It could be worse. That’s small consolation for Astros fans, but by winning their 42nd game last week, they avoided the inglorious distinction of suffering the most catastrophic single-season turnaround since 1901. That ignominy belongs to the 1915 Philadelphia Athletics, who endured a reversal of 56 games.
By Arky Vaughan
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on January 26, 2000.
Nolan Ryan, Joe Morgan, Don Sutton, Eddie Mathews, Nellie Fox and Robin Roberts all spent playing time in a Houston uniform, but none of them is wearing an Astros cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. Almost 40 years into its existence, the Astros organization has yet to see a player it can primarily call its own enshrined at Cooperstown.
That looks likely to change in the next 15 years. Houston fans, despite their frustration that the team has failed in three recent tries to win a playoff series, much less a pennant or world championship, have had the pleasure of watching two of the best players at their positions start for the Astros throughout the ’90s. Entering the 2000 season, have Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell already established themselves as viable Hall of Fame candidates?Read More
Nolan Ryan, Joe Morgan, Don Sutton, Eddie Mathews, Nellie Fox and Robin Roberts all spent playing time in a Houston uniform, but none of them is wearing an Astros cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. Almost 40 years into its existence, the Astros organization has yet to see a player it can primarily call its own enshrined at Cooperstown.
By Arky Vaughan
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on December 29, 1999.
Drayton McLane, Gerry Hunsicker and the rest of the Astros front office weren’t exactly met with holiday cheer after the announcement of the Mike Hampton trade two days before Christmas. The Astros were blasted by radio callers and the local newspaper alike. Houston Chronicle columnist John P. Lopez carped, like he did when Carl Everett was traded a couple of weeks earlier, that the Astros have become a farm system for big-market teams.Read More
Drayton McLane, Gerry Hunsicker and the rest of the Astros front office weren’t exactly met with holiday cheer after the announcement of the Mike Hampton trade two days before Christmas. The Astros were blasted by radio callers and the local newspaper alike. Houston Chronicle columnist John P. Lopez carped, like he did when Carl Everett was traded a couple of weeks earlier, that the Astros have become a farm system for big-market teams.
By Arky Vaughan
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on September 28, 1999.
For much of the season I savored the prospect of Jeff Bagwell winning another MVP award by an overwhelming margin. Yet Bagwell has allowed the gap between him and the rest of the league to close in the last couple of months. Many commentators now believe that Chipper Jones is the frontrunner for the award due to his sparkling performance against the Mets last week. Folks shouldn’t be so quick to annoint Jones, however. For starters, let’s look at some other candidates. Here are the league leaders in OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging average):Read More
