Astros agree to deal with Hampton pending a physical
Sports Network | December 01, 2008
Houston, TX (Sports Network) - The Houston Astros have reportedly come to an agreement on a deal with free agent starting pitcher Mike Hampton pending a physical.
According to MLB.com, the 36-year-old Hampton will travel to Houston to be examined in the coming days with an offical announcement expected as early as Tuesday.
It would be Hampton's second stint in Houston, where he enjoyed some of the best years of his career. A career-high, 22-win season in 1999 saw him finish second to Randy Johnson in the Cy Young Award voting. A successful six-year stint with the club ended after that season with Hampton joining the Mets for one season.
He went on to pitch for Colorado for two years (2001-02) and then signed with Atlanta, where his career has been racked with injuries. Hampton made 60 starts for the Braves over his first two seasons (2003-04) but has since made just 25 over the past four years.
Hampton missed the entire 2006 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery and had the 2007 season wiped out due to a strained oblique and torn flexor tendon.
In 388 career games, including 334 starts, for the Mariners, Astros, Mets, Rockies and Braves, the veteran lefty is 141-105 with a 4.01 earned-run average.
