A month ago, it looked as if catcher Jason Castro, who had two injury setbacks over the course of one calendar year, might not be ready to start the season when Opening Day rolls around on April 6.

Today, the level of optimism is much higher. It’s more likely than not that Castro, who had season-ending knee surgery last Spring Training and foot surgery this past December, is on track to start the season on time.

This isn’t to say that he’s maintaining the same workout pace as the other catches in camp. He’s not. He’s participating in drills and catching bullpens, but on a slightly lesser scale than the rest. The goal is for him to build stamina without overextending himself, even if it means not being quite ready to play when the Grapefruit season gets underway in another 10 days.

Regardless of when Castro appears in his first spring game, the catching situation this year, so far, is light years ahead of where the team was a year ago. There is no stat line that can truly describe how valuable a catcher is to a team. He’s top lieutenant on the field and can provide a huge sense of security to pitchers. On the flip side, if a catcher is inadequate in his ability to call games and block pitches in the dirt, it can wreak havoc on a pitcher’s psyche.

Castro’s return will be a big lift for the team, and the addition of Chris Snyder, a veteran catcher, should not be overlooked. The Astros now have three catchers in a pool that also includes veteran Humberto Quintero, giving them experience, depth and a plan B. They pretty much had none of those things  a year ago.

A couple of housekeeping notes:

* The final Houston-based Astroline will air on Thursday at Buffalo Wild Wings in Midtown. Former outfielder Kevin Bass will join Milo Hamilton for the hour-long show, which can be heard on 740 KTRH and Astros.com.

Astroline will resume the following week on Feb. 29 at the Disney Boardwalk in Orlando. Keeping with tradition, the first Florida-based show will feature manager Brad Mills.

* The first full-squad workout will be held Feb. 26, and as always, workouts are free and open to the public. Gates open around 9:30 a.m. The first Grapefruit League game will take place at Osceola County Stadium on March 3 vs. the Nationals. Workouts on home game days are closed.

* Two spring games will be televised this year: March 20 vs. the Cardinals and April 3 vs. the White Sox (at Minute Maid Park).

And we conclude with images from Day 3 on a cloudy but rain-free morning at the spring complex:

Brian Bogusevic, Jed Lowrie

Practicing fielding comebackers: Brad Mills and Kyle Weiland.

Having some between-drills laughs: Jose Altuve, roving minor league baserunning coordinator Milt Thompson, Jimmy Paredes, Jose Cruz.

PFP: Bud Norris.

Two former first-rounders: Delino DeShields (2010) and George Springer (2011).

Batting practice: J.D. Martinez, Jose Altuve.

Jimmy Paredes waves to a fan.

Brandon Lyon and Jason Castro discuss Lyon's bullpen session when it ended.

Astros are on Facebook

Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter

Follow the Astros on Twitter

Historically black colleges and universities are known for their rich tradition in history and are a source of accomplishment and great pride for the African American community.

The Houston Astros and Major League Baseball joined forces to display HBCUs and their baseball programs on a national scale last weekend during the 2012 MLB Urban Invitational held at Minute Maid Park.

The 2012 tournament featured five HBCUS: Alabama State University, Grambling State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and Texas Southern University along with NCAA Division I school University of California, Irvine. Texas Southern, Grambling, and Southern each finished the three-day event with a 2-1 record.

Many came out to Minute Maid Park over the three-day weekend event, taking in games, attending a college fair and enjoying entertainment by the Texas Southern “Ocean of Soul” and Prairie View A&M “Marching Storm” soulful marching bands. Jennifer Holliday, Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist and HBCU alumnus of Texas Southern, performed “America the Beautiful” before the final game of the Saturday lineup. Holliday’s performance and games played at Minute Maid Park that day aired live on MLB Network and MLB.com.

HBCUs have long offered quality educational and athletic programs and have a proud tradition of producing outstanding baseball players. Baseball Hall of Famers Lou Brock (Southern University) and Andre Dawson (Florida A&M University), as well as current Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks (Southern University) played in HBCU baseball programs. Thirteen HBCU players were selected in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, six of whom played in last year’s Urban Invitational in Compton. Through the annual Urban Invitational, MLB aims to help these programs continue providing young players from underserved communities the opportunity to play collegiate-level baseball.

Speaking as a proud product of an HBCU — Tennessee State University — MLB hit it head on capturing the essence of of HBCUs and all that their baseball programs have to offer.

