Last year for Spring Training I
gave a decade-by-decade account of the Astros.
This year, I have not had the time to do something similar. Instead, I wanted to revisit one of my
favorite baseball books.
Rob Neyer is one of my favorite
baseball authors, and a great disciple of Bill James. He also has, I think, a similar mind to me as
much of his writing comes down to lists.
One such book is his Big Book of
Baseball Lineups. In it, he has a
chapter for each franchise with a series of lineup with various themes. There are the obvious All Time and Single
Season, as well as those like All Rookie, All Bust, and All Nickname. It’s fun and informative. The problem is, it is a bit dated since it
was published in 2003. Hence, my idea to
update the Astros. So, I will include
his lineup, followed by any changes that would need to be made.
A couple of notes: this is simply
an update with players who have played since 2003. I will not, therefore, change any lineup if I
think he picked the incorrect player.
All Time
C - Alan Ashby
1B - Jeff Bagwell
2B - Craig Biggio
SS - Craig Reynolds
3B - Doug Rader
LF - Jose Cruz
CF - Cesar Cedeno
RF - Terry Puhl
SP1 - Nolan Ryan
SP2 - J.R. Richard
SP3 - Mike Hampton
SP4 - Don Wilson
CL - Dave Smith
Change:
Roy Oswalt (SP3)
Oswalt has the second most wins
(behind Joe Niekro by one), the second most strikeouts (behind Nolan Ryan), and
top 10 in ERA and WHIP, all while pitching in a much worse era and worse
ballpark for pitchers than most of the others.
This knocks Wilson down to the No. 2 squad.
No. 2
C - Johnny Edwards
1B - Glenn Davis
2B - Joe Morgan
SS - Dickie Thon
3B - Ken Caminiti
LF - Bob Watson
CF - Jimmy Wynn
RF - Kevin Bass
SP1 - Mike Scott
SP2 - Joe Niekro
SP3 - Larry Dierker
SP4 - Ken Forsch
CL - Billy Wagner
Changes:
Brad Ausmus (C)
While worse offensively than
Edwards, Ausmus had twice as many PAs and was the outspoken leader for the team
even during the Bagwell/Biggio days.
Lance Berkman (1B)
He has to be on the team somewhere,
and while he played plenty in the outfield he played the most at first
base. Second all time in home runs, tops
in on base, slugging, and, of course, OPS.
Jose Altuve (2B)
Currently lagging behind Morgan in
PAs, but already a better resume. The
big question when he’s finished, and hopefully spent his entire career in
Houston, will be if he’s better than Biggio.
Wilson moved down bumps Forsch
Others I considered: Hunter Pence
(RF; did not last long enough), Morgan Ensberg (3B; also did not last long
enough), Carlos Correa (SS; two great years not yet enough, but by the end he
should be the best)
Single Season
C - Craig Biggio 1991
1B - Jeff Bagwell 1996
2B - Craig Biggio 1997
SS - Dickie Thon 1983
3B - Ken Caminiti 1992
LF - Jose Cruz 1984
CF - Jimmy Wynn 1969
RF - Jimmy Wynn 1972
SP - Mike Scott 1986
RP - Hal Woodeshick 1963
Changes:
Morgan Ensberg 2005 (3B)
I love Caminiti, but this was a
fantastic year. 36 HR, .283/.388/.557,
127 OPS+
Lance Berkman 2001 (LF)
MVP caliber season; 34 HR,
.331/.430/.620, 139 OPS+
I don’t know what he was thinking
with Woodeshick over Billy Wagner’s 1999, but by the rules I can’t make that
change.
All Rookie
C - Mitch Meluskey
1B - Jeff Bagwell
2B - Joe Morgan
SS - Sonny Jackson
3B - Bob Aspromonte
LF - Luis Gonzalez
CF - Cesar Cedeno
RF - Lance Berkman
SP - Roy Oswalt
RP - Charlie Kerfeld
Changes:
Carlos Correa (SS)
Hello Mr. Correa: 22 HR,
.279/.345/.512, 117 OPS+, Rookie of the Year
Chris Devenski (RP)
If you weren’t paying attention last
year, you missed not only one of the best rookie performances, but one of the
best relief performances period. 4-4-1,
108 IP, 2.16 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 194 ERA+.
Homegrown
C - Jerry Grote
1B - John Mayberry
2B - Joe Morgan
SS - Sonny Jackson
3B - Ken Caminiti
LF - Luis Gonzalez
CF - Jimmy Wynn
RF - Rusty Staub
SP - J.R. Richard
RP - Dave Smith
Changes:
Jason Castro (C)
There’s not much to talk about here,
but Castro has turned into one of the best defensive catchers in the game.
Lance Berkman (1B)
Mayberry was quite good, but Berkman
was great and might even get a vote or two for the HOF.
