KFDM COOP Posted February 2, 2007 Report Posted February 2, 2007 Astros take a look at veteran pair of local relieversTimeline: Review Astros in '06 Righthander Ben Weber and lefthander Kelly Wunsch, a pair of local major league relievers who are trying to rejuvenate their careers, worked out before Astros brass this afternoon at Minute Maid Park.Astros general manager Tim Purpura said he could decide by Friday whether to offer a minor league contracts either or both pitchers, neither of whom played in the majors last year.Weber and Wunsch threw off the mound before Purpura, manager Phil Garner, Nolan Ryan and several other scouts from within the organization. The tryout came at the end of the fourth day of the Nolan Ryan Elite Pitching and Jeff Bagwell Elite Hitting Camps."You've got to be sure they're going to get innings and get a chance to pitch, whether that be in major league camp or minor league camp," Purpura said. "Kelly is coming off a surgery and has a little ways to go. Ben is looking to regain his career. We'll look at all that and try to make a determination soon so they will know where they stand with us."Wunsch, 34, a former first round draft pick from Texas A&M who played at Bellaire High School, missed all of last season with a shoulder injury. He's 11-6 with a 3.76 ERA in 258 career games, mostly for the Chicago White Sox."It was real nice to come in here and throw on a decent mound," Wunsch said. "I've been trying to work out in Austin, but with all the ice storms all the local fields are in horrible shape. This was a real nice chance to work out on a good mound and hopefully in front of my future bosses."Weber, 37, who played at the University of Houston, has gone 19-8 with seven saves and a 3.77 ERA in six seasons as a reliever, most with the Anaheim Angels. He went 7-2 with seven saves and helped the Angels win the 2002 World Series."I want to play for the Astros," said Weber, who was released by the Toronto Blue Jays last year "I've made that known for a long time. This has been my team for 33 years, and I would love to be here, but I understand their situation. They've got a whole bunch of nice, young kids in here, and hopefully I can teach them something, too, just being around."Purpura said Weber could perhaps fill the role as a multiple-inning reliever and Wunsch could be a second lefthander out of the bullpen.
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