HOUSTON -- Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt signed one-day contracts and officially retired as Astros on Saturday. [url=http://www.cheapangelsjerseysauthentic.com/]Angels Jerseys China[/url] . Berkman and Oswalt were drafted by the Astros a year apart and came up through the minors together before Berkman

HOUSTON -- Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt signed one-day contracts and officially retired as Astros on Saturday. Angels Jerseys China . Berkman and Oswalt were drafted by the Astros a year apart and came up through the minors together before Berkman made his major league debut in 1999 and Oswalt followed less than two years later. "Its an honour to come back here and retire as an Astro," Oswalt said. "Lance and I both came up through the organization about the same time. We got to play together for a long time. The best thing about Houston was that it was always home. I know Im speaking for myself, but I went to Philadelphia, Texas and Colorado afterwards, but Houston has always been home." Berkman said it was special to play for an organization that had the tradition the Astros did. "We all kind of felt like we were all part of the Astros family," Berkman said. "Thats what made this, in my opinion, a special place to be. They made a conscious effort to draft guys, develop them and keep them here for a long time." As part of the pregame ceremony to celebrate the two players, a video played with comments from Nolan Ryan, Jake Peavy, Tony La Russa and Albert Pujols and former teammates Brad Ausmus, Andy Pettitte, Craig Biggio and Adam Everett. Both players were given multiple standing ovations by the crowd at Minute Maid Park and presented with their framed 2005 World Series jerseys along with personalized rocking chairs and Stetson hats. It was also announced that the two Texas flags flying at the State Capital in Austin on Saturday would be framed and given to the two players. Oswalt, the MVP of the 2005 NLCS, ranks second in wins and strikeouts in franchise history. Oswalt went 2-0 mark with a 1.29 ERA in the Astros six-game series win over St. Louis and was the starter and winner of the Astros Game Six series-clinching win at Busch Stadium. Berkman spent 12 of his 15 seasons in the majors with the Astros after being Houstons first pick in the 1997 draft out of Rice. For his career, he hit .293 in 1,879 games with 366 home runs and 1,234 RBIs with a .406 on-base percentage and a .537 slugging percentage. Oswalt finished his 13-season career with a 163-102 record in 365 appearances -- 341 starts -- with a 3.36 ERA. Oswalt, a three-time All Star, reached 20 wins in 2004 and 2005 and was a 19-game winner in 2002. After being selected by the Astros in the 23rd round of the 1996 draft, Oswalt was called up to the majors in 2001, finishing that season with a 14-3 record in 28 appearances -- 20 starts -- with a 2.73 ERA. "You always wonder when it will be your last year," Oswalt said. "My goal when I first started was to play 10 years. I felt that if you play 10 solid years in the big leagues, you have had a solid year, and I got to play 13. I feel like some days I can still play. I didnt want to walk away that way where you cant play anymore. Thats pretty special." Angels Felix Pena Jersey . Yahoo! Sports columnist Marc Spears says that the Boogie Smooth album may have been an elaborate April Fools prank. Angels Justin Anderson Jersey . With the suspension, Nigeria is unable to take part in any kind of international fixtures. FIFA had issued a warning to the NFF last week after the federation was served with court proceedings from the government that prevented the NFFs president from running the NFFs day-to-day affairs. http://www.cheapangelsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=angels-andrelton-simmons-jersey . On Wednesday night, they showed that stellar defence and a little small ball can get the job done too. With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line.ALLEN PARK, Mich. - The Detroit Lions slipped and slid plenty in the snow at Philadelphia. Maybe it was fitting. The slumping Lions (7-6) have lost three of four games, blowing fourth-quarter leads each time, wasting chance after chance to take command of the NFC North. "Well just take this slap in the face and hope it wakes us up," cornerback Chris Houston said after Sundays 34-20 loss to the Eagles. "We have two straight home games and we have to go get them. We cant get down on ourselves. We are still in a good position in our division. I think we like when our backs are against the wall." Detroit hosts the defending champion Baltimore Ravens next Monday night and then the New York Giants before closing the regular season at Minnesota. The Lions will remain in first place in the division headed into the weekend, but they have left little room for error over their next three games, all of which will be played indoors. "Anytime its in your hands like that, you feel good about your opportunities," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Monday. "I know this, the next three games we are not going to have to worry about eight inches of snow on the ground. We are not going to have to worry about 50 mph winds or anything else, but potentially in the future we still do." That would be the playoffs — if Detroit can figure out how to tilt the turnover ratio back to its favour. Detroit had a total of eight turnovers in losses against Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, while failing to force one turnover in either game. The Lions then fumbled seven times and lost three to Philadelphia, which turned it over only once in the same conditions. "Id say the first half was probably more difficult than the second," quarterback Mattheww Stafford said. Angels Hansel Robles Jersey. "It was a little icier in the second, but its no excuse. We had opportunities to make plays and we didnt make them." The Lions went ahead 20-14 early in the fourth quarter against the Eagles after Jeremy Ross 98-yard kick return — his second score on special teams Sunday — before letting LeSean McCoy score a go-ahead touchdown on a 57-yard run and getting shut down on offence. After the game, some Lions said they were soft on defence. The next day, Schwartz disagreed with that assessment. "We missed a lot of tackles in that game and LeSean McCoy did a good job with the conditions and we didnt," Schwartz said. "I wouldnt put it on anything else. Players can characterize it any way they want, but when you say that word it becomes sort of an inflammatory word." Detroit took leads into the fourth quarter against the Buccaneers and Steelers before being held scoreless in the final quarters of both losses. Schwartz insisted the team is focused on looking ahead to the opportunity of winning the division title — for the first time since 1993 — and cant afford to look back. "You cant really worry about whats happened in the past," Schwartz said. "You have to keep your eyes focused on the future. It starts Monday night with the Ravens." NOTES: Schwartz said rookie CB Darius Slay had knee surgery last Friday and the team didnt put him on injured reserve, holding out hope he can return. ... Schwartz said RB Reggie Bush (calf), rookie DE Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah (shoulder) and rookie OT LaAdrian Waddle (elbow) dont have long-term injuries. ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org ___ Follow Larry Lage on Twitter: twitter.com/larrylage Chiefs Jerseys China Cheap Nike Chargers Jerseys Cheap Nike Raiders Jerseys Wholesale Cowboys Jerseys China Cheap Nike Giants Jerseys Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys For Sale Wholesale Redskins Jerseys China Cheap Nike Lions Jerseys Packers Jerseys China Cheap Vikings Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Panthers Jerseys Hoodies Cheap Saints Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Nike Buccaneers Jerseys Cardinals Jerseys China Cheap Rams Jerseys Hoodies Cheap Nike 49ers Jerseys Seahawks Jerseys China Bears Jerseys China Cheap Nike Bills Jerseys Ravens Jerseys China Wholesale Falcons Jerseys China ' ' '