LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Astros
built 652 days ago
Many people consider the best trade the Astros ever made was their trade for Jeff Bagwell at the trading deadline in 1990. The Boston Red Sox, in a tight race for the American League East title, needed relief pitching help. The Astros gave the Red Sox journeyman Larry Andersen in exchange for minor-leaguer Jeff Bagwell, who would win the 1990 Eastern League MVP award for the AA New Britain Red Sox. With Mo Vaughn in their system, the Red Sox figured that Bagwell was expendable, and while Andersen did help the Red Sox to the divisional title, Bagwell would go on to become the Astros all time home run leader and, in most people's minds, the best overall player in Astros history. The trade was so lopsided, that it appears in virtually any list of Best (Worst) trades in MLB history, and "Larry Anderson" became a popular phrase in Boston to describe the futility of their front office during the 86-year "Curse of the Bambino". However, after the 1991 season the Astros made one of the worst trades in franchise history by sending outfielder Kenny Lofton to the Cleveland Indians for catcher Eddie Taubensee. Lofton would prove to be one of the best center fielders of the 1990s, earning 5 AL stolen base titles, 6 All-Star appearances and 4 Gold Gloves.
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The Astros strength is in pitching. Roy Oswalt and Andy Pettitte remains a solid one/two punch. Brandon Backe is expected to make improvements on his 10-8 record from 2005. It remains to be seen if Roger Clemens returns to the club for another year. If he doesn’t, then it will be up to youngsters like Fernando Nieve, Wandy Rodriguez or Taylor Buchholz to pick up the slack. Closer Brad Lidge experienced some dramatic struggles during the playoffs.
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The Astros had many highlights. After the Astrodome hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the Astros went on a streak with five straight come-from-behind wins (two against the Mets and three against the Montreal Expos). In a game against the Dodgers, pitcher Jim Deshaies (who came from the Yankees in exchange for Joe Niekro) started the game with 8 straight strikeouts. On September 25, Mike Scott helped his team clinch the NL West by no-hitting the surprising San Francisco Giants. This was the only time in MLB history that any division was clinched via a no-hitter. Scott would finish the season with an 18-10 record and a Cy Young Award with it.
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The Astros will have 52 players in camp, and more than half will be gone by the time the regular season opens March 31 in San Diego. And the majority of them will be in their first camp with the Astros, who had arguably the most active offseason of any team in baseball.
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Thanks to the Astros' long tenure in the Astrodome, they have pitched 10 no-hitters throughout their existence. In the 1960s alone, 4 no-hitters were pitched (Don Nottebart in 1963, Ken Johnson in 1964, and Don Wilson in 1967 and 1969). Don Wilson was the only Astro to pitch two no-nos with them; his second no-hitter came against the Cincinnati Reds the day after Cincinnati pitcher Jim Maloney had no-hit the Astros. In 1976, Larry Dierker no-hit the Expos. Three years later, Ken Forsch no-hit the Atlanta Braves. This began the Astros hot start (but they would lose the NL West Title to the Reds).
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Astros home game tickets are available for Minute Maid Park, a.k.a. the“Juice Box”, one of the most architecturally unique parks in the majors. With a retractable roof, a fully working locomotive in left field and a 50,000 square foot glass western wall. The quirks are ... put into the field as well as in the stadium around it. Center field showcases Tal's Hill, a 30 degree incline against the center field wall and on the hill is a flag pole displaying the American flag and making a fly ball to center field very interesting.
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