The free agent filing period began Thursday, with outfielder/infielder Darin Erstad, outfielder Jason Michaels and pitcher Mike Hampton filing for free agency. Shortstop Miguel Tejada, closer Jose Valverde and reliever LaTroy Hawkins are expected to file in the coming days.

The Astros have a 15-day exclusive negotiating window with their own free agents and are hoping to get something done soon with Hawkins. Tejada and Valverde will certainly test the free agency waters.

Tejada, Valverde and Hawkins have been classified by the Elias Sports Bureau as Type A free agents, which means simply they are among the best in baseball at their positions. It also means the Astros could receive an additional first-round draft pick next year if they offer them arbitration and they wind up signing with another team.

Of course, offering arbitration is tricky. Tejada made roughly $15 million last season, so if they offer him arbitration and he accepts, he could wind up making a ton of money after leading the team in hits and driving in 86 runs. But if they don't offer Tejada arbitration and he signs elsewhere, they get nothing.

The same is true with Valverde, who made $8 million last year and is likely headed for a raise. If the Astros offered arbitration to both Valverde and Tejada and they both accept, they could make a combined $25 million next year. That would put a choke hold on the payroll. Houston already owes Lance Berkman, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Lee and Kaz Matsui a combined $54.5 million next year, and several players are due for large raises in arbitration.

"We have to keep our eye on both balls," Astros general manager Ed Wade said. "We have to pay attention to the short term, and if there's a free agent out there we feel we can't walk past and is costs us a draft pick then we have to deal with that. At the same time, there's nothing more valuable to the overall long-term picture than draft picks.

"Whether it's sacrificing draft picks or picking up additional draft picks by offering salary arbitration and run the risk of having the player accept, we have to evaluate the different variables involved. When it comes down to it, if there's a Major League free agent we think we can't live without and we have a chance to sign them and them are faced with losing a second-round pick in the process."

Elias ranks all Major League players numerically based on their stats from the last two years. The players are grouped by five positions by league - first base/outfield, catcher, second base-shortstop-third base, starting pitching and relief pitching. The top 20 percent at each position are considered Type A free agents, and the next 20 percent are Type B.

Teams that lose a Type A free agent receive the first-round draft pick from next year's First-Year Player Draft from the signing team (provided it's not in the Top 15) in addition to a supplemental pick between the first and second round. Teams losing a Type B free agent receive a supplemental pick, with the signing team keeping its draft choice.

The good news for the Astros is their pick in next June's First-Player Draft is in the first half of first round (No. 8), so they will keep their first-round pick even if they sign a Type A free agent. They would give up their second-round pick instead of their first-round pick in that case.

Teams have until Dec. 1 to offer salary arbitration to their own free agents, and the players have until Dec. 7 to decide if they're going to accept.

In case you're wondering, Randy Wolf is a Type A free agent.

Beginning today, players eligible for free agency can start filing. For the Astros, that list includes Darin Erstad, LaTroy Hawkins, Jason Michaels, Miguel Tejada and Jose Valverde, who has already said he's going to test the free-agent waters. Aaron Boone and Mike Hampton are also eligible, but Boone could retire and Hampton's career appears to be done.

Those eligible for free agency have 15 days to file and their former team has exclusive negotiating rights for that period. Players are free to talk to other teams, but they can't talk about contract offers in terms of dollars without risking tampering.

The Astros could sign either of their own free agents, just as they did last week with Geoff Blum. They're in talks with Hawkins and hope to re-sign him. Michaels could also return, but the big names are Tejada and Valverde. I see Valverde's price being too high for the Astros, and I don't envision Tejada returning. It all depends on what kind of market there is for Tejada and whether he wants to take a large pay cut and play third base.

Those looking at possible free agents for the Astros down the road? The Dodgers have declined the option of Jon Garland, who went a combined 11-13 with a 4.01 ERA between Arizona and the L.A. Dodgers. The Astros made a run at him a couple of years ago and could do so again.

New Astros manager Brad Mills will head to the Arizona Fall League this week for a get-to-know-you-better-meeting with general manager Ed Wade and members of his coaching staff, including third-base coach Dave Clark and hitting coach Sean Berry.

