Happy Birthday - 11/15

Happy Birthday to ~

SS Jean Batista (22)
A non-drafted free agent from the Dominican Republic, Batista spent most of his 2013 season on the DL or rehabbing. In 32 games between Lancaster and the GCL, he hit .260/.278/.463. Batista was one of two featured players in the documentary Ballplayer: Pelotero about the impact of the MLB in the Dominican Republic as the young Dominican players try to make their way. The film is excellent, eye-opening and often disturbing.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

LHP Randy Niemann (58)
A second round pick by the Yankees in 1975, Niemann came to Houston from New York in a June 1977 trade. In 48 appearances for the Astros in 1979 and 1980, he was 3-3 with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.420 WHIP. In September 1981, he was sent to the Pirates as a PTBNL in the August 1981 Phil Garner trade. He coached in the Cardinals AA minor league affiliate in 2013.

LHP Pedro Borbon (45)
Borbon came to Houston from Toronto in May of 2002 and pitched in 56 games for for the Astros that season with a 5.50 ERA and a 1.593 WHIP. I still cannot hear the name Pedro Borbon without thinking of this even though it referred to Borbon's father.