Happy Birthday - 8/26

Happy Birthday to ~

SS Jiovanni Mier (24)
A first round draft pick from 2009, Mier spent the first 79 games of the season with the Corpus Christi team before his promotion to AAA Oklahoma City in early July. In 117 total games between the two venues, he is hitting .218/.294/.298 with 16 doubles, four home runs and 34 RBI.

Special Assignment Coach/Former 3B Morgan Ensberg (39)
A ninth round pick by the Astros in 1998, Ensberg got his toes wet with the Astros in four games in 2000 and then played in 669 more games from 2002 to 2007, hitting .266/.367/.475. In his All-Star year of 2005, he hit .283/.388/.557 with 30 doubles, three triples, 36 home runs and 101 RBI, and won a Silver Slugger as well. He is currently a Special Assignment Coach for the Astros.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

1B Brett Wallace (28)
Received in a quick flip after the Oswalt trade in 2010 (for Anthony Gose), Wallace was first drafted by St. Louis as its first round pick in 2008. In 311 games for the Astros from 2010 through 2013, Wallace hit .242/.313/.391 with 52 doubles, three triples and 29 home runs. Wallace is currently playing for the Blue Jays AAA team.

RHP Geoff Geary (38)
Originally drafted by the Phillies in the 15th round in 1998, Geary came to Houston (along with Michael Bourn and Mike Costanzo) in the November 2007 trade that sent Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett to the Phillies. In 71 games for Houston in 2008 and 2009, Geary was 3-6 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.345 WHIP.

LHP Xavier Cedeno (28)
Cedeno was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 31st round of the 2004 draft and picked up by the Astros as a free agent in 2010. A native of Puerto Rico, Cedeno appeared in 52 games for Houston over three seasons with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.744 WHIP. He was claimed off waivers by the Nationals in April of 2013.

C George Bjorkman (58)
Bjorkman was originally drafted by St. Louis in the fourth round in 1978 and came to Houston in a March 1983 trade with that team. He only played in 29 games, hitting .227/.370/.360, before being shipped off to Montreal in a March 1984 trade for Catcher Tom Wieghaus.

Happy Birthday - 8/26

Happy Birthday to ~

1B Brett Wallace (27)
Received in a quick flip after the Oswalt trade in 2010 (for Anthony Gose), Wallace was first drafted by St. Louis as its first round pick in 2008. Wallace started the season in Houston, but spent 60 games in Oklahoma City hitting .326/.398/.554 before being recalled to Houston. In 56 games in an Astros uniform this season, Wallace is hitting .228/.290/.451 with 11 doubles, one triple and ten home runs.

OF Justin "GoGo" Gominsky (24)
Drafted in the 11th round in 2011 out of the University of Minnesota, Justin has spent the entire season to date on the DL after having wrist surgery.

SS Jiovanni Mier (23)
A first round draft pick from 2009, Mier has struggled offensively in his first season with the Corpus Christi Hooks, hitting .191/.289/.264 over 100 games.

OF Edwin Gomez (22)
Originally a fourth round pick out of Puerto Rico by Detroit in 2009, Gomez was picked up by Houston in July 2012 after he was released by the Tigers organization. In 31 games for the Greeneville this season, he is hitting .212/.326/.301.

IF Coach/Former 3B Morgan Ensberg (38)
A ninth round pick by the Astros in 1998, Ensberg got his toes wet with the Astros in four games in 2000 and then played in 669 more games from 2002 to 2007, hitting .266/.367/.475. In his All-Star year of 2005, he hit .283/.388/.557 with 30 doubles, three triples, 36 home runs and 101 RBI, and won a Silver Slugger as well. He is currently the Infield Coach for the Lancaster JetHawks where, rumor has it, he coaches some Really Good Players.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

RHP Geoff Geary (37)
Originally drafted by the Phillies in the 15th round in 1998, Geary came to Houston (along with Michael Bourn and Mike Costanzo) in the November 2007 trade that sent Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett to the Phillies. In 71 games for Houston in 2008 and 2009, Geary was 3-6 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.345 WHIP.

