Chris Coste released, claimed by Astros

The writing was on the wall. Chris Coste had to know that the Phillies, who were keeping three catchers on their roster for some inexplicable reason, were eventually going to get rid of him. Coste hadn't started a game since June 27th and was relegated to pinch hitting duty, getting only two at-bats so far in July. He had to know that, sooner or later, he was going to be on his way out the door.

And that day has come. To make room for the return of Raul Ibanez, Coste was released by the Phillies and was subsequently claimed by the Houston Astros. Coste will now continue his unlikely career in Houston as a backup catcher.

Coste's story is well-known, how he spent many years in the minors before finally getting his shot as a 33 year old. He was a bit of a fan favorite in Philly because of all he had to overcome to get to the show, but as a player, it's hard to say he will be missed. Coste was having a mediocre season with the bat and clearly couldn't be relied upon behind the plate, hence the Phillies need to bring in Paul Bako. He's the kind of guy you could keep around on a decent team because of his great story, but, with the way he is playing this year, he wasn't going to be a useful player on a team with World Series aspirations.

Good luck in Houston, Coste. Hopefully they have some playing time for you so you can prove that you still belong in the big leagues. Oh, and thanks for helping us win the World Series last year!