Happy Birthday - 9/10

Happy Birthday to ~

RHP Gerardo Juarez (22)
Signed by the Astros out of Nicaragua prior to the 2013 season, Juarez spent the majority of his 2014 season on the disabled list following just one outing in June. After coming back in August, Juarez had a 0.00 ERA and a 0.500 WHIP with one save in four innings.

RHP Kyle Smith (22)
Obtained in the July 2013 Justin Maxwell trade with Kansas City, Smith was originally drafted by that team in the fourth round in 2011. Smith spent the first month of the season with Lancaster, compiling a 4-0 record with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.084 WHIP in seven games (three starts) before his promotion to AA Corpus Christi in early May. In 21 games (13 starts) for the Hooks, Smith was 5.5 with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.227 WHIP. In a total of 123 innings pitched, Smith walked 37 batters and struck out 127.

LHP Luis Cruz (24)
Drafted in the 9th round in 2008 out of high school in Puerto Rico, Cruz split the 2013 season between Corpus Christi and Oklahoma City. Between the two venues, he was 8-8 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.243 WHIP. In 124.2 innings, he walked 38 batters while striking out 118.

Three former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

LHP Randy "Big Unit" Johnson (51)
Randy is well-remembered by Houston fans for his dominance during the 1998 playoff run. Obtained at the trade deadline, he went 10-1 in 11 starts with a 1.28 ERA and a 0.984 WHIP. He helped to get the Astros to the post season, but even with an impressive 1.93 ERA and a 1.000 WHIP, he went 0-2 and Houston lost the NLDS to San Diego 3-1. Johnson appeared in 22 major league seasons for six teams, with the vast majority of his time spent in the Mariners and Diamondbacks organizations. Among many other accomplishments, Johnson was a 10-time All-Star, MVP for the 2001 World Series and a five-time Cy Young Award Winner.

1B Craig Cacek (60)
Originally drafted by the Mets in the ninth round in 1972, Cacek came to Houston in a December 1975 trade with the Mets. His sole major league experience consisted of seven games played for Houston during the 1977 season. He did manage to get his one hit in the bigs, but that's about it.

RHP Lance Pendleton (31)
A first round pick by the Yankees in 2005, Pendleton was picked up in the Rule 5 draft from the Yankees in 2010, returned prior to the 2011 season and ultimately claimed off waivers from the Yankees in September 2011. In four appearances he had a 17.36 ERA and a 2.357 WHIP.