LHP Xavier Cedeno (27)
Cedeno was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 31st round of the 2004 draft and picked up by the Astros as a free agent in 2010. A native of Puerto Rico, Cedeno appeared in 52 games for Houston over three seasons with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.744 WHIP. He was claimed off waivers by the Nationals in April of this year.

C George Bjorkman (57)
Bjorkman was originally drafted by St. Louis in the fourth round in 1978 and came to Houston in a March 1983 trade with that team. He only played in 29 games, hitting .227/.370/.360, before being shipped off to Montreal in a March 1984 trade for Catcher Tom Wieghaus.

Roster Moves

HOUSTON
LHP Xavier Cedeno designated for assignment
1B/3B Brandon Laird contract selected and assigned from Oklahoma City to Houston

OKLAHOMA CITY
1B Brett Wallace assigned from Houston to Oklahoma City
LHP Travis Blackley to Oklahoma City for rehab assignement

CORPUS CHRISTI
OF Domingo Santana placed on the 7-day DL

Happy Birthday - 8/26

1B/3B Brett Wallace (26)
Received in a quick flip after the Oswalt trade in 2010 (for Anthony Gose), Wallace was first drafted by St. Louis as its first Round pick in 2008. In a total of 86 games at AAA Oklahoma City this season, he hit .300/.379/.506 with 16 doubles and 16 home runs. At the major league level this season, Brett is hitting .277/.354/.482 with five doubles and six home runs in 33 games.

LHP Xavier Cedeno (26)
Cedeno was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 31st round of the 2004 draft and picked up by the Astros as a free agent in 2010. A native of Puerto Rico, Cedeno has split his time between Oklahoma City and Houston this season. In 22 appearances out of the bullpen for the Redhawks, he is 2-0 with a 2.28 ERA and a 1.301 ERA. In Houston, Cedeno has a 4.71 ERA and a 1.571 WHIP in 28 appearances.

OF Justin "GoGo" Gominsky (23)
Drafted in the 11th Round in 2011 out of the University of Minnesota, Justin has spent the majority of the 2012 season at Lexington where he is hitting .238/.316/.299 in 88 games. He was an All-Star in 2011 for the Tri-City team.

SS Jimmy Howick (22)
Jimmy was drafted in the 21st Round of the 2011 draft out of Jacksonville University in FL. An injury kept him from playing in 2011. In 2012, he has split his time between Lexington and Greeneville, where he is currently playing and hitting .207/.270/.276.

SS Jiovanni Mier (22)
A first Round draft pick from 2009, Mier once again struggled with injuries this season that kept him on the DL for three months. He is now back at Lancaster and is showing continuing signs of the improvement at the plate that he had demonstrated before the injury. In 39 games with Lancaster, he is hitting .291/.392/.426.

1B/OF Edwin Gomez (21)
Originally a fourth round pick out of Puerto Rico by Detroit in 2009, Gomez was picked up by Houston in July 2012 after he was released by the Tigers organization. In 31 games for the GCL Astros, he is hitting .260/.304/.385.

DSL Manager Luis Martinez (47)
An Oakland farmhand in the 1980's, Luis Martinez has now managed the DSL Astros for three seasons. In 206 games, he is 75-130.

Former Astros with birthdays today ~

3B Morgan Ensberg (37)
A ninth round pick by the Astros in 1998, Ensberg got his toes wet with the Astros in four games in 2000 and then played in 669 more games from 2002 to 2007, hitting .266/.367/.475. In his All-Star year of 2005, he hit .283/.388/.557 with 30 doubles, three triples, 36 home runs and 101 RBI, and won a Silver Slugger as well.

RHP Geoff Geary (36)
Originally drafted by the Phillies in the 15th round in 1998, Geary came to Houston (along with Michael Bourn and Mike Costanzo) in the November 2007 trade that sent Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett to the Phillies. In 71 games for Houston in 2008 and 2009, Geary was 3-6 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.345 WHIP.

