my favorite all time houston astro

[lostaussie]

i probably should do a poll but there are just so many great players i didn't want to leave anyone out. tell me yours. without a doubt, my favorite, the toy cannon.............jimmy wynn

[GWOOD]

Jimmy Wynn would be in my top 5...But Jose Cruz has been my favorite Astro since the late 70's. Unselfish player, over-achiever, played hard every inning. No one is talking about how much fun he is having this year as the first base coach. He was part of the 1980 team that lost to Philadephia and the '86 team that lost to the Mets

[Leopards,class of 75]

Originally posted by GWOOD
Jimmy Wynn would be in my top 5...But Jose Cruz has been my favorite Astro since the late 70's. Unselfish player, over-achiever, played hard every inning. No one is talking about how much fun he is having this year as the first base coach. He was part of the 1980 team that lost to Philadephia and the '86 team that lost to the Mets My favorite is Jose Cruz too!

[GWOOD]

Originally posted by Leopards,class of 75
My favorite is Jose Cruz too!

What a classy guy you are!!!




i probably should do a poll

lostaussie, I wish you would do a poll. Get some suggestions on this post and you decide on 6-8 players ( or more--I don't know what the limit is for a poll)

Here are some of my suggestions off the cuff

Jimmy Wynn
Jose Cruz
Craig Biggio
Jeff Bagwell
Nolan Ryan
Cesar Cedeno
Larry Dierker
J.R. Richards

I'm sure I have a left off a few Astro greats

[Blastoderm55]

Biggio

[sinfan75]

Joe Morgan! Pissed me off when he went to the Reds.

[Leopards,class of 75]

I forgot about J.R. Richards. I got to see him pitch in a game in the Astrodome. 100 plus mph fastballs was amazing to see in person. I think the next year he had the stroke and his career was over.

[Pmoney]

1)Bagwell
2)Biggio
3)Richards
4)Ryan

[Txbroadcaster]

Mike Scott
Bill Doran
Glenn Davis
Charlie Kerfield
Kevin Bass
Craig Reynolds
Billy Hatcher
Aurileo Lopez
Phi Garner
Joe Cruz
Bob Knepper
Dave SMith


Pretty much the 86 team..Dang those Mets

[big daddy russ]

My favorites were Mike Scott, Nolan Ryan and Glenn Davis when I was coming up, but TXbroadcaster already took care of those three for me. I loved Scott... only had a couple of great years but between him, Jim Deshaies (sp?) and Ryan up front and Dave Smith in the pen that rotation was great.

[GS#17]

TXBroadcaster, I think about all you left off from that team (or at least that era) were Denny Walling, Craig Reynolds, and Alan Ashby. And, how about the Bonham Bullet -- Denny Darwin? Man, I loved those teams!

[wos fan1]

Remember Billy Doran??? he was a good one.

[Gobbla2001]

Put it this way, my first 'boy' is gunna be named either Nolan or Ryan...

But not disrespecting the history of the Astros, I'd have to go with Biggio and Bagwell, just for the fact that they were the ones playing when my young ass got turned on to the Astros...

Hate me or not, I was a Cubs fan up until about 5 years old... I remember sitting with my grandfather and his friend watching the Astros and the Cubs play a few times... I really loved the cubs because of Grace... But one day my grandfather said "Boy, don't you know that Cuero's closer to Houston than it is to Chicago?"...

After that I just didn't have a team until my mother married my step-father when I was 8... then I became an Astros fan for life...

I am happy as hell right now and it is great to see how happy my step-father is right now... I remember when Houston was 15-30 this year... my step-dad watched every game all of the way through... He's the biggest Astros fan I've ever know, I'm glad he is enjoying this...

Screw the Silver Boot! Rangers been fishin' for 4 weeks...

[Vrabird]

Here are a few more names of Astro players of the past:
Joe Niekro
Norm Miller
Lee May
Roger Metzger
Dickie Thon
Doug Radar
Rusty Staub
Derek Bell
Vern Ruele

[Gobbla2001]

I really enjoyed bell... his hitting stance was strange, but it worked for him I guess...

I remember going to an Astros game back when I was younger, the 'Stros beat the Cards (who still had Ozzy Smith at the time, glad I got to see him) 15-3...

