Craig Biggio News

With 10 years of Major League service time under his belt, millions of dollars in the bank and his name at the top of the Astros' offensive records books alongside Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, slugger Lance Berkman's goal is pretty simple: win a World Series ring.

Jeff Bagwell is a name that resonates with the Houston Astros franchise. Growing up in Houston and being branded a die-hard Astros fan since birth, I remember watching in awe as Bagwell smoked balls out of the ballpark.

One question, hundreds of answers: Which Astro had the greatest offensive season at his position? Major League baseball has been asking fans this same question in an effort to choose each team's best-ever collection of stars.

Saying he wasn't satisfied with any of the candidates the Houston Astros interviewed, owner Drayton McLane will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. CST Wednesday to announce he's hiring himself as the team's manager.

Legendary Astros outfielder Jose Cruz was relieved of his first-base coaching duties last week after 13 seasons, but will remain with the organization in a role similar to Larry Dierker and Jimmy Wynn.

The Rangers extended invitations to each of their coaches on Wednesday to return for the 2010 season, but long-time hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo has declined the offer.

Jose Cruz is one of the most positive folks you'll ever meet in baseball. He loves the Astros, and I mean, LOVES, the Astros.

You know: in the 1960s and 1970s there was The Carol Burnett Show and in an ongoing skit they'd do a spoof of the soap opera As The World Turns with As The Stomach Turns .

Upon hearing the Astros were in search of a full-time manager with plenty of experience, Phil Garner last week called president of baseball operations Tal Smith to give an endorsement of Bob Melvin, who had coached under Garner in Milwaukee.

Craig Biggioa 'a name linked with the Houston Astros franchise since his time behind the plate wearing that old-school bright orange uniform at the good a ole Astrodome.

Baseball's employment rate took a hit this week with the unsurprising firing of embattled Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi , the unexpected firing of Padres longtime GM Kevin Towers and the shocking development that Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez 's job may not be completely safe.

If I had a guess, I'd guess that Dave Clark isn't going to be the manager when the Astros go to Kississimmee in February.

The Astros' final game of the regular season won't be without some drama. Houston shortstop Miguel Tejada enters Sunday needing two hits to reach 200 hits for the fourth time in his career, a feat which seemed unlikely a few weeks ago.

Shortstop Miguel Tejada extended his hitting streak to 20 games Saturday with a first-inning single.

Astros interim manager Dave Clark said Tuesday that shortstop Miguel Tejada will likely be in the starting lineup the rest of the season in an effort to help him reach 200 hits.

Yep, the Astros are hopelessly out of it and about the best you can hope for is a fourth place finish.

Miguel Tejada is no saint. He never has proclaimed to be one. He just happens to have had his problems exposed more than others in an era when some stars have been lucky to have had their true personalities or demons hidden from public view.

When Cecil Cooper was fired Monday, Astros general manager Ed Wade explained what the team would be looking for in its next manager.

Ed Wade , general manager of the Houston Astros, is expected to take his time hiring a full-time replacement for fired manager Cecil Cooper .

Ed Wade made two managerial hires in Philly, with one turning out better than the other.