Houston Astros - The Reagan Years (1980-1989)  
   
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        Yr P W L   Yr P W L   Yr P W L               Decade  
        1980 1 93 70   1983 3 85 77   1987 3 76 86               Click  
        1981 1 61 49   1984 2 80 82   1988 5 82 80               on Logo  
        1982 5 77 85   1985 4 83 79   1989 3 86 76                  
                  1986 1 96 66                            
                                                       
                                                             
   
  Titles: Top Astros Players of the Eighties  
  1980 - Division Champs (Lose to Philadelphia)  
  1981 - Second Half Champs (Lose Division to LA) Pitchers:  
  1986 - Division Champs (Lose to the Mets) Mike Scott (23.7) -   66  
    Nolan Ryan (25.45) -   61  
  Ballpark: Joe Niekro (15.08) -   59  
  Astrodome   Bob Knepper (9.93) -   58  
    Dave Smith (10.99) -   55  
  Team Name: Jim DeShaies (10.01) -   27  
  Astros   Don Sutton (5.26) -   17  
    Danny Darwin (8.06) -   15  
  Owner:  Joe Sambito (4.45) -   12  
  John McMullen  Bill Dawley (4.56) -   9  
    Larry Andersen (5.44) -   5  
  General Managers:    
  Al Rosen (1980-1985) Catchers:  
  Dick Wagner (1986-1987) Alan Ashby (8.94) -   46  
  Bill Wood (1988-1989) Mark Bailey (2.44) -   19  
    Craig Biggio (2.99) -   10  
  Managers:    
  Bill Virdon (1980-1982) First Basemen:  
  Bob Lillis (1982-1985) Glenn Davis (16.71) -   46  
  Hal Lanier (1986-1988)    
  Art Howe (1989) Second Basemen:  
    Bill Doran (27.8) -   42  
  Hall of Famers:    
  Nolan Ryan ShortStop:  
  Don Sutton Dickie Thon (16.04) -   30  
    Craig Reynolds (7.38) -   27  
  Rookie of the Year:     
  None Third Base:  
    Phil Garner (12.32) -   24  
  MVP Art Howe (6.64) -   17  
  None Ray Knight (4.7) -   14  
e      
e No Hitters: Outfield:  
e Nolan Ryan (1981) Jose Cruz (29.7) -   69  
e Mike Scott (1986) Terry Puhl (20.5) -   48  
e   Kevin Bass (14.7) -   42  
  Cy Young: Billy Hatcher (5.62) -   28  
  Mike Scott (1986) Gerald Young (5.88) -   27  
    Cesar Cedeno (5.44) -   22  
  Notable Events: Denny Walling (11.36) -   19  
  Jerry Mumphrey (4.92) -   15  
  1980 - The Astros come into the Eighties on a high. A new owner in     
  John McMullen who wants to win and the team finally breaking out of the Notable Events:  
  doldrums in '79, going 89-73. Good, good. Houston also had settled on a    
  winning formula for playing in the Astrodome, speed, defense, pitching. There 1983 - Ace righty Mike Scott, 28, is stolen from the Mets in  
  was also an outstanding management team in place. Bill Virdon, the   a deal for Danny Heep   
  field manager since 1975 was an outstandiing baseball man.   
  Al Rosen, hired in 1980 as GM, was top of the line.  1984 - Slugging first baseman Glenn Davis, 23, is a rookie.  
  The pitchers were getting a little long in the tooth, but Niekro was a   He was the fifth overall pick in the 1981 free agent draft.  
   knuckleballer and Ryan was ageless. A real blow occurred when ace     
  JR Richard tragically suffered a stroke in mid season ending his career. 1984 - The Astros have had their share of tragedy. Pitcher Jim Umbricht died  
   of cancer. First baseman Walt Bond contracted leukemia and later died.  
  1980 - The key players on the Astros roster coming into the decade:   Cesar Cedeno shot his girlfriend and was never the same player after that.  
  □  C Alan Ashby, 28, '79 trade with Toronto  Don Wilson committed suicide. JR Richard had a career ending stroke.  
  □  SS Craig Reynolds, 27, '79 trade with Seattle for Floyd Bannister  Now, In 1984, Dickie Thon, an outstanding young shortstop prospect  
  □  3B Enos Cabell, 30, '75 trade with Orioles for Lee May is severely beaned by a Mike Torrez pitch. He is never close to being   
  □  OF Jose Cruz, 32 the same player again after the beaning.   
  □  OF Cesar Cedeno, 29  
  □  OF Terry Puhl, 23, amateur free agent in '73 at the age of seventeen 1985 - Ace lefty Jim DeShaies, 25, is stolen from the Yankees in a  
  □  OF Jeff Leonard, 24, '78 trade with Dodgers  deal for aging righthander Joe Niekro  
  □  Righty Nolan Ryan, 33  
  □  Righty Joe Niekro, 35 1985 - Big 6-6 righty reliever Charlie Kerfeld is a rookie.   
  □  Righty Ken Forsch, 33  He was the 5th overall pick in the '82 draft.  
  □  Righty JR Richard, 30  Charlie has a big year in '86 before blowing out his arm.  
  □  Righty Joaquin Andujar, 27, '75 trade with Reds  
  □  Righty relief ace Dave Smith, 25, 8th round '76 draft 1986 - Dick Wagner takes over from Al Rosen as GM and is alleged   
  to have struck up a deal with Rangers GM Tom Grieve to give the sister  
  1980 - Houston and Los Angeles tie for the Western Division title.  Texas club right of first refusal on any players dealt by either club.  
  The Astros beat LA in a one game playoff - which is stil considered It is dubbed  "The Texas Agreement".  
  the regular season. This is significant because the Astros will go  Both GM's deny the allegations, but a look at the two clubs dealings  
  on to lose the Division Series to the Phillies, the first of seven straight  over a five year period seems to confirm the suspicions.  
  post season series that they lose before they finally win their first  
   post season series in 2004.  1986 - After a four season hiatus, Houston makes it back to the playoffs.  
  The season is something of an aberration in that they gained 13 games  
  1981 - Righthander Bob Knepper, 27, is acquired from the Giants  in the standings to get here and then fall back down 20 games in the   
   in exchange for Enos Cabell standings in '87.  
    There are six key players on the team who remain from their last pennant  
  1981 - The 'Stros make the post season again as second half champs  winning  squad of '81: Ryan, Knepper, Smith, Cruz, Ashby and Reynolds  
   in a strike shortened season.  There are also several key newcomers who Rosen had acquired since '81   
  This time they lose to the Dodgers in the post season. who are big 'contributors to the '86 squad:   
    Davis, Doran, Bass, DeShaies, Scott,  and Kerfeld   
  1982 - Twenty four year old second baseman Bill Doran is a rookie.   
  He was a sixth round selection in the 1979 draft 1986 - Sister expansion clubs Astros and Mets face each other for  
     the NL pennant  The Astros lose.  
  1983 - Centerfielder Kevin Bass, 24, is obtained from Milwaukee for  Interestingly, Ex-met Mike Scott had a huge year to lead   
   righthander Don Sutton the 'Stros during the regular season.