Houston, TX (My Sportsbook) - The Houston Astros declined to pick up the option of starting pitcher Shane Reynolds on Thursday, making him a free agent. Reynolds, 34, underwent season-ending back surgery in June. In 13 starts he went 3-6 with a 4.86 earned run average. Back problems limited him to 63 starts over the last three years. The right-hander made the National League All-Star team in 2000 but missed most of the second half of the year with degenerative disks in his lower back. His best season came in 1998, when he went 19-8 with a career-best 209 strikeouts and a 3.51 ERA. The Astros also sent catcher Alan Zinter outright to Triple-A New Orleans and announced that righthander Jim Mann was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates. |
