They didn't do a complete teardown, but they did build much of their core through the farm system. The Teixeira trade alone netted them Feliz, Andrus, Matt Harrison, Salty, and Beau Jones. They added other key players through smart deals (like Hamilton) and added the high-priced FA (Beltre) as the last piece to the puzzle. It's a fairly simplistic view of how their roster came together, but building through the minors and splurging for the final pieces is a smart way to go, regardless of the club.
Young came to Texas in a minor league deal with Toronto 10-11 years ago.
2 - Free agent signings mostly
3 - a bit unsettled with several players playing there including Young and Moreland, who came up through the Texas system.
4 - Kinsler, a Texas minor league product
5 - Beltre, free agent
6 - Andrus in the Teixeira deal
7 - Hamiliton in the Volquez deal
8 - unsettled with a number of players there
9 - Cruz in the deal with Milwaukee that also got them Carlos Lee
1 - Wilson and Holland are Texas minor league products, Lewis was a Texas draftee that they let go and eventually went back, most of the rest were not products of Texas drafts.
The Oswalt, Berkman, Pence, and Bourn deals may have the Astros on their way to a Ranger looking way of acquiring the major league talent.
