Happy Birthday - 12/16

Happy Birthday to ~

OF Bryan de la Cruz (18)
Signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, De la Cruz spent his first professional season in the DSL, hitting .262/.387/.317 in 59 games.

RHP Aaron Vaughn (23)
Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2014, Vaughn started his season with the GCL and ended it with Tri-City with a very brief stop at Quad Cities in between. In a total of 22 bullpen appearances, Vaughn was 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA and a 0.938 WHIP. He walked six batters and struck out 23 in 26.2 innings of work.

LHP Zach Davis (23)
Drafted by Houston in the 25th round in 2014, Davis spent most of his season with the Greeneville Astros (2.04 ERA and 1.132 WHIP), earning a late season promotion to Tri-City for his final two appearances. He ended the season with a 3.98 ERA and a 1.377 WHIP.

OF Jose Benjamin (19)
An international signing out of the Dominican Republic, Benjamin played his first season for the Dominican Summer League Astros. In 42 games, he hit .235/.349/.309.

Three former Astros celebrate today as well ~

RHP Randy Hennis (49)

A second round pick by the Astros in 1987, Hennis only got a cup of coffee in the major leagues, but he did it up right. He pitched in three games (nine and two-thirds innings) in 1990, but he managed to keep his ERA perfect at 0.00 with a WHIP of 0.414. Nice. Ken Hoffman of the Houston Chronicle talked to Hennis a while back about his short but stellar career.

OF Chris Jones (49)

Originally drafted by the Reds in the third round in 1984, Jones came to Houston as a free agent in December 1991 and played in 54 games for the Astros in 1992, hitting .190/.271/.302.

OF Charles Gipson (42)
Drafted by Seattle in the 63rd round (no, that's not a typo) in 1991, Gipson signed with Houston as a free agent in January 2005. In 11 at-bats in 19 games, he hit .182/.250/.273. Frequently used as a pinch runner and a defensive replacement, Gipson is one of only a handful of non-pitchers with fewer career plate appearances (366) than games played (373).

Happy Birthday - 7/13

Happy Birthday to ~

C Alfredo Gonzalez (22)
Gonzalez was a NDFA out of Venezuela who first played for the DSL team in 2009. In his first 15 games for Tri-City this season, he is hitting .214/.298/.286 with a 43% caught stealing percentage.

Several former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

C Robbie Wine (52)
A first round pick by the Astros in 1983, Wine only played in 23 games for Houston in 1986 and 1987, hitting .146/.186/.195. After several seasons coaching college ball, Wine is in his first season managing minor league baseball for the San Diego Short Season A level Oregon Emeralds.

C Don Bryant (73)
Bryant came to Houston as a Rule 5 pick from the Giants in December of 1968. In 46 games for the Astros in 1969 and 1970, he hit .193/.244/.241.

OF Joe Cannon (61)
Originally drafted by Houston in the first round in 1974, Cannon only played in 17 games for the Astros in 1978 and 1979, hitting .171/.171/.229.

OF Chris Jones (57)
A 25th round pick by the Astros in 1979, Jones hit .200/.286/.200 in 31 games in 1985.

Happy Birthday - 12/16

Happy Birthday to ~

OF Bryan de la Cruz (17)
De la Cruz was a recent signing out of the Dominican Republic, having only signed in October 2013. Here is a brief look at de la Cruz from Baseball America.

Three former Astros celebrate today ~

RHP Randy Hennis (48)

A second round pick by the Astros in 1987, Hennis only got a cup of coffee in the major leagues, but he did it up right. He only got to pitch in three games (nine and two-thirds innings) in 1990, but he managed to keep his ERA perfect at 0.00 with a WHIP of 0.414.  Nice. Ken Hoffman of the Houston Chronicle talked to Hennis last year about his short but stellar career.

OF Chris Jones (48)

Originally drafted by the Reds in the third round in 1984, Jones came to Houston as a free agent in December 1991 and played in 54 games for the Astros in 1992, hitting .190/.271/.302.

OF Charles Gipson (41)
Drafted by Seattle in the 63rd round (no, that's not a typo) in 1991, Gipson signed with Houston as a free agent in January 2005. In 11 at-bats in 19 games, he hit .182/.250/.273. Frequently used as a pinch runner and a defensive replacement, Gipson is one of only a handful of non-pitchers with fewer career plate appearances (366) than games played (373).

