Chris Sampson #43

Makes his offseason home in Houston with his wife, Heather, and his son C.J. (Christopher James, May 15, 2007)...he and his wife were married at home plate of Minute Maid Park...he credits the idea of the wedding location to Heather...a native of Channelview, Texas, Sampson played only the 1999 season at Texas Tech after transferring from Lon Morris Junior College...he was named the Big 12's "Fastest Player" by Baseball America before even stepping foot on Dan Law Field...he contributed at shortstop, rightfield and as a closer...hit .281 (9x32) with five RBI and registered a 2-2 record with a 12.60 ERA and nine strikeouts in 10.0 innings pitched.

2009

Finished the season at Triple A after being optioned to Round Rock after the game on Aug. 13 and posted a 7.50 ERA (5ER/6IP) in six games for the Express...allowed 16 earned runs in 7.2 innings after returning from the Disabled List on July 26...placed on the DL on July 11 with right shoulder spasms and missed 12 team games...marked his second career DL trip, also Aug. 3-31, 2007 (right elbow sprain)...prior to his stint on the DL, went 4-1 with a career-high three saves and a 2.83 ERA (15ER/47.2IP) in 41 relief outings for Houston...his 41 games before the All-Star break marked a career-high...at the time of his demotion, was tied for fifth in the NL with four relief wins...did not allow a run in 16 of his 18 appearances from May 20-June 26 or in 30 of his first 36 games of the season...picked up his first loss of the season on June 30 at SD (3ER/1IP)...prior to the loss, had won five consecutive decisions dating back to 2008, marking a career-long win streak...recorded his first career save on May 17 at CHC.

2008

Was 6-4 with a 4.22 ERA (55ER/117.1IP) in a career-high 54 appearances (11 starts) in 2008...in 43 relief appearances, posted a 2.92 ERA (20ER/61.2IP) and a 2-1 record...on Oct. 1, underwent surgery in Houston, performed by Dr. Tom Mehlhoff, to repair a right lateral extensor tendon in his right elbow that was revealed in an MRI on Sept. 24...recovery time for the operation was estimated at between four and six months...made 11 starts for the Astros in 2008, posting a 4-3 record with a 5.66 ERA (35ER/55.2IP)...the Astros went 7-4 in his 11 starts...in 28 games (six starts) on the road, was 5-2 with a 3.33 ERA (25ER/67.2IP)...pitched 2.0-plus innings of relief in 13 games and owned a 1.24 ERA (4ER/29IP) in those appearances...inherited 27 runners and only three scored...was a nominee for the NL Player of the Week Award for May 5-11 after posting a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA and three strikeouts in 7.0 innings...teammate Lance Berkman received the Award.

2007

Went 7-8 with a 4.59 ERA (62ER/121.2IP) and 51 strikeouts in 24 appearances (19 starts) for Houston...posted quality starts in 11 of his 19 starts this season...activated from the 15-day Disabled List on Aug. 31 and made four appearances in relief from Sept. 1-11...posted a 6.23 ERA (3ER/4.1IP) and four strikeouts during that span before being shut down for the rest of the season as a precaution (sore right elbow)...made his final start of the season on July 31 at ATL...tossed 4.0 innings in the loss and was placed on the Disabled List on Aug. 1 with a right elbow sprain...recorded seven consecutive quality starts from May 11-June 13...was 3-3 with a 2.89 ERA (15ER/46.2IP) during that span...threw a career-high 8.0 innings on June 2 vs. STL...surrendered three runs on six hits for his fifth win of the season...struck out a career-high eight on April 28 vs. MIL...allowed only one run in 6.1 innings for his third win of the season...was 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA (10ER/25.1IP) in five appearances (four starts) in April...pitched 6.0 or more innings in 13 of his 19 starts..recorded the win in his first start of the season on April 10 at CHI, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings and allowing only three hits...tossed 3.0 scoreless, two-hit frames of relief with two strikeouts on April 4 vs. PIT...appeared on his first Opening Day roster.