High school students gained valuable information about the college admission process from over 20 colleges and universities during the MLB Urban Invitational College Fair.

Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist Jennifer Holliday performed “America the Beautiful” before the Prairie A&M-Texas Southern contest Saturday evening.

Texas Southern drum majors ushered in the “Ocean of Soul” marching band onto the field at Minute Maid Park during the Battle of the Bands competition.

Much of the talk so far this spring has been about how many jobs are available, at just about every position, with the exception of just a few.

Let’s just say most of the players aren’t making permanent arrangements for Houston just yet. Instead, the mantra is one of caution: “I have to make the team first.”

If anything, that uncertainty will make for a more intriguing Grapefruit League season. Not only will several infield and outfield positions be up for grabs, but the starting pitching situation could also become pretty dramatic as the spring season draws to a close.

While there are no real guarantees in life beyond death, taxes and mind-numbing traffic at every corner of the greater Kissimmee metropolitan area, barring any unforeseen trades, it’s pretty definite that three of the rotation spots are going to Bud Norris, Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers.

That leaves a slew of candidates for the remaining two spots, and with that, of course, comes uncertainty about not only who will win these jobs by the time camp breaks, but also how reliable these pitchers will be over the course of a full season.

That is why a team must have more than one option and more than one plan moving forward. And that is precisely why general manager Jeff Luhnow saw enough in Livan Hernandez to sign him to a low-risk Minor League contract.

If healthy and effective, the 37-year-old Hernandez gives the Astros something they might find they desperately need a couple of months into the season: innings, innings and more innings. Specifically, around 200 of them.

Over the last five seasons, Hernandez has averaged 180.1 innings per year. The ERAs have been all over the map, from very good (3.66 in 2010) to not so good (6.05 in 2008) to respectable (4.93 in 2007 and 4.47 in 2011). What manager Brad Mills and the coaching staff like about Hernandez is his ability to do two things: keep his team in the game, and still be on the mound in the seventh and eighth innings.

The Astros will look at many candidates this spring to fill those final two spots in the rotation. J.A Happ and Jordan Lyles have an upper hand in that they were both part of the equation, for varying amounts of time, just one season ago. Lucas Harrell, Zach Duke, Kyle Weiland and Henry Sosa could see some starts this spring as well.

But it would be impossible (and irresponsible) to label any of the candidates with a broad brush, mark them down in red pen and declare them as guaranteed innings-eaters.

That’s why the Astros signed Hernandez. If he’s healthy and does well this spring, he could be a big lift for a rotation in transition.

______________

Randoms:

* Another day, another Astros tweeter. Harrell has joined the Twitterverse and can be followed at @lucasharrell34. On an unrelated note, he also lost a bet to a buddy a while back and can’t cut his hair for a year, which is why he looks a little unruly these days. And he’s only 7 1/2 months into paying up.

* There are more position players in camp than I can count, so I’m not going to attempt to give an unscientific number of who’s already here. But I did sneak into the batting cages today and spotted Jed Lowrie, Jake Gobbert, J.B Shuck and J.D. Martinez, among others.

(More than half of the players in there are also active on Twitter. This completely irrelevant, I realize, but it kind of made me feel like a proud den mom.)

* While a Major League coaching staff consists of only seven people (including the manager), a Spring Training staff is much larger. Nearly two dozen coaches and special assistants comprise the spring staff. That includes all Minor League coordinators and instructors and select members of the coaching staffs of the Minor League teams. For example, the Triple-A Oklahoma City manager and coaches are working in big league camp, and slowly, as cuts are made and the Minor League spring seasons get underway, they will filter back over to their regular-season assignments.

________________

Feeling peppy? The Astros will hold auditions for Park Patrol hopefuls on Friday, March 2 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 3 from 8 a.m. to noon at Union Station at Minute Maid Park.

The Park Patrol is an interactive squad that performs at Astros home games. Game presentation activities include t-shirt launches, prize giveaways and trivia contests, in addition to performing dance routines and “skits” with the Team Mascot.

Park Patrol members will perform these tasks live in the stands, on ballpark concourses and will be featured on the stadium video boards. The Astros Park Patrol will also make appearances at season ticket holder events, Astros in Action Foundation events, and any approved event in connection with the Houston Astros.

