Happy Birthday - 12/19

Happy Birthday to ~

OF/1B Brandon Meredith (25)
Drafted out of San Diego State in the sixth round in 2011, Meredith split his 2014 season fairly evenly between Lancaster and Corpus Christi (but missed about six weeks of the season on the DL). In a total of 80 games, he hit .249/.346/.450 with 10 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 44 RBI.

Tom Lawless (58)
In his sixth season working in the Astros minor league system, Lawless served as interim manager for the Oklahoma City RedHawks while Manager Tony DeFrancesco was on medical leave, in addition to his job as minor league infield development specialist. On September 1st, he became the 21st Manager in Astros history, guiding the big league club to an 11-13 record in his brief tenure in the interim position. Lawless is still remembered by many for his three-run home run for the Cardinals in Game 4 of the World Series in 1987 and his subsequent bat flip seen here 48 seconds in.

These former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

OF Walt "No Neck" Williams (71)
Where have all the good nicknames gone? No Neck signed with Houston as an amateur free agent prior to the 1963 season. In 10 games for the Colt .45's in 1964, Williams went hitless in nine at-bats. He went on to play several more seasons with the White Sox, Indians and Yankees with a .270/.310/.365 career batting line.

RHP Joe Slusarski (48)
Originally drafted by Oakland in the second round in 1988, Slusarski came to Houston as a free agent in May 1998. In 65 games pitched for the Astros in 1999, 2000 and 2001, he had a 4.57 ERA and a 1.379 WHIP.