2006

Went 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA (8ER/34IP) in 12 games (three starts) for the Astros...allowed only one earned run (three runs) in three starts...was 1-1 with an 0.61 ERA (1ER/14.2IP) in his three starts, allowing only eight hits in 14.2 innings and limiting opposing hitters to a .151 average...was 1-1 with a 1.32 ERA (2ER/13.2IP) in six road games (two starts)... was 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA (2ER/19.1IP) as a reliever...pitched in six games at Minute Maid Park (one start) and was 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA (6ER/20.1IP)...earned his first Major League win in his first career start on June 7 vs. the Cubs, allowing three hits while walking one in 7.0 shutout innings...had a no-hitter through 4.1 innings...started the final game of the season, on Oct. 1 at ATL, and suffered the loss after allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits in 4.0 innings...was his first career loss and his third big league start...pitched 11.2 consecutive scoreless innings from Sept. 12-27, a span of five appearances in which he did not walk a hitter...posted an 0.66 ERA (1ER/13.2IP) during the month of September...started on Sept. 25 at PHI, tossing 3.2 shutout innings in Houston's 5-4 win...pitched 2.2 scoreless innings in relief on Sept. 27 at PIT, picking up his second big league win...was one of five Astros to make his first Major League start (Albers, Buchholz, Nieve, and Hirsh) and was one of 10 starters used by the Astros...made four different stints on the Houston roster in 2006......recalled on Sept. 8 from Triple A Round Rock... also with the Astros from June 2-22; July 29-Aug. 1 (did not make an appearance); and from Aug. 22-28...contract was purchased from Triple A Round Rock on June 2...LHP Mike Gallo was optioned to the Express to make room on the roster...made his Major League debut the same day vs. the Reds...entered in the second inning and allowed three runs in 5.1 innings, while striking out four...his 5.1 innings of relief were the most by an Astros reliever since Doug Brocail worked 5.1 innings out of the bullpen on April 19, 1996 vs. CIN...optioned back to the Express on June 22 when Roger Clemens returned to the club...finished 12-3 with a 2.51 ERA (35ER/125.2IP) with four saves in 27 appearances (18 starts) at Triple A Round Rock...struck out 68 and walked 14...finished second in the Pacific Coast League with a 2.51 ERA...began the season in the rotation and moved to the bullpen and served as the closer for the final month of the season...recorded the win in relief in Game 2 of the PCL Division Series vs. Nashville...Round Rock won 11 games in a row from April 29-May 9, vaulting the club to a 20-10 record to start the season... Sampson made three starts and recorded three victories during the 11-game winning streak, including the first and last win of the streak...during the Express' streak, he went 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA (6ER/20IP)...hit .391 (18x46) with seven RBI at Round Rock...used as a pinch-hitter in 15 games for the Express...participated in the 2nd Annual Nolan Ryan Elite Camp at Minute Maid Park before Spring Training in early February.

2005

Spent the season at Double A Corpus Christi where he finished 4-12 with a 3.12 ERA (52ER/150IP) in 32 games (19 starts) for the Hooks...his 3.12 ERA ranked fourth in the Texas League.

2004

Played 27 games (all starts) for Class A Salem, finishing 7-11 with a 3.80 ERA (64ER/151.2IP)...pitched one game at Double A Round Rock, striking out one in 2.0 innings...named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week (Aug. 30-Sept. 5)...also named Class A Salem's pitcher of the month for August...led Salem and ranked third in the CL in innings (151.2)...tied for team and league lead with two shutouts.

2003

Split time between Class A Lexington and Class A Salem in his first season playing professional baseball since 1999...posted a 1.39 ERA (13ER/81IP) in 22 games (14 starts) for Lexington.

1999

Began his professional career as a shortstop, hitting .239 with one homer, 19 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 51 games at Class A Auburn.