Astros' owner Drayton McLane is a very wealthy man but still favors a salary cap in Major League Baseball. "We would love to have a salary cap, but the (players') union has been very resistant to that," McLane said this past week.

The Astros on Thursday signed third baseman Aaron Boone to a one-year contract, pending a physical. Boone fills the Astros' need for a utility infielder who has extensive experience at third. Boone has played in 950 career games at third, 102 at first, 30 at shortstop, and 23 at second.

The Astros have signed outfielder Jason Michaels to a one-year contract worth $750,000, plus incentives. Michaels, 32, hit .224 with eight home runs and 53 RBIs in 123 games with the Indians and Pirates last season.

Ty Wigginton and Willy Taveras, who were both non-tendered on Friday night, have drawn interest from a number of teams. Wigginton, who was not offered a 2009 contract by the Astros, already has reportedly received interest from the Indians, Giants, and Pirates. Taveras has reportedly received interest from the Nationals and White Sox.

The Astros were very strong in the second half of last season and are expected to field the same team in 2009. "We're going to have a competitive team," owner Drayton McLane said. "Didn't we have the best record in the National League after the All-Star break? We've got almost the same team." Houston already has gotten rid of Ty Wigginton and Randy Wolf.

Mark Loretta has reportedly agreed to a deal with the Dodgers and will join the team pending a physical. Loretta was not offered arbitration by the Astros, so the Dodgers won't have to give up draft picks to sign him.

The Minnesota Twins have expressed an interest in Miguel Tejada, while Ty Wigginton is generating interest from several clubs. The Astros would likely agree to absorb some of the $13 million Tejada is owed in 2009, although how much they'd be willing to take on is unclear. RealGM Note: Tejada was ranked 290th in season FIC and had a -81% Reina Value. He 'deserved' to make $2.8M, but had a salary of $14.8M in 2008.

Despite a recent history of serious injuries, lefthander Mike Hampton apparently is headed back to the Astros, as reported by Yahoo.com. Hampton and the Astros have reached a contract agreement, pending a physical, KRIV-TV in Houston reported on its web site Monday.