HOUSTON -- The offseason can be long, boring and tedious for the most loyal fans, but for many behind-the-scenes Astros employees, the fall and winter months fly by all too fast.

For equipment manager Dennis Liborio and his clubhouse staff, the offseason is mostly spent preparing for the next trip to Spring Training. That arduous task reached a pinnacle on Friday, when Liborio's troops began loading a 54-foot 18-wheeler with everything the team needs during its upcoming 46-day stay in Kissimmee, Fla.

T-shirts? Check.

Belts? Check.

Jerseys? Pants? Jackets?

Check. Check. Check.

And don't forget the athletic supporters, tights, long johns, stirrup socks, shoes -- running shoes, turf shoes, spikes ...

And sunflower seeds. Thirty-six boxes, to be specific. Not to mention the 10,000 pieces of gum -- 5,000 sugarless and 5,000 regular.

The athletic trainers have equipment to ship as well. Whirlpools, medical supplies, medical machines and weight equipment were loaded onto the truck, which should arrive in Kissimmee sometime late Saturday or Sunday. The front office will follow on Monday, and with that, the Astros will be officially open for business at Osceola County Stadium.

"It's a long haul," Liborio said. "The best thing about Spring Training is when it's time to come home."

Astros going HD: While announcing the 2008 Astros television schedule, FSN Houston revealed that all home games will be produced in high-definition. In addition, select road games will also be shown in high-def, carried on FSN HD and KTXH HD.

"We've made a commitment to give Houston sports fans what they've been asking for by continuing to increase our production of high-definition programming," said new FSN Houston senior vice president/general manager Steve Tello. "Astros fans this year will enjoy more games in high-definition than ever before. Together with our new broadcast partner KTXH, our telecasts promise to be among the best in Major League Baseball."

FSN HD is available to high-definition customers in Houston on Comcast Cable Channel 302, DirecTV Channel 639-1, and Dish Network Channel 366. KTXH-HD is available over-the-air and also is carried on DirecTV Channel 20-1. A complete Astros HD schedule will be announced later.

FSN Houston will carry 130 games and four Spring Training telecasts, while KTXH My 20 takes over as the new broadcast home for Astros baseball with a 31-game package.

Spring Training telecasts on FSN Houston are scheduled for Monday, March 3 at noon CT against the New York Yankees; Sunday, March 16 at noon against the New York Mets from Kissimmee, Fla.; Sunday, March 23 at noon against the Atlanta Braves from Orlando, Fla.; and Friday, March 28 at 7 p.m. from Minute Maid Park against the Detroit Tigers.

The broadcast team will remain intact for 2008. Veteran baseball announcer Bill Brown begins his 22nd season in 2008 as the television voice of the Astros. He'll be joined by former Astros pitcher Jim Deshaies, who is back for this 12th season as analyst.

ASTROS LIVE pre- and postgame shows will complement FSN Houston's game coverage. The 30-minute programs, hosted by Kevin Eschenfelder, will include game previews, highlights, player profiles, clubhouse interviews, manager Cecil Cooper's postgame press conference and perspective and analysis by Astros announcers and former player analysts. ASTROS LIVE home game shows will originate from a set in the Minute Maid Park Crawford Boxes in left field.

Contacto con los Astros, the team's official Spanish language television program, returns on FSN Houston. The 30-minute program broadcast in Spanish and closed-captioned in English provides insight into Astros players, coaches, and front-office members.

Strong endorsement: Jeff Bagwell was impressed with many young players he observed during the Elite Camp at Minute Maid Park, but one outfielder in particular really caught his attention.

Keep an eye on Yordany Ramirez, a defensively sound center fielder who could factor into the equation at some point this year.

Ramirez, 23, completed his sixth year in the Padres' system in 2007 before becoming a Minor League free agent. General manager Ed Wade, who worked as a scout for the Padres prior to joining the Astros last September, moved quickly to sign the outfielder and immediately placed him on the 40-man roster.

"I'm a little baffled why San Diego let him go," Bagwell said during a recent airing of "Astroline" with broadcaster Dave Raymond. "He has all the tools. He reminds me of a young Andruw Jones."