"Ed was real good about allowing us to bring in the coaching staff and sit and talk and have some meetings and get to know each other as a group No. 1, and talk individually about things about the ballclub," Mills said. "We'll learn about the ballclub and learn about a lot of the players we have in the organization and watch the fall league games."

Here's an update on each of the Astros' prospects are doing in the AFL while playing for the Peoria Saguaros (through Sunday):

RHP Evan Englebrook: The 6-foot-8 reliever has a 5.87 ERA in six games. In 7 2/3 innings, he's allowed 11 hits and struck out eight batters. Englebrook split time between Triple-A Round Rock and Double-A Corpus Christi and was 3-1 with a 4.25 ERA this year.

Assistant GM Ricky Bennett says: "He continues to improve. The one thing we like about him is his ability to throw down hill. He creates a good arm angle. He's velocity has been up. He's been sitting at 92 to 97 [mph], which is good. He's a big, tall guy and his mechanics can get out of whack, but he's showing more consistency and more velocity. He's a late-bloomer."

RHP Chia-Jen Lo: The Taiwan native was 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA in six games in relief before having to return to Taiwan to complete some paperwork. He pitched 10 1/3 innings and allowed seven hits, two walks and struck out 12 batters. Lo split this year between Class A Lancaster and Double-A Corpus Christi and was 1-2 with a 2.10 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings.

RHP Wilton Lopez: After appearing in eight games with the Astros near the end of the season, including two starts, Lopez has pitched in three games in Arizona (two starts) and is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA. He threw four innings in relief in his most recent outing Thursday and allowed no runs and one hit.

RHP Danny Meszaros: Coming off a solid split season between Class A Salem (0-0, 0.71 ERA) and Double-A Corpus Christi (3-3, 3.36 ERA), Meszaros has struggled in the desert. He's pitched six games in relief and is 0-0 with a 9.53 ERA, allowing six hits and six runs in 5 2/3 innings. He's also struck out eight.

C Jason Castro: Last year's first-round pick and catcher of the future is hitting .171 with a .286 on-base percentage and .257 slugging percentage in 35 at-bats. He has six hits, including one home run, and was walked five times and struck out eight times. But remember, this has been a long year for Castro, who endured his first full season of pro ball and then played for the U.S. in an international tournament in September.

Assistant GM Ricky Bennett says: "He's doing fine. He's not tearing it up numbers-wise by any means, but he continues to work well with pitchers. I got a reporter from David Bell, the manager, who said he's receiving the ball well and could improvely slightly on fastballs down in teh zone. He has an excellent idea of calling a game and is throwing well and understands how to play the game the right way."

2B Jose Vallejo: The infielder acquired from the Texas Rangers in the Ivan Rodriguez trade, Vallejo is hitting .135 with one RBI in 24 at-bats and six games. He has three hits, all singles, and has struck out six times.

OF Jon Gaston: Gaston, whose AFL Twitter updates can be followed by clicking here, is hitting .244 (11-for-45) with a double, four triples, one home runs and 10 RBIs. He has 10 walks and 20 strikeouts for an on-base percentage of .393 and a slugging percentage of .511. He hit .278 with 31 doubles, 15 triples, 35 homers and 100 RBIs at Class A Lancaster this year.

Assistant GM Ricky Bennett says: "He got off to a little bit of a slow start, and a lot of it is just timing. He had timing issues during the season and would get in longer slumps. He wouldn't be aggressive and we kind of saw that when he first went out there. It took him some time to get his feet under him, but he has been swinging the bat better lately. He hit a grand slam a few games ago and that got him back on track. He's hitting for power and takin ghis walks, but he still strikes out a little too much for us, and that's something we have to address. He can play all three outfield position and is a gamer."

Brad Mills, who was introduced as the Astros' 18th manager on Tuesday, spent his first full day on the job with general manager Ed Wade at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday going over the composition of the coaching staff, among other things.

"We're trying to accomplish as much as we can today and give him a chance to get back home and do what needs to do there," Wade said.

