--Class AAA Round Rock INF Drew Sutton was shipped off to the Cincinnati Reds to complete the trade that sent INF Jeff Keppinger to the Astros on March 31.
As the Astros announced in their notes the day of the trade before asking the media to disregard their note, Sutton was the player to be named in that deal. Sutton, 25, had a decent start to spring training in major league camp, but he was asked to focus on improving his defense and settle in at second when he was optioned back down. Sutton hit an Astros farm system-high .317 last year at Class AA Corpus Christi with 20 home runs and 69 RBIs.
--3B Chris Johnson, the Astros' top position prospect, was put on the Class AAA Round Rock's disabled list, retroactive to April 14.
Johnson, who likely would have made the Astros' opening-day roster if Jeff Keppinger had not been acquired, suffered a hand injury on April 11 when he was hit by Iowa Cubs starter Jose Ascanio.
BY THE NUMBERS: 19 -- Hits allowed by the Astros in an 11-2 loss to the Cardinals on April 11.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's frustrating whenever you keep getting guys on base and you can't come up with any runs. It seems like we've done that a lot, but the good news is we're getting guys on base against pretty tough pitching, and I think given enough chances we're going to score runs in bunches. We just haven't done it yet." -- 1B Lance Berkman, on the Astros' slow offensive start.
