In 1998, Mark McGwire led the league with a record 70 home runs, 162 walks, a .470 OBP, and a .752 slugging average. He received only two first-place votes for MVP, however, finishing far behind near-unanimous winner Sammy Sosa, who himself hit 66 home runs and led the league in runs and RBI.
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com.
At 9:10 or so tonight, Roy Oswalt will throw a pitch to Marvin Bernard. At about 9:10 tonight, as an Astros fan, I’ll be able to get back to some normalcy, or as much normalcy as pennant races usually allow. As an American, I don’t know when that process is going to start. I’m hoping, like a lot of people, that the baseball will allow me the release of not thinking about the victims still buried at the World Trade Center or that World War III might be around the corner. I have my doubts that it will, but at this point I’ll take what I can get.Read More
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com.
Fans attend University of Texas home baseball games at Disch-Falk Field in Austin just across the interstate highway adjacent to the school’s campus. Long-time followers of UT baseball recognize the two names as legendary coaches on the Forty Acres. William J. (“Uncle Billy”) Disch coached the Longhorns to 21 Southwest Conference championships from 1911-39, with a record of 465 wins and 115 losses as a college coach. Bibb Falk, his successor, continued UT’s winning tradition by leading the school to 20 more SWC championships from 1940-67 and back-to-back national championships in 1949-50. Falk accomplished much more in baseball than becoming a successful college coach, however, and even many loyal orangebloods do not know his impressive history in the game. Not merely a championship coach and one of the best players of his era, Falk was one of the most unique personalities ever to appear on the sports landscape in the State of Texas.Read More
Thirteen games. That’s how many the Central Division-leading Astros are scheduled to play in September against the Cubs, who trail by four games, and the Cardinals, who trail by six games. Indeed, other than three games at San Francisco, the Astros will spend the last two weeks of the season battling Chicago and St. Louis.
By BudGirl
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on August 27, 2001.
I’ve wanted to write a Bleacher Rap for quite a while. I didn’t know where to start. I knew I wanted to share how baseball has helped my Dad and me go through the toughest time of his life. So, I’ll start by telling you about my Dad, then the influence baseball has had.Read More
By Knoxbanedoodle
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on August 22, 2001.
The four best shortstops in the NL are, in no particular order, Rich Aurilia, Jimmy Rollins, Ricky Gutierrez and Orlando Cabrera – the last being yet another gem shining in the vacuum that is Montreal.
I am no stats guru, so the following analysis will be kind of soft. Through August 20, among current NL shortstops, Lugo is 5th in total chances and 4th in putouts. His fielding percentage is better by 3 points than Gutierrez, and off the leader’s pace (Cabrera) by 17. Ordered by ABs, Lugo is fifth among NL shortstops in batting average, and 3rd in OBP. Read More