The Astros have vacancies for a bench coach, pitching coach, first-base coach and bullpen coach, with hitting Sean Berry returning and Dave Clark returning to coach third base after serving as interim manager the final 13 games of the regular season.

Mills was scheduled to travel home to California on Wednesday before heading to the Arizona Fall League next week to meet up with Wade, Berry and Clark.

"He already knows Sean very well because they live close by in California, and he's going to quickly find out the person he's got in Dave Clark," Wade said. "We've got some people we're going to recommend to him [to join the coaching staff] and he's got some ideas.

"The composition of the staff will be a collective effort, and I think at the end of the day we're going to take advantage of the openings we have now to give him a strong staff, which would benefit him personally and benefit the players and the organization."

Mills said filling out the remainder of the coaching staff is very important.

"The names Ed and I have thrown around already have me really excited," he said. "These guys have had experience, not only in the Major Leagues, but in the Minor Leagues and whoever we wind up getting it's going to be pretty exciting. I'm looking for a guy that's had experience, passion for the game and a lot of energy, and hopefully the players can see that and he's able to teach and has a lot of knowledge and knows how to convey that knowledge."

Red Sox first-base coach Tim Bogar, who interviewed with the Astros for the managerial position, said Tuesday he hasn't given much thought about joining Mills in Houston. Mills said after his news conference Tuesday that he had talked to Boston manager Terry Francona about some of his staff members.

"They're such good guys and Terry has been very loyal to them and they have been very loyal to Terry over the years," Mills said. "Tim was an outstanding coach this year for Terry. We're not going to cross that road just yet."

While the Astros were given a deadline to get a new manager in place by the start of the World Series, Wade said there is no such timetable for announcing members of the coaching staff.

Brad Mills may not have been the Astros' first choice to be their next manager, but he may wind up being the right choice. Mills was named manager of the Astros on Tuesday and brings a wealth of experience and respect to the Houston franchise.

He's managed for 11 years in the Minor Leagues and has coached in 45 playoff games in the Major League as the bench coach for the Boston Red Sox, winning a pair of World Series titles. He's worked closely with Terry Francona, considered one of the best managers in the game.

Tim Bogar, who interviewed for the job and last season was Boston first-base coach, couldn't say enough good things about Mills.

"He's put in his time and diligence in being a bench coach for [Francona] for a long time and learned quite a bit from him and also his time with the Expos and all the way back to Philly," Bogar said. "If there's one guy who deserves a chance to run a team, it's Brad Mills. Having a chance to run the Astros is going to be perfect for him. Not only is he a capable manager, but also one of the best teachers I've been around.

"With the [Astros'] situation on the left side of the infield and the catching situation [and playing youngsters], he's going to be perfect for those young players. Being in Boston and being round veteran players, he knows how to handle them and knows how to do things to compete and he obviously understands the pitching aspect of it.

"I think they made a great hire, and Brad is going to be everything everyone is looking for as a manager. He may not be a huge name, but you can't ask for a better quality individual."

The challenge now for Mills is putting together his staff. Dave Clark will return as third-base coach and Sean Berry will be the hitting coach, but there are important positions to fill, particularly the bench coach and pitching coach.

The Astros finally got their man in Mills, but for Mills the work has yet to begin.

Brad Mills, who spent the last six years working under former college roommate and teammate Terry Francona as the bench coach for the Boston Red Sox, will be named Tuesday to be named as the new manager of the Astros.

How does the hiring of Mills play with Astros fans?

Mills, 52, inherits a Houston team that has missed the playoff four seasons in a row since reaching the World Series in 2005. Last season, the Astros went 74-88 and finished in fifth place in the six-team National League Central for their lowest finish since a sixth-place ending in the NL West in 1991.

Mills managed 11 seasons in the Minor Leagues with the Chicago Cubs (1987-92), Colorado Rockies (1993-96) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002), moving into managing immediately upon the completion of his playing career. He's coached 11 years at the Major League level, including the last six as Boston's bench coach.

Astros general manager Ed Wade has a tremendous respect for Francona and said dismissing him as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies was the biggest mistake of his professional career. Mills and Francona were teammates and roommates at the University of Arizona.