Qualifications:
• Must be able to perform activities and interact with fans on camera in front of 40,000+ people. Prior entertainment experience preferred.
• Squad will wear baseball-inspired, cheerleader-styled attire. Previous experience as a cheerleader, pep squad, or drill team member or some dance classes a plus, but not required.
• Individuals must have outstanding communication skills and a positive, energetic personality.
• They must also have stamina and fitness level capable of performing in conditions for several hours before and during games.
• Individuals must be available to work during Astros home games and other special events as needed.
• Must be reliable, punctual, and courteous. Good listening skills and ability to work with brief instruction required. Must also be flexible and able to handle situations with a quick and professional response.
• Those who are selected to the squad must be able to attend mandatory training sessions being held March 22 to March 25.
_________________

And we leave you with more images from another sunny morning in Central Florida:

Thought this was pretty cool: after Livan Hernandez finished throwing his bullpen session, he hugged his catcher, Chris Wallace, and thanked him. I'm sure this is not the first time such an exchange has taken place in similar settings, but it was still a nice gesture from a veteran pitcher to a young prospect whom he just met two days ago.

Jason Castro takes BP on the back field with the other catchers in camp.

Castro and hitting coach Mike Barnett discussed the BP session when it was over.

Post workout stretching sessions often double as social occasions. Jorge DeLeon and Jimmy Paredes wrap up the day with some general chatter.

Jed Lowrie, jettisoned from Boston in the Mark Melancon trade, is one of many position players who are already here.

Bud Norris throws his first bullpen session of the spring.

Astros are on Facebook

Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter

Follow the Astros on Twitter

Schafer was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop soon after the season ended. He’s currently taking part a court-ordered pretrial intervention in program and if he completes it without incident, his record will be cleared.

In this Brian McTaggart report on MLB.com, Schafer was contrite, apologizing to the Astros for the spot he put them into and thanking them for standing behind him.

“I got caught up in a bad situation, and hopefully I’ve learned from my mistake and moved on and become a better person for it, and hopefully we don’t have any more instances like that,” he said. “Hopefully, I can be a good role model and learn from this.”

Schafer is active on Twitter, and if you follow him, you were able to see first-hand, thanks to the magic of Twitpics, that he was serious when he said he put on 20 pounds of muscle this offseason. You also received this tweet from him as he turned in for the night:

“Goodnight twit fam, busy day n I’m beat. Good to finally get everything off my chest n move on. Thanks 2 all of u 4 the support. Muchluv.”

Other notables:

* George Springer, the Astros’ first-round pick from last year’s Draft, has reported to camp and will be one of a handful of top prospects spending some of the spring with the big league club. Springer won’t make the team this year, but the experience of going through a Major League Spring Training could be valuable for him, as well a few other key figures who could be a big part of the Astros’ future, including Jonathan Singleton, Jonathan Villar and DeLino DeShields, among others.

* For 90 days, Jim Crane, along with his partners, has owned a baseball business. Monday, he finally owned a baseball team, writes the Chronicle’s Zachary Levine. Crane spent the day in Kissimmee on Monday, taking in his first Spring Training. By all accounts, he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “I hadn’t been in a locker room in a long time, but you never forget what it’s like.”

* When word traveled through the baseball world that Manny Ramirez was looking to make a comeback, I surmised that 30 of 30 teams would pass on him. After all, he’s turning 40 in May, right around the same time that he’d be eligible to play his first game after serving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

I was wrong. Twenty-nine of 30 teams passed on him, leaving just the Oakland A’s ready and willing to take a chance on Manny being Manny. The contract is almost commitment-free: it’s a Minor League deal, which means it’s non-guaranteed, and it’s worth no more than $500,000.

Risk-free, yes. But is it even worth it to take that chance?

Astros are on Facebook

Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter

Follow the Astros on Twitter

I’m sure there was once a time, long, long ago, when position players reported to Spring Training on the very day that they were actually required to be there.

Those days are largely over. In more modern times, it’s almost as if there’s a race to see who can get to Spring Training first. Facilities open earlier and earlier, and when it’s finally time for pitchers and catchers to hit the fields, it’s normal to see close to half of the position players also at the complex, working out on their own, even though they don’t technically have to be here for several more days.

As Astros pitchers and catchers headed out to the backfields as Osceola County Stadium for their first workout Monday morning, the line of position players heading to the cages was almost as long. Chris Johnson, Jose Altuve, Brett Wallace, Brian Bogusevic and Jimmy Paredes are among the dozen or so position players already here. They’ll work out separately from the pitchers and catchers until Sunday, when the full squad will gather for the first time.

