Catching predicament looms for Astros

HOUSTON -- J.R. Towles got a second chance at the big show when catcher Humberto Quintero went on the disabled list for a concussion on July 1. But with Quintero just three rehab starts away from returning to the active list, the Astros have a decision to make. And Towles may get the raw end of the deal. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," manager Cecil Cooper said of the choice he will have to make come Tuesday. "We can't have both of them here and have one guy sit all the time. We can't do that." Towles was originally sent down on June 1 following poor performance at the plate, especially compared to his .375 average in 2007. The catcher, in his second year in the Majors, had a .145 average when he was shipped to Triple-A Round Rock on June 5 -- he was batting just .094 in May. "This year, out of all my years of... [read full story]