Carlos Correa will be on this list
soon, and Hunter Pence just misses against Staub.
Traded Away
C - Jerry Grote
1B - John Mayberry
2B - Joe Morgan
SS - N/A
3B - Ken Caminiti
LF - Manny Mota
CF - Kenny Lofton
RF - Bobby Abreu
SP - Curt Schilling
RP - Todd Jones
Changes:
Jonathan Villar (SS, 2015)
I needed to find someone to take
this spot, and he did lead the league in stolen bases last year.
Hunter Pence (RF, 2011)
As Neyer says, Abreu wasn’t
technically traded away but lost in the Rule V draft, which was just stupid.
Billy Wagner (RP, 2003)
The ownership was so bad the Wagner
basically forced them to trade him. All he
did was collect nearly 200 more saves over seven seasons, reaching the playoffs
four more times, or as many as in his nine season in Houston.
Gold Glove
C - Brad Ausmus
1B - Glenn Davis
2B - Craig Biggio
SS - Craig Reynolds
3B - Doug Rader
LF - Al Spangler
CF - Gerald Young
RF - Terry Puhl
P - Mike Hampton
Changes: Adam Everett (SS)
Frequently ranked as the top
shortstop defensively during his career.
Never flashy, just solid.
Colby Rasmus (LF)
A cannon for an arm, even if not
always accurate.
Jake Marisnick (CF)
His glove alone has won the spot as
the fourth outfielder at least the last two seasons.
Iron Glove
C - Mitch Melusky
1B - Eddie Mathews
2B - Art Howe
SS - Julio Lugo
3B - Sean Berry
LF - Bob Watson
CF - Carl Warwick
RF - Greg Gross
P - Brian Williams
Changes:
Carlos Lee (LF)
Always looked bad in the field. The DH was made for guys like him.
All-Bust
C - Eddie Taubensee
1B - Denis Menke
2B - Dave Rohde
SS - Sonny Jackson
3B - Chris Truby
LF - Wilbur Howard
CF - Gerald Young
RF - Eric Anthony
SP - Jose Lima
RP - John Hudek
Changes:
J.R. Towles (C)
Hit like gangbusters in 14 games in
2007. Was supposed to be the bat behind
the plate. Never hit above .200 in parts
of four more seasons.
Jon Singleton (1B)
Granted, he could still turn his
career around, but has anybody been more frustrating to watch over the last few
seasons. Given a big contract before
reaching the Majors, he has a career OPS+ of 76 and a negative number for WAR. The ultimate Quadruple-A player (too good for
AAA but terrible in the Majors).
Carlos Lee (LF)
Had a couple of good seasons, and
then he became the $19 million man weighing down an old team.
Carlos Gomez (CF)
The one guy who can compete with Singleton
for most frustrating over the last few seasons.
So bad they couldn't trade him so they had to release him.
Mark Appel (SP)
Maybe it’s unfair since he hasn’t
pitched in the Majors yet, but that’s part of the issue. The first round draft pick in 2013, he’s
almost been worse the higher he goes.
Used-to-be-Great
C - Gus Triandos
1B - Eddie Mathews
2B - Nellie Fox
SS - Denis Menke
3B - Buddy Bell
LF - Tommy Davis
CF - Tommie Agee
RF - Kevin Bass
SP - Robin Roberts
RP - Mike Henneman
Changes: Ivan Rodiguez (2009, C)
At the height of the “let’s try to
win now by overpaying over-the-hill veterans.
Miguel Tejada (2008-2009, SS)
Two fairly good seasons but not when
compared to his time in Oakland and Baltimore.
Darin Erstad (2008-2009, LF)
Did you remember he was with the
team? Neither did I, until I was
reviewing the rosters.
All-Name
C - "Skip" Alfred Jutze
1B - "Bags" Jeff
Bagwell
2B - "Pigpen" Craig
Biggio
SS - "Sonny" Roland
Jackson
3B - "The Red Rooster"
Doug Rader
LF - "The Bull" Bob
Watson
CF - "Toy Cannon" Jimmy
Wynn
RF - "Rusty" Daniel
Staub
SP - "Turk" Dick
Farrell
RP - "Ferrum
Fireballer" Billy Wagner
Changes: “Big
Puma” or “Fat Elvis” Lance Berkman (1B)
Also called Sir Lance-a-lot, he embraced
the Fat Elvis name because he could laugh at himself.
“El Caballo” Carlos Lee (LF)
The Hispanic fans loved him and gave
him this memorable nickname.
“Lights Out” Brad Lidge (RP)
Given the Wagner nickname was made
up, this one was easy. A great closer
name.
Top Five Seasons
1986
1980
1998
1999
2001
Changes:
2005 (#1) the only World Series
appearance
Top Five Managers
Larry Dierker
Bill Virdon
Hal Lanier
Harry Walker
Terry Collins