Notes from a busy first day of camp:

* Jason Castro was the main topic of conversation among reporters today. As you probably remember, Castro missed all season last year with a knee injury and then had surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot in December. The general feeling from manager Brad Mills and general manager Jeff Luhnow is that Castro will be eased back into action, slowly. He’s progressing well and he appears to have pretty decent agility in the early-going, which is good. He participated in catching drills with the rest of his brethren and seemed to be keeping up well.

They’ll monitor Castro to make sure he’s not overextending himself by catching too many bullpens, and at this point, there’s no concrete timetable as to when he’ll see action in a Grapefruit League game. But he is “coming along well,” as Luhnow said, and he’s still expected to anchor the bulk of the duties behind the plate.

“Jason can be a leader,” Luhnow said. “He can produce offensively and defensively and set the right tone for the team.”

* Owner Jim Crane was a star college pitcher in his day, but suffice it to say, it’s been a while since he’s spent any significant time on a baseball field. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself on Monday as he chatted with players and reporters and moved from field to field to watch the workouts.

Crane and President/CEO George Postolos flew in for the day on Monday and will be back next week when the full squad is together. They both addressed the pitchers and catchers briefly during a meeting before the workout, mainly just to introduce themselves, and it’s likely they’ll do the same when they’re back next time.

The message from Luhnow and Mills was more direct. The objective this spring is to work hard, follow instruction and pay attention to detail. Luhnow acknowledged that no one is talking about the Astros as contenders this year. “We’re not predicted to win this division,” Luhnow said. “Most say we’re not going to compete this year. But I don’t believe that.”

The other directive: pace yourself. Invariably, young players tend to come to camp eager to show management they belong on the 25-man roster. That is a great attitude, unless that enthusiasm overflows a little too much, too soon. That’s when injuries can pop up. Players were reminded to take it easy, even those who had played through the offseason in Winter Ball.

(Another directive from Mills: wear sunblock.)

* Remember Mike Kvasnicka? He’s the Astros’ supplemenental-round pick from the 2010 Draft, a college outfielder-slash-part-time catcher who was converted to play third base when the Astros signed him.

We caught up with Kvasnicka (Kwas-NICK-a) last season when he was playing for the Class-A Lexington Legends, and at the time, we knew only two things about him: he resembles Shane Reynolds, and Jeff Bagwell butchered his name when announcing the pick on MLB Network.

Now we know one more thing: he’s no longer a third baseman. About a month ago, Luhnow and his staff decided it was best to move Kvasnicka back to catcher.

That quickly solved two issues: It put the player back in a position where he was more comfortable, and it gave the system more depth in an area that could use some additional padding.

Kvasnicka, a Minnesota native, has been in Kissimmee for about two weeks, working out at the Minor League facility. On Monday, he was fitted for a uniform and told he would be in big league camp, catching bullpens.

Video: Crane meets with media

Video: Mills, on jobs being wide open this spring

Scenes from the Astros’ first day of Spring Training:

Suddenly, Bud Norris is one of the "veterans" of the group.

Livan Hernandez, David Carpenter go through PFP drills (pitchers fielding practice).

Catching drills: Jason Castro.

More catching drills: Chris Snyder, Humberto Quintero in the forefront.

Two staples of Astros Spring Training: Jose Cruuuuuuuuz and Strech Suba.

Snyder (Chris Wallace and Carlos Corporan in background).

Pitchers running wind sprints.

Lots of media was in Kissimmee to cover the first day of camp. First up: Brad Mills.

Next: Jeff Luhnow.

And finally: Jim Crane.

Pitcher Lucas Harrell and Crane chat in the dugout next to one of the back fields.

Astros are on Facebook

Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter

Follow the Astros on Twitter

The Astros retired Dierker's number in 2002, but that didn't mean he was ready to ride off into the sunset...

In the more than 10 years that have passed since Larry Dierker stepped down at the Astros’ manager, he’s had his hands in plenty of activities. He’s written books, dabbled with writing a screenplay, traveled and spearheaded forming an Astros alumni group that has, over the years, been quite visible in baseball circles in Houston.

Dierker has also allotted a lot of his time to charitable efforts. Most notably, he is a champion of Literacy Advance of Houston, a non-profit organization that has helped people through its free adult literacy programs for nearly five decades.

