What happened today in team history?
2004 – Nolan Ryan joins the organization
Ryan and his sons return to the Astros organization under a five-year personal service contract. Expecting to own a minor league team already and plan to add another once Houston moves their Triple-A team to Round Rock, Texas from Corpus Christi, but the organization instead becomes a Minor League team for the Texas Rangers and Ryan still purchases them.
2006 – Bagwell arrives at Spring Training
While it is not normally news about a player arriving at Spring Training, Bagwell showed up with a $15.6 million insurance tag on his if he can’t play this year after the surgery he had on his shoulder the previous year. He takes some grounders and hits a bit and has a talk with owner Drayton McLane on the first day. But, by the start of the season, Bagwell knows he can’t play, calling it quits and retiring from the game.
2024 – Joe Espada makes his debut
In his first game as the Astros new head coach, Joe Espada won an exhibition game over the Washington Nationals 7-4.
What else happened on this day?
2000
After about 21-years, the Major League Umpires Association was replaced with the World Umpires Association. About 50 of the league’s 75 umpires join the newly-formed union.
2003
After the death of Steve Bechler, commissioner Bud Selig bans minor leaguers use of ephedra, adding it to the drug test list.