Happy Birthday - 7/13

Happy Birthday to ~

C Alfredo Gonzalez (21)
Gonzalez was a NDFA out of Venezuela who first played for the DSL team in 2009. After sitting out 2010, he played for the GCL Astros in 2011 and 2012 and has now graduated to Greeneville in 2013. So far this season, he is hitting .241/.371/.276 with a 43% caught stealing percentage.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

C Robbie Wine (51)
A first round pick by the Astros in 1983, Wine only played in 23 games for Houston, hittiing .146/.186/.195.

C Don Bryant (72)
Bryant came to Houston as a Rule 5 pick from the Giants in December of 1968. In 46 games for the Astros in 1969 and 1970, he hit .193/.244/.241.

OF Joe Cannon (60)
Originally drafted by Houston in the first round in 1974, Cannon only played in 17 games for the Astros in 1978 and 1979, hitting .171/.171/.229.

OF Chris Jones (56)
A 25th round pick by the Astros in 1979, Jones hit .200/.286/.200 in 31 games.

Apparently, it is underachiever's day for our former Astros.

Happy Birthday - 12/16

No future Astros, only former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Randy Hennis (47)

A second round pick by the Astros in 1987, Hennis only got a cup of coffee in the major leagues, but he did it up right. He only got to pitch in three games (nine and two-thirds innings) in 1990, but he managed to keep his ERA perfect at 0.00 with a WHIP of 0.414.  Nice.

OF Chris Jones (47)

Originally drafted by the Reds in the third round in 1984, Jones came to Houston as a free agent in December 1991 and played in 54 games for the Astros in 1992, hitting .190/.271/.302.

OF Charles Gipson (40)
Drafted by Seattle in the 63rd round (no, that's not a typo) in 1991, Gipson signed with Houston as a free agent in January 2005. In 11 at-bats in 19 games, he hit .182/.250/.273. Frequently used as a pinch runner and a defensive replacement, Gipson is one of only a handful of non-pitchers with fewer career plate appearances (366) than games played (373).

Happy Birthday - 7/13

RHP Jose Trinidad (25)
Trinidad was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic by Houston in 2006 and is currently in his second full season in Lancaster. He has been extremely steady out of the bullpen, going 8-3 with a 2.22 ERA and a 1.271 WHIP. He has been even better than that in three spot starts in which  he is 2-1 with a 1.13 ERA.

C Alfredo Gonzalez (20)
Gonzalez was a NDFA out of Venezuela who first played for the DSL team in 2009. After sitting out 2010, he played for the GCL Astros in 2011 and now again in 2012. So far in 2012, he is hitting .220/.273/.293 with a 36% caught stealing percentage.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

C Robbie Wine (50)
A first round pick by the Astros in 1983, Wine only played in 23 games for Houston, hittiing .146/.186/.195.

C Don Bryant (71)
Bryant came to Houston as a Rule 5 pick from the Giants in December of 1968. In 46 games for the Astros in 1969 and 1970, he hit .193/.244/.241.

OF Joe Cannon (59)
Originally drafted by Houston in the first round in 1974, Cannon only played in 17 games for the Astros in 1978 and 1979, hitting .171/.171/.229.

OF Chris Jones (55)
A 25th round pick by the Astros in 1979, Jones hit .200/.286/.200 in 31 games.

Apparently, it is underachiever's day for our former Astros.

Happy Birthday -12/16

OF Kellen Kiilsgaard (23)
Originally from Washington, Kellen was drafted in the 30th round in 2010 out of Stanford.  He did not play in 2010 and spent his time in 2011 between Greeneville and Tri-City, playing in 36 games.  Since 2011 was his first season and since it's his birthday, let's just give him a mulligan on his numbers.  Suffice it to say that he didn't win any batting titles. (If you insist on looking at his numbers, go here, but don't say I didn't warn you.)  Kellen has been back at Stanford in the off-season and is a relatively prolific tweeter with a good sense of humor.  In late November, he had this to say about his studies.

@Kellensaid Kellen Kiilsgaard

This week I'm setting up my tent for #occupylibrary

Former Astros with birthdays today

RHP Randy Hennis (46)

Many players who only get a cup of coffee in the major leagues probably envy Randy Hennis.  He only got to pitch in 3 games (9.2 innings) in 1990, but he managed to keep his ERA perfect at 0.00 with a WHIP of 0.414.  Nice.

OF Chris Jones (46)

Played in 54 games for Houston in 1992