We have seen today two moves by Tim Purpura and the Astros that finally mark a radical shift in direction: the acquisition via trade of slugger Aubrey Huff for two prospects and cash; and the departure, just announced moments ago, of hitting coach Gary Gaetti (not to mention Jason Lane leaving for Triple-A).

Purpura has made his first big deal as General Manager; and what we have seen today portrays a very simple yet powerful message: Start hitting the ball.

Something we’ve all said all along. This is the worst offense in the Senior Circuit, no doubt about it. And it better improves, no excuses allowed this time.

It’s nice to see the lines of communication working well between Purpura and his former boss, Gerry Hunsicker, now Rays GM. Hunsicker agreed to trade Huff, a much-needed step to get his plans to build a franchise going (not a rebuilding process, they have never been contenders). He takes with him two interesting promises, including highly-coveted Ben Zobrist. But a baseball cliche says "prospects are just a promise". The Astros need to fix the here and now.

Houston is the defending NL Champion. And most certainly its boys of summer haven’t swung the bat the right way. Huff’s arrival must be interpreted as the hope the hitting improves; and now, because of the fact the roster is a bit crowded, Morgan Ensberg is on the hot seat, more than anyone else.

Ensberg is a victim of his poor performance, while Mike Lamb steals the show with a happy bat. Now Huff adds more pressure to the mix. His playing time will be reduced. Ensberg has hidden shoulder injuries in the past so he could keep on playing. Purpura wonders if that is the case right now.

Gaetti’s exit as hitting coach, and bringing Sean Berry as interim coach is a step on that same direction. That collective BA needs to go up. Zero tolerance this time. And that’s welcome.

Are there more moves on the horizon? The Astros, starting today, supposedly the quietest day in sports, stop being passive spectators. They are more involved in the trading field, looking for a tweak (not major surgery, there is no need for that), in order to get the machine up and running smoothly once again.

ASTROS NAME BERRY INTERIM HITTING COACH

Former Astros third baseman replaces Gaetti on Major League staff

HOUSTON, TX ? The Houston Astros announced today that the club has named Sean Berry interim hitting coach. Berry replaces Gary Gaetti, who has been relieved of his duties. The announcement was made by General Manager Tim Purpura.

Berry was in his second year in the role of minor league hitting coordinator for the Houston organization. He spent the previous two seasons (2003-04) on the coaching staff at Double A Round Rock.

A veteran of 11 Major League seasons, Berry was originally selected by the Kansas City Royals in the first round of the June 1986 draft. He made his big league debut with the Royals in 1990 and played parts of two seasons with Kansas City before being traded to Montreal (1992-95). Following the 1995 campaign, Berry was traded to the Astros, where he batted .283 with 39 home runs and 190 RBI during three seasons at third base from 1996-98. His posted his best season with the Astros in 1996, when he hit .281 with 17 home runs and 95 RBI. He concluded his career with parts of two seasons in Milwaukee (1999-2000) and Boston (2000).

Gaetti spent the last two seasons as the Astros hitting coach, joining the club in July of 2004. He began his coaching career in the Houston organization in 2002 as a member of the Triple A New Orleans staff. During his 20-year big league career, he played for six different teams: the Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox.

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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UNLOCK TABLES;
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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.
—

—

 

—

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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\n

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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–//–>

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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.

—

 

—

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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\n

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.

—

 

—

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.

—

<!–
–D(["mb"," 

\n

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.

\n

 

\n

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.

\n

? \nmore ?

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\n

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]
–);
—
–//–> 

—

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.

—

 

—

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.

—
—

 

—

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 ?