1979 Houston Astros season
1979 Houston Astros | |
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Major League affiliations | |
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Location | |
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Results | |
Record | 89–73 (.549) |
Divisional place | 2nd |
Other information | |
Owner(s) | John McMullen |
General manager(s) | Tal Smith |
Manager(s) | Bill Virdon |
Local television | KRIV |
Local radio |
KPRC (AM) (Gene Elston, Dewayne Staats, Larry Dierker) |
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The 1979 Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. The team finished second in the National League West, 1½ games behind the first-place Cincinnati Reds. The 1979 Astros were the last National League franchise in the 20th century to hit more triples than home runs. The club had 52 triples compared to 49 home runs.[1]
Offseason
- December 8, 1978: Floyd Bannister was traded by the Astros to the Seattle Mariners for Craig Reynolds.[2]
Regular season
Season standings
NL West | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cincinnati Reds | 90 | 71 | 0.559 | — | 48–32 | 42–39 |
Houston Astros | 89 | 73 | 0.549 | 1½ | 52–29 | 37–44 |
Los Angeles Dodgers | 79 | 83 | 0.488 | 11½ | 46–35 | 33–48 |
San Francisco Giants | 71 | 91 | 0.438 | 19½ | 38–43 | 33–48 |
San Diego Padres | 68 | 93 | 0.422 | 22 | 39–42 | 29–51 |
Atlanta Braves | 66 | 94 | 0.412 | 23½ | 34–45 | 32–49 |
Record vs. opponents
1979 National League Records Sources: | |||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | CHC | CIN | HOU | LAD | MON | NYM | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | STL | |||||
Atlanta | — | 4–8 | 6–12 | 7–11 | 12–6 | 1–9 | 4–8 | 7–5 | 4–8 | 6–12 | 11–7 | 4–8 | |||||
Chicago | 8–4 | — | 7–5 | 6–6 | 5–7 | 6–12 | 8–10 | 9–9 | 6–12 | 9–3 | 8–4 | 8–10 | |||||
Cincinnati | 12–6 | 5–7 | — | 8–10 | 11–7 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 10–7 | 6–12 | 8–4 | |||||
Houston | 11–7 | 6–6 | 10–8 | — | 10–8 | 7–5 | 9–3 | 5–7 | 4–8 | 14–4 | 7–11 | 6–6 | |||||
Los Angeles | 6–12 | 7–5 | 7–11 | 8–10 | — | 6–6 | 9–3 | 3–9 | 4–8 | 9–9 | 14–4 | 6–6 | |||||
Montreal | 9–1 | 12–6 | 6–6 | 5–7 | 6–6 | — | 15–3 | 11–7 | 7–11 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 10–8 | |||||
New York | 8–4 | 10–8 | 4–8 | 3–9 | 3–9 | 3–15 | — | 5–13 | 8–10–1 | 4–8 | 8–4 | 7–11 | |||||
Philadelphia | 5-7 | 9–9 | 4–8 | 7–5 | 9–3 | 7–11 | 13–5 | — | 8–10 | 9–3 | 6–6 | 7–11–1 | |||||
Pittsburgh | 8–4 | 12–6 | 4–8 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 11–7 | 10–8–1 | 10–8 | — | 7–5 | 9–3 | 11–7 | |||||
San Diego | 12–6 | 3–9 | 7–10 | 4–14 | 9–9 | 5–7 | 8–4 | 3–9 | 5–7 | — | 8–10 | 4–8 | |||||
San Francisco | 7–11 | 4–8 | 12–6 | 11–7 | 4–14 | 5–7 | 4–8 | 6–6 | 3–9 | 10–8 | — | 5–7 | |||||
St. Louis | 8–4 | 10–8 | 4–8 | 6–6 | 6–6 | 8–10 | 11–7 | 11–7–1 | 7–11 | 8–4 | 7–5 | — |
Notable transactions
- April 27, 1979: The Astros traded a player to be named later to the Kansas City Royals for George Throop. The Astros completed the deal by sending Keith Drumright to the Royals on October 26.[3]
- June 13, 1979: Bob Watson was traded by the Astros to the Boston Red Sox for Pete Ladd, a player to be named later, and cash. The Red Sox completed the deal by sending Bobby Sprowl to the Astros on June 19.[4]
Draft picks
- June 5, 1979: 1979 Major League Baseball draft
- Bill Doran was drafted by the Astros in the 6th round.[5]
- Mark Ross was drafted by the Astros in the 7th round.[6]
- Lemmie Miller was drafted by the Astros in the 1st round (20th pick) of the secondary phase, but did not sign.[7]
Roster
1979 Houston Astros | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches |
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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C | Ashby, AlanAlan Ashby | 108 | 336 | 68 | .202 | 2 | 35 |
1B | Cedeño, CésarCésar Cedeño | 132 | 470 | 123 | .262 | 6 | 54 |
SS | Reynolds, CraigCraig Reynolds | 146 | 555 | 147 | .265 | 0 | 39 |
LF | Cruz, JoséJosé Cruz | 157 | 558 | 161 | .289 | 9 | 72 |
CF | Puhl, TerryTerry Puhl | 157 | 600 | 172 | .287 | 8 | 49 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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González, JulioJulio González | 68 | 181 | 45 | .249 | 0 | 10 |
Watson, BobBob Watson | 49 | 163 | 39 | .239 | 3 | 18 |
Walling, DennyDenny Walling | 82 | 147 | 48 | .327 | 3 | 31 |
Alou, JesúsJesús Alou | 42 | 43 | 11 | .256 | 0 | 10 |
Heep, DannyDanny Heep | 14 | 14 | 2 | .143 | 0 | 2 |
Knicely, AlanAlan Knicely | 7 | 6 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
Wiedenbauer, TomTom Wiedenbauer | 4 | 6 | 4 | .667 | 0 | 2 |
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Richard, J. R.J. R. Richard | 38 | 292.1 | 18 | 13 | 2.71 | 313 |
Forsch, KenKen Forsch | 26 | 177.2 | 11 | 6 | 3.04 | 58 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Andújar, JoaquínJoaquín Andújar | 46 | 194 | 12 | 12 | 3.43 | 77 |
LaCorte, FrankFrank LaCorte | 12 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 5.00 | 24 |
Riccelli, FrankFrank Riccelli | 11 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 4.09 | 20 |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
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Roberge, BertBert Roberge | 26 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1.69 | 13 |
Dixon, TomTom Dixon | 19 | 25.2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6.66 | 9 |
Throop, GeorgeGeorge Throop | 14 | 22.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.22 | 15 |
McLaughlin, BoBo McLaughlin | 12 | 16.1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5.51 | 12 |
Ladd, PetePete Ladd | 10 | 12.1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.92 | 6 |
Wilson, GaryGary Wilson | 6 | 7.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.27 | 6 |
Sprowl, BobbyBobby Sprowl | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 3 |
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: GCL Astros
References
- ↑ Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 96, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN 978-0-451-22363-0
- ↑ Floyd Bannister at Baseball Reference
- ↑ Keith Drumright at Baseball Reference
- ↑ Bob Watson at Baseball Reference
- ↑ Bill Doran at Baseball-Reference
- ↑ Mark Ross at Baseball Reference
- ↑ Lemmie Miller at Baseball Reference