I think Gonzales, Finley, Bagwell, Biggio AND Bell all homered in that game...

[setex]

Milo

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by setex
Milo

Ah, YES, Milo Hammy is the GREATEST...

Tell me if this isn't weird:

Milo got his first gig with the Chicago WHITE SOX!!!

[Vrabird]

Does anyone remember the Sunday Astro games on cbs. I still remember Gene Elston doing the play by play. I think I remember watching on a small black and white TV.

[setex]

In the old days we had Gene Elston, Loel Pass and Harry Kallas.

Gene was dry, Loel liked a little totie during the game and Harry was the best.

[GWOOD]

Originally posted by wos fan1
Remember Billy Doran??? he was a good one.

Loved Billy Doran




Originally posted by Vrabird
Dickie Thon
Doug Radar

Wow forget about those two

I loved Dickie Thon. Sad story. I think he would have been great.

Doug Rader - a great 3rd baseman

Anybody remember Bob Aspromonte?

And nobody is giving Cesar Cedeno any love. Is that because of the murder charge that came up against him late in his career? He was good.

Oh, and one more....Don Wilson? Another good player/tragic story

[Vrabird]

Joe Sambito
Tommy Helms
Dennis Menke
Billy Wagner

[setex]

Remember Walt Bond or Dave Gusti?

[GWOOD]

Originally posted by setex
Remember Walt Bond or Dave Gusti?

Wasn't Dave Gusti (sp?) a relief pitcher. I remember a little about him.

Who was Walt Bond?

[GWOOD]

Originally posted by Vrabird
Joe Sambito
Tommy Helms
Dennis Menke
Billy Wagner


Forgot about Joe Sambito & Dennis Menke

Where is lostaussie? Where's our poll?

[Gobbla2001]

Walt BOND, kinda like Barry BondS, just without the S... The S standing for steroids...

[Vrabird]

I knew there was another Astro pitcher that threw a no hitter,but couldn't think of him Don Wilson. Dickie Thon was a promising, young,power hitting shortstop. Mike Torres of the Mets drilled him with a pitch to the head. Never was the same player after the beaning.

[setex]

Bond played 1b in mid 60's. I remember him because he hit 420 foot shot to the tunnel off Don Drysdale.

I went to the game next day and watched Sandy Koufax pitch 1 hitter to a sell out crowd.

[GWOOD]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
Walt BOND, kinda like Barry BondS, just without the S... The S standing for steroids...

Awwwww...don't go hating on Barry now. :doh:

[Vrabird]

What about Terry Puhl. I think he had one on the best hitting series against the Phillies in 80. Had like 10 hits in the 5 game series.

[setex]

Originally posted by Vrabird
What about Terry Puhl. I think he had one on the best hitting series against the Phillies in 80. Had like 10 hits in the 5 game series.

Great pinch hitter. I liked Bob Knepper, great curveball.

[GWOOD]

Originally posted by Vrabird
What about Terry Puhl. I think he had one on the best hitting series against the Phillies in 80. Had like 10 hits in the 5 game series.

Vrabird, you keep coming up with some good ones!!!

[Vrabird]

I know I'm forgetting some,but they all need to be mentioned and honored with our first World Series appearence. Here's to all the Astros who paved the way!!!!

[Maroon87]

Caminiti. I know...he's a cautionary tale, but there weren't many things more breathtaking than him fielding a grounder at 3B and gunning it across to 1B. That guy had a cannon for an arm!

[AggieJohn]

i say dierker because he was a long time pitcher for the franchise back in the day of the colt 45's and then moved up to be the voice of the stros then came and coached them.....

[Vrabird]

Cliff Johnson is another power hitter in Astro history.

[pirate44]

Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott, but really, there are too many to list

[cdlvj]

Gotta be ole Fred Gladding.
And the good times with Nickel Beer night at the Dome.

[setex]

Originally posted by cdlvj
Gotta be ole Fred Gladding.
And the good times with Nickel Beer night at the Dome.


O yea, forgot about Fred. Reminded me of my Biology teacher.

