Lance Berkman Returns To Houston Amid Criticism

A smiling Lance Berkman was back in familiar surroundings on Tuesday afternoon, even if he was wearing a different shade of red and across the field in a different dugout.

Cardinals Official Site

Padres Reassign Luis Perdomo To The Minors

Corey Brock Twitter

Minor League Transactions November 24-December 10

Braves signed Eric Duncan.
Red Sox released Sean Danielson.
Cubs traded Aaron Miles to Athletics.
Reds signed Brandon Yarbrough.
Cardinals selected Ben Jukich from the Reds in Rule 5 Draft.
Marlins signed Brian Barden and Hector Luna.
Cardinals selected Matt Meyer from the Indians in Rule 5 Draft.
Dodgers signed Prentice Redman.
Yankees granted Shelley Duncan free agency.
Cardinals signed Ruben Gotay.
Cubs seleceted Mike Parisi from Cardinals in Rule 5 Draft.
Baseball America

Brandon Yarbrough: Signs With Cincinnati
Brian Barden: Swims With The Fishes

The Best Postseason Games Of The 2000s

This decade is going to be over in a few weeks, and still nobody can tell me what to call the last 10 years.

Sully Baseball

Prospectus Today: Minor League Free Agents

One way to fill holes on a major league roster extremely cheaply is to find good values among minor league free agents. These aren't prospects, but players who are right around their career peaks, some even in their early thirties, who you pick up to fix an immediate problem for $400,000, and who if they work out can be an inexpensive three-year solution.

Baseball Prospectus

Jose Valverde To Explore Free-Agent Market

Astros closer Jose Valverde, who has pitched well since coming off the disabled list, said he plans on testing the free-agent waters at the end of the season, though his first preference would be returning to Houston.

Astros Official Site

Russell Branyan Misses Third Game; Tyler Johnson To Begin Throwing To Hitters

First baseman Russell Branyan's "day-to-day" back injury needed one more day on Tuesday. Injured on Friday when he slid into the plate, Branyan has missed the past three games.

At the Mariners' training complex in Arizona, recovering relievers Chad Cordero and Tyler Johnson are scheduled to pitch this week. Cordero, a right-hander coming back from labrum surgery, will throw batting practice on Saturday. Johnson, a lefty who missed all last year because of rotator cuff surgery, will pitch an inning Thursday and next Monday against minor league hitters at extended spring training.

Everett Herald

Top 10 Moments At Minute Maid Park

7) June 22, 2002 - Jeff Bagwell honors the memory of friend and former teammate Darryl Kile with the game-winning pinch-hit single in the bottom of the 12th to give the Houston Astros a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Kile passed away earlier in the day of coronary disease in a Chicago hotel while participating in a three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field with the St. Louis Cardinals.

3) Oct. 17, 2005- The Astros are one strike away from advancing to the World Series when St. Louis Cardinals All-Star first baseman Albert Pujols silences the entire city of Houston with a massive game-winning three-run homer off Astros’ closer Brad Lidge in Game Five of the 2005 NLCS, which landed on the train tracks in the back of Minute Maid Park.

Bleacher Report

Mariners Reassign Tyler Johnson

Sent down to the minor-league camp were pitchers Jesus Delgado, Tyler Johnson, Chad Cordero, catcher Jamie Burke, infielders Chris Burke and Chris Woodward and outfielder Mike Wilson.

Seattle PI

Edgar Gonzalez One Of Four Options For Reserve Infielder Role With Padres

The Padres will likely choose two reserve infielders from a group that includes Chris Burke, Edgar Gonzalez, Denker and Cabrera.

MLB

Padres Break In New DP Combo

For the fourth time in as many years, the San Diego Padres will have a different middle-infield combo to start the regular season.

MLB

Your Newest Padre?...Emil Brown

The Padres announced a few minutes ago that they've signed outfielder Emil Brown to a Minor League contract.

Who's Your Padre?

Padres Install David Eckstein At Second Base

The Padres, trying to end a bad run at second base, signed longtime shortstop David Eckstein to a one-year deal for $850,000 Thursday and announced him as their second baseman.

San Diego Union-Tribune

Top 50 Hitting Prospects Of 2004

Every year I review the previous season's Top 50/50 list in the introduction of the book. Of course, it's impossible to fully assess a list on such short notice, so periodically I also go back and review lists from several years past. We reviewed lists from previous seasons this past summer, but we ended with 2003. Let's begin again and assess the 2004 list. Here is the Top 50 Hitting Prospects list from the 2004 Baseball Prospect Book. We'll do the pitchers tomorrow, then this weekend I will start posting book excerpts.

Minor League Ball

Give Brian Barden A Chance

Today at VEB, DanUp makes a well-reasoned case for signing former top Astro prospect Chris Burke to be the team’s utility man. Dave Cameron is arguing for Burke as well. While the team could do worse than Burke, I think it would behoove the Birds to first take a look in their own backyard, particularly at Brian Barden.

Future Redbirds

The Case For Chris Burke, Etc...

Chuck mentioned Chris Burke in passing yesterday, which is probably the way Chris Burke—like most of the backup second basemen currently available to the Cardinals—deserves to be mentioned. But I like him as a Miles replacement, in the calm, mostly disinterested way one must effect when talking about utility infielders, for a few reasons.

Viva El Birdos