Dierker, an avid reader in his own right, has personally contributed more than 1,000 volunteer hours for the cause. And he’s set to host Literacy Advance’s Reader Cup – Larry Dierker Celebrity Golf Tournament on Feb. 27 at the BlackHorse Golf Club.

Each year, a host of sport celebrities participates in this golf tournament. This year, the guest list includes Phil Garner, Art Howe, Shane Reynolds, Kevin Bass, Dan Pastorini, Jim Deshaies, Bill Brown, Randy McElvoy, Burton Gilliam (of Blazing Saddles fame), Dayna Steele, Dave Elmendorf and Mark Dennard.

“I play in dozens of tournaments every year that raise a lot of money for various organizations, many of which represent serious diseases,” Dierker said. “I am happy to do that. I’m not a doctor; I cannot cure a disease. I can, however, teach adults to read and write.  It’s relatively easy and quite rewarding. Tutoring makes giving personal.”

Available tournament sponsorship opportunities range from $500 – $10,000, with all proceeds benefiting Literacy Advance of Houston.

Registration on event day will begin at 8 am with a hot breakfast, followed by a shotgun start at 9:30. Post-tournament, sponsors and players will enjoy a hearty lunch and the chance to win auction items, including night on the town packages, gifts and sports memorabilia.

For more information on the event or a downloadable sponsorship/registration form, please visit www.literacyadvance.org/golf or call (713) 266-8777.

Jim Crane, left, Milo Hamilton and George Postolos announce that 2012 will be Milo's last season behind the mic.

Milo Hamilton mentioned a couple of times last year to friends and colleagues that the 2012 season would likely be his last as a lead play-by-play announcer on Astros broadcasts.

Milo will turn 85 in September, and, as he said last year, “That’ll be enough.” On Wednesday, he made that official, formally stating that he’ll retire at the end of the season.

Perhaps there’s no “best” time for a beloved figure to step down, but the timing of the announcement will allow the Astros to weave a season-long salute to their long-time broadcaster in with the celebration of the franchise’s 50th anniversary.

Plans to honor Milo this year will be officially announced in full at a later time, but here’s a sneak peek:

* Sept. 2, Milo’s 85th birthday, will be “Milo Hamilton Day” at Minute Maid Park.
* The Astros plan to host a special dinner in Milo’s honor during the season, with proceeds benefiting the Astros In Action Foundation.
* There will be an online vote for fans to select Milo’s greatest calls.
* We’ll start an appreciation Facebook page, dedicated to fans saluting Milo’s great career.
* The Astros plan to create a Milo Hamilton college scholarship for broadcasting students.

Stay tuned for more announcements.

“We will provide a fitting tribute for one of the all-time great broadcasters in our industry,” said Astros President and CEO George Postolos. “The unique bond that Milo has built with our fans is very special. With that in mind, we have created ways for our fans to participate in our tribute to Milo. They will have an opportunity to do that throughout the season.”

Milo’s plan is to only retire from the broadcasting side. He will still be a part of the organization in 2013 and beyond as an emcee for special events and fundraisers, and will take part in the caravan and FanFest. He’ll also appear at events for sponsors and season ticket holders and will be incorporated into the radio broadcasts.

Watch the video from Milo’s announcement

More video: Biggio, talking about Milo and his retirement

Milo, by the numbers:
66 — years as a broadcaster.
58 — years as a baseball broadcaster.
27 — years an Astros broadcaster.
5 — Halls of Fame that have honored Milo, including the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1992.
715 — Hank Aaron’s milestone, record-breaking home run, which Milo called as a Braves announcer in 1974.
4,000 — Nolan Ryan’s milestone strikeout, which Milo called as an Astros announcer in 1985.
3,000 — Craig Biggio’s milestone hit total, which Milo called as an Astros announcer in 2007.

From the photo archives: first, a few good ones from the past…

Jeff Bagwell and Milo in 2006, the day Bagwell announced his retirement.

Milo and former skipper Phil Garner at FanFest a few years back.

Milo celebrated his 84th birthday last year by wearing a gigantic blue bow on his head.

Keeping with the theme of intesting head gear, here's Milo and Brad Lidge a few years ago at Spring Training, reading Dr. Seuss books to kids.

…and finally, images from Wednesday’s press conference…

Craig Biggio, who announced his retirement from this very room a little more than four years ago, attended Milo's press conference.

