--OF Carlos Lee will play for Panama in the World Baseball Classic, as he confirmed that he is recovered from a broken finger that cost him the last seven weeks of the 2008 season. RHP Jose Valverde, LHP Wandy Rodriguez and SS Miguel Tejada are on the Dominican Republic's provisional roster. RHP Roy Oswalt will play for Team USA.
--LHP Tim Byrdak, one of the Astros' key relievers last year, signed a one-year, $1 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. Byrdak helped solidify the Astros' bullpen last year after he signed as a minor league free agent in April. A product of Rice University, Byrdak went 2-1 with a 3.90 ERA in a career-high 59 appearances for the Astros.
--RHP Geoff Geary and LHP Wandy Rodriguez were the only two arbitration-eligible Astros who didn't reach deals before exchanging figures with the team.
Geary is asking for $2.1 million, while the Astros offered $1,425,000. Rodriguez asked for $3 million, and the Astros offered $2.25 million.
"We would have liked to have been able to run the table before the exchange of numbers," Astros general manager Ed Wade said. "Our expectation is both of those cases will have a chance to settle, so we'll proceed along those lines and hopefully get a deal."
--C Humberto Quintero signed a one-year, $610,000 contract to avoid salary arbitration. Quintero enters the biggest season of his career, as he will get his first real shot to be a starting catcher. Toby Hall, who signed a minor league contract earlier this month, will be his top competition for the starting spot. Quintero, 29, hit .226 last year.
--Major League Baseball and the Astros opened MLB's third Urban Youth Baseball Academy in the economically challenged Acres Homes area of Houston.
The academy will be at Sylvester Turner Park, which is named after the area's state representative. Houston Mayor Bill White, State Sen. John Whitmire, the dean of the Texas Senate, and congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee attended the opening ceremonies on Jan. 23.
--INF Dave Newhan, who played a significant part in the Astros' late season surge after he was promoted from Class AAA Round Rock, might re-sign with the club on a minor league contract by next week, GM Ed Wade told the Houston Chronicle.
BY THE NUMBERS: $600,000 -- Amount the Astros, the city of Houston and the state of Texas are each investing in Sylvester Turner Park for Houston's Urban Youth Baseball Academy.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It means that young boys and girls get an opportunity to have some good, clean sports in this area. It's great that Major League Baseball is recognizing the need, and I applaud Sylvester Turner for putting all the parts together. We need to do more of it. The park is a city-state operation. I applaud (Astros owner) Drayton McLane for getting Major League Baseball involved. It will make a difference. It's a reinvestment in our community." -- Sen. John Whitmire, the dean of the Texas State Senate, on the opening of the Urban Youth Baseball Academy in the Acres Homes area of Houston.
