Astros nearly done giving out World Series rings

HOUSTON -- Players at Triple-A Fresno who helped the Astros win the World Series last year will receive their championship rings in a pregame ceremony Sunday in Fresno. Astros visitors' clubhouse manager Steve Perry carted the rings for the players and some staff members on the Astros' recently completed road trip to Arizona and Oakland.
The team gave some rings out to scouts in Phoenix last week, and Fresno Grizzlies general manager Derek Franks picked up the rings destined for Fresno last weekend while the Astros were in Oakland and drove them to Fresno. The players who will receive rings are lefty Reymin Guduan, infielder/outfielder Tony Kemp, first baseman AJ Reed and infielder Tyler White. The coaching staff will also receive rings, including manager Rodney Linares, pitching coach Dyar Miller and hitting coach Darryl Robinson.
Astros president Reid Ryan said the club shipped rings to former Astros players Cameron Maybin (Marlins), Joe Musgrove (Pirates) and Colin Moran (Pirates), as well as Norichika Aoki, who's in Japan. Former players Mike Fiers and Francisco Liriano, who are with the Tigers, will get their rings presented on the field when Detroit comes to Houston July 13-15.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who was the Astros' bench coach last year, and bullpen coach Craig Bjornson, who served the same role with Houston last year, will get their rings when the Red Sox visit Minute Maid Park June 1-3.
"We wanted to do as many of them as possible here in front of our fans, where they could have one last chance to give them good applause and appreciation for helping them get there," Ryan said. "Guys want their rings. I get it. It's been a couple of months already, and we want to get them their rings."
The Astros, who gave out about 1,300 championship rings, still have a few to give out to some sponsors, employees and scouts, Ryan said.
Blum to play in Hall of Fame Classic
Astros television color announcer Geoff Blum, who last played in the big leagues in 2012, will dust off his glove and come out of retirement -- sort of -- to play in the 2018 Baseball Hall of Fame Classic on May 26 at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Randy Johnson, Eddie Murray, Tim Raines and Ozzie Smith will be joined by recently retired players representing all 30 Major League teams for a seven-inning game. Blum will represent the Astros.
"It's an honor," Blum said. "Reid called me two or three weeks ago and kind of sprung it on me. I had no idea that was even an option considering I was working full-time. They made an exception and invited me, and I jumped at the chance."
Blum will miss the Astros' game in Cleveland on May 27, then meet the team in New York on May 28.
Among the other former players who will participate are former Astros shortstop Clint Barmes, along with others such as Adam Kennedy, Juan Pierre, A.J. Pierzynski -- Blum's teammate on the 2005 White Sox World Series championship team -- Shane Victorino and Todd Zeile.