Baseball in Fort Wayne

Houston has been bandied about as a possible destination for former Wizards pitcher, Jake Peavy. However, today, Houston came to terms with another former Wizards pitcher; LaTroy Hawkins.

The Astros singed the 35-year-old right-hander to a one-year contract for $3.5 million plus incentives. He finished 2008 with a 3-1 record, one save and a 3.92 ERA over 57 relief appearances with the Astros and Yankees. After being traded from the Yanks to Houston, Hawkins went 2-0 with one save and a 0.43 ERA in 24 appearances. He allowed no earned runs over his first 22 games with Houston after practically being forced out of New York (an unfortunate reality circumstance that has followed him to pretty much every stop since he left Minnesota).

In 688 career games, including 98 starts, Hawkins is 59-77 with 76 saves and a 4.64 ERA. He has also played for the Twins (1995-2003), Cubs (2004-05), Giants (2005), Orioles (2006) and Rockies (2007) during parts of 14 Major League seasons.

LaTroy Hawkins made his Major League debut with the Minnesota Twins on April 29, 1995 after risign through the Twins’ farm system that included one of the most dominant seasons of any pitcher in Fort Wayne Wizards history. On that date, he becamse the first former Wizards player to debut at the MLB level.

More Hawkins’ Posts:

• Yankees Should Make Hawkins Their Set-up Man (5/31/08)
• LaTroy Hawkins Traded to Astros (7/30/2008)
• All-Time Wizards (8/24/2008)
• ‘zards Alumni