Roster Moves - 6/28

UPDATES IN BOLD

Oklahoma City/Houston
LHP Xavier Cedeno was assigned to Oklahoma City to make room for RHP Bud Norris as he is activated from the DL.
OF Travis Buck cleared waivers and has accepted his assignment to Oklahoma City.
SS Marwin Gonzalez has sent to Oklahoma City for a rehab assignment.
RHP Jose Valdez is being placed on the DL.

Corpus Christi
OF Austin Wates has been activated from the DL.

Lancaster
RHP Nick Tropeano was assigned from Lexington to Lancaster.
RHP RJ Alaniz went on the 7-day DL with shoulder soreness.

Lexington
2B Ruben Sosa was assigned from Greeneville to Lexington.
OF Justin Gominsky was assigned from Tri-City to Lexington.
LHP Tommy Shirley was assigned from Tri-City to Lexington.
LHP Mitch Lambson was assigned from Greeneville to Lexington.

Tri-City
C Tyler Heinemen was assigned to Tri-City.

Greeneville
RHP Euris Quezada was assigned from Lexington to Greeneville.

GCL
3B Rio Ruiz was assigned to the GCL.

DSL
RHP Rauldison Rodriguez was assigned to the DSL.

Roster Moves - 5/27

Oklahoma City
LHP Xavier Cedeno was called up to Houston to fill in for Fernando Abad who went on the DL with a strained right intercoastal.
The move of CF Brandon Barnes from Corpus Christi to Oklahoma City was made official.

Corpus Christi
According to Greg Rajan of the Corpus Christi Caller Times, OF T.J. Steele was released and IF Brandon Wikoff, who started the season on the disabled list, was activated from extended spring training and will be assigned to Corpus Christi.

Roster Moves - 4/14

OKC
RHP Adalberto Flores optioned to Corpus Christi from Oklahoma City
LHP Xavier Cedeno activated from the 7-day DL

According to J.P. Shadrick, announcer for the Redhawks, Brett Wallace left Saturday's game early with a left oblique strain.  No further details available.

Happy Birthday - 8/26

August 26th turns out to be the most popular birthday in the Astros organization.

Brett Wallace (25)
Received in a quick flip after the Oswalt trade in 2010 (for Anthony Gose), the sturdy lefty-hitting 1B was first drafted by St. Louis as its 1st Round pick in 2008. Brick Wall, er, Brett Wallace has been banished to OKC to find his power stroke by using those tree-trunk legs of his more. I'd better not say anything else right now about how Brett's development has been handled by the powers-that-be because this is a family blog.

Xavier Cedeno (25)
LHP Cedeno was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 31st round of the 2004 draft and picked up by the Astros as a free agent in 2010. A native of Puerto Rico, Cedeno has split his time between Corpus and Oklahoma City. Earlier in the season he was used primarily as a starter in Corpus with a 3.95 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. At OKC, he has been used primarily out of the bullpen and has not been as effective, posting a 7.80 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP.

Justin Gominsky (22)
Drafted in the 11th Round in 2011 out of the University of Minnesota, Justin started off strong for TCV with a .283 BA in June but has since tapered off. The right-handed hitting OF from Birchwood, MN has posted a .237 average over 58 games with 8-2B and 12SB for the season.

Jimmy Howick (21)
Jimmy was drafted in the 21st Round of the 2011 draft as a SS out of Jacksonville University in FL. After signing, he reported to Kissimmee and was never heard from again. Seriously, I assume that he went to extended spring training, but I haven't heard anything about him since he signed.

Jiovanni Mier (21)
This 1st Round draft pick from 2009 has struggled to duplicate a strong rookie season in which he posted a .286/.380/.484/.864 line. Jiovanni has split his time this season between Lexington earlier in the season and now Lancaster. He has also been slowed by injury issues in the second half of the season, but showed some promise earlier as he was named a Sally League mid-season All Star.

Former Astros Birthdays Today:

3B Morgan Ensberg (36)
With the Astros from 2002 to 2007 (plus a cup of joe in 2000)

RHP Geoff Geary (35)
With the Astros from 2008 to 2009