[cdlvj]

Anybody remember Bob Aspromonte?


and others:
Roman Mejias, Norm Larker, Carl Warwick, Bob Lillis, Al Spangler
Joey Amalfitano, Turk Farrell, Bob Bruce, Jim Golden, Ken Johnson
Hal Woodeshick, and Bob Cerv.

[BlueBlood]

Jeff Bagwell

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by GWOOD
Forgot about Joe Sambito & Dennis Menke

Where is lostaussie? Where's our poll? I went to bed early last night. when i started reading this thread it almost brought out a tear. so long and so many great players. i can't do a poll. there are just tooo many. i right now am happiest for my father who when i was young took me to so many games and taught me as much about baseball as i could stand to learn. these players all you folks have mentioned have brought back some really great memories.

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by Vrabird
I know I'm forgetting some,but they all need to be mentioned and honored with our first World Series appearence. Here's to all the Astros who paved the way!!!! can i get an AMEN!!!!!

[Vrabird]

Oh well, While the Astros are in the Fall classic, why don't we just go ahead and win it for all the old Astros and their fans!!!

[lostaussie]

really. i hope they are not complacent with what they have accomplished. i want the whole enchilada.

[Ranger05]

Biggio, Bagwell, ken Caminiti (shame he got into steriods) Jose Cruz, JR reynolds, Nolan Ryan, Billy Wagner, Mike Scott and got to go with Derek Bell

[lostaussie]

mike scott. now there was a gutty sob. we could do another poll just on houstons pitching.

[Ranger05]

Originally posted by lostaussie
mike scott. now there was a gutty sob. we could do another poll just on houstons pitching. that would be a good idea

[BMOC]

Nolan Ryan

[Vrabird]

Here are some more players:
Bob Watson
Ken Forsch
Jesus Alou
Enos Cabell
Art Howe
Darryl Kile
Richard Hildalgo
Jerry Reuess
Mike Cuellar
Jose Lima

[lostaussie]

i did not know cuellar was an astro. i know he was dominant as an oriole.

[Gobbla2001]

Shane Reynolds was great, you could tell his heart was broken when the 'Stros didn't sign him that year (or did they trade him, I forget)... he was coming along really well...

At one of the 'Stros games I went to back in the day I got to meet Reynolds and get his autograph on my hat (it was free hat night)... At the time I was like "Who in the hell is this, where's Biggio?", but I sure wish I wouldn't have lost that hat... great pitcher...

[spirate_9]

Craig Biggio- He is the only player in MLB history to be named an All-Star as both catcher and second-baseman.... He's played 4 different positions for the Astros (C, 2B, CF, LF), has the MLB record for times hit by a pitch ( over 260) and is closing in on 3000 career hits.

http://www.astrosdaily.com/files/gallery/Biggio_Craig_01.jpg http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2004/baseball/mlb/specials/postseason/2004/10/11/astros.braves.ap/p1_biggio_ap.jpg

[Vrabird]

Several Astros were traded and went on to great big league careers in another uniform.

[cdlvj]

Mike Cuellar, Rusty Staub, Joe Morgan to name a few

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by Vrabird
Several Astros were traded and went on to great big league careers in another uniform. i.e joe morgan, cesar geronimo and others to form a percentage of the big red machine. who else was in that trade. seems like maybe a pitcher jack billingham? i remember we got tommy helms and lee may along with some others.

[gobbler grad]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
Mike Scott
Bill Doran
Glenn Davis
Charlie Kerfield
Kevin Bass
Craig Reynolds
Billy Hatcher
Aurileo Lopez
Phi Garner
Joe Cruz
Bob Knepper
Dave SMith


Pretty much the 86 team..Dang those Mets


that was the team..:clap:

[BTEXDAD]

Originally posted by lostaussie
i.e joe morgan, cesar geronimo and others to form a percentage of the big red machine. who else was in that trade. seems like maybe a pitcher jack billingham? i remember we got tommy helms and lee may along with some others.
morgan, geronimo, Billingham and Dennis Menke went to Reds.
Helms, Lee May and Stewart, don't remember first name (utility man), came to Stros.

[Maroon87]

Originally posted by Vrabird
Several Astros were traded and went on to great big league careers in another uniform.

Curt Schilling, Steve Finley, Luis Gonzales, and Kenny Lofton, to name a few.