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Kieschnick Watch, Part III

Finally, a hint to the public about what the Astros are hoping to do with Brooks Kieschnick:

Brooks Kieschnick has played in more than 100 Major League games as an outfielder, but [Astros GM Tim] Purpura envisions the 32-year-old Corpus Christi native mainly as a pitcher who will pinch-hit or DH on occassion.

"His attitude is, he really wants to continue to pitch," Purpura said. "He had a lot of appearances last year in Milwaukee, and maybe he can help us out."

Kieschnick is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA over 74 Major League appearances, and as a hitter, he has batted .248 with 16 homers and 46 RBIs in 260 career big league games.

Last year, he was 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA in 32 games for the Brewers while also hitting .270 with one homer and seven RBIs.

Purpura decided to send Kieschnick to Double-A Corpus Christi mainly because there was room for him on their roster, whereas at Triple-A Round Rock, the staff is stocked.

"The way our pitching staff is in Round Rock, there wasn't anybody we really wanted to displace to plug him in there," Purpura said. "[Corpus] was an easy sell for him. He grew up there; he played there."

I guess I'm happy with this.  I would've preferred a major-league deal with Colorado, as was rumored at some point.  I would imagine Kieschnick was considered as an option for the roster spot that became Byung-Hyun Kim's.  

Kim may have a cooler delivery than Kieschnick does, but something tells me our BK can hit the ball a lot farther.