HOUSTON -- Moises Alou still wants to wear a Houston Astros uniform but he's ready to listen to offers from teams that might meet his criteria.

Alou told The Sporting News Thursday that he would waive a no-trade clause in his contract and accept a trade to a team that met his needs.

Alou still will be very picky.

"That is something that I said yesterday," Alou said prior to Thursday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. "I said no last week, and I'm here to play baseball. I'm not going anywhere.

"I'm not thinking about a trade right now, not yet. Maybe later next week or before July 31. If they let me take (Craig) Biggio, (Jeff) Bagwell and (Richard) Hidalgo and a few of my friends here, I might go. But I'm not looking to make new friends."

Alou said the Astros asked him if he'd accept a trade last week and he declined but now has decided to consider offers.

The Astros are admittedly in the midst of a youth movement with the season all but lost. The Astros are in last place in the NL Central with the worst record in baseball.

Manager Larry Dierker doesn't want to see his hard-hitting outfielder leave but agreed it could make sense.

"He could represent the end of one era and the beginning of another," Dierker said. "If we made a deal and he accepted it, it could be good for the team. But I'm not trying to get rid of him.

"We don't want to just get some young guys. But if we could get young guys in the right places, like on the mound, that makes sense. For him, if he could go to a contending team, that might make sense for him too."

Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker wouldn't discuss specifics but acknowledged the club is in the middle of a youth movement and is trying to decide which veteran players to move.

Alou will earn $5.25 million this season and is signed through the 2001 season. He is leading the Astros in hitting with a .345 average and has 13 home runs and 45 RBI despite missing 30 games with injuries this season.

"Guys like me who can drive in runs are going for $10-$12 million. I'm fairly cheap for what I can bring to the table," Alou said. "To me, it doesn't make sense to traded a guy like me that plays cheap for you.

"I missed 30 games (with injuries). Maybe they think I'll break up."