Later, the two convened for an impromptu photo shoot.

The Houston media contingent surrounded Milo following the formal part of the presser.

Astros are on Facebook

Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter

Follow the Astros on Twitter

The Houston Astros 2012 CAREavan hit the road on February 1, with three full days of visits throughout central and south Texas.  The team made two-day trips to Austin (Feb. 1-2), Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen (Feb. 1-2) and San Antonio (Feb. 2-3), and spent a day in Corpus Christi and Victoria (Feb. 3). Highlights included conducting several youth baseball clinics, visiting with military and pediatric patients at hospitals and serving fans lunch at Chick-fil-A.

During the CAREavan’s second week, the Astros traveled to Oklahoma City (Feb. 6) and visited with military personnel at Tinker Air Force Base, patients at Mercy Hospital and Oklahoma City RedHawks season ticket holders and sponsors.  The week also included five, single-day trips in Houston, Sugar Land, Spring, Cypress and Katy.  The local tours visited numerous schools for reading activities and Fielder’s Choice assemblies, conducted youth baseball clinics and made daily stops at Academy Sports + Outdoors stores for free autograph sessions.

The CAREavan experience, in pictures:

Austin: Dave Raymond, Jordan Lyles, J.B. Shuck, Kyle Weiland, Doug Brocail at Cedar Park Middle School.

Austin: Ronald McDonald House.

Brownsville: Fernando Rodriguez, Jose Altuve, Jimmy Paredes at Lucio Middle School.

Brownsville: Chick-fil-A

San Antonio: Brett Dolan, J.A. Happ, Angel Sanchez, Jarred Cosart, Humberto Quintero, Larry Dierker at RBI San Antonio.

San Antonio Military Medical Center

Corpus Christi: Jim Crane signs an autograph for a young fan at the Hooks' luncheon.

Victoria: Shane Reynolds givis pitching tips at a Baseball and Softball clinic.

Oklahoma City: David Carpenter and Milo Hamilton.

Meeting with the Oklahoma City RedHawks fan base.

Houston: Bud Norris serves drive-thru customers at Chick-Fil-A.

Houston: Astros front office members and players participated in a "Careers in Baseball" seminar at Carver High School.

Sugar Land: Bud Norris, David Carpenter, Chris Johnson, Brett Wallace visit babies and new parents at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

Sugar Land: Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace sign autographs at Academy Sports + Outdoors.

Spring: Brad Mills, Jason Bourgeois, J.D. Martinez, Brian Bogusevic, Jose Cruz at AVANCE-Southwest School.

Hanging with the kids at AVANCE.

Cypress: Jed Lowrie at a CAREavan Baseball and Softball Clinic.

Cypress: bilingual storytime with bilingual GM Jeff Luhnow.

Katy: Bill Brown, Jose Cruz and current Astros players participate in an assembly at Brookwood Community.

Astros are on Facebook

Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter

Follow the Astros on Twitter

Keep in mind that Dierker threw a no-hitter, had his number retired by the team and struck out Willie Mays in his Major League debut on his 18th birthday in 1964. But those moments come in a distant second to Oct. 3, 1999 — the last regular season game played in the Astrodome.

The Astros had to win that game against the Dodgers in order to clinch the division title, and had they lost, the postgame celebration — one that included dozens of former players who flew in for the finale — surely would have been muted.

But they didn’t lose. They beat the Dodgers handily, and the party was on. Confetti fell from the gigantic Astrodome ceiling. Players rode onto the field on motorcycles and lit up the cigars. It was pandemonium, followed by an amazing tribute to Astrodome history: the All-Time team was honored on the field, and players from every decade were invited onto the field to commemorate the beginning, and the end, of a wonderful run in the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

Dierker smiled at the memory.

“For about 30 minutes,” he recalled, “It was baseball heaven.”

Dierker shared that story a couple of times on Saturday at FanFest, capping a nostalgia-filled weekend that started with the annual baseball awards dinner, featuring nearly 20 players from the Astros’ past.

The weekend officially springboarded what will be a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Major League Baseball in Houston. The Colt .45s officially opened for business in 1962, became the Astros in 1965, and over the next five decades produced dozens of iconic figures and exciting moments that shaped baseball history in the Space City.

The end of this season will mirror that final day in 1999, in that the All-Time 25-man roster will be determined through a fan vote and a panel of experts. The players who comprise that roster will be invited back during the final homestand as part of Legends Weekend.

