Roster Moves - 11/2

RHP Arcenio Leon who had spent the 2012 season with Corpus Christi was claimed off waivers by the Brewers, opening up another 40-man roster spot. The 40-man currently stands at 35.

In addition, according to tweets from utility player Neiko Johnson and RHP Nate "Carl" Pettus, they are no longer with the organization. UPDATED: Another tweet from OF Garen Wright indicated that he has been released as well.

Here's is the complete list of roster cuts from today (with a link to their stats page and last team):

RHP Yoiner Angulo  - DSL
RHP Francisco Baso - DSL
LHP Ricardo Batista - GCL
RHP Steven Dennison - GCL
C Kenny Diaz - GCL
LHP Brad Dydalewicz - Lancaster
RHP Blake Ford - Tri-City
SS Jimmy Howick - Greeneville
UT Neiko Johnson - Tri-City
OF Emilio King - Tri-City
2B Jordan Kreke - Lexington
OF Jarrod McKinney - Tri-City
RHP Juan Mojica - Greeneville
RHP Nate Pettus - Lexington
C Franny Polanco - GCL
RHP Brad Propst - Greeneville
3B Kyle Redinger - GCL
OF Garen Wright - Greeneville

I will update the ongoing off-season transaction list shortly.

Happy Birthday - 9/22

SS Carlos Correa (18)
The number one overall pick from the 2012 draft already has 50 professional games under his belt and is just now turning 18. In 39 games with the GCL Astros, Correa hit .232/.270/.355 with 11 doubles, one triple and two home runs. After a late season promotion to Greeneville, Correa fired the afterburners and hit .371/.450/.600 with three doubles, one triple and one home run (which I witnessed first hand, thank you very much!). He is currently participating in the fall instructional league.

OF Jordan Scott (21)
Drafted in the 14th round in 2010 out of Riverside High School in South Carolina, Scott was unable to recreate his great numbers from his 2011 season. In 110 games, he hit .230/.325/.280 for the Lexington Lo-A team this season. For some reason, Scott was more comfortable on the road this season as he hit .273/.357/.335 away from home. Known for his good approach at the plate, I look for Scott to have a rebound season in 2013.

RHP Luis Ordosgoitti (20)
Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Venezuela in 2009, Ordosgoitti got his first taste of Lo-A this season as he started 19 games for the Lexington Legends. Considering his young age, his 5-5 record with a 5.52 ERA and a 1.544 WHIP was certainly a decent result.

RHP Arcenio Leon (26)
Arcenio signed with the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in 2005 and started playing in the Venezuelan Summer League that year. Now in his eighth season with the Astros organization, he spent his season at Corpus Christi where he had a 3-2 record with a 4.38 ERA and a 1.461 WHIP in 44 appearances.

Three former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Larry Dierker (66)
Dierker signed with the Colt .45's prior to the 1964 season and made his major league debut on his 18th birthday that same year. Dierker pitched in 345 games for the Colt .45's and Astros from 1964 to 1976 with a 137-117 record, a 3.28 ERA and a 1.214 WHIP. He was a two-time All-Star for Houston. He also managed the Astros from 1997 to 2001, compiling a 435-348 record and being named the National League Manager of the Year in 1998.

LF Jeffrey Leonard (57)
Leonard came to Houston in a September 1978 trade with Los Angeles and played in 237 games for the Astros until his trade to the Giants in April 1981. During that time, he hit .265/.329/.349. He came in second in Rookie of the Year voting to Rick Sutcliffe and made the All-Star team for both the Giants and the Mariners.

RF Charleton Jimerson (33)
A fifth round draft pick by Houston in 2001, Jimerson played in 18 games for Houston in 2005 and 2006 hitting .333/.333/.833 in six plate appearances.

Final Winter League Recap

DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE FINALS

Escogido over Aguilas 6-5 to win the Championship
Aneury Rodriguez pitched 3.2 innings in relief in game nine of this best of nine series.  He gave up three hits, no runs, no walks and had three strikeouts to end the playoffs with a 1.29 ERA.  And he gets bragging rights at Spring Training, along with the Arizona Fall League Astros who won their championship, and Jimmy VanOstrand who won a gold medal in the Pan-Am games. 

Other good playoff appearances by pitchers ~
Enerio del Rosario - 10 games with an 0.00 ERA
Sergio Escalona - 5 games with an 0.00 ERA
Arcenio Leon - 4 games with a 2.45 ERA
Gabriel Garcia - 7 games without giving up a run, before getting hit in the 8th game to end with a 4.91 ERA

In case you missed my wrap up on how your Astros did in the regular season of the fall and winter leagues, here are my notes on the Arizona Fall League, the Dominican League, Venezuelan League, and the Puerto Rican League.  Cumulative stats for all Astros for the regular season in the fall and winter leagues can be found here.

Happy Birthday - 9/22

OF Jordan Scott (20)
Drafted in the 14th round in 2010 out of Riverside HS in South Carolina, the lefty continued to show his prowess at the plate in his second season with the organization. In 79 games between Lexington, Greeneville and Tri-City, Jordan compiled a .323/.380/.406/.787 line.

LHP Adam Champion (24)
This big lefty from Indiana was drafted by Houston in the 24th round in 2010 out of the University of Arkansas Little Rock. In 15 games split between starting and relief pitching (mostly for Tri-City), he was 4-1 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.352 WHIP.

RHP Luis Ordosgoitti (19)
Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Venezuela in 2009, Luis is in his second season with the Astros organization. In 12 games (10 starts) for the GCL Astros, Greeneville and Tri-City, he was 2-5 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.358 WHIP.

RHP Arcenio Leon (25)
Arcenio signed with the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in 2005 and started playing in the Venezuelan Summer League that year. Now in his seventh season with the Astros organization, he spent his season at Corpus Christi, with a late move to Oklahoma City for one game. Pitching exclusively out of the bullpen, he was 3-4 in 48 appearances with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.800 WHIP.

Three former Astros with birthdays today

RHP Larry Dierker (65)
Played for the Colt 45's and Houston Astros from 1964 to 1976
Managed the Astros from 1997 to 2001

LF Jeffrey Leonard (56)
Played for Houston from 1978 to 1981

RF Charleton Jimerson (32)
Played 18 games for Houston in 2005 and 2006