2nd Astro All Star

[pravata]

Roy says yeah, The Link

[jasonact]

Official Press Release

[JJxvi]

Greatest Astro starting pitcher of all time?

[das]

That must be a question about "who is" because you certianly can't be saying that about Roy.  He'll have to keep it up for a bit longer to even be considered.

Ryan
Clemens
Scott
...just to name a few.

[Andyzipp]

I'd put Oswalt ahead of at least 2 of those.

But he's behind Niekro, Dierker, Richard, and probably Ryan a this point in his career.

[Reuben]

What I really want to know is where on the VH1 Top 4000 Astros Starting Pitchers of All Time Countdown does Bottenfield rank? All the Anaheim Jim talk's gotten me reminiscing.

[David in Jackson]

Quote:
What I really want to know is where on the VH1 Top 4000 Astros Starting Pitchers of All Time Countdown does Bottenfield rank? All the Anaheim Jim talk's gotten me reminiscing.

He's slightly ahead of Brian Moehler and gaining on Dwight Gooden.

[Arky Vaughan]

Quote:
That must be a question about "who is" because you certianly can't be saying that about Roy.  He'll have to keep it up for a bit longer to even be considered.

Ryan
Clemens
Scott
...just to name a few.

Oswalt has pitched longer for the Astros than Clemens has.

[Arky Vaughan]

Quote:
I'd put Oswalt ahead of at least 2 of those.

But he's behind Niekro, Dierker, Richard, and probably Ryan a this point in his career.

If he sticks around and plays a full season this year and next, he'll likely be third on the franchise wins list behind Niekro and Dierker.

In terms of quality over the period of time he's pitched, I'd take him over anybody else. Compare Roy's five seasons (2001-2005) to the five seasons when Richard was really good (1976-1980). For good measure, I'll throw in Mike Hampton (1995-1999).

Pitcher   W   L    IP    SO   ERA  LgER   Pct  H/9  W/9  BR/9  K/9
------------------------------------------------------------------
Richard  84  55  1239  1163  2.79  3.39  +21%  6.6  3.9  10.5  8.4  
Oswalt   83  39   981   850  3.07  4.31  +41%  8.6  2.1  10.6  7.8
Hampton  67  39   985   669  3.39  4.05  +19%  8.8  3.3  12.1  6.1

"Pct" is the amount by which the pitcher beat the league ERA. By that measure, Oswalt has been considerably more impressive than Richard. Richard did pitch a lot more, though, which is partly a function of when he pitched, and partly a function of his durability. I'd still take Roy.

[JimR]

if you'd take Roy over Richard in his prime/best days, i'd say you did not see Richard pitch then. he was poised to become one of the greatest of all time. do not get me wrong-Roy is very, very good. JR was taking off into superstardom when the stroke felled him.