Other significant initiatives were revealed during FanFest. Here’s a few to look out for:

* An Astros Walk of Fame: areas outside of Minute Maid Park will be dedicated to honoring the best of the past. This year, names that will be made indelible on the grounds surrounding the ballpark include all nine retired numbers plus one player from each decade, as voted on by a panel of experts.

* Flashback Fridays: the Astros will wear retro jerseys from past decades every Friday home game this year, starting with the Colt .45s (minus the pistol, which was deemed inappropriate to include on a uniform).

* Great Moments bobbleheads: most Astros fans remember Mike Scott’s no-hitter, Jeff Kent’s walkoff homer in Game 5 of the 2004 NLCS and Chris Burke’s game-winning homer in Game 5 of the Division Series in 2005. Those moments, and more, will be recreated in the form of bobbleheads, to be given out at various games this year.

Images from a nostalgic weekend:

Prior to the dinner, guests gathered for a VIP reception. Pictured are Astros TV announcer Bill Brown and former manager Phil Garner.

VIP reception: former infielder Craig Reynolds and current manager Brad Mills.

Lance Berkman was honored as the Houston-area player of the year. As expected, he was highly entertaining while giving his acceptance speech.

VIP reception: Jim Deshaies, Craig Reynolds sign a couple of autographs.

VIP reception: Rookie of the Year J.D. Martinez.

VIP reception: Wandy Rodriguez, Jose Cruuuuuuuuuz

Baseball dinner: former MVPs gather on stage to be recognized for their contributions to the Houston franchise.

Players from all decades of Houston baseball were also honored at the dinner.

FanFest: Alex Trevino, Kevin Bass were among the many Astros alumni to sign autographs.

Current Astros Brad Mills, Bud Norris and Chris Snyder were also part of the autograph sessions.

Catcher Jason Castro signs autographs at FanFest.

J.R. Richard at FanFest.

FanFest began with a roundtable discussion among George Postolos, Brad Mills and Jeff Luhnow. Milo Hamilton emceed the session.

Astros are on Facebook

Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter

Follow the Astros on Twitter

Back by popular demand, we’re running our yearly, informal, hopefully helpful Guide To Spring Training. In this blog, you’ll find tips for navigating around Osceola County Stadium and for getting around the areas surrounding the ballpark, with suggestions as to where to eat, where to lodge and what roads to avoid if you don’t want to lose your mind (yea, I’m talking about you, highway 192).

Hopefully, these tips will help you out as you travel to Central Florida for another spring season. Please feel free to contribute in the comments section below. I’m sure a lot of you are seasoned Spring Training veterans and have found plenty to do when you’re down (over) there. So please share your knowledge/experiences. Thanks!

For those of you not going to Spring Training, please check back often to this blog and astros.com for complete coverage of everything happening with your Astros throughout the spring season. We’ll be providing news, photos and videos, all with hopes that you’ll reacquaint yourselves with some of your old favorites as well as get to know those who are new to the team. You can also follow me on Twitter, where I’ll be providing minute-by-minute updates throughout. Where I go, you’ll go.

1. Where is Kissimmee and how do I get there?
Kissimmee is about 20 minutes from Disney, to the west of Orlando, on Highway 192. The address is 1000 Bill Beck Blvd., on the left heading toward the turnpike.From the Orlando Airport, take the South exit (to Kissimmee) out of the airport. Merge onto Boggy Creek Road, pass under the #417 – Greenway and continue on Boggy Creek to the next stop light (Circle K store on corner) turn right. This is still Boggy Creek Rd. After you pass the Lakeside Subdivision stay in the right lane and go right at the next light (still Boggy Creek), go over the bridge, turn left at the light (Bill Beck Blvd.). Stadium parking lot will be on the right approximately 1/2 mile ahead.

If you are staying anywhere near Highway 535, which is directly off of I4 in Lake Buena Vista, I strongly suggest you travel to the ballpark via Osceola Parkway. It’s a toll road, so you’ll have to pay around two bucks each way, but it’s worth going that way and avoiding 192 and its billion stoplights. Take the Parkway East for about four miles to Michigan Ave. (You’ll see a shopping center on the left that has, among other things, a Buffalo Wild Wings). Turn right on Michigan for about two miles until you get to 192. Turn left and the ballpark will be on
your left, about a mile down.

