best astro squads ever

[otterjb]

my opinion:

1. 1998
2. 1986
3. 2005

2007's gotta be in the bottom three of the past 20 years or so, along with '91 and '00.

[Houston]

My quirky entry:

1981 "second half" team belong among Top 10:

33-20, .623 win %

[JimR]

1998 had everything.
2005
2004 (forgot the Kent/Beltran year)

[Dobro]

1998, without a doubt.

[MusicMan]

86 played over their heads.

It's 98, 04, and 05, pick your order, no one could tell you that you're wrong.

[David in Jackson]

1998, without a doubt.

Agreed.   The 2004 team, with Kent and Beltran, was better than the 2005 WS team.

[Andyzipp]

1998

C- Ausmus
1b - Bagwell
2b - Biggio
3b - Spiers/Berry
SS - Gutierrez
LF - Alou
CF - Everett
RF - Bell
Rotation - Johnson/Schourek, Reynolds, Hampton, Lima, Bergman
Bullpen - Wagner, Elarton, Powell, Henry, Magnante, Nitkowski, Miller, Scanlan
Bench - Eusebio, Hidalgo, Bogar, Howell, Clark

2004

C - Ausmus
1b - Bagwell
2b - Kent
3b - Ensberg
SS - Everett
LF - Biggio
CF - Beltran
RF - Berkman
Rotation - Oswalt, Clemens, Pettitte, Redding, Backe/Munro/Miller
Bullpen - Lidge, Miceli, Gallo, Harville, Wheeler, Qualls
Bench - Vizciano, Lamb, Hidalgo, Chavez, Lane, Palmerio

1980

C - Ashby
1b - Howe
2b - Morgan
3b - Cabell
SS - Reynolds
LF - Cruz
CF - Cedeno
RF - Puhl
Rotation - Neikro, Ryan, Forsch, Richard/Ruhle, Andujar
Bullpen - Sambito, Smith, LaCorte, Neimann
Bench - Landestoy, Pujols, Walling, Leonard, Bergman

2005
1999
1986

[Trey]

Agreed.   The 2004 team, with Kent and Beltran, was better than the 2005 WS team.

Not to go all woulda coulda, but, damn, can you imagine the 04 team if WaMi and Pettitte don't get hurt.

[remy]

1998
2004
1986

[dirty steve]

1998
2004
2005

[strosrays]

Not to go all woulda coulda, but, damn, can you imagine the 04 team if WaMi and Pettitte don't get hurt.

If J.R. Richard had not been struck down mid-season, the 1980 team might have been the one revered by Astros' fans for the ages.  Astros go to (and win) their first World Series.

[ValpoCory]

No love for the 2nd best year record-wise in franchise history?  Imagine what would have happened had it not been for a roided up asshole racist Braves relief pitcher.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/1999.shtml

[WulawHorn]

No love for the 2nd best year record-wise in franchise history?  Imagine what would have happened had it not been for a roided up asshole racist Braves relief pitcher.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/1999.shtml

Or Walt Weiss. That still feels like a kick to the groin not getting a run with the bases juiced and no outs.

[JimR]

If J.R. Richard had not been struck down mid-season, the 1980 team might have been the one revered by Astros' fans for the ages.  Astros go to (and win) their first World Series.

and if P. Niekro had not vetoed the trade to Houston in 1979....

[Taras Bulba]

Or Walt Weiss. That still feels like a kick to the groin not getting a run with the bases juiced and no outs.

I saw all of that unfold on the big screen at the Caesar's sports book.  Smoked about 75 cigarettes and screamed, "Fuck!" the same number of times.  Never been the same since.

[Taras Bulba]

Agreed.   The 2004 team, with Kent and Beltran, was better than the 2005 WS team.

Just like to point out again that Pinwheel called for Kent to be replaced by Burke during the 2004 season.

[HPFRic]

people, please... that 2004 team would have gone all william munny in greely's on the 1998 team. that's the best astro squad i've ever seen in these here parts.

[MusicMan]

I saw all of that unfold on the big screen at the Caesar's sports book.  Smoked about 75 cigarettes and screamed, "Fuck!" the same number of times.  Never been the same since.

At least we now understand you better.  It's happened to all of us.

[Ty in Tampa]

Or W*** W****. That still feels like a kick to the groin not getting a run with the bases juiced and no outs.

I thought those two collections of letters were never to be placed in that order in this forum ever again. I just went all Taras Bulba for a minute.

[Frobie]

that 2004 team would have gone all william munny in greely's on the 1998 team.

Sounds like a great Strat-O-Matic project for this evening.

Is it beer-o'-clock yet?

[TheWizard]

Agree with everyone else:
'98
'04
'05
 
With the '04 team being the best.. just had those unfortunate injuries.

I was 3 years old in '86, so I can't comment.

[HPFRic]

Sounds like a great Strat-O-Matic project for this evening.

statistically, the '98 team was slightly better:

98: .280/.351/.436/.787; 874 Rs; 3.50 team era; 1.29 whip
04: .267/.342/.436/.778; 803 Rs; 4.05 team era; 1.35 whip

the '04 team's pitching numbers, of course, would have looked better with a healthy andy pettitte for the second half.

that's about as deep as i'll wade into the statistical waters. i just think, player-for-player, you'd pick more guys from the '04 team than the '98 team.

[VirtualBob]

statistically, the '98 team was slightly better:

the '04 team's pitching numbers, of course, would have looked better with a healthy andy pettitte for the second half.

'63 & '64 would have been a lot better, too, if Marichal and Koufax had been exposed to the expansion draft.

[Andyzipp]

that's about as deep as i'll wade into the statistical waters. i just think, player-for-player, you'd pick more guys from the '04 team than the '98 team.

Not me.

C - 98 Ausmus over 04 Ausmus
1b - 98 Bagwell over 04 Bagwell
2b - 98 Biggio over 04 Kent
3b - 98 Spiers/Berry over 04 Ensberg
ss - 04 Everett over 98 Gutierrez
lf - 98 Alou over 04 Biggio
cf - 04 Beltran over 98 Everett
rf - 04 Berkman over 98 Bell

[HPFRic]

Not me.

so you're gonna try and field a team with no pitchers or a bench?

[Froback]

I saw all of that unfold on the big screen at the Caesar's sports book.  Smoked about 75 cigarettes and screamed, "Fuck!" the same number of times.  Never been the same since.

Try living with a Braves fan.... I have to endure his name every time I watch them play and I mutter the perfectly normal comment "Stupid Braves!"