The Astros have dealt 24-year old lefty swinging outfielder Fernando Martinez to the Yankees for 22-year old righty reliever Charles Basford.  Martinez played in 11 games for the Astros this year and he was 6 for 33 (.182 avg, .501 OPS) with 1 run scored, 1 homer and 3 RBIs.  Martinez played in 52 games in his two years with the Astros and he was 34 of 151 (.225 avg, .709 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 7 homers and 17 RBIs.  Martinez won’t be missed as the Astros outrighted him to AAA-ball earlier this year.  My problem with this deal is that the Astros got next to nothing for Martinez from a desperate Yankees’ team.  Basford pitched in 1 game out of the pen in A-ball for the Yankees this year and he was 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP.  He has now pitched in 19 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the minors and he is 2-3 with a 5.13 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP.

The Astros have claimed 28-year old lefty starter/reliever Wade LeBlanc off waivers from the Miami Marlins.  LeBlanc pitched in 13 games (7 starts) for the Marlins this year and he was 1-5 with a 5.18 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP.  He has now pitched in 92 games (68 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 20-32 with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP.  This was a pretty solid move for the Astros, as it never hurts to take a chance on a lefty pitcher like LeBlanc.

The Astros have sent 23-year old switch-hitting outfielder Robbie Grossman to AAA-ball.  He played in 28 games for the Astros this year and he was 22 for 111 (.198 avg, .553 OPS) with 10 runs scored, 0 homers, 3 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.  Grossman walked 16 times, but he also whiffed 31 times as he looked overmatched big time at the plate.  He also didn’t look too comfortable defensively in CF.  Grossman will need to play really well in AAA-ball before he gets another shot with the Astros.

The Astros have designated 30-year old righty starting pitcher Philip Humber for assignment.  Humber pitched in 9 games (7 starts) for the Astros this year and he was 0-8 with a 9.59 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP.  Humber has pitched in 89 games (51 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 16-23 with a 5.34 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP.  Humber’s roster spot was needed for Edgar Gonzalez, who can’t be any worse than he was for the Astros.  Good riddance.

UPDATE:  (5/15/2013) - Philip Humber has been outrighted to AAA by the Astros.

The Astros have signed 30-year old righty reliever/starter Edgar Gonzalez and he will be the long man in the pen initially for them.  Gonzalez pitched in 3 games (0 starts) this year for the Blue Jays and he was 0-0 with a 7.88 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP.  Gonzalez pitched in 6 games (all starts) for the Astros last year and he was 3-1 with a 5.04 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.  Gonzalez has now pitched in 116 games (47 starts) in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 17-26 with a 5.88 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.  Don’t expect miracles out of Gonzalez.

The Astros have designated 24-year old lefty swinging outfielder Fernando Martinez and 33-year old lefty swinging outfielder Rick Ankiel for assignment.  Martinez played in 11 games for the Astros this year and he is 6 for 33 (.182 avg, .501 OPS) with 1 run scored, 1 homer and 3 RBIs.  He walked only 1 time while whiffing 12 times for the Astros this year.  Martinez played in 52 games in his two years with the Astros and he was 34 of 151 (.225 avg, .709 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 7 homers and 17 RBIs.  Ankiel played in 25 games for the Astros this year and he was 12 for 62 (.194 avg, .715 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 5 homers and 11 RBIs.  He showed almost no discipline as he walked only 3 times this year while whiffing 35 times this year.  The Astros probably hope that Martinez clears waivers, but I don’t see them bringing Ankiel back.

UPDATE:  (5/12/2013) - The Astros have released Rick Ankiel and they have outrighted Fernando Martinez to AAA.

The Astros have shipped 21-year old righty swinging outfielder Jose Monzon to the Rockies as the player to be named later in the Wilton Lopez deal.  Monzon didn’t play in any games so far this year in the minors for the Astros.  He played in 183 games in his four years in the minors for the Astros and he was 124 of 582 (.213 avg, .610 OPS) with 91 runs scored, 9 homers, 50 RBIs and 34 stolen bases.  This is absolutely no loss for the Astros moving forward.

The Astros have sent 26-year old lefty swinging 1B/3B Brett Wallace to AAA-ball.  Wallace played in 7 games for the Astros this year and he was 1 for 24 (.042 avg, .157 OPS) with 1 run scored, 2 walks and an amazingly awful 17 whiffs.  The Astros have called up 25-year old righty swinging 3B/1B Brandon Laird to replace Wallace on the active roster.  Laird played in 12 games in AAA-ball this year and he was 18 for 51 (.353 avg, .932 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 2 homers and 14 RBIs.  Laird played in 17 games for the Astros last year and he was 9 for 35 (.257 avg, .669 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer and 4 RBIs.  Laird has now played in 28 games in his first two years in the majors and he is 13 for 56 (.232 avg, .599 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer and 5 RBIs.  Look for Laird to play a lot right off the bat for the Astros.  The better he hits, the more he’ll get to play.

The Astros have designated 26-year old lefty reliever Xavier Cedeno for assignment.  Cedeno pitched in 5 games (0 starts) for the Astros this year and he was 0-0 with a 11.37 ERA and a 2.68 WHIP.  He gave up 10 hits and 7 walks while whiffing 3 batters in 6 innings for the Astros this year, as he was pretty awful for them.  Cedeno has now pitched in 52 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors (all with the Astros) and he is 0-1 with 1 save, a 6.00 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP.  It will be interesting to see if Cedeno makes it through waivers, as he is a young lefty reliever.

UPDATE:  (4/23/2013) - The Astros have lost Xavier Cedeno on waivers to the Washington Nationals.

The Astros have acquired 26-year old lefty reliever/starter Eric Berger from the Cleveland Indians for 24-year old righty swinging catcher Chris Wallace.  Berger pitched in 2 games (0 starts) earlier this year in AA-ball for the Indians and he was 0-0 with a 4.15 ERA and a 2.08 WHIP.  He has pitched in 135 games (78 starts) in his first six years in the minors and he is 21-25 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP.  Wallace played in 1 game in AAA-ball for the Astros this year and he was 0 for 3 (.000 avg, .000 OPS).  Wallace played in 248 games in his four years in the minors for the Astros and he is 229 for 843 (.272 avg, .812 OPS) with 123 runs scored, 35 homers, 154 RBIs and 8 stolen bases.  I can’t fault the Astros for this kind of deal as they continue to search for more pitching help.