2. How can I watch the team work out?
Just show up at the ballpark — workouts begin Feb. 20 (pitchers and catchers) and Feb. 26 (full squad) and they’re open and free to the public. It’s a great time to get an up close view of your favorite players and you’re free to roam around all fields in the back of the complex, while the workouts are going on.

Workouts usually begin around 9:30 a.m. and last until noon or so. They’ll probably conclude a little earlier during the first five days, when it’s just pitchers and catchers. WORKOUTS ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ON HOME GAME DAYS. When the team is on the road during Grapefruit season, half the squad stays back and works out at the home complex. Those workouts are also open and free to the public.

3. Where can I obtain autographs?

Most players do not sign during the workout hours, but don’t be discouraged. Many players finish the workouts on the field, go into the clubhouse to hit the weight room, and then come back out to sign. Once the games start, the best place to obtain autographs is the patio located near the back of the clubhouse, down the left field line.  Typically, once a player comes out of the game, he’ll stop and sign before he heads inside. Sometimes, he’ll first go inside to work out and then come out and sign.

The patio area is located down the left field line. Most players sign after they come out of the game and make their way to the clubhouse.

Most players sign, but not at all do. Odds are, you’re going to have a great success rate getting autographs from the young players. The veteran guys are pretty good about signing as well but there are always exceptions.

If you bring four things for one player to sign, you’ve got “dealer” written all over you and you’re probably going to be blown off. Please don’t ruin it for everyone else, especially the kids. Game programs, ticket stubs and hats are great indications that you’re a well-meaning fan, not a dealer. Success rate odds increase heavily when you bring those items.

4. What else is there to do in Kissimmee?

Kissimmee is located next to the Happiest Place on Earth, so there’s plenty to do. Disney isn’t just an amusement park anymore; there’s something for everyone, including great nightlife for adults.

“Astroline” will begin its Florida broadcasts on Feb. 29. The show will air live every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT) at the ESPN Zone on the Boardwalk at Disney. There are lots of restaurants and nightclubs along the Boardwalk, so once Astroline is finished, you can find plenty to do in the same area.

In terms of dining, I’m partial to La Forchetta, located a couple of miles from the Osceola County Stadium complex at 321 S. John Young Parkway (when you’re driving away from the ballpark, turn left on JYP and go about a mile and a half. It’s on the left. If you get to the bridge, you’ve gone too far.) La Forchetta has delicious Italian home cooking, overseen by owner Maria Manzi. Get there early — the restaurant has only about 15 tables, and during Spring Training, it fills up quickly.

The Loop on Osceola Parkway has really grown over the last several years, and you’ll find just about anything you’re looking for there, from restaurants to brew pubs to shopping and a movie theater. Restaurants of note: Pei Wei, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Bonefish Grill.

Downtown Kissimmee has been built up nicely in the last few years as well. If you turn left on Main (coming from the ballpark) and head toward Downtown, you’ll find a nice array of restaurants, sports bars and wine bars. A few of us Astros types are partial to Three Sisters — good bar food, cold beverages, great happy hour specials. Very casual setting.

5. When do games start?

The Astros open the Grapefruit League season at home this year. They will play the Nationals on March 3 beginning at 1:05 p.m. ET. All exhibition games will be aired on either 740 or 790 am. FS Houston will televise the games on March 20 vs. the Cardinals and April 3 vs. the White Sox (at Minute Maid Park).

You can view the full Spring Training schedule here.

6. How do I get tickets?

Individual game tickets can be purchased at astros.com, in person or by mail at the Osceola County Stadiums box office (home games only). You can also order by telephone and in person at Florida Ticketmaster outlets (home and road games). The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET and on all game days.

Credit card purchases can be made by calling Florida Ticketmaster at (407) 839-3900. Mail orders for home games can be sent to Osceola County Stadium, 631 Heritage Park Way, Kissimmee, Fla., 34744. Checks should be made to Osceola County Stadium and include $5 postage and handling for each order.

Of course, the easiest way to order tickets is online at astros.com. There is an interactive map of the seating area at Osceola County Stadium that allows you to pick your own seat.

7. Housing

There are hotels everywhere, but it also might be more economical for a family or group of friends to rent a townhome. If you’re looking for last minute housing, try Bob Rivera, either via email (bob@gblservices.com) or by phone — 321-946-8889.

Astros are on Facebook

Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter

Follow the Astros on Twitter