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