HOUSTON --?Astros?general manager Jeff Luhnow first saw Yulieski Gurriel play a decade ago in a tournament in Amsterdam.He imagined him playing in the major leagues and made that dream a reality Saturday when he signed the Cuban free agent to a five-year deal with the Astros.To be able to get him now really in the prime of his career ... is a huge deal for us, Luhnow said. Its probably the most exciting day since Ive been here except for the wild-card win against the Yankees.According to ESPNs Jim Bowden and multiple reports, the contract is worth $47.5 million.A beaming Gurriel was introduced in Houston on Saturday, seated next to Luhnow behind a table draped with the American and Cuban flags. He was handed an Astros cap and jersey and proudly put both on, slowly fastening each button on the jersey with a huge smile never leaving his face.I have no words to describe this moment, he said in Spanish through an interpreter.Gurriel was one of the most sought international free agents since leaving Cuba in February after competing in the Caribbean World Series in the Dominican Republic. The 32-year-old was declared a free agent last month.There were times Gurriel wondered if hed ever get the chance to play in the majors.I always had the hope to play in the United States, he said. But it always seemed like something very far away ... it has been my dream my whole life to be here and to play next to big league players.The Astros are in the process of obtaining a work visa for Gurriel. After thats done Luhnow said hell head to the minors to get some at-bats to prepare to face major league pitching for the first time. Houstons Triple-A club is in Fresno, California, but the Astros want Gurriel to be closer to the team, so hell likely get those swings with Double-A Corpus Christi. For now, hell head to Houstons spring training complex in Florida to prepare for his next move.Though theres no official timetable for his major league debut, Luhnow is confident that it will happen this season.Absolutely, he said. One of the reasons why [we] worked so hard to get this deal done as timely as we could was I want, and Yuli wants to be part of a playoff run this year.The Astros have shaken off a terrible start to the season and entered Saturdays game 4? games behind Texas in the American League West and one game behind for the second wild-card playoff spot.Gurriel is primarily a third baseman but also has played second base and shortstop. He was an Olympian in 2004 and 2008.Luis Valbuena is currently playing third base for Houston, but also can play first base. Luhnow said theyll figure out where Gurriel will play later.In 15 seasons in Cuba, he is a.335 hitter with 250 homers and 1,018 RBIs. Last season, he hit .500 with 15 homers and 51 RBIs in just 49 games for Industriales.To me, he was the Cuban star that everybody was hoping would become available to a major league team, Luhnow said. Its a combination of pretty impressive offensive output, both power and speed and average and the ability to take walks and avoid strikeouts -- all of the things we talk about being key elements of success in the major leagues.Hes a five-tool player with 15 years of incredible success on the international stage ... pretty much the combination wed design if we were going to design a ballplayer, Luhnow said.Though Gurriel, who said he prefers to be called El Yuli, will be a rookie in the majors at 32, hell be looked upon to be a leader for a team with several young Latin stars. When Luhnow went to Florida to watch him work out, it took only a short conversation with the player to see that hed be perfectly comfortable filling that role.The makeup here is exactly what you look for in a ballplayer in your clubhouse, Luhnow said. Johnny Bower Jersey . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys For Sale . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. http://www.wholesalemapleleafsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-doug-gilmour-jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Charlie Conacher Jersey . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. Felix Potvin Jersey . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. CINCINNATI -- The St. Louis Cardinals got two regulars back from injuries on Tuesday but lost shortstop Aledmys Diaz, sidelined indefinitely by a broken right thumb.The Cardinals activated Jhonny Peralta and Brandon Moss from the disabled list before the opener of a series in Cincinnati. Peralta started the season on the disabled list recovering from a torn ligament in his left thumb, played in 30 games and went back on the DL. Moss had an injured left ankle.Diaz was hit by one of Andrew Cashners pitches during a game in Miami on Sunday. He went on the 15-day disabled list and will need more than two weeks to heal.The Cardinals also added left-handed reliever Zach Duke, who was obtained in a trade with the White Sox on Sunday. They optioned left-hander Deann Kiekhefer and outfielder Randal Grichuk to Triple-A Memphis.ddddddddddddSt. Louis is expecting to get leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter back later this week. Hes on a rehab assignment recovering from an oblique injury.Manager Mike Matheny decided to use Stephen Piscotty in the leadoff spot on Tuesday for the first time this season. Hes batted primarily fourth. Piscotty has struggled lately, snapping an 0-for-15 streak on Sunday, so Matheny decided to move him to a different spot temporarily.If Stephen was locked in, I doubt hed be hitting first, Matheny said. Once we have everybody around, Stephen will be in the middle of the order. Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China China Jerseys Cheap Cheap Jerseys Online Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '