KFDM COOP Posted February 3, 2007 Report Posted February 3, 2007 Astros invite Pence, Patton to spring trainingClub also signs pair of pitchers to minor-league dealsTimeline: Review Astros in '06 The Astros signed righthander Rick White and lefthander Scott Sauerbeck to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training today, and invited top prospects Hunter Pence, an outfielder, and Troy Patton, a pitcher, to major league camp.Also getting invited to major league camp were catchers Kevin Davidson and Lou Santangelo.White, 38, split the 2006 season between Cincinnati and Philadelphia, posting a combined record of 4-1 with a 5.15 ERA. In 11 seasons, White is 41-53 with 16 saves and a 4.31 ERA, appearing in 15 games with the Astros in 2003.Sauerbeck, 35, was a combined 0-1 with a 4.97 ERA in 46 games with Cleveland and Oakland in 2006. He has a career record of 20-17 with a 3.82 ERA in 471 games with Pittsburgh (1999-2003), Boston (2003), Cleveland (2005-06) and Oakland (2006).Pence, 23, spent the season at Class AA Corpus Christi in 2006, where he ranked second in the Texas League in total bases (279) and triples (8), third in extra-base hits (67) and runs (97), fourth in slugging (.533) and fifth in RBIs (95). Pence finished the season with a .283 average, 28 home runs and 17 stolen bases.Patton, 21, split the 2006 season between Class A Salem and Corpus Christi in 2006, finishing with a combined ERA of 3.37. The lefthander recorded 139 strikeouts and ranked second among all minor league Astros pitchers in the category.Davidson, 26, hit .203 with three home runs and 13 RBIs at Corpus Christi in 2006. Santangelo, 24, was a Carolina League All-Star in 2006. He hit .241 with 18 home runs and 57 RBIs in 98 games at Class A Salem.[email protected]
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