Peter Gammons of MLB Network and NESN reports that the sale of the Astros is expected to go through in mid-November, complete with a move to the American League.

Drayton McLane agreed to sell the team in May to a group led by Jim Crane for $680 million - the second-highest sale price in major league history. Crane met with commissioner Bud Selig last week and the deal must still be approved by MLB owners. The Houston franchise has played in the National League for all 50 years of their existence, but would move to the American League in order to give each league 15 teams.

The Astros are bringing back their entire coaching staff despite a disappointing 2011 campaign.

Houston lost 106 games this year, but upper management knows to place the blame on the talent and not the coaches. Hitting coach Mike Barnett and pitching coach Doug Brocail both signed one-year contracts.

Carlos Lee is considering retiring after his contract expires following the 2012 season.

Lee will be in the final year of the six-year, $100 million deal and will turn 36 next June. "I want to spend more time with my kids," Lee said. "This business, it's kind of tough to spend more time with the family." Lee made similar comments after last season about hanging it up after his contract expired. He's already made a ton of money and makes even more from the multiple cattle ranches he owns, so a lack of finances won't be part of his final decision. He entered the season finale batting .277/.343/.448 with 18 homers and 94 RBI.

Carlos Lee went 2-for-5 with a double and four RBI in Friday's win over the Rockies.

Lee has now driven in four runs in back-to-back games, giving him 19 RBI in September and 94 on the season. Hitting .278/.339/.453 to go along with 59 extra-base hits, Lee should have another year of solid mixed-league value left in him in 2012.

Carlos Lee hit a bases-clearing double and added a sacrifice fly in Thursday's win over the Rockies.

We've learned long ago that RBI aren't a good way to measure a hitter's success, but Lee has still managed to drive in 90 runs this year on the worst team in baseball. He's not near what he once was but is very durable despite being 35 and has a little bit of juice left in his bat.

Carlos Lee went 3-for-5 with a pair of homers Friday in the loss to the Cubs.

It can't be easy for Lee to get motivated each day, but he's put together a nice little bounce-back season for baseball's worst team. He's hitting .278 with 18 homers, 36 doubles and 86 RBI in 545 at-bats. Of course, he's way overpaid, but that's hardly his fault.

Carlos Lee went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Monday's win over the Phillies.

El Caballo's 16th home run of the season was his third of the month and ninth since the All-Star break. Bad contract or not, Lee's season triple slash of .278/.340/.451 would look a whole lot better if he wasn't playing for the worst team in baseball.

Astros manager Brad Mills said Carlos Lee will remain his regular first basemen even after the promotion of Brett Wallace.

Lee hasn't been terrible this season, but it's more of a reflection on the current feelings about Wallace when a team with 47 wins going into September doesn't feel the need to give him playing time down the stretch. Even with regular playing time, Lee isn't much of a fantasy option outside of NL-only leagues.

Carlos Lee went 2-for-4 with a double in Houston's 2-0 win over the Pirates on Wednesday.

The two-hit night was Lee's fifth straight, and helps him close August with a .292 average and on-base percentage north of .400. Lee has one year remaining on the six-year, $100 million pact he signed before the 2007 season.

Carlos Lee singled and belted a three-run homer in Monday's win over the Pirates.

Lee left Sunday's game with a sprained ankle, but he showed tonight that he's just fine. Though he's not nearly the hitter he once was, Lee still has a little bit of juice left in his bat, as he's now batting .273/.336/.436 with 13 homers and 74 RBI for the season.

Carlos Lee said his mild right ankle sprain won't keep him out of lineup.

In other words, he'll be back in action on Monday. Lee has six hits in his last seven at-bats. Lee was 3-for-4 with two doubles before he left Sunday's game in the ninth inning.

Carlos Lee left Sunday's game in the ninth inning with a mild ankle sprain.

Lee smacked a double in the ninth -- he finished the day 3-for-4 with two doubles -- and was lifted for pinch-runner Jose Altuve. Lee struggled to get to his feet and walked gingerly to the clubhouse under his own power. We'll update you on his prognosis after he's examined further.

Carlos Lee is out of the Astros' starting lineup Wednesday afternoon against the Cubs.

We assume he's just getting the day off with the quick turnaround. Matt Downs will make the start at first base and bat cleanup (that's right, cleanup) against right-hander Casey Coleman.

According to SI.com's Jon Heyman, Astros outfielder Carlos Lee has passed through waivers.

Lee is owed $18.5 million next season and is batting just .236/.321/.417 through 116 games here in 2011. It's unlikely that other teams will find him attractive.

Carlos Lee singled in a run and also belted a solo shot in Thursday's win over the Cardinals.

Lee has quietly been producing steadily, albeit with not a ton of power, since a horrid April, batting over .300 each of the last three months. He has a .322 batting mark in July and a .360 average in 13 games after the All-Star break. The home run total (10) is disappointing, but Lee and his 60 RBI aren't washed up just yet.

Carlos Lee hit a two-run homer in Houston's 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Cubs on Sunday.

He took Jeff Samardzija deep in the eighth inning. The home run was just Lee's eighth of the season, and first of July. He's hitting a respectable .277/.328/.435, however.

Carlos Lee hit a solo home run in Houston's loss to the Rangers on Wednesday evening.

Lee's sixth blast of the season came off of Colby Lewis in the seventh inning. The home run was his first in 20 games, though he has now driven in at least one run in four straight contests. For the month of June, he is hitting .299 with 16 RBI.

Carlos Lee went 3-for-5 and drove in a run against the Dodgers on Friday.

It's been easy to miss because he's still not hitting homers, but Lee is batting .327 since the beginning of May. Unfortunately, the average alone isn't making him particularly valuable in fantasy leagues, not when the Astros have such a mediocre offense around him.

Carlos Lee is batting just .257/.292/.383 through 236 plate appearances this season.

El Caballo has a proud .286/.338/.492 career batting line, but he looks old and sluggish this season and barely qualifies as a third fantasy outfielder. He has drawn only 11 walks against 24 strikeouts for last-place Houston.

Astros manager Brad Mills confirmed that Carlos Lee will serve as the team's primary designated hitter against the Blue Jays this weekend.

"Any time that you get to interleague play and get the opportunities to get the guys some more at-bats is big," said Mills. "Get some guys some playing time and to have Carlos DH is really nice for when we start playing National League games again and having those guys have at-bats under their belt." Jason Michaels will likely start in left field Friday against left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes while Brian Bogusevic could start Saturday and Sunday with right-handers Brandon Morrow and Kyle Drabek going for the Jays.