Houston Astros - The Disco Years (1970-1979)
 
   
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        Yr P W L   Yr P W L   Yr P W L               Decade  
        1970 4 79 83   1973 4 82 80   1977 3 81 81               Click  
        1971 4 79 83   1974 4 81 81   1978 5 74 88               on Logo  
        1972 2 84 69   1975 6 64 97   1979 2 89 73                  
                  1976 3 80 82                            
                                                       
                                                             
   
  Titles: Top Astros Players of the Seventies  
  None  
    Pitchers:  
  Ballpark: JR Richard (18.7) -   66  
  Astrodome   Larry Dierker (17.19) -   53  
    Ken Forsch (16.42) -   41  
  Team Name: Don Wilson (20.03) -   38  
  Astros   Joe Niekro (7.99) -   35  
    Dave Roberts (7.39) -   27  
  Owner:  Joaquin Andujar (3.66) -   23  
  Roy Hofheinz (1970 - 1976) Jerry Reuss (2.73) -   15  
  Consortium of Asset Based Lenders (1976-1979) Jack Billingham (2.9) -   13  
  John McMullen (1979) Joe Sambito (5.8) -   13  
    Mark Lemongello (4) -   11  
  General Managers: Jim Ray (4.06) -   10  
  Spec Richardson (1970-1975) George Culver (4.16) -   3  
  Tal Smith (1975-1979)    
    Catchers:  
  Managers: John Edwards (3.43) -   28  
  Harry Walker (1970-1972) Clifford Johnson (5.78) -   17  
  Leo Durocher (1972-1973) Joe Ferguson (6.18) -   9  
  Preston Gomez (1974-1975)    
  Bill Virdon (1975-1979) First Basemen:  
    Bob Watson (23.66) -   64  
  Hall of Famers: Lee May (6.16) -   19  
  Leo Durocher    
  Joe Morgan  Second Basemen:  
    Tommy Helms (4.22) -   19  
  Rookie of the Year:  Joe Morgan (9.05) -   19  
  None Art Howe (7.09) -   14  
       
  MVP ShortStop:  
e None Roger Metzger (4.25) -   27  
e   Denis Menke (4.04) -   10  
e No Hitters:    
e Larry Dierker (1976) Third Base:  
e Ken Forsch (1979) Doug Rader (13.66) -   32  
    Enos Cabell (7.95) -   23  
  Cy Young:    
  None Outfield:  
    Cesar Cedeno (44.19) -   122  
    Jose Cruz (21.72) -   51  
  Jimmy Wynn (12.62) -   33  
  Notable Events: Terry Puhl (8.37) -   18  
    Greg Gross (9.73) -   14  
  1970 - The Astros had finally reached mediocrity in '69 going 81-81.  Jesus Alou (2.47) -   11  
  However, there is no improvement from there in the Seventies as Houston    
  flounders around the .500 mark for the decade. The 1970 roster had` Notable Events:  
   a good young core, but GM Richardson was not able to add talent to    
  get the Astros to the next level. 1975 - Tal Smith takes over as G.M. thus ending Spec Richardson's  
  □  1B John Mayberry, 21, 6th overall pick in '67 draft Reign of Error  
  □  1B Bob Watson, 24    
  □  2B Joe Morgan, 26 1975 - OF Jose Cruz, 27, is purchased from the Cards  
  □  SS Denis Menke, 29,  '68 trade with Braves for Sonny Jackson    
  □  3B Doug Rader, 25 1975 - Righthander Joe Niekro, 30, is purchased from the Braves  
  □  OF Jim Wynn, 28    
  □  OF Jesus Alou, 28, '69 trade with Montreal for Rusty Staub 1975 - Outstanding RHP Don Wilson, 29, commits suicide  
  □  OF Cesar Cedeno, 19, IFA in '67    
  □  OF Cesar Geronimo, 22, '68 rule 5 draft from Yankees 1976 - Big 6 foot 8 inch righthander JR Richard comes into his own at the  
  □  Righty Don Wilson, 24  age of twenty six winning twenty games and striking out 214 batters.  
  □  Righty Jack Billingham, 27, '68 trade with Montreal for Rusty Staub Richard will be a force of nature on the mound until a life threatening   
  □  Righty Ken Forsch, 23, 18th round pick '68 draft stroke ends his career in 1980. Richard had been a first round draft pick   
  □  Righty Larry Dierker, 23 in '69 and struggled with inconsistency until his breakout season.  
     He never totally overcame all of his issues with control, but that only  
  1972 - In a terrible deal, GM Richardson trades away future Hall of Famer  made him that much more scary to face  
  Joe Morgan as well as Jack Billingham, Cesar Geronimo and Denis Menke  
  for the Reds' Lee May and Tommy Helms. This one hurt 1976 - Hofheinz sells the team. A consortium buys it. Unfortunately,   
  things don't improve as the Astros remain mired in mediocrity  
  1972 - In another horrific deal, Richardson trades slugging first base prospect The biggest issue with Hofheinz was that he didn't know how to    
  John Mayberry, 23, to Kansas City for a couple of journeymen pitchers. assemble a quality management team and when he did, he didn't know it.   
  Mayberry will go on to top twenty home runs in eight of the next nine seasons    
  while topping a hundred rbi three times and making it to the all star game twice. 1977 - Three Astros steal over forty bases.   
    Cedeno 61, Cruz 44, Cabell 42  
  1972 - First Astros winning season at 84-69 (shortened by strike)  
  1979 - John McMullen purchases the club. He wants to win and is   
  1974 - Budding superstar Cesar Cedeno signs a 10 year deal and willing to spend to do it. He also knows how to assemble a competent  
  then accidently shoots his girlfriend to death. He's never the same  management team. A breath of fresh air for the franchise  
  player after the incident.    
  1979 - The Astros sign Nolan Ryan as a Free Agent making  
  1974 - Jim Wynn is traded to the Dodgers him the first million dollar a year player