The Houston Astros have announced they have come to terms on a one-year, $1 million contract with incentives with Darin Erstard. Erstad, who can play outfield and first base, is a two-time All-Star (1998, 2000). Last year with the Chicago White Sox, Erstad batted .248 with four home runs runs and 32 RBI in 87 games. His career year came in 2000 with the Anaheim Angels when he sported a .355 average with 25......

Good morning, Houston. If you need another reason to wish you were in Hawaii right now, today is a public holiday in the Aloha State. Specifically, it's Kamehameha Day and the Hawaiians are celebrating the monarch who first ruled over a unified Hawaii. Interestingly, this is the only American holiday that honors a monarch. Hawaiian officials have been hard at work planning events and floral parades on each of the islands, as well as an......

I have a huge problem. I’m a big Bears fan (and a huge White Sox fan, but I’ll let that slide for the time being as to not open old wounds), but as this weekend approaches, I realized that I have nobody to watch The Game with. For years, I would be watching The Game with a few dozen other sweatpants-wearing, brat-eating, true Chicagoans — and for the first time in my first month as......

The Astros replaced hometown fave Andy Pettitte with Jason Jennings, from the Colorodo Rockies (where he's the team career leader in victories (with 58) and shutouts (with 3, but it's a hitter's ballpark). On the trade, the 'Stros also picked up relief pitcher Miguel Asencio. To make the trade, we gave up speedy outfielder Willy Taveras, as well as young pitchers Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh — the same trio that might have gone......

Much to the dismay of Houston baseball fans, pitching ace and Houston native (well, almost) Andy Pettitte signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees for $16 million today. The deal also has an option for 2008. The Astros had offered Pettitte $12 million with no option for another year. Pettitte played the last three seasons for Houston, but prior to that he won a slew of World Series rings in nine years with......

The four baseball teams waiting to find out whether Roger Clemens is going to come back to baseball will have to wait a little longer: It looks like Clemens won't be back on the mound until June, if he comes back at all. The Red Sox, the Yankees and the Rangers are all trying to lure Clemens, and the Astros can't talk to him until May 1 because they didn't offer him arbitration. "I've listened......