Happy Birthday - 9/28

Happy Birthday to ~

LHP Javier Saucedo (20)
Saucedo was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Panama in 2010 and spent his third season in the organization with the DSL Astros where he put up a solid season out of the bullpen. In 14 appearances (one start), he was 2-2 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.217 WHIP. He struck out 26 and walked nine in 23 innings.

RHP Michael Feliz (20)
Signed as a non-drafted free agent from the Dominican Republic in 2010, Feliz spent his 2013 season with Tri-City where he compiled a 4-2 record with a 1.96 ERA and a 0.957 WHIP in 14 games (10 starts). He walked 13 batters and struck out 78 in 69 innings and held hitters to a .209 batting average.

Five former Astros with birthdays today ~

1B Dick Gernert (85)
Drafted from the Reds in the 1961 expansion draft, Gernert played for the Colt 45's in 1962 at the end of his major league career. In 10 games for Houston, he hit .208/.345/.208.

PH Gene Ratliff (68)
Ratliff had our at-bats in four games for the Colt 45's in 1965 and that one hit in the majors eluded him.

RHP Charlie Kerfeld (50)
A first round pick by Houston in 1982, Kerfeld pitched for Houston from 1985 to 1987 and again in 1990. In 98 appearances (six starts), he was 15-8 with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.474 WHIP. His best season was by far the 1986 season when he was 11-2 with a 2.59 ERA and a 1.206 WHIP in 61 appearances out of the bullpen. Kerfeld, along with Larry Andersen and Dave Smith, was one of the Astros coneheads back in the day.

C Ronn Reynolds (55)
A fifth round pick by the Mets in 1980, Reynolds came to Houston in an April 1987 trade with the Phillies. In 38 games, he hit .167/.189/.235. Reynolds was also a catcher for the fictional Sidd Finch.

C/PH Hector Gimenez (31)
Gimenez played in two games for Houston in 2006 and didn't get a hit in his two at-bats. Five years later, he would get his first major league hit for the Dodgers. He played in the minors for the White Sox organization in 2013.