ASTROS ACQUIRE HUFF FROM DEVIL RAYS

Zobrist,
Talbot to Tampa Bay;
outfielder Jason
Lane<!–
D(["mb"," \noptioned to Triple A

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HOUSTON, \nTX \n? The Houston \nAstros \nannounced today that they have acquired outfielder Aubrey Huff and $1.625 \nmillion in cash considerations from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in exchange for \nminor league right-handed pitcher Mitch Talbot and minor league infielder Ben \nZobrist. In addition, the Astros have optioned outfielder \nJason \nLane \nto Triple A Round Rock and designated minor league infielder Joe McEwing for \nassignment. The announcement was made by General Manager Tim Purpura. \n

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Huff, \n30, was batting .283 (65×230) with eight home runs, 15 doubles and 28 RBI in 63 \ngames for the Devil Rays this season. He batted .453 (29×64) in Interleague play \nthis year, the second-best mark in the Majors. He hit .359 (33×92) in June, and \non June 30, he became the first Devil Ray to reach 300 extra base hits. Huff \nspent 21 days on the Disabled List from April 12-May 4, his first career trip to \nthe DL, with a strained left knee. He is batting .293 (61×208) with eight homers \nand 27 RBI since his return.”,1]
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–optioned to Triple A

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HOUSTON,
—TX
–? The Houston
—Astros
–announced today that they have acquired outfielder Aubrey Huff and $1.625
–million in cash considerations from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in exchange for
–minor league right-handed pitcher Mitch Talbot and minor league infielder Ben
–Zobrist. In addition, the Astros have optioned outfielder
—Jason
–Lane
–to Triple A Round Rock and designated minor league infielder Joe McEwing for
–assignment. The announcement was made by General Manager Tim Purpura.
—

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—

Huff,
–30, was batting .283 (65×230) with eight home runs, 15 doubles and 28 RBI in 63
–games for the Devil Rays this season. He batted .453 (29×64) in Interleague play
–this year, the second-best mark in the Majors. He hit .359 (33×92) in June, and
–on June 30, he became the first Devil Ray to reach 300 extra base hits. Huff
–spent 21 days on the Disabled List from April 12-May 4, his first career trip to
–the DL, with a strained left knee. He is batting .293 (61×208) with eight homers
–and 27 RBI since his return.<!–
–D(["mb","

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Currently \nin his sixth big league season, Huff is batting .287 (870×3028) during his \ncareer with 128 home runs and 449 RBI. He is \nTampa \nBay?s \nall-time leader in games (799), at-bats (3,028), runs (400), hits (870), doubles \n(172), home runs (128), extra-base hits (309), and RBI (449). He made his big \nleague debut with the Devil Rays in 2000 and is the only player in Rays history \nto reach the 20-home run mark in four seasons (2002-05). Huff is one of five \nleft-handed hitters to average 100-plus RBI the past three seasons, joining \nDavid Ortiz, Carlos Delgado, Hideki Matsui and Bobby Abreu. He is a career .303 \n(436×1437) hitter after the All-Star break with 71 home runs and 239 \nRBI.

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Huff \nwas Tampa \nBay?s \nfifth-round selection in the June 1998 draft out of the \n“,1]
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Currently
–in his sixth big league season, Huff is batting .287 (870×3028) during his
–career with 128 home runs and 449 RBI. He is
—Tampa Bay?s
–all-time leader in games (799), at-bats (3,028), runs (400), hits (870), doubles
–(172), home runs (128), extra-base hits (309), and RBI (449). He made his big
–league debut with the Devil Rays in 2000 and is the only player in Rays history
–to reach the 20-home run mark in four seasons (2002-05). Huff is one of five
–left-handed hitters to average 100-plus RBI the past three seasons, joining
–David Ortiz, Carlos Delgado, Hideki Matsui and Bobby Abreu. He is a career .303
–(436×1437) hitter after the All-Star break with 71 home runs and 239
–RBI.

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—

Huff
–was Tampa Bay?s
–fifth-round selection in the June 1998 draft out of the
—<!–
–D(["mb","University \nof Miami. \nHe attended Vernon \nCollege \nin North \nTexas \nand played both baseball and basketball at \nBrewer \nHigh \nSchool \nin Fort \nWorth.

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Lane, \n29, is batting .205 (46×224) for the Astros this season with 11 home runs, 30 \nRBI and 40 walks. He made his Major League debut in 2002 and this year marked \nhis third consecutive on the Astros Opening Day roster. He is hitting .256 \n(249×973) with 49 home runs and 147 RBI for his \ncareer.

\n

“,1]
–);
—
–//–>University
–of Miami.
–He attended Vernon College
–in North
–Texas
–and played both baseball and basketball at
—Brewer High
–School
–in Fort
–Worth.

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Lane,
–29, is batting .205 (46×224) for the Astros this season with 11 home runs, 30
–RBI and 40 walks. He made his Major League debut in 2002 and this year marked
–his third consecutive on the Astros Opening Day roster. He is hitting .256
–(249×973) with 49 home runs and 147 RBI for his
–career.

—

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–D(["mb"," 

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Talbot, \n22, is in his fourth professional season after being selected by \nHouston \nin the second round of the June 2002 draft. He is 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA \n(34ER/90.1IP) in 18 appearances (17 starts) for Double A Corpus Christi this \nseason. He ranks seventh in the Texas League in ERA and third with 96 \nstrikeouts.

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Zobrist, \n25, was selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the June 2004 draft. He is \nbatting .327 (103×315) for Corpus \nChristi \nthis year with three home runs, 25 doubles, six triples, and 30 RBI. He ranks \nsecond in the Texas League in batting this season. Zobrist was named a Texas \nLeague All-Star last month, and he has earned All-Star honors in each of his \nprofessional seasons.

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? \nmore ?

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McEwing, \n33, is batting .274 (64×234) with five home runs and 28 RBI in 64 games at \nTriple A Round Rock this season. He was acquired by the \n”,1]
–);
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–//–> 

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Talbot,
–22, is in his fourth professional season after being selected by
—Houston
–in the second round of the June 2002 draft. He is 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA
–(34ER/90.1IP) in 18 appearances (17 starts) for Double A Corpus Christi this
–season. He ranks seventh in the Texas League in ERA and third with 96
–strikeouts.

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Zobrist,
–25, was selected by the Astros in the sixth round of the June 2004 draft. He is
–batting .327 (103×315) for Corpus
–Christi
–this year with three home runs, 25 doubles, six triples, and 30 RBI. He ranks
–second in the Texas League in batting this season. Zobrist was named a Texas
–League All-Star last month, and he has earned All-Star honors in each of his
–professional seasons.

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—

McEwing,
–33, is batting .274 (64×234) with five home runs and 28 RBI in 64 games at
–Triple A Round Rock this season. He was acquired by the
–<!–
–D(["mb","Houston \norganization from Kansas \nCity \non March 30 and played in seven games for the \nAstros.

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Tickets \nto all Astros games are available online at astros.com or in person at the \nMinute Maid Park Box Office along Texas Ave. Tickets can also be purchased via \ntelephone toll free at 877-9-ASTROS (877-927-8767), or at any of the Astros \nTicketmaster locations: Foley?s, Fiesta, and select FYE and Wherehouse Music \nstores.

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? \nASTROS ?