The Astros have announced their spring training dates.

The first workout day for Astros pitchers will be Thursday, February 14 at the club’s Osceola County Stadium complex in Kissimmee.  Position players will have their first workout, which will also be the club’s first full-squad workout, on Tuesday, February 19.  Players are expected to report no later than the morning of their first workout day.

This year marks the 24th consecutive in which the Astros have held Spring Training in Kissimmee, Florida.  The first Grapefruit League game for the club will be held at the Cleveland Indians at Winter Haven on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 12:05 PM CST, while the Spring home opener for Houston will also be against the Indians the following day, Feb. 29 in Kissimmee at 12:05 PM CST.

De Jean, 37, split last season between Double A Tulsa and Triple A Colorado Springs and finished a combined 0-3 with a 7.63 ERA (26ER/30.2IP) between the two clubs.  De Jean owns a career record of 30-33 and a 4.30 ERA (298ER/623.1IP) in 565 career appearances with five Major League teams, including Colorado (1997-2000, 2006), Milwaukee (2001-03), St. Louis (2003), Baltimore (2004), and the New York Mets (2004-05).

Diaz, 25, hit .240 (25x104) with nine home runs and 25 RBI in 37 games with Texas in 2007.  He also played in 69 games for Triple A Oklahoma, where he hit .321 (87x271) with 14 home runs and 65 RBI.  In 147 career Major League games with the New York Mets (2004-06) and the Rangers (2007), Diaz has hit .256 (114x446) with 24 home runs and 73 RBI.

Hines, 27, spent 2007 with Triple A Fresno, appearing in 29 games and finishing 1-1 record with a 4.69 ERA (21ER/40.1IP).  In eight career minor league seasons, including 1999 and 2001-07, Hines owns a 18-22 record and a 4.24 ERA (215ER/456.1IP) with 41 saves.

House, 28, hit .211 (5x19) with three home runs and three RBI in 19 games for Baltimore in 2007.  He also played in 110 games at Triple A Norfolk, where he hit .298 (125x419) with 11 home runs and 66 RBI.  In four Major League seasons from 2003-04 and 2006-07, House has hit .175 (10x57) with three home runs and three RBI.

House previously played in the Houston organization in 2006, when he hit a combined .352 (170x483) with 15 home runs and 105 RBI between Double A Corpus Christi and Triple A Round Rock.  He also played in four games for the Major League club, finishing 0x9.

Niekro, 28, hit .176 (3x17) in 11 games for San Francisco in 2007.  He also played 47 games at Triple A Fresno, hitting .301 (43x143) with five home runs and 20 RBI.  Niekro has played in 195 career Major League games, all with the Giants (2003, 2005-07), and owns a career average of .246 (123x499) with 17 home runs and 79 RBI.

Niekro is the son of the late former Astros pitcher Joe Niekro, who is the franchise’s career leader in victories with 144.

The 24-year-old Manzella hit .264 (119x451) in 121 combined games between Class A Salem and Double A Corpus Christi in 2007.  He was named a Carolina League All-Star last season.  Originally selected in the third round of the June 2005 draft, Manzella has hit .261 (263x1009) with eight home runs and 100 RBI in three minor league seasons in the Houston organization (2005-07).

Muecke, 26, was 9-5 with a 3.90 ERA (57ER/131.2IP) in 32 games (16 starts) for Double A Corpus Christi in 2007.  Originally selected in the fifth round of the June 2003 draft, Muecke is 31-28 with a 4.29 ERA (244ER/511.2IP) in 136 career minor league games (72 starts) over five seasons in the Houston system from 2003-07.