Astros Crawfish Boil: September 1, 2015

Astros News:

Astros' Springer using Double-A rehab stint to 'shake off cobwebs' | FOX Sports
George Springer began his rehab work over the weekend as he gets closer to rejoining the Astros.

Astros’ Thome named Appalachian League Pitcher of the Week | WJHL
Thome was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of North Dakota

Astros' Luke Gregerson finds success throwing more slow fastballs
Luke Gregerson is a fascinating player who has proven major league pitchers can be successful with odd and unusual repertoires. Throughout his career, Gregerson has found success using his terrific slider most of the time while mixing in a soft fastball just enough to keep hitters honest.

Overshifting a huge part of first-place Astros' success
The Astros lead all of baseball with 587 overshifts — putting a third infielder on the pull side of a hitter.

Astros to host Star Wars Day Sept. 6 | Houston Sun Times
The Astros announced they'll host a Star Wars Day at Minute Maid Park Sept. 6 when Houston takes on the Minnesota Twins.

Houston Astros vs Seattle Mariners August 31, 2015
Houston Astros vs Seattle Mariners in Houston on August 31, 2015 - Find MLB box scores, game recap, play by play, photos and more at SI.com.

Astros call-ups: Why Joe Thatcher can receive a spot and Tyler White likely won’t - Ultimate Astros
Righty reliever Josh Fields, lefty reliever Joe Thatcher and utility man Jonathan Villar are the initial additions for the Astros on Tuesday as rosters league-wide expand to potentially include anyone on the 40-man roster.

Around the League:

The do's and don'ts of Jake Arrieta, unexpected ace - SBNation.com
Jake Arrieta went from forgettable Oriole to unstoppable Cub. Just keep a few things in mind about how it all happened.

Cubs acquire Austin Jackson from Mariners - MLB Daily Dish
For the second consecutive season, Austin Jackson has been traded, as he'll move from the AL West to the NL Central.

Shane Victorino crashed into and broke the dang outfield wall in Oakland - SBNation.com
Cleanup in left field.

MLB player eludes tag sliding into 2nd with magic - SBNation.com
What sorcery is this?

How the Twins changed their culture of losing - MLB Daily Dish
The Twins are competing for the Wild Card thanks to finally embracing the young players they denigrated under Ron Gardenhire.

Royals acquire Jonny Gomes from Braves - MLB Daily Dish
The veteran outfielder will head to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.