The Houston Astros have secured a homecoming to increase their bullpen depth by signing young right-hander Christian Roa.

The Houston Astros have a new pitcher to add to the mix when they open up spring training in a matter of weeks.

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Astros owner Jim Crane has not offered a contract extension to his general manager Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada heading into the final year of their deal.

"ATHLETICS means activities such as sports, exercises and games that require physical skill and stamina," the Patent and Trade Office wrote in its Dec. 29 ruling. "Therefore the prior registration do not support applicant’s claim of acquired distinctiveness and the claim is not accepted."

We’ll go through this year like we always do, evaluate and make a decision at the end of the year,” Crane said of Brown and Espada.

Tatsuya Imai made his intentions clear with his first few words during an introductory news conference with the Houston Astros on Monday. The Japanese right-hander smiled and before reading a prepared message in English from his phone.

Built in 1905, the Arthur B. Cohn House stands near Daikin Park as a survivor of downtown Houston's lost residential past amid highways and crowds.

The gap between the Astros' ace, Hunter Brown, and the rest of their rotation narrows with the addition of Imai.

The Houston Astros are losing their ace in Framber Valdez. However, the Astros were able to sign the top Japanese starting pitcher, Tatsuya Imai. The agreement