Astros Release Hall

Things are not good when your team’s most significant offseason signing is a guy with a career line of .249/.308/.438.  Things are worse when you release the aforementioned signee after only 58 games.

This is the scenario the Astros are facing.

Houston is set to release second baseman Bill Hall.  This winter, the club signed the 31 year old to a $3 million contract with a mutual option for 2012.

Hall has been especially terrible for the Astros this season, only managing an OPS of .612.  Over the month of May, Hall was able to raise his batting average to .224.  The sad part is that he’s getting pretty lucky at the plate with a BABIP of .341, so that .224 actually looks to be inflated.

Sorry Bill.

Hall earned his current deal after a decent 2010 with the Boston Red Sox.  He was used all over the field, playing every position other than catcher and shortstop.  Hall also posted the second highest home run total (18) of his career.

Houston needed to free up a roster spot to make room for the return of outfielder Jason Bourgeois.  The 29 year old finished his rehab assignment early after only two minor league contests and is set to rejoin the big league club.