Mills played four seasons in the Major Leagues for the Montreal Expos, hitting .256 in 106 career games. He some time playing the Astros' Minor League system, but is probably best remember by Astros fans for being Nolan Ryan's 3,509th strikeout victim, lifting Ryan past Walter Johnson as baseball's all-time strikeout king in 1983.

In addition to the Red Sox, Mills has also spent time on Montreal's Major League coaching staff, as well as serving as an advance scout for the Cubs.

Brad Mills, who spent the last six years working under former college roommate and teammate Terry Francona as the bench coach for the Boston Red Sox, will be named Tuesday to be named as the new manager of the Astros.

Mills, 52, inherits a Houston team that has missed the playoff four seasons in a row since reaching the World Series in 2005. Last season, the Astros went 74-88 and finished in fifth place in the six-team National League Central for their lowest finish since a sixth-place ending in the NL West in 1991.

Mills managed 11 seasons in the Minor Leagues with the Chicago Cubs (1987-92), Colorado Rockies (1993-96) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002), moving into managing immediately upon the completion of his playing career. He's coached 11 years at the Major League level, including the last six as Boston's bench coach.

Astros general manager Ed Wade has a tremendous respect for Francona and said dismissing him as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies was the biggest mistake of his professional career. Mills and Francona were teammates and roommates at the University of Arizona.

Mills played four seasons in the Major Leagues for the Montreal Expos, hitting .256 in 106 career games. He some time playing the Astros' Minor League system, but is probably best remember by Astros fans for being Nolan Ryan's 3,509th strikeout victim, lifting Ryan past Walter Johnson as baseball's all-time strikeout king in 1983.

In addition to the Red Sox, Mills has also spent time on Montreal's Major League coaching staff, as well as serving as an advance scout for the Cubs.

Former Astros manager Phil Garner confirmed for MLB.com on Monday he's still in the mix to be the next manager. Garner interviewed on Oct. 17 and went more than a week without hearing from the Astros, but general manager Ed Wade finally got back to him on Monday and told him he was still in the running.

Astros owner Drayton McLane said Monday as he was traveling to Temple from Austin that a manager will be in place by the end of the week, which is later than his earlier prediction of Wednesday. Still, it appears the Astros will likely have a candidate in place by Wednesday at the latest.

Garner is one of three finalists, joining interim manager Dave Clark and Boston bench coach Brad Mills. Mills and Clark were due to arrive in Houston on Monday and interview again with McLane on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. Garner has not been asked in to interview again.

With Manny Acta out of the way, the Astros are indeed down to three candidates -- Boston Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills, former manager Phil Garner and interim manager Dave Clark, who has remained a candidate despite published reports to the contrary.

As of late Sunday, Garner said he had yet to hear anything from the Astros, while Mills had been contacted again by the Astros. Mills certainly falls in line with what the Astros are looking. He tons of experince managing in the Minor Leagues and has extensive experience on a Major League coaching staff. He served as the bench coach under Terry Francona for six years, and we all know how much Ed Wade respects Francona.

Astros owner Drayton McLane maintains a manager will be in place by Wednesday, prior to the start of the World Series. McLane is spending Monday in Temple, so signs are pointing towards the Astros getting something done with somebody on Tuesday.

For more information on Mills, read here.

Now the second round of interviews appear to be over -- with Manny Acta and later Brad Mills making repeat trips to Minute Maid Park to meet with owner Drayton McLane -- the Astros remained focused on four candidates: Acta, Mills, Phil Garner and Dave Clark.

None of these four have been rule out by the Astros, who would like to get something done before the World Series starts. Major League Baseball frowns on major team announcements taking place during the World Series, which starts Wednesday. So it's of no surprise the Astros could try to get something done before the Fall Classic.

Acta, the former Washington Nationals manager, is also a finalist in Cleveland, which could complicate matters. Mills is the veteran Boston bench coach who is looking for his first job managing in the Major Leagues. Garner and Clark are well-known to Astros fans, both having managed the team.

Garner managed the Astros for more than three years and led them to the World Series in 2005, and Clark was named interim manager when Cecil Cooper was dismissed Sept. 21. The Astros have ruled out neither of the four candidates.