The free-agent filing period officially began on Monday, and already, clubs are contacting agents while laying the groundwork for their offseason plans.
Count the Astros as one of the proactive clubs in the early stages of the Hot Stove season. General manager Ed Wade confirmed on Tuesday that the club has expressed interest in free-agent center fielders Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand.

"[Assistant GM] David [Gottfried] talked to their agents this afternoon," Wade said. "Just general calls that we may have interest. We'll get back and talk at the appropriate time."

Hunter, 32, hit .287 with 28 home runs and 107 RBIs for the Twins in 2007. In 11 seasons with Minnesota, Hunter has a .271 average with 192 homers and 711 RBIs. He is a six-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner, earning the distinction from 2001-06.

Rowand, 30, hit .309 with the Phillies in 2007, recording 27 home runs and 89 RBIs. Over seven seasons with the White Sox and Phillies, Rowand has a .286 average with 93 home runs and 347 RBIs.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Pence, Hunter, Barkman and Lee would make a killer lineup.

Lee in LF, Hunter in CF, Pence in RF, Berkman at 1B? I guess that's how they'd have to do it. I still see Hunter going to Texas though. They've got like an extra 10M annually laying around thanks to A-Rod, and they desperately need a CF.

Berkman has been at first for a year now.

He played 32 games in RF this year.

32 out of 160 games. I'd say he is pretty much their first baseman.

Berk is there everyday 1B man. He fit for the spot too. If he went to the Stros. That wou;d be a power heavy line-up...kinda old though.

idd like to see how that hill in center field would affect hunter

that hill is probably the stupidest thing in a ballpark I've ever seen