlins new stadium on April 13, 2012.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

1B/OF Jim Beauchamp (died December 25, 2007 at age 68)
Beauchamp originally came to Houston prior to the 1964 season in a trade with the Cardinals. He played in 23 games for the Colt .45's in 1964 and 25 games for the Astros in 1965 before being traded away to Milwaukee in May of 1965. He once again came to Houston in a trade with the Reds prior to the 1970 season and was once again traded away in June 1970, this time to his original organization, St. Louis. In 78 games for Houston, he hit .179/.257/.269. He went on to have a long career managing in the minor leagues for Houston, Cincinnati, Toronto and Atlanta from 1975 to 1990.

IF Jerry DaVanon (68)
A first round pick by the Cardinals in 1966, DaVanon came to Houston from Cleveland in April 1975 and was subsequently traded to St. Louis along with Larry Dierker in November 1976. In between, he played in 94 games for Houston hitting .284/.398/.397.

OF Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes (45)
A third round pick by the Astros in 1986, Rhodes played in 92 games for Houston from 1990 to 1993, hitting .219/.302/.303. After his MLB career ended, his career in Japan took off. Baseball-Reference has this great article about Rhodes, including his years in Japan.

SS Andujar Cedeno (died October 28, 2000 at age 31)
Cedeno first signed on with the Astros organization as a NDFA out of the Dominican Republic in 1986 and played for the Astros in 392 games from 1990 to 1994. He was traded to the Padres in December of 1994, but came back to Houston from Detroit to play in three final major league games in September of 1996. In a total of 395 games, he hit .250/.309/.389. He hit for the cycle in August of 1992 in a game against the Cardinals. He died in a car accident at the age of 31.