Roster Moves - 12/14

The Astros traded RHP Mark Melancon to the Red Sox for IF Jed Lowrie and RHP Kyle Weiland.  To make room on the 40-Man Roster, IF Brian Bixler was designated for assignment.  Here is Zachary Levine's story on the trade.  And here is a fun read about the Legend of Jed Lowrie.

It's never easy to see a good, young player like Mark Melancon go, but I think Sean Feist said it best ...

@native_astro Sean Feist

@AGirlintheSouth Having a closer on a 100 loss team is like having a taser gun taped to the side of a battleship. #Astros
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And as I was writing this, Zachary Levine tweeted that IF/OF Nick Stavinoha was given his release by the Astros to play in Japan.  Here is Levine's story on that.

Roster Moves - 11/9/11

The Astros signed three minor league players

RHP Adalberto Flores
Flores just turned 25 and at 6'7" is described by Baseball America as having a "tremendous plane on his low 90's fastball."  He is currently pitching in the Puerto Rican League.  I will start following him for the Winter League updates.

OF Travis Buck (with an invite to Spring Training)
Buck will be 28 next week.

1B Nick Stavinoha (with an invite to Spring Training)
Stavinoha is from Houston and will be 30 in May.

Here is the story from Brian McTaggart and from Zachary Levine and Steve Campbell.